AMEC project 1.5-1 Radiation Control at Facilities - application of the PICASSO system - installation at FSUE atomflot

The goals of the Arctic Military Environmental Cooperation (AMEC) Project 1.5-1 are to enhance and improve the technical means of the Russian Navy for measuring and controlling radiation exposure of personnel, the local population and the environment at sites involved in decommissioning and dismantlement of nuclear submarines and handling and disposition of spent nuclear fuel (SNF) and liquid radioactive waste (LRW). This has been accomplished by the development, demonstration and installation of an automated centralized radiological monitoring system based on the Norwegian software package PICASSO at the Federal State Unitary Enterprise (FSUE) Atomflot, in Murmansk, Russia. This completed installation constitutes the first part of AMEC project 1.5-1: Radiation control at facilities: Application of the PICASSO system. FSUE Atomflot is the service base for the Russian Federation fleet of nuclear powered icebreakers and is involved in preparing SNF for transportation by rail and receiving, processing and temporary storing of liquid and solid radioactive waste. Under AMEC Projects 1.1 and 1.1- 1, an interim storage pad for up to 19 casks containing naval SNF was commissioned at this site in November 2003. Installation of an integrated radiation monitoring system at this site was based on a three-step process that extended over almost four years. The project began by developing a “Working Model” of both the hardware and software systems. The working model demonstrated the viability of linking the Norwegian PICASSO software system with Russian monitoring equipment. It also demonstrated the utility of this system to the Russian Federation Ministry of Defence (RF MOD) and to the operators of the FSUE Atomflot site. Following the successful demonstration of this Working Model, technical design documents for installing the PICASSO System at FSUE Atomflot were prepared. Based on these studies, an acceptable design was agreed upon under the AMEC framework and the system installed. The final installed system consists of 15 monitoring points including detectors for gamma emissions, radioactive particles present in the air, and in water discharges from the plant. FSUE Atomflot staff has been trained to operate and maintain both the hardware and software components of this system. The system was commissioned on 25 September 2003 and completed six months of trial operation on 25 March 2004. The State Acceptance Commission authorized the official acceptance of this system in April 2004. The installed system provides for continuous radiation monitoring. FSUE Atomflot data from one set of monitors can be provided to Murmansk regional authorities to help protect the health of citizens living near to this facility. The total cost of this project, including all three stages was 770,000 U.S. dollars.