Large-scale spent-fuel cask dry unloading operations at La Hague

The Cogema spent-fuel reprocessing plant at La Hague, near Cherbourg, has a set of reception and storage installations with the following features: (1) underwater unloading capacity of 800 tonne U via the new pool of La Hague (NPH) facility commissioned in 1981, (2) storage capacity of 10,800 tonne U including four other pools, and (3) unloading capacity of 800 tonne U via the TO dry-cask unloading facility commissioned in 1986, which is the subject of this paper. Dry unloading principles, research and development areas undertaken on processes and techniques, and to facility operation today are discussed