Sogin: the tender for the Rotondella ICPF plant was awarded
03 July 2023
The 43 million euro facility will increase security levels at the Basilicata site
On 20 June, Sogin was awarded the tender to construct the process building for the Finished Product Cementation Facility (ICPF) at the Itrec site in Rotondella (Matera). This is one of the main strategic projects for the overall progress of nuclear decommissioning activities in Italy.
The contract was awarded to the Temporary Grouping of Companies formed by the Consorzio Stabile Ansaldo New Clear (agent) and Monsud SpA (principal) for a value of EUR 43 million, including, among other things, the amount of EUR 1.5 million related to the acceleration bonus. By adopting a different approach with respect to unsuccessful procedures of the past, on this occasion Sogin evaluated the proposals by taking into account the elements considered appropriate to the acceleration goals for the project's creation.
Since the start of the process to select the new contractor, it has taken the company around three months to complete the competitive comparison between the economic operators who submitted their bids following a broad consultation of the domestic and foreign markets that Sogin had launched on 30 December 2022.
Overall, the process was completed in less than six months, thanks to the powers of derogation from the Procurement Code granted to Sogin's commissioner body by Italian Decree-Law no. 73 of 21 June 2022. In particular, the tender was awarded in compliance with Article 50 of Directive 2014/25/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council of 26 February 2014. Seven economic operators responded to the public invitation to tender.
The ICPF project involves the construction of two facilities. The process building, where the cementing activities of approximately 3 cubic metres of liquid radioactive solution called "Finished Product" will be carried out remotely, and the adjoining DMC3/DTC3 temporary storage facility, which has already been constructed and where the systems are now being installed. The latter will safely store the manufactured items containing the cemented waste, and a dedicated area will house the two special containers, called casks, with the 64 fuel elements currently stored in the pond, waiting to be transferred to the National Repository.
Liquid radioactive waste at the site is currently stored safely in a steel tank, which is housed in a thick cement structure, and they are both monitored regularly. These inspections have always confirmed the good state of preservation of the storage facilities, which have never revealed any critical issues for the safety of citizens and the environment.
The commissioning of the plant will raise safety levels and allow a significant increase in decommissioning activities at the Basilicata site. In 2023, dismantling operations will grow by more than 4%, with an overall progress of 35%.