FiR 1 decommissioning

Case description.

FiR 1, Finland’s first nuclear reactor was launched in Otaniemi, Espoo in 1962. The TRIGA Mark II pool type 250-kWth research reactor at VTT served research, teaching, radiation therapy and isotope production purposes for decades. After 53 years of operation, it was permanently shut down in June 2015. VTT decided to decommission the reactor in order to release the facility from regulatory control and enable the reuse of the reactor building.

The contract for decommissioning services between the reactor owner VTT and Fortum was signed in March 2020. With that, Fortum took on the challenge of planning and executing the dismantling of the reactor, and providing all necessary nuclear waste management services, including final disposal.

 

Our approach.

Fortum executed the FiR 1 decommissioning project in close collaboration with VTT. Next to project management and execution, Fortum also supported VTT with authority involvement and prepared supportive documents for the decommissioning licensing. VTT received Finnish Government’s permission for reactor decommissioning in June 2021, and the regulator’s approval to start dismantling in June 2023.

The planning phase started in March 2020 and was completed in December 2022. To minimize project risks and allow for more efficient project execution, Fortum utilized several modern tools for planning the decommissioning:

• A virtual model of the plant was created to support remote planning (point clouds combined with 360° pictures).
• Radiation modelling (MCNP and HVRC VRdose®) was used to ensure radiation safety and optimize the work process.
• All reactor internals and surrounding structures were modeled with 3D software (Solid Works, etc.) to ensure smooth execution and to streamline work plans.

The dismantling execution included site preparation, implementation of radiation protection measures, system dismantling, and nuclear waste management processes. As the reactor site was located within a university campus, radiation safety was given especially high priority. The reactor was safely dismantled by May 2024, with employee radiation doses remaining well below estimated levels.

The nuclear waste management process was a critical part of the project. During the planning phase, Fortum experts developed specific waste containers and radiation shields for transporting and storing the radioactive waste. The research reactor’s spent fuel was returned to the United States, its country of origin, under an exemption for research reactors in the Finnish Nuclear Energy Act. Fortum assisted VTT in the transport arrangements of the return. Decommissioning waste was sorted into three different final disposal package types, depending on component’s activity, nuclide vector and material. Special to this project, it was agreed that the decommissioning waste would be disposed of at the Loviisa LILW (low- and intermediate-level) final disposal facility.

Value added.

The meticulous three-year planning phase resulted in efficient dismantling of Finland Reactor 1. Fortum delivered the complex project safely, cost-effectively and on time. No employee radiation dose limits were exceeded, and doses remained well below values initially estimated in the planning phase calculations. The customer was satisfied with the well-coordinated execution of the decommissioning project.

 

“The dismantling phase was very swift, thanks to thorough planning and preparatory work. Additionally, it was crucial that we could leverage the strong nuclear safety culture and expertise from Fortum's Loviisa nuclear power plant. Fortum handled everything safely, efficiently, and on schedule without significant delays.” - Markus Airila, Customer-side Project Manager, VTT