Our company VUJE has become part of the European nuclear project support company NUCEAL

NUCEAL proposes to accompany EDF on European projects, on the various technologies that EDF proposes to its customers: EPR2, EPR 1200 or Nuward.

With over 12.000 employees in the EU, and with a strong knowledge of nuclear throughout the EU, NUCEAL has the key skills and the teams organised in all the geographical areas concerned and will be able to put its global and local expertise at the service of EDF.

NUCEAL’s aim is to support the numerous nuclear programs developed or to be developed by EDF in the EU. Support to the EDF’s UK programs will also be considered.

EDF is developing large nuclear power plant projects, in France, in the UK and possibly in other European countries including Poland, Czech Republic or Netherlands, among others. The delivery of these programs will require strong engineering support in each country to secure the resources and expertise to build nuclear power at the pace and scale required. For the development of its NUWARD SMR which is encountering growing interest from certain countries, EDF will require a European supply chain to ensure local integration as well as management of the regulatory requirements specific to each country.

Each company brings its own specialism to the Joint Venture. Assystem has been delivering nuclear programmes for more than 55 years and has supported the design, construction, and commissioning of power plants in France, the UK, Turkey, Finland, China and the UAE. Its offer in digital for complex projects is well developed and is already delivering efficiencies on nuclear power programmes today.  IDOM also has strong capabilities and experience in the whole nuclear power lifecycle and electricity generation, among others, developing projects in 125 countries (32 in nuclear sector) during last 65 years. VUJE brings an experienced team of technical experts with experience of developing nuclear power in Central and Eastern Europe and capability in transmission and distribution engineering.

Assystem represents a 60% share of the JV, with IDOM and VUJE taking a 20% share, respectively.

“We are proud to become a part of the European solution for the implementation of SMRs and advanced nuclear technologies. This JV shall enable us to take advantage of our experience in the field of new nuclear sources completion and commissioning. Our common ambition is to become a significant provider of engineering and especially nuclear safety services for newly built NPPs,” said Matej Korec, Managing Director and Member of the Board of Directors of VUJE.

Thomas Branche, Assystem’s Senior Vice President for Engineering said: “One of the success conditions of the numerous nuclear projects EDF has in Europe is the availability of a strong European supply chain. The creation of NUCEAL is an important milestone for the successful delivery of these programs and the acceleration of energy transition. With this JV we present a strong engineering alliance to our client helping them to mobilise quickly and offer reassurance to newcomer countries that they will have industry leading engineering partners to deliver their nuclear power plants on time and within budget.”

“IDOM is delighted to participate in this European Alliance,” said Oscar Larrosa, Managing Director Nuclear Services at IDOM. “It is a pleasure to work jointly with key and widely recognized members of the nuclear industry, to face the current global energy challenge by deploying nuclear technology in Europe and contribute to decarbonize the future economy in a safe and clean manner. IDOM is glad to support the Engineering Alliance with its capabilities and know-how acquired from the vast project portfolio delivered worldwide.

The protocol on the establishment of the NUCEAL joint venture was signed in the presence of the French Minister of Energy Agnès Pannier-Runacher by (from left) Matej Korec, CEO and Member of the Board of Directors of VUJE, a. s., Stéphane Aubarbier, Assystem Deputy CEO, NEL Chairman and Xabier Ruiz, IDOM COO, Xavier Ursat, EDF, Chief Executive in charge of Engineering Management and New Nuclear Projects.

French Minister of Energy Agnès Pannier-Runacher in an informal conversation with top managers of NUCEAL, on the left with our CEO and Member of the Board of VUJE, a. s., Matej Korec.

Team NUCEAL.