NCPF (new concentration of fission products) - Workshops R2 and T2

The NCPF R2 and T2 project, carried out at the La Hague site on behalf of AREVA NC, involves the civil engineering work for two semi-underground concrete structures designed to house evaporators integrated into the nuclear waste reprocessing process. These annexes to the workshops are part of the spent fuel reprocessing chain and are located after the front-end facilities consisting of the R1 and T1 workshops.

Spent nuclear material is dissolved in nitric acid, then uranium and plutonium are extracted using a chemical process. The remaining portion consists of “fission products,” which are transferred to workshops R2 and T2, where they are concentrated using evaporators that heat them to evaporate the acid, which is then recycled.

Carried out at a secure nuclear site operated by Orano, the project required rigorous organization to manage access constraints, confined spaces, and simultaneous activities. After the process was built and installed, the teams carried out a second phase of work to close the gaps in the walls and floors, ensuring that the structures were completely radiation-proof.

Personal safety and schedule control were major challenges, with methods adapted to nuclear safety requirements. The project was carried out on a tight 18-month schedule for the main work.