MaT – Material Treatment Building
Knowledge centre for decommissioning
An innovation hub for the development of decommissioning technology
The Material Treatment building will be a research, development and demonstration (RD&D) facility with accompanying facilities to support the innovation of decommissioning practices in Belgium. There, we will not only continue our own dismantling and decontamination activities, but we will also house several projects under the European Recovery Fund.
This means that we will also open the doors to third parties. Given the presence of both SCK CEN’s experts and specialised companies that are actively developing D&D technology, this facility will become a true Belgian innovation hub.
Starting in 2025, partners can come to MaT to:
- examine products in nuclear and non-nuclear zones;
- validate technologies for nuclear applications;
- maintain or repair contaminated equipment.📧 Want to know more? Read more here and send us a message
ANUBIS
The design and construction of the new MaT building are partly funded by the Belgian-European Economic Recovery Plan after the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2021, SCK CEN submitted a project related to the sustainable dismantling of the Belgian nuclear power plant. ANUBIS, as the project was dubbed, stands for Advancing NUclear dismantling in Belgium through Improving Sustainability.
From BR3 to MaT
The dismantling of BR3 (Belgian Reactor 3) is coming to an end. The reactor vessel, primary and secondary circuits, engine room, etc. have been gone for some time, and by the spring of 2023, the biological shield will also be completely gone.
Next on the dismantling calendar? The halls that have served as workshops during the demolition of the reactor to cut, decontaminate or repair materials. Those workshops must now be moved so that the demolition of BR3 can be fully completed.
Expanding knowledge in a new building
The MaT building allows us to expand our expertise in the areas of dismantling and decontamination. During the demolition of BR3, as pioneers, we built up a wealth of knowledge and experience.
Thanks to MaT, we are able to optimise these and even test new technologies. All with a view to ensuring the safest, most sustainable and most cost-efficient nuclear dismantling process possible.
The building plans for MaT
- 2021: Preliminary design phase
- September 2023: Start of construction works
- 2025: Start of operation of MaT
✉️ Questions about the construction works? info [at] sckcen [dot] be (Fee)info [at] sckcen [dot] be (l free to ask them!)