SNC-Lavalin joint venture company closes deal to decommission U.S. nuclear power plant

Comprehensive Decommissioning International (CDI), a joint venture company of SNC-Lavalin and Holtec International in July 2018, has won its first commercial contract to decommission the Oyster Creek nuclear power plant in Lacey Township, Ocean County, New Jersey.

Under the contract with Holtec, CDI will be responsible for decommissioning, demolishing and cleaning up the site beginning this year, now that ownership of the site has transferred to Holtec.

CDI aims to safely and efficiently decommission and dismantle the site in less than 10 years using innovative technologies. Coupled with strong project planning and management, this will result in a predictable decommissioning program.

“This is just the beginning of what we know is a bright future for CDI in reactor decommissioning, and a great example of the services-based contracts CDI can undertake,” said Sandy Taylor, president, Nuclear, SNC-Lavalin. “We are strong proponents of the future of carbon-free, nuclear power around the world, be it through the industry-leading expertise and technologies that we bring to nuclear new build and life-extending refurbishment projects, however, decommissioning is also becoming a significant part of our business. In the U.S. alone, there are almost 100 nuclear reactors.”

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) approved the transfer of the Oyster Creek licence from Exelon to Holtec in June 2019 and plant ownership was transferred on July 1.

Agreements are also in place between Holtec and Entergy for its U.S. Indian Point, NY, Palisades, MI, and Pilgrim, MA, nuclear units, in which CDI will be the Decommissioning General Contractor, following each plant’s closure.