PRESS RELEASE
October 16, 2017
Within the scope of the dismantling of the Philippsburg 2 and Neckarwestheim II* nuclear power plants, EnBW has selected the AREVA Decommissioning and Services GmbH-EWN consortium to dismantle the reactor pressure vessel internals and segment and package them, along with other reactor core waste.
The operation will mainly be carried out underwater. Tried-and-tested dismantling technology, including specific remote-operated underwater equipment, will be used to perform the activities at the required high level of safety while also improving cost effectiveness and reducing the time required.
AREVA Decommissioning and Services GmbH and EWN are making use of a sampling and characterization approach to optimize segmentation and packaging operations. This approach meets the highest technology standards, while keeping to a minimum the number of necessary casks and thus the capacity of required final storage.
Guillaume Dureau, Senior Executive Vice President, Customers, Strategy, Innovation and R&D at New AREVA comments: “This contract follows on from the successful collaboration between New AREVA and EnBW and enhances the position of the AREVA Decommissioning and Services GmbH and EWN consortium on the German dismantling market. Research & development work undertaken at New AREVA over the past number of years is clearly standing to us; the fact that we use specific remotely-operated equipment and semi-automated processes helps us hold our own in a highly competitive market.”
* Philippsburg 2 is a 1,468 MW Pressurized Water Reactor. It was connected to the grid in 1984 and, in accordance with the Atomic Energy Act, will generate electricity until the end of 2019 at the latest. Neckarwestheim II was connected to the grid in 1989 and has an electrical output of 1,400 MW. In accordance with the Atomic Energy Act, shutdown is scheduled for the end of 2022 at the latest. Both reactors are operated by EnBW.
Originally released on Areva.com
