atw 2018-04v6

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<strong>atw</strong> Vol. 63 (<strong>2018</strong>) | Issue 4 ı April 266 NEWS Company News Framatome Completes Purchase of Schneider Electric’s Instrumentation and Control Nuclear Business (framatome) Framatome announced that it completed its purchase of Schneider Electric’s nuclear instrumentation and control offering. With this transaction, Framatome adds to its engineering expertise and expands its instrumentation and control (I&C) offerings. I&C systems are the central nervous system of a nuclear power plant, allowing operators to control reactor operations. Modernizations, upgrades and ongoing support are vital to manage economic, long-term operation of nuclear power plants, which provide reliable, low-carbon electricity. “With the integration of Schneider Electric’s nuclear instrumentation and control offering, we offer truly added value to our customers with a global technical expertise and market know-how on I&C solutions for the nuclear market,” said Bernard Fontana, Chairman of the Managing Board and Chief Executive Officer of Framatome. “We welcome our new colleagues to Framatome’s worldwide team of I&C engineers and experts.” This acquisition adds the nuclearqualified version of Tricon and the SPEC 200 platform to Framatome’s nuclear safety I&C offerings, which include the TELEPERM XS digital platform, and non-computerized analog solutions and instrumentation for nuclear power plants. This broadens the base of plants worldwide for which Framatome serves as the original equipment manufacturer for safety I&C systems. It also expands Framatome’s project and engineering capacities for non-safety I&C systems in the nuclear energy market, relying on Schneider Electric’s commercial TRICON and Foxboro platforms. Framatome also becomes the exclusive service provider to the nuclear energy market for the SPEC 200, nuclearqualified Tricon and Foxboro systems. | | www.framatome.com Framatome Continues Ramping up Production at Its Le Creusot Site (framatome) On January 25, <strong>2018</strong>, Framatome received the green light from the French Nuclear Safety Authority (ASN) and EDF to resume manufacture of forgings for the French nuclear fleet at its Le Creusot site. This decision allows the plant to continue ramping up its production with a target of 80 ingots per year. The authorization is an outcome of the improvement plan launched at the beginning of 2016 on the site following a series of quality audits. With the completion of all the actions necessary for the resumption of production for the French nuclear fleet and overall progress of 90% to date, the plan will be fully closed out in the first half of <strong>2018</strong>. The actions will then be incor porated into the site’s continuous improvement processes. Customers in France and abroad, as well as all the safety authorities concerned, have been kept regularly informed of the actions undertaken. Numerous reviews and inspections have been conducted in order to observe the progress of the plan and integrate stakeholders’ feedback. David Emond, Senior Executive Vice President of Framatome’s Component Manufacturing Business Unit, comments: “The authorization to resume manufacture of forgings for the French nuclear fleet is a very good news for the site that confirms the successful execution of its improvement plan. The 230 employees at the Le Creusot site are engaged in its deployment on a day to day basis so that we can supply our customers with equipment meeting the most stringent safety and quality requirements within agreed deadlines. I want to thank them for the substantial work they have accomplished on the site over the last two years.” Maintaining and developing the skills of the Le Creusot plant teams is a key element of the site’s improvement plan, with a particular focus on strengthening the nuclear safety culture. Framatome already invested 7.5 million euros at the site in 2017 to make the Le Creusot site a center of excellence for the manufacture of forgings for the nuclear industry, and will pursue this effort in <strong>2018</strong>. Major milestone reached in review of manufacturing records Moreover, a major milestone has been reached in the review of legacy manufacturing records at the Le Creusot site. The first stage in the inspection process which is being applied to all records relating to forgings produced for the nuclear industry, a key stage consisting in identifying findings, is now complete. The analysis of these findings and the processing of deviations will continue until the end of <strong>2018</strong>, in coordination with customers and safety authorities. Of the 6,000 records identified during the initial survey, 3,854 correspond to forgings installed on nuclear installations. At Framatome’s Jeumont and Saint-Marcel sites, the audit has been finalized since the summer of 2017 and no deviation impacting the safety of components has been brought to light. | | www.framatome.com JNFL and MHI Become Shareholders of Orano 2017 Revenue (orano) The Orano Board of Directors noted the completion of the capital increase reserved for Japan Nuclear Fuel Limited (JNFL) and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd. (MHI) for a total of €500 million. Pursuant to the initial agreements signed with JNFL and MHI in March 2017, the funds corresponding to their total investment in Orano had been placed in trust on July 26, at the same time as the completion of the capital increase reserved for French State 2. These funds were released and used for the subscription of JNFL and MHI to Orano’s second capital increase. This transaction follows the completion on December 31, 2017 of the sale of the majority control of Framatome (formerly New NP) by AREVA SA to EDF as well as the fulfillment of the regulatory closing conditions related to the addition of an equity stake in Orano of both Japanese investors. Orano’s capital is now held by the French State (45.2%), the CEA (4.8%)3, AREVA SA (40%), JNFL (5%) and MHI (5%). This transaction is the last major step in the restructuring of the French nuclear industry, undertaken in 2015, and marks the end of the constitution phase of the Orano group. With a strengthened financial structure and sound strategic partnerships, Orano now has the means to grow and reach its goal of being a leading player in the production and recycling of nuclear materials, in waste management and dismantling. Appointment of a new independent director After completion of Orano’s second capital increase, the Orano General Meeting, also held on February 26, <strong>2018</strong>, appointed Patrick Pelata as independent director. | | www.orano.group News

<strong>atw</strong> Vol. 63 (<strong>2018</strong>) | Issue 4 ı April Westinghouse Electric Company Signs Cooperation Agreement for Lead-cooled Fast Reactor Development (westinghouse) Westinghouse Electric Company has signed a Cooperation Agreement for lead-cooled fast reactor (LFR) technology development with the Italian National Agency for New Technologies, Energy and Sustainable Economic Development (ENEA) and Ansaldo Nucleare. The agreement demonstrates each party’s commitment to collaborating toward the development of a next-generation nuclear plant based on LFR technology, which is both “walk-away” safe and economically competitive across global energy markets. “This agreement is an exciting step towards the development of a lead-cooled fast reactor for the marketplace,” said Ken Canavan, Westinghouse chief technology officer and vice president, Global Technology Office. “The LFR is game-changing technology for clean energy industries, and Westinghouse is pleased to be working with such experienced partners to bring this innovative concept to fruition.” Beyond baseload electricity generation, the high-temperature operation of the LFR will allow for a broad range of applications such as an effective load-following capability enabled by an innovative thermal energy storage system, delivery of process heat for industrial applications and water desalination. ENEA is a world leader in research and development on lead-based systems, and currently operates among the finest and largest experimental facilities for LFR research in the world. Ansaldo Nucleare has vast experience in nuclear power plant design, supply, service and decommissioning, and has played leading roles in multiple international LFR development programs for the past 15 years. | | www.westinghousenuclear.com BKW übernimmt Experten für Strahlenschutz (bkw) Die BKW Konzerngesellschaft Dienstleistungen für Nukleartechnik (DfN) übernimmt das ebenfalls auf den kerntechnischen Bereich spezia lisierte Unternehmen Technischer Strahlenschutz (TSS). Dadurch stärkt die BKW ihre Kompetenzen in diesem Gebiet und baut sie weiter aus. Dies vor dem Hintergrund der geplanten Stilllegung des Kernkraftwerks Mühleberg und zahlreicher weiterer Kernkraftwerke in Europa. Mit der Übernahme des Strahlenschutzunternehmens DfN hat die BKW bereits im letzten Jahr ihre bestehenden und bewährten Kom petenzen im hochspezialisierten Nukleartechnik-Bereich erweitert. Der Eintritt der TSS in den Unter nehmensverbund der BKW stellt nun einen weiteren Ausbau in diesem Gebiet dar. Die TSS ergänzt die Strahlenschutzkompetenzen innerhalb der BKW Gruppe und verstärkt diese auch im Hinblick auf die Still legung des Kernkraftwerks Mühleberg. In Europa ist ausserdem eine Vielzahl weiterer Stilllegungsprojekte in Planung oder bereits im Gang. Der Strahlenschutz spielt bereits beim Betrieb von Kernkraftwerken eine wichtige Rolle. Mit der Stilllegung und den dabei ausgeführten Demontage- und Freimessarbeiten nehmen die Strahlenschutzarbeiten zu. Für Strahlenschutzdienstleisterinnen wie TSS und DfN bietet der wachsende Stilllegungsmarkt daher ein grosses Potenzial und die Möglichkeit, sich weiterzuentwickeln. Die DfN und die TSS haben bereits verschiedentlich auf Projektbasis zusammengearbeitet. Die erfolgreiche Kooperation wird künftig weiter ausgebaut, was mit einer gegenseitigen Stärkung einhergeht. Um eine optimale Zusammenarbeit zu ermöglichen, wird die TSS in die DfN integriert. Die TSS mit Sitz in Geilenkirchen im deutschen Bundesland Nordrhein- Westfalen wurde 1979 gegründet und zählt 15 Mitarbeitende. Das Unternehmen bietet ein qualitativ hochwertiges und breites Angebot von Dienstleistungen im kerntechnischen Bereich. Dazu gehören neben dem Strahlenschutz die Dekontamination, die Abfallentsorgung, die Dosimetrie sowie die Abwicklung von Transporten radioaktiver Stoffe. | | (18791521), www.bkw.ch Companies China Approves $ 100 Billion Merger of Leading Nuclear Companies (nucnet) China has approved the merger of nuclear power producer China National Nuclear Corporation (CNNC) with nuclear plant builder China Nuclear Engineering and Construction Corporation (CNECC), the state-run China Daily news agency said. According to the China Daily, the combined assets of the new company will be worth about $100bn (€80bn), while its workforce will be about 150,000 employees. CNNC is China’s number two nuclear power producer and CNECC the country’s top nuclear power plant builder. China Daily said the merger is in line with efforts by China to streamline the state-operated sector of its economy and reduce the number of state-owned companies administered by central government. Approval for the merger was confirmed by the State-Owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission (SASAC) in a one-line statement posted on its website. | | (18800822), en.cnnc.com.cn 267 NEWS Research | | BKW übernimmt Experten für Strahlenschutz © BKW. NRG: Every Day, 30,000 Patients Benefit From Medical Isotopes From Petten (nrg) Medical isotopes are indispensable for diagnosing and treating cancer. Demand for them is set to soar over the next 20 years, but supplies are diminishing. To put the spotlight News