| GLOBAL NUCLEAR


First-of-a-kind decommissioning


Innovative approach to pressure vessel dismantling


JACOBS IS SUPPORTING SLOVAKIA’S NUCLEAR and decommissioning company JAVYS in its pioneering work to decommission the Jaslovské Bohunice V1 nuclear power plant.


This is the first time a VVER-440 reactor has ever been


decommissioned and the project consortium, led by Westinghouse and VUJE, reached a key milestone when it safely removed the Unit 1 reactor pressure vessel (RPV) in June 2020.


Using the main 250 tonne crane in the reactor hall, the


RPV was placed on a prepared platform in a specially built pool, where segmentation work is being carried out by Westinghouse. As subcontractor to Westinghouse, Jacobs designed and manufactured remotely-operated equipment to carry out underwater handling, baskets to hold fragments of the RPV components, and equipment for radiological characterization. JAVYS described this as “a significant milestone” in the


decommissioning process, adding: “One of the main tasks of the project is the dismantling and fragmentation of RPVs and internal parts of reactors, whose radioactivity represents almost 100% of the total radioactivity of the power plant.


6 | “Before dismantling activities began, the project team,


comprising Westinghouse, VUJE and Jacobs, conducted extensive tag-out and lock-out activities, asbestos removal, radiological characterization, sampling and decontamination to ensure that operations could be conducted as safely as possible. Removal of the RPV was preceded by months of preparations, technical negotiations, design, production of handling equipment and approval of the necessary documentation by supervisory authorities.” The RPV removal was performed with additional health


and safety regulations in place to prevent the spread of COVID-19. In awarding the contract, JAVYS required bidders to have


proven decontamination, dismantling and waste packaging expertise, and to be innovative in planning and meeting a very tight schedule, while meeting the highest safety standards. The overall project includes: studies and procedures; designing and manufacturing new tools and equipment; site preparation; and decontamination, dismantling, segmentation, packaging and management of waste arising from 9,500 tonnes of contaminated and activated components.


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