IRT-SOFIA, HEU TO LEU CONVERSION: REGULATORY APPROVAL TASKS SOLUTION OVERVIEW

The HEU to LEU conversion of the IRT Sofia research reactor of the Institute for Nuclear Research and Nuclear Energy of the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences was jointly studied with the Argonne National Laboratory as a part of the RERTR Programme. The main purpose of the collaboration consisted in accomplishment of safety analyses and preparation of documents used for regulatory approval tasks solution. The main steps and results which are fundamental for the preparation of IRT Sofia Safety Analyses Report including Operating Limits and Conditions are presented in this paper. The documents prepared by INRNE in accordance with the European nuclear safety requirements and IAEA recommendations were submitted for approval to the Bulgarian Nuclear Regulatory Agency at the end of 2010.