World Atomic Week discuss the prospects for backend development in the nuclear industry
Moscow: On September 25, the session “Backend: Advanced Technologies – Investments in Future Generations” was held at the World Atomic Week (WAW – 2025) international forum. The event was organized by the Fuel (management company – JSC TVEL) and Electric Power (management company – JSC Concern Rosenergoatom) divisions of the Rosatom State Corporation.
The event was attended by representatives of relevant ministries and departments, industry organizations, as well as international experts in the field of decommissioning and radioactive waste (RW) management.
Participants discussed how the final stage of the nuclear industry’s life cycle impacts the development of the industry, and how the implementation of modern decommissioning and radioactive waste management technologies reduces the social and financial burden on future generations.
It was noted that one of the key topics is the creation of national radioactive waste management systems. In some countries, such systems were developed systematically as industry developed, while in others, they are still in the developmental stages. For example, in Belarus, with the support of Russian experts, a radioactive waste management system was established during the development of the national nuclear energy sector and the start of nuclear power plant operations. Following agreements signed on the sidelines of the Atomexpo 2024 international forum, Belarusian specialists underwent retraining and advanced training to work at the final disposal facility for radioactive waste.
Other countries with nuclear industries face similar issues. Anwar Ali, head of the Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission (PAEC), discussed plans to establish a final radioactive waste disposal facility in the country, as well as the technical and regulatory challenges facing specialists. Liang Chen, president of the Beijing Research Institute of Uranium Geology (BRIUG, China), reported on the progress of work on the final disposal of high-level waste. He presented a design for an underground research laboratory where research on the disposal of high-level radioactive waste will be conducted, noting that agreements have been reached to include Russian scientists in this project.
“Rosatom’s priority tasks are the safe and efficient decommissioning of nuclear facilities and the subsequent final disposal of radioactive waste. Achieving these goals requires coordinated efforts by the international community, the implementation of modern technologies, and transparent dialogue with the public. Planning for decommissioning as early as the construction of new facilities allows us to abandon the policy of delaying decisions and alleviate both the social and economic burden on future generations,” noted Eduard Nikitin, Director of Decommissioning of Nuclear and Radiation Hazardous Facilities (DE NRHF) and Radioactive Waste Management at TVEL JSC.
“Considering the start of the period of mass decommissioning of nuclear power plant units, we discussed the status of work under the Russian Government’s instruction to clarify the current regulatory framework regarding mechanisms for financing the decommissioning of shut-down nuclear legacy power plant units, and also reviewed updated criteria for classifying power units as nuclear legacy units,” noted Alla Arkhangelskaya, Deputy Director General – Director for Strategy, Tariffs, and Investments at Rosenergoatom Concern JSC .
Participants at the event noted that the planned decommissioning of nuclear facilities and the creation of a system of final disposal facilities for radioactive waste is not only a technical task but also a matter of responsibility to future generations.
