On 23 June, the French nuclear energy society (SFEN) presented its award for technological innovation to Onet Technologies and the French alternative energies and atomic energies commission (CEA). The distinction was given in recognition of the remotely operated laser-cutting technology developed at the CEA Saclay and Marcoule facilities and implemented by Onet Technologies in clean-up operations at CEA Marcoule. The innovation was also praised by the World Nuclear Exhibition (WNE) and could be used for the removal of melted fuel debris from the damaged reactors at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant.
The remotely operated laser-cutting technology developed by CEA and implemented by Onet Technologies is especially suited to cutting very thick materials in a hazardous environment. It allows for easy remote operation while offering impressive position tolerance for cutting heterogeneous layers of materials; moreover, it generates fewer aerosols than most other available techniques.
Introduced by Onet Technologies as a world first in December 2015, the technology has demonstrated its full potential in the ongoing project to dismantle MAR200 dissolvers in the spent-fuel reprocessing facility at the CEA Marcoule site in France. The dismantling process was also nominated in the WNE Awards and received the SFEN award for technological innovation on 23 June this year.
Introduced by Onet Technologies as a world first in December 2015, the technology has demonstrated its full potential in the ongoing project to dismantle MAR200 dissolvers in the spent-fuel reprocessing facility at the CEA Marcoule site in France. The dismantling process was also nominated in the WNE Awards and received the SFEN award for technological innovation on 23 June this year.
A key challenge: adapting current technology to Fukushima Daiichi requirements
The award showcases promising technology that could be chosen as a solution to remove melted fuel debris from the damaged reactors at the Fukushima Daiichi plant—a project in which Onet Technologies and the CEA have been actively involved since 2014. The ongoing initiative involves adapting the existing, reliable technology to the highly specific requirements of the damaged reactors. Removing fuel debris from the reactor cores will be a vital step in the decommissioning programme.
Press contacts:
CEA: François Legrand
francois.legrand@cea.fr
+33 (0)1 64 50 27 53
Onet Technologies:
Christèle Maillet
cmaillet@onet.fr
+33 (0)6 77 01 21 25
