Technical assistance to Ukrainian Beneficiaries and End-users in managing radwaste management and decommissioning projects in the frame of the TACIS and INSC Programmes

Ukraine was one of the main beneficiaries of the TACIS nuclear safety programme, in which in addition to NPP design and operational safety a significant part of the funding was designated to environmental restoration and radioactive waste management and decommissioning.

The purpose of the project was to provide technical support to the beneficiary and end-users for projects being undertaken in the sector of radioactive waste management and decommissioning in the Chernobyl exclusion zone.

The projects related with radioactive waste management encompassed a variety of activities and were managed as service contracts, supply contracts and/or work contracts. The aim of all those projects was to provide the beneficiary with suitable radwaste management facilities and/ or to solve specific problems related with this subject area, within the highest safety and technological standards. Other projects were aimed at providing the end-user with the most suitable and up-to-date tools for planning the decommissioning of the Chernobyl NPP.

Projects financed in Ukraine in the frame of the TACIS nuclear safety programme, especially those in the area of Chernobyl had strong interface with other actions funded by international donors. The most relevant projects that had direct interactions with the planned activities were the Shelter Implementation Plan (SIP) and the Liquid Radwaste Treatment Plant (LRTP) projects.

The objective of the project was to provide the technical and management assistance to the beneficiary and end-user organizations in supporting the management and implementation of projects related to treatment, conditioning and storage of radioactive waste as well as decommissioning of nuclear installations, which were prepared within TACIS or INSC framework, at the Chernobyl site and within the exclusion zone.

More specifically, the project had to provide expertise to relevant Ministries, Agencies and Organizations in Ukraine related with:

• supporting the contract administration by assisting in the review and the development of contracting documentation (including technical specifications and ToR) and in contract follow-up;
• supporting the management of projects, including transfer of tools and their implementation, related with project scheduling, assignment of resources and control of their utilization, as well as performance of tasks and projects;
• provision of support and advice concerning the development and/ or the review of licensing documentation and regulatory submittals that were required within prevailing Ukraine legislation, related with ongoing and future projects;
• support in supervision and independent review of the installation activities that were being carried out within ongoing projects, including proposals for any corrective actions that might be needed;
• supporting the beneficiary in performing the analysis of the status and the specific needs of ongoing projects, to be used for the identification of future activities/ projects that might be funded by international donors
• supporting end-users with legal expertise in managing contractual issues in the frame of TACIS and INSC programs

The overall results of the project supported the successful implementation of radwaste management TACIS and INSC projects in Ukraine, including their timely and on-budget performance. The results encompassed all assistance (within the defined frame) to the beneficiary and end-user organizations aimed at assuring that the maximum benefits from the projects were achieved and at minimising any negative impact, particularly related to regulatory or implementation issues. The expected results included the identification of the needs in the broader area of radioactive waste management and decommissioning upon which future projects might be implemented.

The contractor was COWI Consortium (comprising COWI, BCEOM, ENVIROS, EXERGIA and Tractebel). The activities of the project were implemented in close coordination with the AidCo A4 Project Manager and in close collaboration with the Ukrainian beneficiary and end-user organizations.

The beneficiary and end-user organizations that were target of the technical support to be provided within this project included:

• the Ministry of Emergency Situations of the Republic of Ukraine
• the state department for the administration of the exclusion zone and the zone of absolute resettlement (ChEZ)
• the state specialised enterprise Chernobyl NPP (SSE ChNPP)
• the state specialised scientific and industrial enterprise Chernobyl Radioecological Centre (SSSIE Ecocentre)
• the State Specialized Company Technocentre (SSC Technocentre)

The projects supported in the frame of this project included:

• realization of an Industrial complex for solid radwaste management (U02/99) including project U4.02/07 (additional activities for the ICSRM project in Chernobyl)
• ancillary decommissioning facilities:
  • procurement of a facility for the production of steel drums and reinforced concrete containers for radwaste transportand storage at ChNPP (U4.01/04W)
  • establishment of a comprehensive Radiation Monitoring and Early Warning system in the Chernobyl exclusion zone (U4.01/05)
  • modernization of the long-length waste cutting facility (LLWCF) at ChNPP (U4.01/06)
  • feasibility study and preliminary design of a near-surface facility for the long-term storage of long-lived high level radioactive waste on site of the complex “Vector” in the Chernobyl exclusion zone (U4.02/06)
  • decommissioning information support system for the ChNPP (U4.04/06)
  • launching the activity of a non-governamental enterprise in the field of land rehabilitation at the Chernobyl exclusion zone in conditions of market socio-economic rise in Ukraine (U4.02/05)

The project team had experience in the implementation and monitoring of projects on radioactive waste management and decommissioning of nuclear facilities, experience with assistance projects in Ukraine and FSU countries, and specific knowledge on contracting within TACIS framework.

Assistance started with the review of the status of each project, account taken of both existing specific problems and expected future problems to be addressed in the frame of the project. The level of implementation for the project was assessed, problematic areas were identified, and remedial actions were suggested to the beneficiary and end-users, aimed at enabling a smooth implementation of the projects. The experts provided advice on contractual matters, including the preparation and review of contractual documents, negotiations with contractors, and the follow up of the projects.

Each provided activity was documented in a short note/ report addressed to the beneficiary, enabling the beneficiary and end-users to clearly establish recommended actions. The reports contained a list of remarks about the management of projects (scheduling, resource allocation, corrective actions).

On-site visits were planned to provide direct interaction of team with ongoing project activities.
Monthly progress reports were prepared for the duration of the project (administrative reports, having the aim to inform EC of progress in the activities, problem encountered, recommendations, requests).

The specific reports included the following deliverables:

• inception report, including the work plan with the schedule for the implementation
• summary report, compiling the reports on the various activities completed, and providing recommendations about reviewed projects
• report documenting all activities that were undertaken, related with the assessment of needs, and providing a prioritized list of activities to be considered for the future in the area of radioactive waste management in Ukraine. The report documented the identification of needs and proposing justification, based on the performed assessment of needs and the input received by the beneficiary, end-users and the EC.
• final report, summarizing the performed work, and highlighting the main activities undertaken, achieved results, weakness and recommendations for the overall improvement of the project.

The project started on 20.03.2008, with initial duration of 7 months, but the contract was extended until 30.12.2008.