Safeguards Measures To Monitor Spent Fuel Transfers From Nuclear Power Plants To Dry Storages In Argentina And Brazil

Year
2020
Author(s)
Luis Carlos Machado da Silva - ABACC, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Sonia Fernández Moreno - ABACC
Fabio Dias - ABACC
Horacio Lee Gonzales - ABACC
Anibal Bonino - ABACC
Marcos Moreira - ABACC
Carlos Llacer - ABACC, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Leonardo Dunley - ABACC, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
Max Facchinetti - ABACC
Abstract

In order to meet verification requirements during and after the transfer of spent fuel assemblies from spent fuel ponds to dry storages at nuclear power plants in Argentina and Brazil, ABACC in coordination with IAEA needs to implement specific safeguards measures. In Argentina and Brazil, two new dry storages are currently under construction. In Brazil, it is located in the Angra site and consists of canisters that will be able to receive spent fuel assemblies from both Angra 1 and Angra 2 PWR-type reactors. The canisters will be loaded into storage modules that will be placed vertically in an external area. The dry storage in Argentina is located in the Atucha I PHWR-type reactor and consists of vertical underground silos constructed in a dedicated building connected to the spent fuel building. A special flask will be used to transfer the spent fuel assemblies to the silos. This paper presents possible safeguards measures to be applied at both storages. The monitoring systems are based on unattended NDA (gamma and neutron) and containment devices, in combination with surveillance cameras. In addition, 2D Laser technology is proposed to be used at Atucha I to compose a dual containment and surveillance (C/S) system.