The Job (2)

A bit more about my job here.

Heavy water in CANDU reactors is irradiated as it does its job and tritiated water is produced - which is radioactive.  After a number of years the level of tritiated water in the coolant/moderator builds up and becomes a radiation uptake risk to workers.  This is particularly a problem when a major overhaul is planned.

Unit 1 has such a major overhaul coming up in around 2020/21 and so it was decided years ago to build a facility which would process the heavy water and remove the tritium component rendering the heavy water suitably unradioactive for another 20+ years. So, was born the Cernavoda Tritium Removal Facility (CTRF) which would do this.  The tritium can be recovered and used for military purposes should you so wish to do so.  It's easy to find on the internet what you use it for...

The CTRF project seems to have started in around 2006 but has been the subject of piss-poor planning and management by a number of stakeholders since then such that in 2013 we have not yet completed the conceptual design and now its urgent as it will take several years to complete the design, find a construction contractor, build it, and commission it all before the planned shutdown occurs.

Kinectrics has been involved as a technical design consultant/design house for some years based on their experience with tritium removal facilities in Canada and South Korea (where the technology works OK).  A Romanian company was the project manager...  In early 2013, CNE eventually figured out that there was a major problem here and asked Kinectrics to take the project management lead to get it designed and licensed.  So they sought an experienced PM who could handle such a long-running, complex project.  They couldn't find one but I decided to help them out.

We're about to get 'turned back on again' once we establish the safety and licensing requirements and agree them with the nuclear regulator, then the money will flow, the design will restart and I get to be a PM again.

I'll let you know how it goes...

Braşov

Last weekend, I took a trip to Braşov, a fairly large city towards the centre of Romania.  It was almost 400 kms from Cernavoda but mostly along motorway/good quality roads.  I chose the town because it seemed to get a good entry in my Lonely Planet guide and the famed Bran Castle was nearby.  Plus, I have a car so it's a shame not to use it. 

I got there about 2.45pm on Saturday having endured what seemed like ages queuing through some small towns through which all the tourist traffic was funneled.  I found the hotel - looked good on Trivago.com and offered B&B for £28.  Using the trusty GPS made it easy.  I parked the car and headed into town.  

I had looked forward to the Gothic architecture Braşov is famous for only to find that they were celebrating their Oktoberfest...seems this part of Romania has a high Germanic influence.  Not wanting to be unfriendly, I partook in beer and food and enjoyed the ambiance   This was ok but the tedious electro-pop from some numpties on the stage wore a bit.  

As a break I visited the Black Church (left), supposedly the largest church of that particular German style east of somewhere or other.  It was impressive.

I headed back to the hotel later on, somewhat worn down by the challenge of the music (remember, I quite like most types but this was different).  When back, lo and behold, the ongoing concert was on TV and featured a good rock band...never mind. 

Bran Castle

On Sunday I headed 30 kms to Bran where Bran Castle is. I went early to avoid the coachloads of Japanese tourists who flock to Romania's most popular tourist attraction.  It was very impressive and I was sure it was where Keith and I had visited on our trip in 1976.  It has a link to Vlad the Impaler who has a very tenuous link to the story of Dracula however that doesn't stop the castle being seen as 'Dracula's Castle' (a lot is made of this inside...). 

Cutlery, maybe

Back to Cernavoda the same route but beating the traffic by being a bit earlier.  I bought some goat's cheese wrapped in bark and some honey so felt just like a real tourist (i.e. ripped off, no doubt).