The magazine Nuclear Energy presents: VUJE and its 44-year-old history, activities, important consortia and milestones

The company VUJE, a. s. is historically known as the Nuclear Power Plants Research Institute, unique in Czechoslovakia, established on 1st January 1977. In 1994, it was privatized into a joint-stock company VÚJE Trnava, a. s., and in 2000 it was transformed into an engineering company with the subsequent change of its trade name to the current one.

During 44 years of its successful history, the activities of VUJE, a. s., in addition to research and development, have expanded to include design, engineering, technical, training, diagnostic and consulting. At present, the summary of the activities, together with works on ensuring the safety of nuclear power plants, decommissioning of nuclear power plants and services to support and operate transmission and distribution systems, forms the core of activities. They are implemented comprehensively in the form of turn-key deliveries from the design basis documentation to final solutions.

VUJE, a. s., is a respected and recognized authority with multiple international success and innovative solutions.

The article can be found on pages 4 – 6 HERE: https://lnk.sk/gad4

 

International consortia and important milestones – Mochovce, Allegro, SafeG

The organizational structure of VUJE, a. s. comprises of 11 divisions. Undoubtedly, the most significant projects today include the Completion of Mochovce NPP, Unit 3&4, Dismantling of Reactor Coolant System Large Components of V1-NPP Jaslovské Bohunice or the unique manipulators intended for steam generators inspection and heat-exchanger tubes blinding.

To ensure implementation of physical and energy tests for commissioning the Mochovce NPP, Unit 3, VUJE has an excellent team of specialists engaged worldwide in various OECD or IAEA working groups.

VUJE is also an important member of the international consortium V4G4 Centre of Excellence established for implementation of a coordinated research and development of Generation IV reactors as one of the selected perspective directions of nuclear energy development. Within the international group Generation IV International Forum, it deals with a development of a new prototype innovative ALLEGRO fast-spectrum helium reactor. As part of the reactor development VUJE is also the leader of a consortium consisting of 15 major research institutions from Europe and the world working on the SafeG project, funded by the European Commission (Horizon2020 - EURATOM).

Dismantling of shutdown units of Jaslovské Bohunice NPP and their fragmentation

An important activity of VUJE, a. s. is dismantling of shutdown nuclear power plants units and their fragmentation for which it proposed, designed, manufactured and commissioned specific technological equipment and is currently gaining real practical experience with their operation.

This includes works on the decommissioning of two shutdown V1 NPP units in Jaslovské Bohunice, to which Slovakia committed upon entering the European Union. The D4.2 Project as a safe, efficient and economical disposal of parts of the shutdown power plant units is managed by the state company JAVYS, a. s., co-financed by the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, and implemented by the consortium of the companies Westinghouse and VUJE.

The objective is dismantling and fragmentation of the reactor coolant system large components, their processing into a suitable form for the radioactive waste repository or release into the environment.

The leader of the decontamination process is VUJE, whose team of 30 workers has just broken the limit of decontaminated 1,400 tons out of the total 3,000 tons.

Another 40 experts under the VUJE management work within the D4.2 Project on dismantling and fragmentation of 12 steam generators using remotely controlled equipment specially developed in cooperation with the Technical University in Košice. The new technologies allow fragmentation of one steam generator in less than 3 months. Currently 5 out of 12 steam generators have already been fragmented.

Installation and operation of the hydrogen concentration measurement system in Ukraine

VUJE participates in installation of the Hydrogen Concentration Measurement System of Unit 4 of Rivne NPP (VVER 1000). The system enables continuous hydrogen concentration monitoring in the reactor containment at different unit modes. Information provided by the system enable the timely adoption of necessary operational and safety measures resulting from the threat to the nuclear facility safety in the event of the presence of hydrogen in the monitored areas of the technology.

This are all technological challenges as a contribution of VUJE, a. s. to increase the nuclear units safety around the world.

VUJE abroad, work for ČEZ and Chernobyl

Other foreign customers of VUJE, a. s. include, in addition to Rivne NPP, the Nuclear Power Plants Dukovany, Temelín (ČEZ, a. s.) and, for example, ČEPS, a. s., EON, a. s., Rosatom, NAEK Energoatom, Holtec Ukraine and Chernobyl NPP.

For Chernobyl, as an area of great interest to contractors in the field of nuclear energy, VUJE experts developed and delivered special pumping stations and containers for the transport of liquid radioactive waste generated during the fragmentation of spent fuel assemblies from reactor units 1, 2 and 3.

Other clients of VUJE, a. s., from nuclear power plants, include Khmelnitsky, South Ukraine, Zaporizhzhia, Kola, Novovoronezh NPP and Paks NPP.

The VUJE design team developed and in 2020 delivered for MVM Ltd. - Paks NPP the ZOK-OPZ 19 manipulator for blinding the heat-exchanger tubes of steam generators enabling remotely controlled blinding of leaking tubes by welding.

Similar types of manipulators for steam generators inspection and heat-exchanger tubes blinding were also developed as part of the contract for ČEZ and delivered at Dukovany and Temelín sites. The world's unique IRIS-20 manipulator, handed over to Dukovany NPP at the beginning of this year, ensures, in addition to blinding, tubes inspection, ultrasonic inspection of internal surface, visual inspection of the collector internal surface, as well as visual inspection of heat-exchanger tubes from inside. The latest available technologies were used for the manipulator and currently VUJE is developing a training simulator of this type.

Nuclear power plant personnel training

The Nuclear Power Plant Personnel Training Centre of VUJE, a. s. provides training for energy experts. It implements theoretical training of employees and simulator training. Based on the acquired knowledge and in accordance with the legislation, it issues Certificates of Professional Competence to the employees. The centre provides training and education of employees in the field of conventional power plants, electricity system and other users. It continuously carries out the development and improvement of training systems for the personnel of nuclear and conventional power plants and electrical substations.

Message to the 45th year of its existence: It is impossible without nuclear energy

In 2020 VUJE, a. s. revenue increased to more than 140 million euros. A big advantage of the company are its people, more than 63% of 625 employees represent professionals with an academic degree and university education.

The company promotes nuclear energy as a low-emission energy source. It is actively involved in raising awareness of the nuclear sector, stating that climate protection and the objectives stipulated by the European Commission for the next 50 years or more cannot be achieved without nuclear energy.

Matej Korec, Chief Executive Officer and Member of the Board of Directors of VUJE, a. s.

Branislav Hatala, Director of the Nuclear Safety, Research and Development Division of VUJE, a. s.