GDES return to another Annual Meeting of the Spanish Nuclear Society

Under the slogan “Essential for climate change”, the 45th SNE (Spanish Nuclear Society) Annual Meeting was held in Vigo. This is a meeting point for professionals and companies in the sector, not only to discuss current issues for the nuclear industry, but also to present papers, talks and projects of a highly technical nature. It attracted over 600 professionals and up to 280 technical papers grouped under ‘engineering and innovation’, ‘quality and regulation’, fusion, operation, waste management, decommissioning, radiological protection, ‘structural design and behaviour’, ‘advanced 3D simulation’, nuclear medicine, training and communication, among others.

As part of the programme of presentations and technical sessions, our colleague, Ignacio Sabater (Project Manager), represented GD Energy Services in the Multimedia exhibition: “Creation of a BIM digital twin applied to passive fire protection design” prepared together with Arturo Pascual, Director of Thermal Protection Services at GDES. The innovative system offered by GDES for the design engineering phase for the supply and installation of passive fire protection provides a 3-dimensional, geolocated representation of the installation without having to manually measure each of the components. In fact, the laser measurement system provides project planning at a level of precision difficult to achieve via conventional measurement systems. Using the new Multimedia Sessions format and augmented reality glasses, our colleague, Ignacio Sabater, showed the complexity of the designs obtained from the information acquired by the 3D measurement and modelling of the electrical cable ducts in the BIM (Building Information Modelling) system.

Within the same Multimedia Sessions category, José Tomás Ruiz, GDES Country Manager in Spain, presented the paper “Value added by technology and cleaning processes during maintenance and refueling tests”, prepared together with Jesús Lacalle, Director of Innovation and Technology and Antonio Martínez, Director of Operation and Maintenance Support Services. Using audiovisual media, the evolution of services for the improvement of staff effectiveness, time management and working conditions was explained thanks to the new equipment and technological developments themselves.

In line with the technical sessions dedicated to “Maintenance, Inspection and Testing”, Antonio Martínez gave a paper designed together with the Project Managers, Amparo Ponce and Gumersindo Verdú, “Conception, development and implementation qualification of a remote cleaning process for the RHR exchangers tubular plate in the Blayais EDF NPP”. This study covered the design and implementation of a remote, water pressure cleaning system for the tubular plate of the RRA/RHR exchangers in the Blayais NPP, to remove accumulated deposits and loose debris. This project was highly important, as there was no qualified cleaning procedure before this was started.

Adoración Arnaldos, RD et Innovation Director for GDES France and a member of Women in Nuclear presented the “Mentoring session results from the 27th Women in Nuclear Global Annual Conference”. This included the main data, indicators and conclusions from the mentoring session held as part of the activities organised by Women in Nuclear (WiN), Spain during the 27th Women in Nuclear Global Annual Conference (Madrid, June 17-21, 2019). This was aimed at promoting knowledge transfer from the current scientists, engineers and technologists to future generations.

GD Energy Services not only participated in presenting the technical sessions, but also in the presidency of the Multimedia Decommissioning Session (José Tomás Ruiz), the Training session (Adoración Arnaldos) and the coordination of the Radiological and Environmental Protection session. In addition, Adoración Arnaldos was part of the Mentoring Workshop organised by WiN and the Nuclear Energy Agency (NEA), in which science and technology activities were conducted for more than 400 girls in Vigo. And Ramón Almoguera, Country Manager of GDES in the United Kingdom, acted as a mentor during the days of the Annual Meeting.

Both the latest innovations and services from GDES, such as passive protection, thermal insulation and penetration sealing, were part of the GD Energy Services display stand this year. As well as showing these different Group services, the stand also represented our geographical and sector diversification.

As Vice President of the SNE, Héctor Dominguis, CEO of GDES, was responsible for closing the Spanish Nuclear Society Meeting this year; where he was accompanied by José Manuel Redondo, Nuclear Energy Deputy Director General for the Ministry for Ecological Transition; Elvira Romera, Director of the Spanish Nuclear Safety Council; and Javier Guerra, president of the SNE.

The role of nuclear energy in the future energy mix was the focus of his closing session speech, where he highlighted nuclear energy as “fundamental in a scenario encompassing the electrification of society and the growth in renewable energies”. He also talked about this year’s slogan, “Essential for climate change” which, he said, “reinforces the firm commitment to this energy source as one of the protagonists on the road to a future free of greenhouse gas emissions”.

At GDES, we are proud to participate so actively in events such as this, which enhance dialogue and cooperation within the sector, and also with other national and international companies and entities, while facilitating both business development and commercial activity.

The location of the 46th Annual SNE Meeting is already decided: it will be in the monumental city of Granada, on October 21-23, 2020.