On 14th February, INGECID visited the José Cabrera nuclear power plant (better known as Zorita), with the aim of increasing its knowledge of the decommissioning processes of this type of facility.

INGECID has been working in the nuclear sector for several years, thanks to its capacity to carry out complex calculations, both structural and radiological, and for project management, with the particularity of having extensive experience in the application of BIM models for their optimisation.

José Cabrera nuclear power plant was the first nuclear power plant to begin decommissioning in our country, making it an essential visit for anyone who intends to make a future investment in the sector.

During this visit, INGECID had the opportunity to learn from ENRESA’s technicians about the most significant activities carried out since the start of the decommissioning work in 2010. As if they were plant workers, INGECID went inside the reactor building to learn from the inside how the characterisation processes, the decontamination processes and the management of resources were carried out, as well as such delicate activities as the segmentation of the reactor internals and their removal. In addition, the main problems faced by Zorita were explained, along with the current status of the plant and the actions scheduled for the coming years. The visit ended at the Individualised Temporary Storage Facility (ATI).

But it must be said that during this day the transmission of knowledge was not unidirectional: there was a relaxed presentation about the new technologies that INGECID is introducing in this sector (3D models, 4D simulations, augmented reality and virtual reality).

The work at Zorita is nearing completion, which will be achieved following an Environmental Restoration Plan that will return the site to its original state. This will mark the end of the first complete dismantling in Spain, of which INGECID will have taken good note for future actions.