Transport of compacted and intermediate level vitrified waste to the Netherlands

A railway shipment of compacted waste and intermediate level vitrified waste, resulting from spent fuel treatment at la Hague plant, left today from AREVA’s railway terminal in Valognes (France) to the COVRA storage facility in the Netherlands. The transport cask contains in total 18 canisters of compacted waste and 2 canisters of intermediate level vitrified waste. This is the 9th shipment of compacted waste and the first and last shipment of intermediate level vitrified waste between France and the Netherlands.

This transport complies with the applicable national and international regulations to guarantee a high level of safety and security. The cask used for the shipment is compliant with safety criteria defined by the International Atomic Energy Agency and is designed to protect people and environment in all circumstances.

The return of the Netherlands waste is made in compliance with the provisions of French law requiring the return of radioactive waste to their country of origin. This return shipment meets the conditions as set out in the intergovernmental agreement signed by France and the Netherlands and a contract for the processing-recycling between AREVA and the Dutch utility EPZ. EPZ operates the Borssele reactor located in the southwest of the country. In particular this contract involves the separation of recyclable materials and the waste at the la Hague plant.