Temelín nuclear power plant, South Bohemia - Reference level of hydrosphere, prediction of impact, results from pre-operation period

Abstract

Abstract. Beginning of the construction of Temelin Nuclear Power Plant (NPP) in south Bohemia (CR) dates back to 1986. It was planned that the first water-cooled reactor could be put into operation in 2001. A research project (1989)(1990)(1991)(1992)(1993)(1994)(1995)(1996)(1997)(1998), funded from the national budget and carried out under supervision of the Czech Ministry of Environment, was aimed at examining pre-operational environmental conditions (a reference level) in terms of concentrations of radioactive and non-radioactive polluting substances in components of the environment, particularly in the hydrosphere, and at predicting possible impacts of future operation of Temelin NPP. Special attention paid to the hydrosphere was associated with requirements for protection of water quality in the Vltava River, which serves as drinking water resource for Prague capital.The observation and research activities continue during the following period (1999)(2000)(2001)(2002)(2003)(2004)(2005)(2006) within the framework of a project sponsored by Czech Power Company. The paper summarises selected results of the projects, particularly those concerning pre-operational environmental conditions and impacts predicted for standard operation of the plant. More detailed description of the results, including possible impacts of the so called maximum project accident, is presented in [1][2][3]. To the date of the conference, the releases of tritium and other radionuclides from the plant into the hydrosphere were much less than the authorised limits.

Watershed wash-off of atmospherically deposited radionuclides: review of the fluxes and their evolution with time

“…Higher values seem to refer to short-term studies after Chernobyl accident, where slow wash-off could not clearly be distinguished from rapid wash-off (Foulquier and Baudin-Jaulent, 1990) or where slow wash-off was not fully effective (Saxén, 1994). Lower values seem to correspond to longer term studies, or longer delays after major radionuclide deposits, where much slower trends could be captured (Hanslik et al, 2002(Hanslik et al, , 2005.…”

“…In such situations, observed wash-off rate constants reach up to 2%/yr, and are approximately five times higher than for similar watersheds with clay soils. Bergström et al (1997), IAEA (2000), Monte (1993Monte ( , 1995Monte ( , 1997Monte ( , 2001, Smith et al (2004) and Vray et al (2003Vray et al ( , 2005) Liquid wash-off l 1 90 Sr 0.02e0.16 /yr 16 Bergström et al (1997), Monte (1995Monte ( , 2001 and Smith et al (2004) Solid wash-off l 1 137 Cs 0.15e1.56 /yr 10 Maringer (1996), Maringer et al (1997), Monte (1997) and Mundschenk (1996) Total wash-off l 1 137 Cs 0.02e1.53 /yr 42 Aarkrog et al (1991Aarkrog et al ( , 1992, Foulquier and Baudin-Jaulent (1990), Hanslik et al (2005Hanslik et al ( , 2002, Monte (1993Monte ( , 1996, Saxén (1994) and Smith et al (2000) Total wash-off l 1 90 Sr 0.05e0.17 /yr 6 Aarkrog et al (1991Aarkrog et al ( , 1992 Saxén (1994) and Smith et al (2000) Watershed area. Wash-off fluxes are generally higher when monitored on small surfaces.…”

Observed half-lives of 3H, 90Sr and 137Cs in hydrosphere in the Vltava River basin (Bohemia)

“…Analysis revealed that decreasing trends concentrations of the artificially produced radionuclides could be described by a first order kinetic equation for the whole period of the observation (Hanslı´k et al, 2002;Jedina´kova´-K rı´ zova´and Hanslı´k, 2003). The shape of the kinetic equation for 137 Cs is as follows:…”

Observed half-lives of3H,90Sr and137Cs in hydrosphere in the Vltava river basin in vicinity of NPP Temelín (Czechia)

“…These samples were dried and ignited. Sampling sites and radiological method were described in proceedings [1].…”