EnergySolutions said Wednesday it has reached an agreement with the Japan Atomic Power Co. (JAPC) under which the two companies will collaborate on decommissioning of light-water nuclear power facilities in Japan.
The company declined to disclose terms of the deal, including the length of contract and monetary amount.
EnergySolutions will share its decommissioning and decontamination know-how and capabilities with JAPC for work on Tsuruga Unit 1, according to a press release. Toward this, JAPC personnel are expected to participate in decommissioning and decontamination activities at EnergySolutions’ Zion Nuclear Power Station near Chicago, Ill. EnergySolutions employees will then join the project team in Japan to implement the company’s knowledge and expertise.
The deal comes a week after EnergySolutions sold its projects, products, and technology segment (PP&T) to British design and engineering consultant Atkins for $318 million. EnergySolutions spokesman Mark Walker said over the phone Thursday that the two deals return the company to its “core capabilities, which is the logistics process of disposal and D&D of nuclear power plants.”
“This shows exactly that, that we’re the experts in D&D, and JAPC recognizes that,” Walker said. “With our focus now on (logistics) and D&D, this is a good example of why our focus is where it’s at, because this is what we’re experts at, and we’ll be able to make tremendous strides in the D&D world, showing that we can assist the Japanese in managing their decommissioning projects and helping them to resolve the issue of shut down nuclear reactors.”
Walker said JAPC crews are expected at Zion on Monday, and the knowledge they gain there will be applied to multiple Japanese sites, not just Tsuruga. JAPC will become educated on the entire decommissioning process, including removal of large components from plants, extraction of radiological material, and transportation and disposal of material.
“This is a tremendous opportunity for our company to provide our Decommissioning and Decontamination experience and capabilities in Japan,” Ken Robuck, president of EnergySolutions’ disposal and decommissioning business, said in the statement. “Our primary goal is to support the Japanese nuclear industry in achieving safe and efficient decommissioning projects.”
