Sogin, 2018: the best year ever for decommissioning

21 February 2019

​Launching Open Gate 2019: on 13 and 14 April, Italian nuclear power plants under decommissioning open to visitors, online reservation at sogin.it

• Best outcomes ever in decommissioning operations: EUR 80,4 Million (of which EUR 1.7 Million from internalised activities); +41% compared to the average 2010-2017 outcome
• Structural staff reduction of the Group: -9.5% in 2 years (1,173 units at 31/12/2018, compared to 1,296 units in 2016).
• Increase in contracts with third parties in Italy and abroad: EUR 35.7 Million contracts ratified in the period 2017-2018 (more than what earned in the seven previous years)

- Sogin’s press conference on 2018 Preliminary Figures was held this morning and attended by the Company CEO Luca Desiata. In 2018, Sogin has carried out decommissioning operations for EUR 80.4 Million (+41% compared to the average value of 2010-2017); EUR 1.7 Million of this amount are activities directly carried out by the Company. This is the Company’s best outcome, in economic terms, since its creation. 

Year 2018 also saw structural staff reductions in the Group: 1,173 employees on 31 December 2018 compared to 1,296 in 2016 (-9.5%). Cost reduction policy was also implemented and continued from 2016. Last year operation costs were equal to EUR 125 Million, with a decrease of -11% compared to EUR 140.5 Million in 2015. As for the Company’s activities with third parties, the outcomes of 2017-2018 are extremely positive; Sogin has ratified agreements for EUR 35.7 Million (more than the seven previous years). The last three years have registered improvements in safety levels at work, with a 40% decrease (compared to 2016) in in the total number of work accidents (from 15 to 9), although year 2018 has recorded an increase in activity. 

In 2018, Sogin committed in implementing a strategy to reduce decommissioning environmental impacts. This strategy is based on circular economy principles, such as: the decrease of radioactive waste, an efficient use of energy, the recycling of materials resulted from decommissioning and the reuse of the plant buildings to avoid building new ones. More than 1 Million tons of materials (94% of total materials) will be recycled from the decommissioning of the four nuclear plants. Sogin constantly looks for improvements in its circular economy strategy, for this reason it has requested a peer review to IAEA (International Atomic Energy Agency) to better assess its strategy with relevant international benchmarks and to improve sustainability policies. 

Moreover, the meeting held today was an opportunity to launch the third edition of Open Gate - Sogin’s event to open the decommissioning plants of Trino (VC), Caorso (PC), Latina and Garigliano (CE) to 3,000 citizens on 13 – 14 April. Online reservations are open until 31 March at www.sogin.it. 

“2018 was Sogin’s best year ever for decommissioning activities since its creation… – stated Luca Desiata, Sogin’s CEO – “…We have fostered a boost in our activities, committed in operation efficiency and significantly reduced costs, all this, while increasing the number of agreements with third parties and developing new management strategies that support talented people and gender equality; three women were appointed Directors. Now…” – added Desiata “…nuclear decommissioning can finally reach the crucial stage in which reactors are dismantled”.