Decommissioning the reactor vessel at Chooz A

Late 2009, EDF contracted a consortium composed of Westinghouse Electric France and NUVIA (Structure/ Process) to carry out the first decommissioning project on a PWR in France, the CHOOZ A reactor.

Project parties

Client: EDF CIDEN
Awarding authority: EDF CIDEN
General contractor: GMES, WESTINGHOUSE ELECTRIC FRANCE, NUVIA
 

Project challenges
  • Demonstrate the technical feasibility of full PWR decommissioning
  • Ensure safety and radiation protection throughout the work
  • Compile operating experience feedback for decommissioning project on the CP0 plant series
  • Optimise the quantity of primary waste packages produced
  • Confirm that the waste management process is manageable
  • Organise and industrialise the scenario for decommissioning a PWR
  • Limit the quantity of waste generated
Scope
  • Dismantling the reactor vessel closure head
  • Dismantling the equipment used for reactor operation
  • Dismantling the reactor internals
  • Lifting and handling operations for the reactor vessel and integrity of the reactor pit
  • Removal of reactor vessel insulation lagging
  • Segmentation of the reactor vessel
  • Design and build of a waste encapsulation cell
  • Testing and packing of waste carriers into transport packages
Location

Country: FRANCE
Site: CNPE CHOOZ A

Key figures

  • Primary waste: 632 T
    Secondary waste: 110 T
    Additional and technological waste: 120 T
    Collective dose: 250 person.mSv