Radiation Exposure during Spent Fuel Transfer and Storage at CNEPROD Cernavoda NPP

Cernavoda NPP is a five units (CANDU 600 MWe) power plant with one unit in operation. The underwater spent fuel storage facility was designed with a storage capacity of 50,000 spent fuel bundles with a discharge rate of 5,000 fuel bundles annually. After six years of plant operation in the spent fuel storage bay there were stored 30,344 fuel bundles. Due to limited capacity of underwater spent fuel storage facility it was necessary to build an Intermediate Dry Spent Fuel Storage Facility (IDSFSF). The design of the IDSFSF was developed by AECL and contains strength safety features to ensure the safety of operating personnel, of the public and the long-term integrity of the fuel. The licensing process started in 2001 by getting the Sitting Licence followed by the Construction, the Commissioning and the Operating Licences (2003). During 2003 there were performed 60 transfers to IDSFSF.