Experience has shown that decommissioning can be undertaken without any deleterious effect on the safety of the workers, the public, or any identifiable impact on the environment, provided decommissioning activities are undertaken in accordance with a properly formulated plan. In addition, a dedicated decommissioning organization including any needed contractors should be in place to ensure timely and cost-effective management of the decommissioning project.
The objective of the proposed CRP is to promote the exchange of information on the planning, organizational and management experience by Member States in decommissioning of their nuclear facilities. Special emphasis will be given to the development of decommissioning plans and decommissioning-oriented management techniques. The results will be used to improve understanding of specific characteristics of the decommissioning project that are important in the planning and implementation of decommissioning. The information will be particularly useful to Member States that are currently planning or implementing decommissioning of their nuclear facilities
The overall objective of the CRP is to promote R&D activities, as well as the exchange of information and transfer of knowledge on planning, organization and management aspects of decommissioning, in order to pave the way to its smooth planning and implementation. This should be achieved through a better understanding of the decision-making process in comparison and selection of decommissioning options and planning, organizational and management issues affecting the entire decommissioning process.
To establish methodologies and data needs for developing concepts and approaches relevant to comparison and selection of planning, organization and management strategies in decommissioning; To improve and expand knowledge on applications and performance of various types of decommissioning planning approaches and organizational and managerial techniques; To address specific issues for individual plans/strategies and generate data relevant to their solution.
The CRP has a positive impact on the better understanding of participating MSs in the decision making process, comparison and selection of decommissioning plans and organizational provisions.
The important aspect affecting the entire decommissioning process represents early planning for decommissioning and the establishment of effective organizations and management structures for the implementation of decommissioning.
The CRP also covers other planning, organizational and managerial factors that may have specific impacts on the overall decommissioning strategy. A comparison and selection of organizational and management techniques has to be done in an optimal manner taking into account the above decommissioning related factors.
CRP objectives were (and still are) relevant for decommissioning programmes in participating MSs. Contributions to CRP were prepared by 12 institutions from 11 countries (BGD, CZR, DEN, FIN, HUN, NOR, 2 x RUS, SLR, UK, UKR, VIE).