Decommissioning of Nuclear Power Plants

The European Community's programme on the decommissioning of nuclear ~wer plants has the prime objective of developing effective techniques and procedures for ensuring the protection of nan and his envirornnent aginst the potential hazards of nuclear ~wer plants that have been finally shut down. The Carrnission of the European Ccrrmunities organized this interna­ tional conference to present results achieved during the past five years of the prograrme. It also provided an opportunity for discussions anongst experts fran Merriber States of the European Catmuni ty and participating SCl.en­ tists fran outside the Ccrrmunity, on the issues and options for future research. The conference was limited to invited papers, presented by scien­ tists involved in European Ccmnunity contract studies. The topics covered by the conference and in the proceedings are : characterization of the radioactivity associated with nuclear ~wer plants that have been finally shut dawn; implications of maintaining shut-down nuclear ~wer plants for long periods before disnantling; decontamination of metal and concrete surfaces for decommissioning purposes; dismantling of nuclear ~r plant cam~nents and structures; conditioning and packaging of the radioactive waste arising fran the dismantling; systems for remotely controlled decommissioning operations; aspects related to the classification of solid decommissioning waste, namely measurement of very low-level radioactivity and eValuation of radiological consequences; nuclear power plant design features facilitating decommissioning; experience with industrial-scale decommissioning operation. The proceedings also report the discussions on the papers as well as the results of two technical panels and of the concluding panel.