German utility EnBW has selected the Areva Decommissioning and Services GmbH-EWN consortium to dismantle, segment and package the reactor pressure vessel internals from Philippsburg 2 and Neckarwestheim 2. The operation will mainly be carried out underwater, Areva said on 16 October. “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 characterisation approach to optimise segmentation and packaging operations. Guillaume Dureau, Senior Executive Vice President, Customers, Strategy, Innovation and R&D at New Areva said the contract enhances the position of the Areva Decommissioning and Services GmbH and EWN consortium on the German dismantling market.
Philippsburg 2, a 1468MWe pressurised water reactor, was connected to the grid in 1984 and will operate until the end of 2019 at the latest. The 1400MWe Neckarwestheim 2 started operating in 1989 and is scheduled for closure by the end of 2022.
Photo: Germany's Philippsburg nuclear plant
