Environment

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To ensure environmental sustainability, all interventions are designed, implemented and monitored so as not to produce any impact, neither radiological nor conventional, on the environment.

Sogin operates an articulated environmental radiological surveillance network and monitors, with continuous and scheduled checks, the quality of the air, ground, groundwater and seawater, as well as the river fish and the main agrifood products of the area: fruit, vegetables and forage. All the environmental radiological monitoring networks were established at the time of construction of the nuclear plants.

Every year, Sogin systematically carries out hundreds of measurements on the food and environmental matrices that constitute the environmental monitoring network. ARPA Basilicata carries out similar monitoring and surveillance activities with its own network.

The results of the analyses and the values of the discharge formulas have always confirmed radiologically insignificant environmental impacts. The monitoring results are sent to the Italian nuclear safety Authority and made public, also through our Sustainability Report.

The network was expanded in 2013 to start the conventional environmental monitoring program, as required by the of Environmental Compatibility (EIA) Decree for construction of the ICPF plant, in order to verify the environmental quality of the area during the activities. Among the environmental components subject to monitoring, through the piezometric network agreed with ARPA Basilicata, is the surface groundwater under the plant. 

At the end of the program for the first half of 2015, the laboratory analyses conducted on water samples identified that, in certain places, the Contamination Threshold Concentrations (CTC) had been exceeded for certain non-radiological chemical parameters, such as trichloroethylene, hexavalent chromium, iron and hydrocarbons. This problem was found in the monitoring wells situated upstream of the plant and falling within the area managed by Enea. The data indicate that the substances found in the surface groundwater are not directly or indirectly related to the decommissioning preparatory activities.

Sogin and Enea promptly informed the competent bodies and on 4 June issued a press release. Sogin and Enea drew up a characterisation plan, approved by the Services Conference of 20 November 2015, which led to the further investigations and analyses envisaged.

​​Environmental Management System

Sogin’s Environmental Management System is ISO 14001 certified. In 2015, EMAS (Eco-Management and Audit Scheme) registrations were obtained for the Trino and Caorso nuclear power plants which will be followed by that for the Itrec plant in Rotondella.

EMAS is a voluntary tool proposed by the European Community with which companies and government agencies can evaluate and improve their environmental performance and provide the related information to all stakeholders with publication of the Environmental Declaration. This latter is, in fact, the document that contains all the data on the environmental impact and performance deriving from Sogin’s activities and the objectives to be achieved for their improvement.

For the Itrec plant, Sogin has already submitted the Environmental Declaration to the accredited environmental auditor and is awaiting issue of the validation certificate. This certificate will allow Sogin to apply to the EMAS Committee for registration.