Wedoany.com Report, From March 8 to 17 local time, at the request of the Polish government, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) dispatched an expert team for the "Integrated Review Service for Radioactive Waste and Spent Fuel Management, Decommissioning and Remediation" (ARTEMIS) to conduct a ten-day mission in Warsaw.
The review team acknowledged Poland's efforts in ensuring the safe management of radioactive waste and spent fuel as part of its nuclear energy development push, noting it is an essential component of its nuclear program. Poland currently operates the MARIA research reactor and is advancing its nuclear power plans according to schedule. The first nuclear power plant, equipped with three Westinghouse AP1000 reactors, is expected to be commissioned by 2036.
For the next phase of work, the expert team put forward several specific recommendations. Firstly, it is recommended that the Polish government establish a set of reference assumptions regarding planning, resource allocation, and cost estimation when updating its national plan to enhance its scientific basis. Secondly, the Warsaw authorities should develop a clear timetable to decide whether to classify "very low-level waste" (i.e., waste suitable for near-surface disposal under limited regulatory control) as a new category of radioactive waste. Furthermore, as Poland's sole institution responsible for the safe management of nuclear waste and spent fuel, the Radioactive Waste Management Plant (ZUOP) is advised to develop a roadmap for new facilities, aiming to construct a new near-surface disposal facility to accommodate radioactive waste generated from nuclear power plant operations.
It is reported that Poland has a certain foundation in radioactive waste management, having operated the National Radioactive Waste Repository in the town of Różan, about 100 kilometers northeast of Warsaw, since the 1960s. Spent fuel is currently stored at the specialized facility in Świerk in the north. The IAEA review team believes that Poland has made progress in continuously improving its radioactive waste management system, but further implementation of key measures in the national plan is still needed to comprehensively ensure the long-term safety and sustainable development of its nuclear energy program.
