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First RPV removed in Bohunice V1 decommissioning

Wednesday, 3 June 2020

The programme to decommission the Bohunice V1 nuclear power plant in the Slovak Republic has achieved a major milestone, with the successful removal of the first reactor pressure vessel that will now permit remote dismantling of the facility, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development announced today.

First RPV removed in Bohunice V1 decommissioning — Bohunice V1 nuclear power plant (Image: EBRD)

The operation was performed successfully despite the current health and safety regulations in place to prevent the spread of the coronavirus pandemic. Work in Bohunice continued in recent weeks during emergency measures, which have now been revoked.

Tomáš Klein, director of decommissioning at the Project Management Unit, said: "The upcoming dismantling activities of activated components like the reactor pressure vessel and reactor internals will eventually reduce the radioactivity of the site by almost 100% by the end of 2022."

The decommissioning of units 1 and 2 of the Bohunice nuclear power plant is being prepared and implemented by Jadrova a vyradovacia spolocnost (JAVYS) and financed by the Bohunice International Decommissioning Support Fund, which the EBRD established in 2001.

The Slovak Republic became an independent state in 1993 and soon after applied for membership in the European Union. During the negotiations the government announced its decision to close the two reactors of the Bohunice V1 NPP at its nuclear power plant at Jaslovské Bohunice, a small village in the west of the country.