Tender launched for dismantling of Ignalina cores

The contract - worth about EUR400 million (USD457 million) - covers the entire project implementation cycle, including dismantling engineering, licensing, the supply of specialised dismantling equipment, dismantling of the reactor cores of both reactors, and radioactive waste management.

The reactor cores - the central parts of the reactors - comprise the graphite stack, the surrounding structures and their filler materials. The cores are located in shafts measuring 21 by 21 metres in cross-section and 25 metres in depth.

In total, about 25,000 tonnes of materials will be dismantled across both reactors. A significant proportion of the materials in these zones consists of long-lived radioactive waste, making the dismantling process dependent on specialised technological solutions, international expertise, and the strictest nuclear and radiation safety requirements.

Altra described the work as "the most important and technically demanding stage of the entire decommissioning megaproject".

"This tender is an invitation to the international nuclear community to contribute to a project that has never before been undertaken anywhere in the world," said Altra Director General Linas Baužys. "We look forward to attracting internationally experienced companies and working together to deliver one of the world's most complex nuclear reactor dismantling projects."

The tender is being conducted in two stages through the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) Electronic Procurement Portal. In the first stage, participants will submit technical proposals, followed by financial proposals in the second stage. Technical proposals from tender participants may be submitted until 5 November. The contract is expected to be awarded in 2027. From the date the contract enters into force, the project is expected to take approximately 16 years to complete.

The project is being financed by the European Commission through the Ignalina International Decommissioning Support Fund, administered by the EBRD.

The RBMK-1500 is an upgraded, higher-capacity version of the Soviet-designed graphite-moderated nuclear reactor. It was built exclusively at the Ignalina plant. By using less cooling water and a helical flow, it achieved a 1,500 MW electrical output. However, the reactors were later de-rated to 1,300 MWe.

Lithuania assumed ownership of the two units in 1991, after the collapse of the Soviet Union. It agreed to shut down the Ignalina plant as a condition of its accession to the European Union, with unit 1 shutting down in December 2004 and unit 2 in December 2009. The final cask of used fuel was transferred from the reactor buildings at Ignalina to an on-site interim storage facility in April 2022. The reactors are expected to be fully decommissioned by 2038, with most of the cost of the decommissioning being funded by the European Union via the EBRD and other funds.

"The dismantling of the Ignalina Nuclear Power Plant reactor cores is an unprecedented project that no country in the world has yet undertaken," said Acting Minister of Energy Žygimantas Vaičiūnas. "Lithuania will become the first country to dismantle RBMK-1500 reactors, and the experience we gain together with the technological solutions we develop will provide valuable knowledge for other countries facing similar challenges in the future. This is further proof that Lithuania is capable of delivering some of the world's most complex nuclear decommissioning projects while maintaining the highest safety standards."