The first phase of dismantling the Garigliano nuclear power plant vessel has been completed
30 July 2024
At the Garigliano nuclear power plant (Caserta), Sogin has completed the removal of the contaminated metal components positioned on the deflector, the upper part of the vessel, the steel container in which the nuclear reaction took place during operations.
These works complete the first phase of the dismantling of the Campana power plant vessel, the most complex activity from an engineering and operational perspective for the deactivating of a nuclear plant.
The operations, carried out together with the subsidiary
Nucleco, began at the end of last year with the flooding of the vessel and the reactor channel, a step that was required to ensure maximum safety while working, as the water is a natural element that shields radiation.
During the first phase, components were removed and cut under water, reducing their volume, using a pneumatic gripper and special mechanical equipment, operated remotely with the support of high-resolution underwater cameras.
Subsequently, the components treated in this way, weighing a total of about one ton, were placed in two special high integrity containers for temporary storage in one of the site's repositories, pending future transfer to the
National Repository.
The schedule of activities will continue with the removal of the components inside the vessel (called internals), with the executive design already started, and the dismantling of the vessel itself.