The dismantling of the third Glove Box in Saluggia has been completed
05 August 2024
Sogin has completed the dismantling of the third of the five Gloveboxes (SaG) of the Manual Plutonium Conversion Unit (UMCP) system at the Saluggia (Vercelli) site.
This marks an additional and significant step in the progress of the broader UMCP decontamination and dismantling project, the plant that was built in 1987 to convert plutonium, from a liquid to solid state, which took place within five UMCPs.
For the dismantling of the third Glove Box, as was the case with the previous two, Sogin designed and installed an alpha-tight containment tent (TATA) which was equipped with gloved passages, allowing staff to carry out operations from the outside, thus guaranteeing maximum safety.
The most complex aspect of this third dismantling, both in terms of design and operations, involved the phase of moving the SaG from the top to the floor and its positioning inside the tent, which required special handling equipment to be installed.
The entire UMCP Glove Box dismantling project is being carried out by an internal team comprising Sogin personnel from the Saluggia and Casaccia sites.
The modus operandi adopted represents consolidated best practice for the deactivation of plants related to the fuel cycle, in line with the best international experiences in the sector and thanks to the skills already developed by the Company with the dismantling of the glove boxes at the Plutonium facility in Casaccia.
Sogin will continue with the dismantling of the two remaining Glove Boxes, with completion expected by 2025.
