Under the contract, Areva will manage and undertake the nuclear fuel removal work from the Prairie Island reactor’s spent fuel storage pool, placement in dry storage casks, and its secure storage on the site’s existing interim storage pad.
Areva will also install 10 NUHOMS 61BTH dry fuel storage systems at the Monticello nuclear facility in 2017.
Additionally, in 2018, the firm will manage and carry out the pool-to-pad process to place the used fuel in the shielded NUHOMS storage modules.
Areva TN Americas senior vice-president Greg Vesey said: "Our expertise in the Back End of the fuel cycle enables us to safely manage fuel from the spent fuel pool through its secure storage on site.
"This integrated approach offers utilities a long-term solution that is safe and cost-effective."
Owned and operated by Xcel Energy, the Prairie Island features two reactors which are designed to generate electricity required to power one million homes.
The Monticello boiling water reactor plant, which is located on a 215-acre site 40 miles northwest of the Twin Cities, is designed to generate electricity required to meet the power needs of more than 500,000 homes.
More than 900 canisters have been loaded by Areva at sites across the US.
