ICEM Conference focuses on training and educating
tomorrow’s nuclear sepcialists
The BNES YGN was recently given the chance to present
at the 11th International Conference on Environmental
Remediation and Radioactiove Waste Management (ICEM 07), which
was held,
in Bruges, from 2-6 September. The YGN were invited to host 2
sessions, the first relating to workforce issues and training
programmes and the second a panel session where we invited Jean
Llewellyn, Project Director for the National Skills Academy for
Nuclear, to join us and lead the debate about challenges facing
the YGN. Both sessions were hosted by our YGN Chair Neil Crewdson
and Vice Chair Linda McLean. The sessions were very positive,
with all speakers leading a debate into the difficulties that
we are facing and offering their perspectives on how we are responding
to the change in demand for skills as we engage the current nuclear
renaissance.
The first presentation was by George Reeves.
He discussed the first 2 years in operation of DERC – a
centre for decommissioning and environmental remediation in the
highlands of Scotland and the problems he faces securing funding
and places for future applicants. Sarah Greenwood from RM Consultants
next explained how she has developed a programme to spot talent
in graduates and support them through their career development
until they become qualified and successful consultants. The Dalton
Institute was represented by Warren Richards who discussed how
industry, government and research councils are taking steps to
reverse the 20 year trend of underinvestment that has led to
the current skills shortage. He then focused on several programmes
such as the development of the Dalton Institute and the national
laboratory. Ogla Batyukhnova of Russia added an international
dimension to the session by telling us about the last 10 years
of the Moscow SIA Radon international education training centre
and how they use several methods, including socio-psychological
aspects, when assessing the efficiency of their training programmes
aimed at ensuring that they can continuously improve training
methods.
My presentation focused on graduates and how
they are being developed in the UK. It focused on the highs and
lows of graduate training and how the YGN and the NDA are focusing
on improving graduate programmes to recruit and retain the best
graduates into the industry.
The panel session kicked off with an introduction
from Jean Llewellyn, which lead to a lively debate on the challenges
the industry is facing due to the shortage of skills. The audience
quickly joined in and Richard Mrowicki from the NDA answered
some difficult questions relating to the NDA programme and how
it was effecting the development and training programmes offered
by some companies. Over all, the event was very forward-looking.
The key messages that emerged from the conference were that we
must work together to address the skills shortage and ensure
that the nuclear industry is made more attractive for graduates
and their career development.
For more information on the conference consult the ICEM
07 web
site at: www.icemconf.com
French Technical Tour
Whilst the ICEM conference was going on a technical tour of
France was also taking place. The tour was organised by Ben Salisbury
of British Energy and the BNES YGN and hosted by AREVA and ENS.
The tour was attended by 17 BNES YGN members
representing a variety of nuclear backgrounds. Starting in Marcoule,
in the south of France, the tour travelled north to Flamanville,
in Normandy, following the closed nuclear fuel cycle that Areva
NC operates. This incorporated the reprocessing and recycling
of plutonium and uranium for use in “MOX” fuel, as
well as the segregation, treatment and disposal of used fuel
elements and radioactive waste. The tour also included visits
to the steel forge and metalworking plants which produce plant
components. Finally an operating light water reactor was visited
along with the building site of one of the world’s two
new European pressurized reactors (EPRs).
The following is an extract from the full visit report, which
can be found on the YGN website.
‘On Monday the tour started in Marcoule, Gard Region where
we visited the Phénix, France’s second prototype
Fast Neutron Reactor (FNR). The reactor is a research facility
which can be configured to “breed” plutonium from
fission in uranium 238, thereby increasing the amount of energy
produced from natural uranium by 50%. Alternatively, the reactor
can be used to “burn” radioactive waste and transmute
long-lived fission products and actinides into stable elements
or radioactive products with reduced half-lives. This process,
if extended to a commercial scale, could reduce the nuclear waste
legacy for future generations.
We also visited the Melox plant, which was on
the same site, this plant takes plutonium and uranium oxide from
Areva’s facilities at La Hague. These materials are mixed
to the correct enrichment level for a particular fuel assembly.
The theme for Tuesday’s
visit was the construction of the major steel assemblies
used in nuclear
power plants. The first location we visited was the Creusot
forge plant belonging to the Sfar Steel Group. This forge
is capable of producing very large forged steel components,
some of them weighing up to 360 tons. During the tour a 150
ton ingot of steel was lifted out of one of the gas furnaces
glowing red, placed into the 7500 ton press and had a 10
ton section sliced off. This activity made quite an impression
on everyone.
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Located deep in rural south-eastern France is the Andra waste
disposal repository, final destination for 90% of Frances radioactive
waste, was the destination on Wednesday. This site was especially
chosen on account of the geological make-up of the environment.
The intermediate and low-level waste (ILW & LLW) that is
handled and stored at the facility is not just put into drums;
complete pressure vessel heads are put in place. The group also
visited a second site which handles very low-level waste (VLLW)
and learned about the differences between British and French
disposal methods.
On Thursday, the tour party set off for La Hague, which
specialises in the reprocessing of nuclear fuel from
domestic and overseas clients. Spent fuel is delivered
in large reinforced steel containers and stored in La Hague’s fuel
pond for 3 years. The reprocessing facility is vast, covering some 300 hectares
and employing
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around 6,000 people it extends underground and all of the processing
is remotely controlled to limit employee exposure.
The final stop on the tour was Flamanville, with its two EDF
PWR reactors with a capacity of 1300MW each. These stations,
although impressive, were not as interesting as the construction
site next to them. In this site the foundations of the new Flamanville
3 EPR station have been laid. However, at this early stage all
that could be seen were some basement sections and the bottom
of the containment area. The site physically looks larger than
the sister stations. This is intentional in order to provide
4 levels of system redundancy, increased lay down areas that
enable easier maintenance and an increased power output of 1600MW.
From the outset the EPR design is MOX adapted and builds upon
the operating and construction experience obtained from the 93
other PWRs that Areva has built.
Standing there and looking at the framework
of the new EPR under construction you were struck by the realisation
that the future was unfolding before you. A closed fuel cycle
with minimised volumes and toxicities of radioactive waste coupled
to effective reprocessing and recycling of uranium and plutonium
to reduce demand on world resources. And all this supporting
a technology that is proven, safe, reproducible, low carbon,
cost effective and currently supplying 80% of Frances energy
needs. It certainly looks like a good model to work from.
Steven Wootten (British Energy)
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