Slovenia

Nuclear regulatory authority

The Slovenian Nuclear Safety Administration was established in 1988 as a body within the Ministry of the Environment and Spatial Planning. It is responsible for nuclear and radiation safety, transport, and management of nuclear and radioactive materials. The Slovenian Radiation Protection Administration within the Ministry of Health is the competent authority for radiation safety in medicine. Physical protection of nuclear materials and nuclear facilities is the responsibility of the Ministry of the Interior. The Agency for Radioactive Waste Management (established back in 1991) deals with site selection and planning of the repository for low and intermediate level radwaste, and public service of radwaste management from small producers. 

Nuclear activities

Slovenia is the smallest country with a nuclear power plant operating on its territory. Its nuclear facilities include one nuclear power plant in operation (PWR, Westinghouse 696 MWnet), one research reactor in operation (TRIGA Mark II 250 kW) and one central interim storage for radwaste (not for NPP waste). In addition, there are radiation facilities and practices including one repository of hydro-metallurgical tailings, one repository of mine tailings, and around 300 organizations engaged in radiation practices with about 2000 radiation sources in use.

Radioactive waste and spent fuel management

A National Strategy on Radioactive waste Management was adopted as a resolution by the National Parliament in 2006. That programme is covering all short and long term aspects of radioactive waste and spent fuel management.
The low and intermediate level waste from the NPP Krško is being stored on the site. All the other radioactive waste generated in the country is handed over to the Agency for Radwaste Management and stored in the interim storage close to the capital Ljubljana.
For the spent fuel a storage on site is envisaged until the end of operation. Later it should be transferred into the dry storage and the finals solution should be found. As a small country Slovenia is very much interested in regional or global solutions of high level waste disposal.
Based on the bilateral agreement between Slovenia and Croatia about the ownership of the Krško NPP both parties shall in equal shares assure funds for the preparation of the plant decommissioning and for the disposal of radioactive waste and spent fuel. In 1994 such fund was established in Slovenia and is being filled by the levy from each kWh produced in the Slovenian half of NPP Krško. Similar fund is established also in Croatia for their share of electricity from the same NPP.
A site for the low and intermediate level radioactive waste repository was approved by the government in December 2009. The site, named Vrbina, is situated in the municipality of Krško in the vicinity of the NPP. Agency for Radwaste Management is preparing the application for the license.

Main legal instruments

Act on Ionising Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety (ZVISJV), published on 1 October 2002 and amendments, with implementing regulations; Access to Public Information Act (ZDIJZ), published on 22 March 2003 and amendments.

There are also other legal instruments which are available on the SNSA`s website at: http://www.ursjv.gov.si/en/legislation_and_documents/