Veolia Nuclear Solutions said last week it has picked up its first nuclear remediation contract in Canada.
The nuclear cleanup services branch of French waste management group has been selected to design, build, and commission a system for remediation of intermediate- and low-level waste stored at Canadian Nuclear Laboratories’ shuttered Whiteshell Laboratories in Manitoba.
The former research site — which encompasses the world’s largest organically cooled, heavy-water moderated, nuclear reactor — is being decommissioned, with completion scheduled for 2024.
The Veolia Nuclear Solutions contract, through its Kurion (Canada) Inc. subsidiary, is for five years: design, manufacturing, and commissioning is expected to last for two years, followed by three years of waste treatment.
“This agreement represents a significant endorsement of Veolia Nuclear Solutions’ ability to provide robust, turnkey solutions to our clients,” said Matthew Cole, Veolia Nuclear Solutions’ vice president for access line, said in a press release. “By deploying proven technologies and best-in-class operational capabilities that have successfully dealt with some of the most significant environmental challenges around the globe, Veolia Nuclear Solutions is proud to support Canadian Nuclear Laboratories to safely decommission the Whiteshell Laboratories site.”
Further terms of the contract and the remediation program, including its dollar value and the amount of waste involved, were not immediately available.
Veolia formed its Nuclear Solutions division in late 2016, merging its Kurion, Alaron, and Asteralis subsidiaries under one umbrella. The business offers services in facility restoration, decommissioning, and the treatment of low-and intermediate-level radioactive waste.
