AREVA-EWN Consortium to Dismantle the Reactor Pressure Vessel Internals of the Brunsbüttel Nuclear Power Plant

Under the contract signed with Vattenfall GmbH, the AREVA-EWN Consortium is to dismantle and package the reactor pressure vessel internals of the Brunsbüttel nuclear power plant in Germany. Work should be completed by 2020. The contract also includes an option for the Krümmel nuclear power plant, should decommissioning and dismantling (D&D) be decided for the plant.

The segmentation and packaging of core waste and reactor pressure vessel internals will be carried out underwater. Proven technology and a qualified underwater robot will be used to enhance efficiency and reduce the time required for the operation.

Vattenfall has operating responsibility for two nuclear power plants in Germany; Brunsbüttel and Krümmel of which it owns 66.7 and 50 percent respectively. Brunsbüttel is a 771 MW Boiling Water Reactor. It was commissioned in 1977. Krümmel is a 1,346 MW Boiling Water Reactor, commissioned in 1983.

Guillaume Dureau, Senior Executive Vice President, Customers, Strategy,
Innovation and R&D at AREVA comments: “As Germany phases out nuclear power, this contract signed with Vattenfall demonstrates recognition of our expertise in decommissioning. Since 1978, we have been involved in some 160 D&D-type projects on 64 nuclear power plants worldwide and especially have a successful footprint in Germany with the Stade and Würgassen D&D projects. We look forward to working with EWN, a German company specialized in dismantling and waste disposal, to provide safe, competitive and innovative solutions to our customer.”