{"id":31351,"date":"2026-04-28T10:39:38","date_gmt":"2026-04-28T08:39:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.revistanuclear.es\/?p=31351"},"modified":"2026-04-28T10:39:40","modified_gmt":"2026-04-28T08:39:40","slug":"nuclear-fuel-storage-at-koeberg-nuclear-power-station","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.revistanuclear.es\/en\/fuel-cycle\/nuclear-fuel-storage-at-koeberg-nuclear-power-station\/","title":{"rendered":"TISF design for spent fuel storage at the Koeberg NPP (South Africa)"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"\"<\/span>SEE FULL VERSION<\/span><\/a>
<\/div>T<\/span>he Koeberg Nuclear Power Plant<\/strong>, located on the western coast of South Africa, is the only operational nuclear facility on the African continent and plays a key role in ensuring the stability of the country\u2019s energy system. As in any nuclear power plant, the management of spent fuel<\/strong> is a critical aspect for maintaining operational continuity and meeting regulatory requirements.<\/span><\/p>\n
Limited capacity and urgent need<\/h5>\n

At Koeberg, irradiated fuel is initially stored in the spent fuel pools, whose capacity is limited. As the plant continues to operate, it becomes necessary to periodically transfer the fuel to dry storage<\/strong> systems to prevent the pools from reaching their operational limits. <\/span><\/p>\n

\"Emplazamiento

Site of the Koeberg Nuclear Power Plant (South Africa).<\/em><\/p>\n

The existing facility, the Cask Storage Building (CSB), has capacity for 16 HI-STAR 100 casks, 15 of which were already stored, highlighting the urgent need to provide additional storage capacity. This situation was further complicated by the absence of a national repository for longterm or final disposal, whose commissioning by the National Radioactive Waste Disposal Institute (NRWDI) is not expected before 2030, forcing the plant to implement safe and operationally viable interim solutions.<\/span><\/p>\n

In this context, the design of a Transient Interim Storage Facility (TISF)<\/strong> capable of accommodating 14 additional HISTAR 100 casks was initiated.<\/span><\/p>\n

Radiological assessment and shielding solution<\/h5>\n

The first phase of the project consisted of a preliminary radiological assessment to determine whether an open storage pad could meet the dose limits established by South African regulations, in particular the limit of 0.5 \u03bcSv\/h at the perimeter of the installation. The results showed that additional shielding<\/strong> was required to comply with dose requirements, as none of the evaluated configurations provided sufficient protection to meet them.<\/span><\/p>\n

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