AREVA NP has been selected by the utility Vattenfall Europe Nuclear Energy to decontaminate the primary loop of the Krummel nuclear power plant, located in Geesthacht near Hamburg, Germany.

This decontamination will reduce the radiation level in the reactor pressure vessel, auxiliary systems and piping. The project will start by the end of this year and the decontamination will be implemented in the first half of 2016.

The decontamination will be carried out thanks to the combination of two AREVA NP techniques: the CORD UV and the AMDA. This operation is based on the progressive injection of chemical products into the reactor's primary circuit.

Once the process is completed, the chemical substances used are decomposed into carbon dioxide and water, leaving behind no additional waste.

"This decontamination technology has been used reliably in over 30 nuclear facilities worldwide, including boiling and pressurized water reactors.

This new contract confirms customers' confidence in our decontamination technology for all types of nuclear power plants," said Michael Cerruti, Sales Executive Vice-President of AREVA Reactors and Services Business Group.