By this time the second double-walled canister (DWC) has been filled with spent nuclear fuel (SNF). For this purpose, 93 spent fuel assemblies (SFAs) were transported from the old SNF wet-type storage facility (ISF-1) during the last days of November. According to the ChNPP SNF management technology, each assembly was cut into two bundles, placed into fuel tubes and then into the DWC. 

Within the next two weeks the staff responsible for the ChNPP SNF management will seal the DWC: i.e. welding of the internal lid, gas and vacuum drying, filling the canister with helium, sealing of the internal lid, welding of the external lid, filling the space between DWC shells with helium and sealing of the canister’s external lid..

In the course of all these stages, the quality of sealing weld joints will be continuously monitored by visual check and liquid penetrant test of weld joints. Following the DWC filling with helium, air-tightness of the DWC vessel internal and external shells will be checked.

As a reminder, the first DWC was loaded into the ISF-2 concrete storage module on November 18 this year. As of December 1, 186 SFAs were transported from ISF-1 to ISF-2.