Caorso
The Caorso Nuclear Power Plant: A Brief Introduction
The Caorso Nuclear Power Plant was an important Italian facility in the energy sector, located in the Mezzanone di Zerbio fraction, in the municipality of Caorso, in the province of Piacenza. This plant had a single second-generation boiling water nuclear reactor that was fueled by slightly enriched Uranium (SEU). The reactor, nicknamed "Arturo" by plant operators and locals, produced almost 35 billion kWh of electrical energy during its operation period, which lasted until 1986.
History
The construction of the Caorso Nuclear Power Plant was commissioned by ENEL between 1970 and 1978 to Ansaldo Meccanico Nucleare, in collaboration with General Electric. The reactor was first connected to the electrical grid on May 23, 1978, and the plant began commercial operation on December 1, 1981.
The plant was shut down for cold shutdown on October 25, 1986, to allow for fuel reloading. It was never restarted following the abrogative referendums of 1987 and the subsequent changes in Italian energy policy. In 1990, the plant was permanently closed following a decision by the Interministerial Committee for Economic Planning. From then on, the dismantling of the plant began, with only the necessary components for decommissioning being kept in operation or in a state of preservation.
Dismantling Plan
In 1999, ownership of the plant passed to SOGIN with the aim of completing the dismantling procedure. The drafting of the dismantling plan was initiated, and in 2000 a ministerial decree was published authorizing some activities necessary for decommissioning. Among these were activities such as the packaging of irradiated fuel in suitable containers for storage and handling, the treatment and conditioning of radioactive waste, interventions on the structure hosting the turbine and the off-gas system, the dismantling of the RHR tower building, and the sanitization of the primary circuit.
Completion of Dismantling Procedure
The dismantling procedure of the plant was carried out by SOGIN until completion. It was necessary to remove and dispose of parts of the reactor and all materials contaminated by radiation. After successfully completing the removal of radiation-contaminated materials, SOGIN issued a "Final Site Reclamation Certificate" to the City of Caorso on December 25, 2007. The completion of this process allowed the area of the plant to be restored to the community and to the realization of new infrastructures.
Conclusions
The Caorso Nuclear Power Plant is an example of the hard work required for the removal of decommissioned nuclear plants. Thanks to SOGIN, it was possible to complete the dismantling procedure and restore the surrounding area for future use. The success of this process demonstrates that the decommissioning of nuclear plants can be managed safely and responsibly.
