Russian nuclear fuel manufacturer TVEL has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Spanish engineering firms ENUSA, ENSA and IDOM on cooperation in the decommissioning and dismantling of nuclear facilities, as well as in nuclear waste management and related engineering and consulting services. They have also signed a roadmap for the development of various projects in the near term.

The MoU signing ceremony in Madrid (Image: TVEL)

Rosatom estimates that the emerging market in nuclear decommissioning services is worth about USD100 billion out to 2030, and last year announced it planned to establish a decommissioning division as a subsidiary of TVEL.

The documents were signed by Dmitry Bazhenov, TVEL's director for global development; Roberto González, ENUSA's director for business development and technology; Mariano Rodríguez, ENUSA's business development and commercial manager; Rafael Triviño, ENSA's director general; María Vega, ENSA's vice president for business development; and Xabier Ruiz, IDOM's director of nuclear services.

"Nuclear facilities decommissioning and dismantling, radioactive waste and spent fuel management along with solving relevant issues of radiation safety represent a challenging task both from the environmental point of view, that is fully in line with the UN Sustainable Development Goals, and in terms of the growing decommissioning market that, as per current forecasts, may exceed EUR100 billion by 2030," Bazhenov said.

By drawing on the expertise of its subsidiaries, TVEL is able to act as a "universal subcontractor", he said. Creating alliances with its overseas partners will enable the Russian company to work in foreign markets "in a more efficient manner", he added.