Embalse Nuclear Power Plant is one of the world's leading suppliers of Cobalt-60
The Embalse Nuclear Power Plant generates electricity and collaborates with the National Atomic Energy Commission (CNEA) using our facilities for irradiating cobalt 59, thereby producing Cobalt 60. This isotope finds applications in both industry and medicine. The Córdoba plant stands out globally for its unique capability to contribute to producing this essential material, serving as a key source of Cobalt 60 in the international market.
Tuesday 12 December 2023
The National Atomic Energy Commission (CNEA) is responsible for the production, commercialization, and applications of Cobalt-60, while Dioxitek is the Argentine company responsible for manufacturing the rod material. Through an agreement between Nucleoeléctrica, CNEA, and Dioxitek, Embalse Nuclear Power Plant is in charge of irradiating the cobalt rods.
Nucleoeléctrica's Fuel Management Department is responsible for inserting the cobalt rods into the reactor of the power plant. Subsequently, they are irradiated for a period ranging from a year and a half to three years. The same company personnel removes the rods and places them underwater in special pools.
Once the rods are in the pools, the Fuel Management team disassembles a set of grids from each rod. Following this, workers from Dioxitek and CNEA calibrate the rods and place them in grids, before transferring them to a shielded container for transportation.
The containers are prepared by the Fuel Management and Radiation Protection personnel and then sent to CNEA Buenos Aires for internal use and export.
What is the task about?
Once the cobalt rods arrive at the plant, they are placed in a warehouse until the next plant outage. In total, 21 rods can be placed in the plant’s reactor.
During the Embalse Nuclear Power Plant programed outage, the new cobalt is taken to the controlled zone. The previously irradiated rods are then removed and placed in a shielded container, which is transported to the service building and unloaded into the pools.
Afterward, the new rods are placed in the reactor. These tasks are mainly carried out during the night to avoid disrupting other plant outage activities.
While the new rods are being irradiated, they serve as "adjusters" and maintain positive radioactivity within the reactor. They flatten the neutron flux, allowing for maximum power utilization across all channels.
The team handling the rods is highly trained. They work under strict procedures and undergo mock-up training before plant outages. Two days before the outage, all procedures are reviewed to ensure that the personnel are up-to-date with their knowledge.
