Ranstad was a uranium mine between Falköping and Skövde. Between 1965 and 1969 uranium was recovered from shale at Ranstad, which was intended for the Swedish nuclear power program. The mine was built so Sweden could be self-sufficient in uranium, but when the price of uranium was too low it never reached profitability and was closed. Since the beginning of 2010, the nuclear facilities at the Ranstad site have been undergoing decommissioning. Studsvik have acted as the lead contractor and self-performed the majority of the decommissioning project.
Studsvik have been the lead contractor for this decommissioning project providing overall project management and administration as well as the majority of the technical requirements. Our Project Management support has included:
- Planning, coordination, administration and security planning
- Development of project management system
- Coordination and procurement schedules
- Management system security auditing
- Waste management administration
- Officer responsible for the administrative chores project support
- Management in safety analysis reports
- Contacts with authorities
- Training
From Radiological Survey to Clearance – an overview
Studsvik’s oversight and technical expertise on this project has ensured the site has been decommissioned safely and waste is being disposed of correctly with volumes minimized where possible through characterization, and treatment technologies. The program of work has been summarized in to a ten stage process with Studsvik’s involvement summarized below.
- Handling of radioactive and potentially radioactive material
- Studsvik were responsible for the Initial risk assessment and categorization and then later re-categorization, site radiological survey and nuclide vector determination. We also set up the project controls including logistics planning, material flows during decommissioning and document management.
- Radiological support during decommissioning
- Studsvik provided radiological support during decommissioning to ensure site operatives completed work safely including support for written systems of work and risk assessments.
- Dismantling, packing, and transportation of material and waste to external waste treatment
- Studsvik were responsible for the overall management of material and waste as it was generated to ensure there were no project delays due to buildup of backlog and to ensure the waste was safely transported off site.
- Dismantling / measurements / clearance of material at Ranstad
- Studsvik conducted the monitoring and survey measurements of numerous pieces of equipment to enable them to be cleared for re-use.
- Dismantling / measurements / clearance of material by external waste processor
- Studsvik were responsible for ensuring waste sent to a waste treatment processor was suitable for subsequent disposal and ensuring wastes were safely and effectively managed to minimize the risks posed to public and the workforce. This included
- Process equipment, chemicals, acid, and uranium contaminated water, etc.
- All material sent to an external waste processor was subject to clearance for disposal.
- Contaminated water was incinerated together with other material to reduce amount of waste and control non-incinerable pollutants
- Waste treatment at Ranstad and by external waste processor
- Optimization plan for clearance
- Studsvik undertook an options assessment to identify the best means of clearing the site. This assessment looked at a range of options and requirements to ensure the site could be cleared as free of contamination with a robust data set to back up that conclusion.
- Measurements before clearance of the facility
- A baseline of the facility was taken to identify hotspots and to ensure that risks were fully understood.
- Documentation for radiological survey, dismantling and clearance of material and facility
All characterization was fully documented to ensure the customer had a robust set of data as evidence for the regulator that the clearance of the site had been successful. This included:
- Statistical measurement planning
- Measurements before clearance in the facility
- Statistical evaluation of results minimizes the amount of measurements
- Reporting
- Application to SSM
- Support for license application for facility clearance
Studsvik’s technical expertise and full insight of the project has supported the customer to apply for facility clearance approval with the regulators. Studsvik regularly liaise with regulators on the customers behalf and can help ensure, data is fully understood and facilitate smooth license applications.
