Author 1:
Name & Surname: Melnikov N. N.
Company: Mining Institute, Kola Science Center (Apatity, Russia)
Work Position: Research Manager of Institute
Scientific Degree: Academician of the Russian Academy of Sciences
Contacts: root@goi.kolasc.net.ru

Author 2:
Name & Surname: Konukhin V. P.
Company: Mining Institute, Kola Science Center (Apatity, Russia)
Work Position: Head of Laboratory, Professor
Scientific Degree: Doctor of Engineering Sciences

Author 3:
Name & Surname: Gusak S. A.
Company: Mining Institute, Kola Science Center (Apatity, Russia)
Work Position: Senior Researcher, Assistant Professor
Scientific Degree: Candidate of Engineering Sciences

In the framework of topical problem of safe radioactive waste (RAW) management in Russian Federation, the authors describe a conceptual design of an underground RAW disposal facility for an area in the Northern European Russia holding many nuclear powerplants with the related accumulation of solid and liquid waste hazardous for the population and eco-system. The design offers conceptual structural-technological and functional solutions on arrangement of surface (infrastructure) and underground (basic) blocks of a regional facility for underground disposal of RAW with storage, accumulation and isolation of RAW packages, differentiated based on intensity of radiation, in specially driven and fitted underground excavations (modules). Medium intensity waste disposal uses horizontal tunnels–chambers separated into sections or with in-built reinforced framing. High intensity waste module is a vertical chamber driven in very strong rock mass and also fitted with in-built reinforced framing. The conceptual design has been developed in the framework of the international cooperation program TACIS of the European Commission by experts from the Mining Institute of the Kola Science Center RAS jointly with the VNIPIET Institution and Western Europe’s leading companies specialized in radioactive waste management—DBE (Germany), SGN, ANDRA, ANTEA (France), BELGATOM, TRACTEBEL, SCK CEN (Belgium).

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