A Kick-off Meeting under the Contract No.2015/365-776 “Creation of facility for release of materials from regulatory control at ChNPP”, being funded by the European Commission and implemented within the frame of the EC Project U4.01/11Е, was held on 4th February at the Chernobyl NPP.

Within this Contract it is expected to supply to the Chernobyl NPP site the entire list of equipment and software from a stationary gamma-spectrometry measuring system and mobile measuring devices to an operator’s cabin, bar code systems, radio stations and all the items needed for full operation. Beside that the Contract provides for the equipment installation, acceptance tests, certification, licensing and commissioning, as well as training of the ChNPP personnel who will operate the facility. 

On 28th January the Chernobyl NPP was officially visited by representatives of Skoda JS a.s. (the Czech Republic) which is the Contractor under a Contract “Production, Certification and Delivery of a Cask-Wagon for Transportation of Spent Nuclear Fuel”, and by the Ukrainian subcontractors of Skoda JS a.s. - SS SSTC NRS and LLC MontazhEnergoStroy.

On January 26 the Chernobyl NPP site was visited by representatives of Belgian company Tecnubel. During the visit the Tecnubel representatives received comprehensive information about the activities being implemented at the Chernobyl NPP, in particular, dismantling of equipment, technologies and specifics of its decontamination, and RAW management as well. Also they were familiarized with operation of Industrial Complex for Solid Radioactive Waste Management and decontamination sections, and visited the Turbine Hall where the dismantling works are underway. Tecnubel interest in the abovementioned types of work has not occurred by chance, because these very chemical decontamination, development and maintenance of RAW management equipment are one of the key areas of activity of this company.

A meeting was held following the familiarization with the Plant site facilities. During the meeting the Tecnubel representatives presented the technology capacities of their company and answered questions of Chernobyl NPP specialists. Based on the discussion results, Tecnubel offered for the ChNPP such areas of activity as organization of training courses for operators of manipulators, analysis of chemical techniques of decontamination at the ChNPP and providing recommendations on the technology improvement, as well as decontamination of small-diameter tubes and equipment with complex configuration.

Based on the results of the meeting, the parties confirmed their interest in continuation of cooperation, preparation and implementation of joint projects at the SSE ChNPP site.

FYI. Since 1985 the Belgian company Tecnubel has worked in the market of nuclear maintenance at the Belgian and European NPPs. The main areas of its activity are provision of services to nuclear power plants in Belgium, France, Hungary, the Netherlands, Sweden and Slovakia; as well as RAW management, production of nuclear fuel and medical radioisotopes. The company is a part of the French multinational energy group Engie. 

SSE Chernobyl NPP and Tecnubel discuss areas of po...
SSE Chernobyl NPP and Tecnubel discuss areas of po...
SSE Chernobyl NPP and Tecnubel discuss areas of po...
 

This Contract is financed by the EC within INSC (Instrument for Nuclear Safety Cooperation) programme. According to the Contract, the equipment required for installation of the release facility will be designed, manufactured and delivered to the ChNPP industrial site. The Contract covers assembling of the equipment, acceptance tests, certification and licensing, after which the equipment will be commissioned, as well as training of ChNPP personnel who will operate the facility.

Some ISF-2 Hot Cell main equipment was tested in Germany from 7th until 17th December 2015. These FAT’s of SNF processing equipment were conducted at BNG facility (subcontractor of Holtec International) and it was witnessed by SSTC NRS.

Tested equipment:

•Cutting Machine SFA (CM);

•Holder Slide (HS);

•Lifting Device for Fuel Tubes (LD FT);

•Double Lid System for Fuel Tubes (DLS FT).

•Various SFPF penetrations.