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Overview and Analysis of Legal Documents and Technical Regulations on Safe Management of Radioisotope Thermoelectric Generators

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Overview and Analysis of Legal Documents and Technical Regulations on Safe Management of Radioisotope Thermoelectric Generators Overview and Analysis of Legal Documents and Technical Regulations on Safe Management of Radioisotope Thermoelectric Generators S.G.Testov, Department of State Supervision over Nuclear and Radiation Safety, Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation 1. Background Presently there are about 900 radioisotope thermoelectric generators (RTG) in operation in the Russian Federation. RTGs are used by the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation, by the Federal Agency for Maritime and River Transportation (Rosmorrechflot), by the Federal Agency for Hydrometeorology and Environment Monitoring (Roshydromet) as autonomous sources of electric power supply of different technical devices located far off settlements and stationary power transmission lines. The majority of RTGs (about 90 %) are operated by the Russian Navy and Rosmorrechflot to supply power to navigation equipment (lighthouses and different light beacons). RTG is a rather reliable power source (Figs. 1 – 3) which retains its operability for 15 – 20 years with minimum maintenance. Till recently the use of RTGs was considered to be the optimal solution in providing reliable operation of navigation means. However, the cases of unauthorized access to RTGs, their damaging, withdrawal of thermal radioisotope sources (TRS) have obviously demonstrated that, being highly reliable devices, RTGs are a huge potential hazard both for the people and the environment. TRSs are characterized by very high radioactivity – initial Sr-90 activity in a RTG is about from 1,3*10+12 to 2*10+13 Bq (35 to 540 kCi) depending on RTG type with relatively small dimensions and weight. In case of dispersion of the above radioactivity on the surface, the area of the territory subject to alienation will constitute from several to tens of square kilometers. It is significant that the area of the contaminated territory is rather determined by the method of dispersion than by TRS radioactivity. The practical experience of the group of specialists in radiation, chemical and biological protection of the Northern Fleet of RF Navy working jointly with the experts of the Main Administration for Navigation and Oceanography of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation, who have repeatedly mitigated the consequences of unauthorized disassembling and vandalism in relation to several RTGs in Murmansk region, brought rather alerting indirect result. With sufficient special training of the supervisor of the works a small well organized and disciplined group can dismantle RTG and withdraw the TRS rather quickly without any serious hazard to their health. The readiness of the members of the group to definite self-sacrifice increases its chances for success immeasurably. Fortunately, the goal of the above facts of disassembling and vandalism was to steal non-ferrous metals and not the use of radioactivity for the purposes of terrorism. The awareness of these factors has resulted in making a decision on planned replacement of RTGs with alternative safe power sources (Fig. 4). This work has started several years ago. However, the dramatic changes in the situation in the country as well as worldwide necessitates the acceleration of the process of the replacement of RTGs with alternative power sources as well as taking technical and organizational measures to reduce the probability of theft of TRSs from RTGs in operation. 1 Testov-eng Figure 1 Figure 2 2 Testov-eng Figure 3 Figure 4 3 Testov-eng The Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation has performed definite work to establish conditions for safe management of RTGs, and the agenda of the workshop envisages further presentations devoted to this work, while my task is to make the review and analysis of existing legal documents and technical regulations on providing safety in RTG management. II. The structure, the list and brief overview of legal documents and technical regulations on providing radiation safety and physical protection of radioactive substances and radiation sources The structure of legal documents and technical regulations on safe management of radioactive substances and radiation sources is presented below: 1. Constitution of the Russian Federation 2. Federal Laws of the Russian Federation 3. Decrees and Orders of the President of the Russian Federation 4. Decrees and Orders of the Government of the Russian Federation 5. Federal Regulations and Rules 6. State Standards, Directions and Methodological Guidelines of Safety Regulatory Authorities 7. Interdepartmental and Departmental Normative Documents The principal documents and relevant comments are given below. 1. Constitution of the Russian Federation Article 71 proclaims: «The following is under the jurisdiction of the Russian Federation: i) federal power grids, nuclear power generation, fissile materials, federal transport, communication routes, information and communication, activities in space». Article 72. «The following is under the joint jurisdiction of the Russian Federation and 4 Testov-eng the Subjects of the Russian Federation: e) nature management; protection of the environment and ensuring ecological safety; specially protected natural territories; protection of the monuments of history and culture; j) coordination of the issues of public health; protection of family, motherhood, fatherhood and childhood; social care including social security; h) implementation of measures of struggling with catastrophes, natural disasters, epidemics, elimination of the consequences thereof.». 2. Laws of the Russian Federation 1. Federal Law «On Public Radiation Safety» The Law determines the legal basis of ensuring radiation safety of the public with the aim to protect its health. The law establishes the system of the bodies of executive authorities, state regulation and licensing of activities in the area of ensuring radiation safety (RTG management inclusive). The law also sets forth the general requirements to ensure radiation safety in the basic industrial activities (including the use of such powerful radiation sources as RTGs) and to ensure radiation safety in case of radiological accidents involving radiation sources. «Public radiation safety – is the state of protection of the present and future generations of people against ionizing radiation effects harmful to their health (Article 1). «The citizens of the Russian Federation, the citizens of foreign states and persons without citizenship residing on the territory of the Russian Federation have the right for radiation safety. This right is ensured by implementing the set of measures to prevent the impact of ionizing radiation upon human organism beyond the established norms, rules and standards» (Article 22). 2. Federal Law «On the Uses of Atomic Energy» The Law determines the legal basis and principles for regulating the relations arising from the use of atomic energy and is aimed at the protection of human health and life, protection of the environment, protection of property while using atomic energy and urges to promote the development of nuclear science and technology, to facilitate strengthening of the international regime of safe use of atomic energy. The principal objectives of legal regulation of the relations are: to establish legal basis of state management and state regulation of safety in the use of atomic energy; to fix the rights, duties and responsibilities of citizens, officials, enterprises and organizations as well as those of federal executive authorities in the sphere of relations pertaining to the use of atomic energy. The objects of application of the Law are nuclear facilities, radiation sources (RTGs inclusive), storage facilities for nuclear material and radioactive substances (RTGs storage facilities), radioactive waste storage facilities, nuclear material, radioactive substances, radioactive waste. 3. Federal Law «On Public Sanitary and Epidemiological Well-Being» The Law sets forth sanitary and epidemiological rules and standards, determining the safety criteria, non-compliance to which creates hazard to human life or health as well as the hazard of appearing and dissemination of diseases. «Production, use, storage, transportation and disposal of radioactive substances, other sources of ionizing radiation (RTG) is allowed only on the permission for these kinds of 5 Testov-eng activities by the authorities or institutions of the State Sanitary and Epidemiological Service of Russia» (Article 21). «Production and consumption waste (decommissioned RTG) are subject to collection, use, rendering safe, transportation, storage and disposal, the conditions and methods of which should be safe for public health and the biotope and which should be performed in compliance with sanitary and other normative legal documents of RF » (Article 22). «Following sanitary rules is compulsory for individuals, individual entrepreneurs and legal entities» (Article 39). «Violation of the sanitary legislation is subject to disciplinary liability or administrative or criminal responsibility» (Article 55). 4. Federal Law «On the Protection of the Natural Environment» The Law determines the legal basis for the state policy in the area of environment protection to ensure balanced solution of social and economic problems, preservation of favourable environment, biological diversity and natural resources to satisfy the demands of the present and future generations, strengthening law and order in the area of environment protection and ensuring ecological safety. «The governmental authorities in the Russian Federation in the sphere of
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