This publication presents the outcomes of a collaborative study to analyse the status of nuclear decommissioning activities around the world as of 2020. Future evolution of these activities was also considered. The information presented is based on responses to a questionnaire distributed to organizations with responsibility for planning, implementation and oversight of decommissioning programmes, with baseline information on the numbers and current operational status of nuclear facilities being extracted from the online nuclear facilities databases maintained by IAEA. Analysis of the collected data was undertaken at global and regional levels, rather than at the level of individual States or facility sites. The publication is intended primarily to be of use to individuals with policy responsibilities in the area of decommissioning and associated waste management activities, including government officials, regulators, facility manages and service providers.

• SUMMARY
• 1. INTRODUCTION
  • 1.1. Background
  • 1.2. Objective
  • 1.3. Scope
  • 1.4. Structure
• 2. THE CONTEXT FOR DECOMMISSIONING AND BASELINE INFORMATION
  • 2.1. Decommissioning of nuclear installations
  • 2.2. Nuclear power reactors
    • 2.2.1. Global overview of nuclear power reactors
    • 2.2.2. Regional distribution of nuclear power reactors at different stages of the life cycle
  • 2.3. Research reactors
    • 2.3.1. Global overview of research reactors
    • 2.3.2. Regional distribution of research reactors at different stages of the life cycle
  • 2.4. Nuclear fuel cycle facilities
    • 2.4.1. Global overview of nuclear fuel cycle facilities
    • 2.4.2. Regional distribution of nuclear fuel cycle facilities at different stages of the life cycle
  • 2.5. Conclusions
• 3. INSTITUTIONAL AND LEGAL FRAMEWORKS FOR DECOMMISSIONING
  • 3.1. Policies and institutional arrangements
  • 3.2. Legal and regulatory frameworks
    • 3.2.1. Legal frameworks
    • 3.2.2. Regulatory framework, role and responsibilities
  • 3.3. Responsibilities for decommissioning
    • 3.3.1. Human resource considerations
    • 3.3.2. Knowledge management for decommissioning organizations
  • 3.4. Financing arrangements for decommissioning
  • 3.5. Additional sources of information on institutional and legal frameworks
• 4. DECOMMISSIONING STRATEGIES AND END STATES
  • 4.1. General approach
  • 4.2. Decommissioning timeline
  • 4.3. Drivers for strategy selection
  • 4.4. Trends and variations
  • 4.5. Conclusions
• 5. DECOMMISSIONING IMPLEMENTATION
  • 5.1. Responses to questions on decommissioning implementation
  • 5.2. Factors impacting on decommissioning
    • 5.2.1. Nuclear power reactors — worldwide/regional
    • 5.2.2. Research reactors — worldwide/regional
    • 5.2.3. Fuel cycle facilities — worldwide/regional
    • 5.2.4. Single unit versus multifacility sites
  • 5.3. Analysis of strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats for delivering decommissioning
    • 5.3.1. Review of global distribution of strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats
  • 5.4. Conclusions
• 6. THE WORKFORCE AND LIABILITIES FOR DECOMMISSIONING
  • 6.1. Introduction
    • 6.1.1. Workforce for decommissioning
    • 6.1.2. Cost and liability estimates
    • 6.1.3. Relationship between workforce and costs
    • 6.1.4. Timing of workforce and funding requirements
  • 6.2. Workforce for decommissioning
    • 6.2.1. Strategy and the workforce
    • 6.2.2. Workforce for decommissioning nuclear power reactors
    • 6.2.3. Observations on workforce
  • 6.3. Decommissioning costs incurred and estimates of future decommissioning liabilities
    • 6.3.1. Regional expenditure to date and estimated future liabilities for decommissioning
    • 6.3.2. Actual costs and estimated future liabilities for decommissioning nuclear power reactors
    • 6.3.3. Observations on costs and liabilities
  • 6.4. Conclusions
• 7. TECHNICAL CHALLENGES AND TECHNOLOGIES FOR DECOMMISSIONING
  • 7.1. Introduction
  • 7.2. Technological challenges for different types of nuclear facilities under decommissioning
    • 7.2.1. Nuclear power reactors
    • 7.2.2. Research reactors
    • 7.2.3. Fuel cycle facilities
  • 7.3. Regional variations
  • 7.4. Technologies for decommissioning
    • 7.4.1. Characterization and survey prior to dismantling
    • 7.4.2. Segmentation and dismantling
    • 7.4.3. Decontamination and cleanup
    • 7.4.4. Materials and waste management
    • 7.4.5. Site characterization and environmental monitoring
  • 7.5. Drivers for innovation
  • 7.6. Emerging technologies and tools
  • 7.7. Conclusions
    • 7.7.1. Nuclear power reactors
    • 7.7.2. Research reactors
    • 7.7.3. Fuel cycle facilities
• 8. CONCLUSIONS
  • 8.1. Introduction
  • 8.2. The current baseline
    • 8.2.1. Nuclear power reactors
    • 8.2.2. Research reactors
    • 8.2.3. Fuel cycle facilities
  • 8.3. Frameworks
    • 8.3.1. National frameworks
    • 8.3.2. Responsibility for implementation
  • 8.4. Strategy
    • 8.4.1. Strategy selection
    • 8.4.2. Duration of phases and selection of end states
  • 8.5. Implementation
    • 8.5.1. Impacting factors for delivery of decommissioning
    • 8.5.2. Analysis of strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats
  • 8.6. Resources for implementation
    • 8.6.1. Workforce
    • 8.6.2. Liabilities
  • 8.7. Technical challenges and technologies
    • 8.7.1. Main technical challenges
    • 8.7.2. Main current technology needs
• Appendix I IAEA ONLINE DATABASES FOR NUCLEAR FACILITY INFORMATION
• Appendix II FULLY DECOMMISSIONED NUCLEAR POWER REACTORS
• Appendix III EXAMPLES OF NATIONAL FINANCING SCHEMES AND FUNDING MECHANISMS FOR SPENT FUEL, RADIOACTIVE WASTE AND DECOMMISSIONING
• Appendix IV DECOMMISSIONING STRATEGY: NATIONAL AND FACILITY SPECIFIC EXAMPLES
• REFERENCES
• ABBREVIATIONS
• CONTRIBUTORS TO DRAFTING AND REVIEW
• STRUCTURE OF THE IAEA NUCLEAR ENERGY SERIES