Sian Crampsie
AMEC Foster Wheeler is to lead a study into how best to decommission the world’s largest nuclear fusion experiment.
The firm has been awarded a contract by the ITER organization to undertake the 12-month conceptual-level study examining the sequencing and cost for dismantling the ITER machine, once it comes to the end of its life in 2042.
Amec Foster Wheeler, with EAI Ingénierie and Nukem Technologies Engineering Services, will apply their international nuclear decommissioning experience to the design of the facility, now under construction by the multinational ITER Organisation at Cadarache in the South of France.
The ITER Organisation has also awarded Amec Foster Wheeler two additional new stand-alone contracts – the first to prepare a design work plan and data for a programme of contamination control and decontamination, and the second to carry out conceptual design and engineering for a specialised, remotely operated cutting and packaging system to reduce the volume of waste.
Also, under an existing framework contract, the ITER Organisation has appointed Amec Foster Wheeler to design a remotely operated rail and trolley system for maintenance and inspection of the cryostat, a part of the ITER machine that will contain key components including the vacuum vessel and tokamak.
In addition to the above, Fusion For Energy, which manages Europe's contribution to ITER, has appointed Amec Foster Wheeler to a new single source multi-year framework contract to provide technical specifications, contract follow-up and acceptance work on nuclear safety electronic controls and instrumentation systems.
Greg Willetts, Vice President for Consultancy in Amec Foster Wheeler's Clean Energy business, said that the contract would take the firm “further towards our aspiration to play a major role in developing future nuclear technologies while continuing to support the existing nuclear fission power industry.”
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