International Co-operative Programme on Decommissioning (CPD)

The International Co-operative Programme for the Exchange of Scientific and Technical Information Concerning Nuclear Installation Decommissioning Projects began in 1985. Initially consisting of 10 decommissioning projects in eight countries, the programme has since grown to the present number of 59 projects (35 reactors and 24 fuel cycle facilities) in 12 NEA member countries, one non-member economy, and the European Commission. A new agreement to reflect changes in the CPD's operating methods and financing was signed in 2004. The current agreement is valid from 2009 to 2013. Decommissioning projects have benefited from the information exchange framework provided by the CPD. The information exchange includes biannual meetings of the Technical Advisory Group (TAG), during which the site of one of the participating projects is visited, and where positive and less positive examples of decommissioning experience are openly exchanged for the benefit of all.

The forum offered by the programme is valuable in ensuring that the safest, most economic and environmentally friendly options for decommissioning are employed. For some members who have less experience in this area, the benefit in not having to go through an expensive learning and development programme is invaluable. Of particular importance in this period is not just the increase in membership and projects from OECD member countries, but the active participation of other international organisations such as the IAEA and the European Commission. This shows that the increasing importance of decommissioning for the future success of the nuclear industry is now recognised.

The programme reports to the NEA Radioactive Waste Management Committee (RWMC) and has strong ties to the NEA/RWMC Working Party on Decommissioning and Dismantling (WPDD). Reports providing basic information on the participating projects, their modus operandi and summarising the experience accumulated through the project are as follows:

Participants

Decommisioning project(s) are in brackets.

Belgium (BR3-NPP, Eurochemic Reprocessing Plant)
Canada (204A/204B Bays Chalk River, Tunney's Pasture Facility, Whiteshell Research Laboratory, Gentilly-1, NPD PHWR)
Chinese Tapei (Taiwan Research Reactor)
France (EL 4 Brennilis, Bugey 1, Elan IIB, AT-1 La Hague, Rapsodie (FBR) Cadarache, G2/G3 Marcoule, Saclay High-Activity Laboratories, Melusine, Phenix, ATUE, APM Marcoule, UP1 Reprocessing Plant Marcoule, Basic Nuclear Facility No 57)
Germany (MZFR Karlsruhe, KNK Karlsruhe, WAK, Greifswald NPP, AVR, KKN Niederaichbach, HDR Karlstein)
Italy (Garigliano NPP, ITREC U-Th reprocessing plant, Latina GCR)
Japan (Fugen NPP, JPDR Tokai NPP, JRTF Tokai, Plutonium Fuel Facility, Uranium Refining/ Conversion/Enrichment Facility, Tokai 1 NPP, Hamaoka 1&2 NPP)
Republic of Korea (Triga Research Reactors KRR1&2, Uranium Conversion Facility)
Slovak Republic (Bohunice A1, Bohunice V1)
Spain (PIMIC remediation, PIMIC D&D , Jose Cabrera NPP, Vandellos 1)
Sweden (Studsvik Active Central Laboratory, Research Reactor R2/R2-0, Barsebäck NPP)
United Kingdom (BNFL Co-precipitation Plant, WAGR Sellafield, B 243 Intermediate Waste Recovery)
United States of America (Portsmouth GDP, West Valley Demo. Project, FEMP, Shippingport, EBWR, Fort St. Vrain)
European Commission (Legacy Waste Retrieval)