FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 20, 2014
Media Contact
Denise Woernle
(434) 832-3848
denise.woernle@areva.com
AREVA Named Exclusive Subcontractor for WCS Consolidated Interim Used Fuel Storage Facility
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – AREVA Inc. and Waste Control Specialists LLC (WCS) announced today that they have signed an agreement allowing AREVA to be the exclusive primary subcontractor for the design, development, construction, operation and maintenance of the proposed WCS Consolidated Interim Storage Facility (CISF) project, offer services to support the transportation of nuclear materials to and from the facility and to jointly work with WCS to support the license application process for the CISF.
“We are pleased to have AREVA fully integrated into our effort to license, construct and operate a CISF, said Rod Baltzer, WCS President. “The combined experience and expertise of our companies provides a comprehensive solution that can address the very real need for an immediate interim storage solution for the used nuclear fuel currently stranded at decommissioned sites around the country. We believe our Andrews County location, experienced workforce and supportive community make this an ideal consent based storage solution.”
Through this agreement, WCS and AREVA have the option to offer bundled services to the Department of Energy for secure greater-than-Class-C and high-level waste removal, transportation, and interim storage. Development of a CISF creates needed flexibility in the national used nuclear fuel management system with the ability to consolidate used fuel from multiple active and decommissioned nuclear power generating sites, and develop and implement a transportation system.
“As debate continues about siting a permanent used fuel repository, the value of the proposed WCS community-supported interim storage facility is a near-term, economically viable option for used fuel management in the United States,” said Mike McMahon, senior vice president and CISF project director for AREVA Inc. “Our partnership with WCS brings a high level of expertise and technical knowledge to support the licensing and construction of this facility, including our history of safely transporting and storing used nuclear fuel at facilities around the world.”
This agreement is in furtherance of WCS’s announcement earlier this year of AREVA’s commitment to jointly work with WCS in support of the license application process for the CISF.
AREVA TN, a division of AREVA, has more than 50 years’ experience safely transporting and storing used nuclear fuel and waste, and globally transports more than 200 casks every year.
WCS is a subsidiary of Valhi, Inc. Valhi, Inc. is engaged in the titanium dioxide pigments, component products (security products and recreational marine components), waste management, and real estate management and development industries.
###
