5 March 2013

Costain Nuclear Process has secured another work package with Magnox Ltd, its second contract in a strategic framework to deliver to construction, infrastructure and maintenance work across 10 nuclear decommissioning sites.

The Safestores Strengthening Project involves reinforcing the upper structure of the Safestores, or reactor buildings, at Trawsfynydd Power Station in order to make them safe before they’re reduced in height at a later date. The power station stopped generating power in 1991 and all fuel has been removed from the twin reactors.

The project is worth around £2.7 million and includes improving the integrity of the structures with specially designed steel sections attached to the internal surfaces of the safestores buildings. At a total height of almost 170 feet, the job includes the careful design and provision of scaffolding and access platforms, putting in place intricate lifting plans and all executed with due consideration to the possible existence of asbestos.

Work started on the mobilisation phase of the project on January 3, with construction due to begin in early March.

“Safety is paramount on this project. Not only are we working at a considerable height, but we also need to improve the integrity of the structure by pinning steel bars to the inside of the walls and bracing the concrete structure. The building has been partially eroded by the elements and we have to ensure that the strengthening project provides the integrity the building needs to get them safely through to the next phase of decommissioning,” said Chris Scott, Costain’s Operations Director for Nuclear Process.

Costain was awarded a place on the £288 million Infrastructure, Construction and Enablers (ICE) Framework contract with Magnox Ltd. in September 2012 for the delivery of construction, infrastructure and maintenance projects on behalf of the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority which owns the 10 nuclear sites managed by Magnox.

 

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