Mechanical handling equipment

Tender description

The Dragon Reactor at Winfrith is in the final stages of decommissioning. Critical to the success of the decommissioning programme is the safe removal and segmentation of the reactor core. The scope of this procurement comprises the detailed design and build of the Mechanical and Electrical, Electrical Control and Instrumentation (EC&I), including Ventilation, Assay and Grout/Concrete delivery systems required for the Dragon Reactor Core Decommissioning Facility (DRC-DF), which will be used to remotely access the reactor core and progressively remove it for packing and disposal. The Dragon Reactor at Winfrith is in the final stages of decommissioning. Critical to the success of the decommissioning programme is the safe removal and segmentation of the reactor core. The reactor core is contained within a vertical pressure vessel which is surrounded by a biological shield in the centre of the Dragon building. The scheme design for the decommissioning of the reactor core is to remotely dismantle the pressure vessel from the inside out via the neck of the vessel. The waste removed from the core will then be grouted into intermediate level waste (ILW) packages prior to transport for offsite storage. Magnox Limited (Magnox) requires a suitably competent and experienced contractor to design and build equipment for the efficient and safe remote dismantling of the reactor core and packing of the waste into Intermediate Level Waste (ILW) containers. The scope of this procurement comprises the detailed design and build of the Mechanical and Electrical, Electrical Control and Instrumentation (EC&I), including Ventilation, Assay and Grout/Concrete delivery systems required for the Dragon Reactor Core Decommissioning Facility (DRC-DF), which will be used to remotely access the reactor core and progressively remove it for packing and disposal. This forms one element of the overall Dragon Reactor Core Decommissioning Facility (DRC-DF) which provides plant and equipment capable of delivering Magnox's programme for reactor core decommissioning. Following installation of the DRC-DF, Magnox will carry out non-active and active commissioning and subsequently operate the installed plant and equipment to undertake decommissioning activities, and package the resultant waste, using in-house resources.