Inauguration of the National Radioactive Waste Repository

On 5 December 2012, after a long preparatory and construction period, the inaugural ceremonies of the National Radioactive Waste Repository took place in Bátaapáti. The participants of the inauguration were addressed by Ferenc Kereki, chief executive officer of the Public Limited Company for Radioactive Waste Management (PURAM), Árpád Potápi, Member of the Parliament and mayor of the nearby town Bonyhád, Józsefné Darabos, mayor of Bátaapáti and president of the Social Control Information Association, József Rónaky, director general of the Hungarian Atomic Energy Authority (HAEA), Sándor Nagy, chief executive officer of the MVM Paks II Ltd. and Ute Blohm-Hieber, representing the European Commission. In the press conference before the inauguration Ferenc Kereki told that the new facility and its licences allow disposing of about 40 000 m3 radioactive waste in Bátaapáti from the operation and future decommissioning of the nuclear power plant, at 250 m below ground level. The first disposal chamber provides the possibility to dispose of 4600 drums of radioactive waste in 510 reinforced concrete containers, and by building further chambers the disposal of low and intermediate level radioactive waste will be continuously assured. József Rónaky, director general of HAEA underlined to the press that the commissioning of the repository was the result of a long and instructive procedure and of the common work of representatives of various professions. The director general pointed also out the importance of the Central Nuclear Financial Fund expressing the active state commitment to the disposal of radioactive waste.

Ferenc Kereki emphasized also that the now inaugurated facility meets the highest international standards and represents well the Hungarian technical culture and the outstanding performance of many professions. The PURAM CEO pointed out, that the new facility fulfils by far the safety requirements prescribed in technical and legal norms. The inauguration was attended by Andor Nagy, Vice President of the Hungarian National Commission on Sustainable Development, Ferenc Tóth, Commissioner of Tolna County, members of the management of the MVM Hungarian Electricity Ltd. and the MVM Paks Nuclear Power Plant Ltd., mayors of neighbouring municipalities, representatives of nuclear, geologic and mining professions, as well as representatives of international organizations, such as the International Atomic Energy Agency, the OECD Nuclear Energy Agency, and the European Commission. In the underground facility, at the placement of the first reinforced concrete container, Ms. Ute Blohm-Hieber, section head of the European Commission, explained in her address that appropriate political intention, allocation of responsibilities and good communication with the public can grant together the success, as the example of Bátaapáti proved it. Sándor Nagy, chief executive officer of the MVM Paks II Ltd. underlined the significance of this event from the point of view of the expansion of the Paks NPP, as according to the act on atomic energy this can take place only if the safe disposal of radioactive waste is solved.