Decommissioned Submarines in the Russian Northwest

Decommissioned Submarines in the Russian Northwest PDF

Author: E.J. Kirk

Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media

Published: 2012-12-06

Total Pages: 143

ISBN-13: 9401156182

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Until the late 1970s, most commercial power plant operators outside the United States adopted a spent fuel management policy of immediate reprocessing and recycling of recovered products. In response to rising reprocessing prices, decreasing values of re covered products, concerns over proliferation risks, and a belief in the favorable eco nomics of direct disposal, many utilities have since opted to store spent fuel on an in terim basis pending the availability of direct disposal facilities or a change in the eco nomic and/or political climate for reprocessing and recycling uranium and plutonium. Spent fuel has traditionally been stored in water-filled pools located in the reactor building or fuel handling buildings, on reactor sites, or as part of large centralized fa cilities (e.g. Sellafield, La Hague, CLAB). Because the economics of pool storage are dependent on the size of the facility, the construction of additional separate pools on reactor sites has only been pursued in a few countries, such as Finland and Bulgaria.

Decommissioned Russian Nuclear Submarines and International Cooperation

Decommissioned Russian Nuclear Submarines and International Cooperation PDF

Author: Charles Krupnick

Publisher: McFarland

Published: 2017-07-06

Total Pages: 273

ISBN-13: 0786450444

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With the end of the Cold War, Russia's submarines were no longer needed to deter or fight Western navies and were very expensive to operate and maintain. Older submarines were taken out of service in large numbers, but without firm plans and infrastructure in place to remove and adequately care for their nuclear components, problems soon developed over the disposition of spent fuel assemblies. Problems arose also of course between Russia and the international community as to the best way to respond to the challenge. This book looks at those problems, first discussing Russia's economy, its environment, and the Russian Navy, and then covering in detail the spent fuel of Russian submarines and related nuclear problems. The engagement of the international community on the issue is then addressed. A theoretical analysis is offered on how Russia's fellow nations can help remedy a troubling environmental problem in a difficult country.

From Throw Weights to Metric Tons

From Throw Weights to Metric Tons PDF

Author: Donald A. Pruefer

Publisher:

Published: 2000

Total Pages: 138

ISBN-13:

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After the Soviet Union's collapse, the newly independent nations that emerged from its wreckage were immediately confronted by a myriad of environmental problems, and continue to be plagued by them nearly a decade later. In a microcosm of the shortsighted planning, reckless development and lack of ecological concern that epitomized the Soviet era, 70 decommissioned nuclear submarines are currently moored in ports along the Kola Peninsula. Obsolete, damaged, or banned by strategic arms reductions treaties, they have been largely abandoned after being stripped of their offensive armament. Manned by skeleton crews, these toothless sharks hold within their poorly maintained hulls a total of nearly 30 times the amount of nuclear fuel that was in Chernobyl Reactor Number Four when it exploded in 1986. Reporters and ecologists (from Russia and elsewhere) have made a connection between that disaster and one they see unfolding in Russia's northwest, depicting the submarines as "floating Chernobyl" and "a Chernobyl in slow motion." This illustrates the irony of shifting perceptions in NATO countries about how these submarines threaten them. In their Cold War glory, these vessels were meticulously watched in the West. The threat they represented was defined in terms of the throw weights of the nuclear warheads they carried aboard. A decade after the Soviet implosion, these submarines are largely ignored. The threat they now pose is measured in metric tons of the spent fuel and radioactive waste carried within their decaying hulls.

Analysis of Risks Associated with Nuclear Submarine Decommissioning, Dismantling and Disposal

Analysis of Risks Associated with Nuclear Submarine Decommissioning, Dismantling and Disposal PDF

Author: Ashot A. Sarkisov

Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media

Published: 1999-02-28

Total Pages: 460

ISBN-13: 9780792355977

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A great number of nuclear submarines are due to be decommissioned before 2000. The political decisions surrounding the disposal of nuclear compartments, radioactive wastes and spent fuel differ appreciably between the countries that own the boats. The decision makers involved thus need help in comparing and assessing alternative options for the decommissioning of their nuclear submarine fleets. The present volume offers such assistance, with its discussions of the risks associated with long-term water storage of the boats, radioactive and chemical contamination, spent fuel and waste management, and handling and recycling reactor compartments.

Analysis of the Radio-Ecological State of Units and Installations Involved in Nuclear Submarine Decommissioning in the Northwest Region of Russia

Analysis of the Radio-Ecological State of Units and Installations Involved in Nuclear Submarine Decommissioning in the Northwest Region of Russia PDF

Author:

Publisher:

Published: 2003

Total Pages: 0

ISBN-13:

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This report documents the current state of nuclear submarines and facilities involved in the dismantlement of nuclear submarines in the Russian Northern Fleet. in the first section of the report, all nuclear-powered units and installations involved in the process of nuclear submarine utilization in the northwest region of Russia are listed and considered in detail. The units and installations that were studied include: decommissioned nuclear submarines to be dismantled and salvages, maintenance support vessels, coastal servicing enterprises, and coastal sites. The second section of the report deals with the state of the environment within territories and water areas located close to nuclear-powered units and installations involved in nuclear submarine utilization processes in the northwest region of Russia. The third section considers the issues of creating the concept of environmental (ecological) monitoring within the northwest region. In the fourth section of the report, an analysis of standard and legal frame works for nuclear submarine utilization is given.

Analysis of the Radio-Ecological State of Units and Installations Involved in Nuclear Submarine Decommissioning in the Northwest Region of Russia

Analysis of the Radio-Ecological State of Units and Installations Involved in Nuclear Submarine Decommissioning in the Northwest Region of Russia PDF

Author:

Publisher:

Published: 2003

Total Pages: 350

ISBN-13:

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This report documents the current state of nuclear submarines and facilities involved in the dismantlement of nuclear submarines in the Russian Northern Fleet. in the first section of the report, all nuclear-powered units and installations involved in the process of nuclear submarine utilization in the northwest region of Russia are listed and considered in detail. The units and installations that were studied include: decommissioned nuclear submarines to be dismantled and salvages, maintenance support vessels, coastal servicing enterprises, and coastal sites. The second section of the report deals with the state of the environment within territories and water areas located close to nuclear-powered units and installations involved in nuclear submarine utilization processes in the northwest region of Russia. The third section considers the issues of creating the concept of environmental (ecological) monitoring within the northwest region. In the fourth section of the report, an analysis of standard and legal frame works for nuclear submarine utilization is given.

Environmental Peacemaking

Environmental Peacemaking PDF

Author: Ken Conca

Publisher: Woodrow Wilson Center Press

Published: 2002-11-13

Total Pages: 268

ISBN-13: 9780801871931

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Eight contributions written by professors of political science, government, and politics as well as researchers and program directors for environmental change, energy, and security projects provide insight into the process of environmental peacemaking, based on their experiences in a variety of international regions. An initial chapter makes a case for the process; successive chapters address the Baltic, South Asia, the Aral Sea basin, southern Africa, the Caspian Sea, and the US-Mexican border. Annotation (c)2003 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com).

Challenges in Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Regulation of the Nuclear Legacy

Challenges in Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Regulation of the Nuclear Legacy PDF

Author: Malgorzata Sneve

Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media

Published: 2008-07-19

Total Pages: 228

ISBN-13: 1402086342

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A NATO workshop was held in September 2007 under the Security through Science framework to consider the current challenges in regulation of the nuclear legacy. The overall objective was to share East-West competence and experience in radiation protection and nuclear safety supervision of installations built during the cold war, particularly in relation to regulatory strategies for safe decommissioning of unique or unusual nuclear facilities and remediation activities. There were over 60 participants from 8 countries as well as representatives from the International Commission on Radiological Protection, the International Atomic Energy Agency and NATO. The organisations involved included regulatory authorities, operators and technical support organizations. The new Russian Federation Unified State Programme for Handling Spent Fuel and Radioactive Waste was introduced and the steps necessary to set this up as a comprehensive programme of activities were described. Some waste management sites are in a poor state. Legacy management experience was provided from the UK, France and the USA. Information was provided on methods for site characterisation and separation of wastes into exempt, low-level and intermediate level waste, and the complication of dealing at the same time with chemical hazards, such as beryllium. Strategies for contaminated site management were also explained and the associated risk assessment methods outlined. The Russian Federation has responsibility to manage its own nuclear legacy. But it is also one of several countries in the global network of nuclear activities. Harmonisation of approaches is valuable in building future cooperation, but local conditions may influence the best local solution. Accordingly, future exchanges, such as those provided for by this workshop, should be encouraged. There are many complex issues to be addressed and they cannot all be solved at once. Clear recognition of the major threats, as well as weakness in regulatory processes, can be useful in directing future resources. However, at this stage it is clear that there are specific regulatory issues to address as well as a need to maintain development of an enhanced overall safety culture. Such guidance needs to be thoroughly based on the best use of scientific and technical information. At the same time, part of the solution relates to policy issues and value judgements, and so broader interaction among regulators, operators and other stakeholders is to be encouraged.