Impianto ITREC, Nuclear research facility in Rotondella, Italy.
Impianto ITREC is a nuclear research facility within the ENEA Trisaia Research Center that focused on processing and storing irradiated fuel elements. The plant operated laboratories for uranium-thorium cycle experiments and contained various structures dedicated to fuel element handling and analysis.
The facility received irradiated fuel elements from the Elk River reactor in Minnesota between 1968 and 1970 for research purposes. Operations halted in 1987 when Italy shifted its energy policy and moved away from nuclear fuel reprocessing.
The decision to halt nuclear operations in 1987 reflected Italy's national shift away from nuclear energy following a public referendum.
The facility is part of a larger research center in a rural area and is currently managed as part of a decommissioning project. Access to active waste treatment areas may be restricted, and visitors should expect security protocols and specialized arrangements.
The facility retains approximately 60 irradiated fuel elements that cannot be reprocessed anywhere in the world, as no industrial plant handles this specific uranium-thorium mixture. These materials remain stored permanently at this location, representing an unusual scientific legacy.
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