In addition, the operation of nuclear power plants generates spent fuel (potentially recoverable radioactive materials), the quantity of which is limited due to the implementation of treatment-recycling.
EDF has created the Cyclife Group, a group of subsidiaries specialising in decommissioning and waste management. In particular, Cyclife offers melting and incineration solutions to reduce the volume of short-lived radioactive waste and, depending on local regulations, to recycle very low-level metal waste. Cyclife has three plants, in France, Sweden and the United Kingdom, and mobile machines that work directly on operating nuclear power plants. Cyclife is also working on developing innovative waste treatment technologies alongside industrial partners.
In France, EDF, in its capacity as a nuclear operator, is responsible for what happens to its spent fuel and how it is processed and for the related waste, without any possibility of transfer of responsibility or limitation in time. Orano is responsible for processing spent fuel and ANDRA for the storage of final waste, in accordance with the Article L. 542-12 of the French Environmental Code. More generally, the safe and sustainable management of radioactive materials and waste is coordinated by the French government through the National Radioactive Materials and Waste Management Plan (PNGMDR). Updated every five years (1) with contributions from industry, associations, the general public, authorities and governmental representatives, it incorporates the provisions of the Multi-Year Energy Programme (PPE), which is itself regularly updated. EDF actively participates in all the working groups associated with the PNGMDR.
EDF sets aside provisions to cover future waste management expenses (see Note 15 to the consolidated financial statements for the fiscal year ended 31 December 2022 in Section 6.1), in accordance with Article L. 594-2 of the French Environmental Code and its implementing regulations. This regulation specifies which liabilities are not associated with the operating cycle and must therefore be covered by dedicated assets (see section 6.1, note 15.1.3 “Coverage of EDF’s long- term nuclear obligations”).
EDF has set up a system for managing waste from the operation and dismantling of its power plants which now allows all waste from nuclear power generation to be handled in dedicated, operational and secure industrial facilities, with due respect for the environment and the health of the populations and personnel concerned, under the control of the French Nuclear Safety Authority.
Regulatory changes resulting from the PNGMDR (2) (regulatory texts published on 14 February 2022) set up at the beginning of 2022 the legal framework allowing for the recycling and recovery of very low activity metals from nuclear installations, thereby bringing French regulations into line with those of other European countries. The aim of this development was to save natural resources and storage capacity at Cires. In partnership with Orano, EDF is studying a project, named the Technocentre project, for an industrial facility to recover metallic VLLW materials for reuse in conventional industry. The aim of this facility is to produce, after treatment, melting and testing, ingots whose radiological characteristics guarantee that they can be used without any impact on health and the environment, regardless of how they are used. In addition, the Cyclife subsidiary is continuing to develop in order to expand its range of waste treatment solutions.
As regards long-lived waste of the HLW and HLWM type (see glossary), the Group is committed to working alongside Andra, the project owner for the Cigéo project, to ensure the success of this geological storage centre, which will provide future generations with a safe management option for the very long term, freeing them from any active waste management constraints. This project consists of storing the waste in galleries built 500 metres underground in a clay layer that has been stable for over 150 million years and has the required containment properties. The decree declaring Cigéo to be in the public interest (DUP) and the decree making Cigéo an Operation of National Interest (OIN) were signed in July 2022 (3). On 17 January 2023, Andra submitted the application for authorisation to create Cigéo to the French Ministry of Energy Transition.
As for the management of spent fuel, EDF’s operation of its nuclear power plants in France currently results in the storage of approximately 100 additional tonnes of spent fuel each year. This level is limited compared to the quantity of spent fuel discharged from reactors (1,200 tonnes per year), due to the implementation of spent fuel processing-recycling. Most of the spent fuel (about nine-tenths) is processed by Orano at La Hague for reuse in reactors, and the remaining tenth, which is not processed in the short term because it is already derived from reprocessed fuel, must be stored for several decades pending its later recovery (or, failing that, pending its final disposal). EDF currently recycles spent fuel once in its reactors (mono-recycling) and is considering the possibility of further recycling in the future (multi-recycling in current reactors, or in future 4th generation reactors).
Against this background, EDF is developing a project for an underwater centralised spent fuel storage facility in order to meet the need for long-term storage of spent fuel already generated through initial recycling. This project also aims to meet the more general need for new spent fuel storage capacity by 2030. The commissioning of this facility, which is planned to be located in La Hague, is scheduled for 2034. This project was the subject of a preliminary consultation under the auspices of the National Commission for Public Debate (CNDP), which was held over three months in two phases, from 22 November 2021 to 2 February 2022 and, after that, from 20 June to 8 July 2022 (see section 1.4.1.1.2.3). This stage initiates a phase of ongoing consultation with the territory until the Public Inquiry scheduled for 2025.
Furthermore, in order to meet medium-term storage needs, Orano and EDF are studying transitional solutions in conjunction with ASN: densification of existing pools at the Orano La Hague site, dry storage solutions for certain fuels, etc.
For more details, see Note 15.1.1 Nuclear provision in France in the notes to the consolidated financial statements for the year ended 31 December 2022 – section 6.1. See section 1.4.1.1.2.3 “The issues relating to the nuclear activity”: A - “Dowstream”, “Processing of spent fuel from EDF’s nuclear power stations”, - “Storing conditioned final radioactive waste”, et C - “Issues related to the decommissioning of nuclear power plants”.
Risks related to waste management are described in chapter 2 risk 5B “Control of radioactive waste treatment and decommissioning of nuclear facilities, and ability to meet related commitments”.
In the UK, radioactive waste is classified into several categories:
EDF UK’s radioactive waste strategy is in line with the UK and Scottish Governments’ commitment to the hierarchical principles of waste management (reduce, reuse, recycle, recover).
LLW accounts for about 94% of the volume of radioactive waste in the UK, but only 1% of the total radioactivity. This waste is mainly made up of old machine components, filters, plastic, cloth and paper. The waste is recycled or incinerated via high temperature incinerators, so that LLW sent for disposal is minimised. All remaining waste is compacted (where possible), sealed in containers, then cemented and disposed of in the LLW depot in Cumbria.
ILW accounts for about 6% of the UK’s radioactive waste volume, derived mainly from the operation and maintenance of power stations. The waste is safely stored in shielded areas within power stations, pending the introduction of a government- planned long-term geological disposal process (GDF) in England and Wales (or other disposal channels in Scotland) following a period of decay.
(1) Decree No. 2022-1547 of 9 December 2022 provided for by Article L. 542-1-2 of the French Environmental Code establishing the requirements of the PNGMDR.
(2) Decree No. 2022-174 of 14 February 2022 on the implementation of 1333very operations for low-level radioactive substances and Decree No. 2022-175 of 14 February 2022 on the radioactive substances eligible for recovery operations mentioned in Article R. 1333-6-1 of the French Public Health Code.
(3) Decree No. 2022-993 of 7 July 2022 declared CIGEO to be in the public interest and brought the territorial coherence plan of the Pays Barrois (Meuse), the inter-communal local urban planning plan of Haute-Saulx (Meuse) and the local urban planning plan of Gondrecourt-le-Château (Meuse) into line with it, and Decree No. 2022-992 of 7 July 2022 included the CIGEO project among the operations of national interest mentioned in Article R. 102-3 of the French Urban Planning Code.
