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Estelle Desroches appointed CEO of Cyclife
Publish on 11/03/2021
Since March 1st 2021, Estelle Desroches has been appointed Chief Executive Officer of Cyclife by the Management of EDF Group (COMEX). Cyclife carries out strategic activities in the nuclear decommissioning and dismantling field as well as in the radioactive waste management in Europe and worldwide on the behalf of EDF. Thanks to its unique industrial and technological assets, Cyclife brings sustainable and innovative solutions based on advanced technology, such as robotics and digital.
Estelle Desroches manages Cyclife and its six subsidiaries in Europe: the radioactive waste treatment facilities in the United Kingdom, Sweden and in France; Cyclife Engineering which offers engineering, industrial design and project management services for the decommissioning of nuclear installations; Graphitech, specialised in the preparation for the nuclear decommissioning of reactors using graphite technology; and Cyclife Digital Solutions which supports decision-makers with innovative solutions based on real-time 3D technologies for nuclear decommissioning and maintenance.
As CEO of Cyclife, Estelle Desroches will take up three main challenges: the development of international customer portfolio, particularly in the UK and Germany in the fields of Light Water Reactor decommissioning, Graphite reactor decommissioning and Radioactive Waste management. Cyclife aims to become the European leader in nuclear decommissioning and waste management in a rapidly growing market. Another challenge is to provide EDF customers with high-performance services and support them in their future projects (major decommissioning operations, design and operation of new waste treatment facilities). The third challenge is to consolidate Cyclife’s unique industrial and technological assets, while maintaining the existing infrastructure by developing strong engineering skills, sustainable and innovative solutions in the nuclear decommissioning and waste management fields.
“These are great challenges and an interesting industrial adventure to be built together with Cyclife’s teams!” commented Estelle Desroches, CEO of Cyclife. “I am honoured to have been chosen. To make a success of these ambitious projects in such short space of time requires continuing the transformation project initiated to build strong synergies between Cyclife and EDF and to mobilise all the players around these challenges”.
Previously, Estelle Desroches has been the Director of graphite reactor dismantling program for the nuclear dismantling and waste management division (DP2D) at EDF for five years. Since September 2019, she was simultaneously chairman of two subsidiaries of Cyclife (Graphitech and Cyclife Digital Solutions).
Aged of 49, Estelle Desroches holds a PhD in chemical engineering degree. She joined EDF Group in 1998 in R&D, where she managed projects and teams in the fields of hydraulics and environment. She continued her career within the Group, joining the Nuclear Fuel Division (DCN) in 2008 to work on the downstream cycle and nuclear waste management. From 2016 to February 2021, Estelle Desroches was the Director of graphite reactor dismantling program for the nuclear dismantling and waste management division (DP2D) at EDF Group.
Estelle Desroches manages Cyclife and its six subsidiaries in Europe: the radioactive waste treatment facilities in the United Kingdom, Sweden and in France; Cyclife Engineering which offers engineering, industrial design and project management services for the decommissioning of nuclear installations; Graphitech, specialised in the preparation for the nuclear decommissioning of reactors using graphite technology; and Cyclife Digital Solutions which supports decision-makers with innovative solutions based on real-time 3D technologies for nuclear decommissioning and maintenance.
As CEO of Cyclife, Estelle Desroches will take up three main challenges: the development of international customer portfolio, particularly in the UK and Germany in the fields of Light Water Reactor decommissioning, Graphite reactor decommissioning and Radioactive Waste management. Cyclife aims to become the European leader in nuclear decommissioning and waste management in a rapidly growing market. Another challenge is to provide EDF customers with high-performance services and support them in their future projects (major decommissioning operations, design and operation of new waste treatment facilities). The third challenge is to consolidate Cyclife’s unique industrial and technological assets, while maintaining the existing infrastructure by developing strong engineering skills, sustainable and innovative solutions in the nuclear decommissioning and waste management fields.
“These are great challenges and an interesting industrial adventure to be built together with Cyclife’s teams!” commented Estelle Desroches, CEO of Cyclife. “I am honoured to have been chosen. To make a success of these ambitious projects in such short space of time requires continuing the transformation project initiated to build strong synergies between Cyclife and EDF and to mobilise all the players around these challenges”.
Previously, Estelle Desroches has been the Director of graphite reactor dismantling program for the nuclear dismantling and waste management division (DP2D) at EDF for five years. Since September 2019, she was simultaneously chairman of two subsidiaries of Cyclife (Graphitech and Cyclife Digital Solutions).
Aged of 49, Estelle Desroches holds a PhD in chemical engineering degree. She joined EDF Group in 1998 in R&D, where she managed projects and teams in the fields of hydraulics and environment. She continued her career within the Group, joining the Nuclear Fuel Division (DCN) in 2008 to work on the downstream cycle and nuclear waste management. From 2016 to February 2021, Estelle Desroches was the Director of graphite reactor dismantling program for the nuclear dismantling and waste management division (DP2D) at EDF Group.
Cyclife waste-metal treatment facility in Sweden to restart at full capacity in Q2-2021
Publish on 19/02/2021
The waste-metal treatment facility in Cyclife Sweden has restarted its melting operations early January 2021 and is planned to be back at full capacity in the second quarter of 2021 as new equipment will be set up in the beginning of 2021 in the large component cutting and treatment hall. The melting facility applies chemical and mechanical decontamination process for scrap metal and large components up to 30 meters length and 400 tons. Their metallurgical nature can be ferrous and non-ferrous (aluminium, copper, lead and special alloys).
The restart decision was officially communicated to Cyclife Sweden by the Swedish Nuclear Safety Authority on 17 November 2020, stressing the quality of all technical and safety optimizations that were performed in 2020, in particular ventilation and fire detection systems and processes. Since 18 December 2020, the facility has been running with limited capacity.
“I would like to congratulate the fantastic work achieved by the whole Cyclife Sweden team to make the facility up and running again in such a short time. Work has been very intense and we should be proud to see how our newly installed gas stirring system performs.” commented Ralf Norén, Managing director of Cyclife Sweden AB.
The restart decision was officially communicated to Cyclife Sweden by the Swedish Nuclear Safety Authority on 17 November 2020, stressing the quality of all technical and safety optimizations that were performed in 2020, in particular ventilation and fire detection systems and processes. Since 18 December 2020, the facility has been running with limited capacity.
“I would like to congratulate the fantastic work achieved by the whole Cyclife Sweden team to make the facility up and running again in such a short time. Work has been very intense and we should be proud to see how our newly installed gas stirring system performs.” commented Ralf Norén, Managing director of Cyclife Sweden AB.
Cyclife Digital Solutions and Graphitech are partners of the European project Innov4Graph
Publish on 10/02/2021
Both Cyclife's subsidiaries, Cyclife Digital Solutions and Graphitech, contribute to the European project, Innov4Graph, coordinated by EDF Group. Over a period of three years, this project aims to create and deploy INNOvative tools FOR dismantling of GRAPHite moderated nuclear reactors. Innov4Graph is part of the programme led by the European Commission "Horizon 2020 EURATOM European Union funding for Research & Innovation".
This project brings together the know-how of thirteen European partners, including Graphitech and Cyclife Digital Solutions with its DEMplus® for nuclear application. This application checks the feasibility of operations during the removal of graphite bricks using simulations of several scenarios to improve the efficiency and ensure the reliability of the new tools under development.
You will find attached the official press release explaining how Innov4Graph project, through the development of physical and digital tools, as well as methods to support the decommissioning of European graphite reactors, is trying to answer questions such as "What are the most optimal ways to dismantle graphite reactors ?", "What remote tools can help operators to safely remove radioactive graphite?" and "What solutions will be the most cost-efficient for dismantling operations in reactors of such complexity and dimensions?".
This project brings together the know-how of thirteen European partners, including Graphitech and Cyclife Digital Solutions with its DEMplus® for nuclear application. This application checks the feasibility of operations during the removal of graphite bricks using simulations of several scenarios to improve the efficiency and ensure the reliability of the new tools under development.
You will find attached the official press release explaining how Innov4Graph project, through the development of physical and digital tools, as well as methods to support the decommissioning of European graphite reactors, is trying to answer questions such as "What are the most optimal ways to dismantle graphite reactors ?", "What remote tools can help operators to safely remove radioactive graphite?" and "What solutions will be the most cost-efficient for dismantling operations in reactors of such complexity and dimensions?".
Happy Holidays and Best Wishes for 2021!
Publish on 24/12/2020
From all the team at Cyclife, we hope that 2021 will prove that collaboration is the key to success.
Let's move forward together!
Happy holidays and best wishes for the New Year!
Cyclife Engineering has blown out its first candle!
Publish on 26/11/2020
Cyclife Engineering, a subsidiary of Group EDF, has just celebrated it first year in business. This dynamic engineering subsidiary is specialised in nuclear decommissioning and the design of radioactive waste storage and treatment facilities for France and abroad. Nearly 80 employees have already joined Cyclife Engineering despite a complicated context with the health crisis.
Diversity is a key element among teams with complementary experience.
Albin LANDY, a mechanical design engineer at Cyclife Engineering, tells us about his daily work:
Diversity is a key element among teams with complementary experience.
Albin LANDY, a mechanical design engineer at Cyclife Engineering, tells us about his daily work:
Cyclife launches its Decommissioning business line in the UK
Publish on 13/10/2020
With the creation of its Decommissioning business line, Cyclife UK becomes the market-facing entity of the EDF Group in the country. In addition to its existing catalogue of consultancy and services in Waste Management, Cyclife UK will serve customers with the support of its sister companies: in the development of graphite reactor dismantling tools from Graphitech, 3D scenario and dose modelling from Cyclife Digital Solutions, and a range of advanced engineering design skills and peer review/benchmarking from Cyclife Engineering.
Cyclife has launched its decommissioning business in the UK with the recruitment of a team of specialists led by Emmanuelle Chardon, who has joined the company recently from Jacobs. As the market-facing decommissioning entity for the EDF Group in the UK, the new business line will also leverage the full learning and best practices developed on the French graphite reactor fleet and experience feedback from PWR (Pressurised Water Reactor) dismantling, along with the range of innovative and unique offerings developed by Cyclife UK’s sister companies (Graphitech, Cyclife Digital Solutions and Cyclife Engineering).
“As well as developing a team of UK-based decommissioning specialists, we are strongly supported by EDF’s existing decommissioning teams and in particular the formation of Cyclife sister companies such as Graphitech”, explained Emmanuelle Chardon, Head of the Decommissioning at Cyclife UK. Graphitech is a joint venture company established in 2019 between Cyclife and Veolia Nuclear Solutions, engaged in developing tools for graphite reactor core dismantling and the design of an Industrial Demonstration facility at the Chinon NPP in France to test core dismantling techniques in full-scale.
A broad range of services across the decommissioning lifecycle
Cyclife has been paving the way for the UK nuclear industry to adopt a value-driving Waste-Led Decommissioning approach for over ten years. By implementing a truly waste-led decommissioning philosophy, customers are able to create value for money through liability reduction. Through the new Decommissioning Business Line, Cyclife UK will specifically offer the following services to customers across the decommissioning lifecycle:
- Decommissioning strategy and scenario development pre-and post-defueling
- Full-site decommissioning planning and implementation
- Specialist engineering and design services
- Specialist waste management and environmental consultancy services
- Project planning, management and controls
- On and offsite waste management services
“Through this unique combination of strategic planning, cutting-edge decommissioning technologies, site execution and embedded waste management services with full nuclear-liability transfer, Cyclife’s customers can take a new, holistic approach to decommissioning that will reduce interfaces, save time and cost, and ensure the safe delivery of clear and tangible progress.”, commented Joe Robinson, Managing Director of Cyclife UK.
A natural evolution
Since its acquisition by EDF in 2016, Cyclife in the UK has been requested by its customers to take on increasing complex projects involving consultancy, site works and waste shipments, which provide underpinning core skills to support the development of the Decommissioning business line. The company has previously provided decommissioning support to a portfolio of customers including Magnox, Sellafield and General Electric and already has the systems and personnel in place to deliver a wide range of decommissioning services, including strategy and programme management consultancy, scenario development and analysis, and technical engineering design and delivery.
Cyclife will initially focus on the development of decommissioning strategies and plans for customers particularly bringing to bear expertise developed in the decommissioning of nuclear facilities in France and a waste-led approach.
EDF Chinon Nuclear Power Plant, France
Picture at the top, the new Decommissioning team of Cyclife in the UK, from left to right:
- Craig Preston, Senior Project Manager
- Lisa Hughes, Principal Consultant
- Neil Parton, Data Scientist
- Nick Meek, Technical Manager
- Emmanuelle Chardon, Head of Decommissioning
- Tim Shoesmith and Tim Kane, Decommissioning Planners
Cyclife’s Swedish facility has started to receive SOGIN Garigliano NPP’s dismantling waste for treatment
Publish on 17/09/2020
SOGIN, the Italian State-owned company responsible for the decommissioning of Italian nuclear power plants and the management of radioactive waste, and Cyclife Sweden AB, a brand of the EDF Group, have started the shipment for the treatment of low-level waste of metal scrap of the Garigliano Nuclear Power Plant.
With a total of approx. 500 tons of metal scrap covered by the contract, the shipment from Garigliano to Nyköping will be split in several shipments as decommissioning progresses. The first shipment of approx. 80 tonnes has now safely arrived at the facility of Cyclife in Sweden. Cyclife will process the metallic waste with the aim to reduce the volume of waste for SOGIN to place in future Italian national repository, down to approximately 10% of its original volume. The bulk metal will, after clearance from regulatory control, be recycled back to industry as environmentally friendly raw material. The coming shipments of the rest of the metal scrap to Cyclife’s Swedish facility is planned in near future.
“This project - Alfonso Maria Esposito, Head of Decommissioning of the Garigliano plant, declared - is part of Sogin's circular economy strategy, which is based on the minimization of radioactive waste and on the separation of metallic materials and concrete for their reuse and recycling. This strategy – Alfonso Maria Esposito continued - will allow Sogin to recycle 96% of the approximately 270,000 tons of materials which will be produced as a whole by the dismantling of the Garigliano plant”.
Thanks to the robust waste management consultancy campaign proposed by Cyclife Sweden AB, SOGIN had the authorization from the Italian State to process metal scrap at Cyclife Sweden AB. As a continuation of the same contract it is expected that within a short timeline the transports from Latina and Trino NPPs will commence.
Henrik Modéer, Managing Director of Cyclife Sweden AB ”Cyclife has once again proven to be a full-service provider to the nuclear industry and its decommissioning efforts. The dedicated team with staff both in Sweden and Italy has supported SOGIN in all engineering efforts to get all approvals in place and now the first transport has arrived from Garigliano. Cyclife is fully dedicated to support SOGIN and other nuclear installations in their important and challenging task of reducing and recycling metal waste volumes arising from decommissioning of nuclear plants”.
With a total of approx. 500 tons of metal scrap covered by the contract, the shipment from Garigliano to Nyköping will be split in several shipments as decommissioning progresses. The first shipment of approx. 80 tonnes has now safely arrived at the facility of Cyclife in Sweden. Cyclife will process the metallic waste with the aim to reduce the volume of waste for SOGIN to place in future Italian national repository, down to approximately 10% of its original volume. The bulk metal will, after clearance from regulatory control, be recycled back to industry as environmentally friendly raw material. The coming shipments of the rest of the metal scrap to Cyclife’s Swedish facility is planned in near future.
“This project - Alfonso Maria Esposito, Head of Decommissioning of the Garigliano plant, declared - is part of Sogin's circular economy strategy, which is based on the minimization of radioactive waste and on the separation of metallic materials and concrete for their reuse and recycling. This strategy – Alfonso Maria Esposito continued - will allow Sogin to recycle 96% of the approximately 270,000 tons of materials which will be produced as a whole by the dismantling of the Garigliano plant”.
Thanks to the robust waste management consultancy campaign proposed by Cyclife Sweden AB, SOGIN had the authorization from the Italian State to process metal scrap at Cyclife Sweden AB. As a continuation of the same contract it is expected that within a short timeline the transports from Latina and Trino NPPs will commence.
Henrik Modéer, Managing Director of Cyclife Sweden AB ”Cyclife has once again proven to be a full-service provider to the nuclear industry and its decommissioning efforts. The dedicated team with staff both in Sweden and Italy has supported SOGIN in all engineering efforts to get all approvals in place and now the first transport has arrived from Garigliano. Cyclife is fully dedicated to support SOGIN and other nuclear installations in their important and challenging task of reducing and recycling metal waste volumes arising from decommissioning of nuclear plants”.
Cyclife to support UK NDA’s decommissioning mission
Publish on 27/08/2020
Cyclife are proud to be within the Eden Nuclear and Environment Ltd team who have been awarded a place on the UK Nuclear Decommissioning Authority’s Direct Research Portfolio (2020-2024) for “Integrated Waste Management, and Site Decommissioning and Remediation.”
The Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA) awarded R&D contracts to look for innovative solutions to the technical challenges of delivering the NDA’s decommissioning mission. The Direct Research Portfolio (DRP) contracts will be shared by a series of consortia involving established nuclear companies, global cross-sector corporations, UK universities, national laboratories, plus small and medium-sized enterprises. The new contracts will run for four years, replacing the previous DRPs awarded in 2016, and follow a six-month procurement process. 12 consortia were successful involving over 60 organisations in total. The Eden Nuclear and Environment Ltd team is one of them and is supported by Cyclife, Gardiner & Theobald, Golder Associates (UK) Ltd, Hydrock Consultants Ltd, Integrated Decision Management (IDM), University of Bristol and WSP UK Ltd.
“We are delighted to work again with the NDA. Cyclife are always striving to engage with our customers at the earliest possible stage and the NDA framework will give us the opportunity to offer strategic development and innovative technologies including novel treatment capabilities through our R&D process to full-scale commercial development. ” Andrew Laker, Head of Consultancy, Cyclife UK.
The Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA) awarded R&D contracts to look for innovative solutions to the technical challenges of delivering the NDA’s decommissioning mission. The Direct Research Portfolio (DRP) contracts will be shared by a series of consortia involving established nuclear companies, global cross-sector corporations, UK universities, national laboratories, plus small and medium-sized enterprises. The new contracts will run for four years, replacing the previous DRPs awarded in 2016, and follow a six-month procurement process. 12 consortia were successful involving over 60 organisations in total. The Eden Nuclear and Environment Ltd team is one of them and is supported by Cyclife, Gardiner & Theobald, Golder Associates (UK) Ltd, Hydrock Consultants Ltd, Integrated Decision Management (IDM), University of Bristol and WSP UK Ltd.
“We are delighted to work again with the NDA. Cyclife are always striving to engage with our customers at the earliest possible stage and the NDA framework will give us the opportunity to offer strategic development and innovative technologies including novel treatment capabilities through our R&D process to full-scale commercial development. ” Andrew Laker, Head of Consultancy, Cyclife UK.
Cyclife supports young talents
Publish on 29/07/2020
Since 2016, Cyclife UK’s MRF (Metals Recycling Facility) has actively supported the Dream Placement programme run by the Centre for Leadership Performance based in Cumbria. The programme aims to give young people in Cumbria experience of leadership through a week-long industrial placement. That is how in 2016, Cyclife employed Abigail Caldow as a Project Coordinator after her successful placement. Similarly in 2018, Katherine Armstrong also joined MRF in transport and logistics services.
Because Katherine displayed such a potential and a high degree of maturity and professionalism for her age that Cyclife created an apprenticeship position for her. Katherine now leads on coordinating package supply and logistics operations for Cyclife UK. She is even temporarily acting as customer point of contact for our work with EDF Energy, after only 18 months of her career. This is a fantastic achievement.
“Katherine has all the right skills and attitude to be a future senior leader within Cyclife. It is vitally important that Cyclife seizes every opportunity to acquire the best and brightest talent in support of its mission to become European leader in waste management and decommissioning”, concludes Joe Robinson, Managing Director at Cyclife UK MRF.
Between the UK and Sweden: Cyclife on the road again!
Publish on 30/06/2020
After these challenging and unprecedented times, the whole platform of Cyclife is pleased to announce that Cyclife in the UK resumes shipments of customers’ metallic waste to Cyclife located in Sweden. The shipment arrived in Sweden on 29 June 2020 having left the UK just a few days earlier. The route has been operating efficiently for more than a decade and helps provide the best environmental solution for the UK’s nuclear industry. “The route guarantees an efficient and safe service for customers on the UK market” commented Henrik Modéer, Director, Cyclife Sweden.
For the past 10 years, Cyclife UK Ltd. has its Metals Recycling Facility (MRF) near Workington in Cumbria. The site has been offering solutions to meet the growing needs of nuclear industry to dismantle, reduce and recycle their waste. Cyclife UK is a leader in the treatment of low-level radioactive waste, with a market share of more than 90% for metallic waste in the UK. Cyclife Sweden AB is located outside Nyköping on the east coast of Sweden. The facility has been providing waste treatment services to domestic and international customers for 40 years. All treatment services provided include volume reduction and treatment (hot and cold cutting, melting, incineration and pyrolysis) is always carried out in customer-specific campaigns. The treatment of metallic waste consists of a series of services: segmentation, decontamination, melting (up to 5,000 tons per year), clearance and recycling of produced metal ingots, characterisation and conditioning of secondary waste for return to customer.
“Thanks to its close link and communications over the years, both facilities provide built-in flexibility, which means that we can continue to deliver all contracts for our UK customers in 2020”, declared Joe Robinson, Director, Cyclife UK.
The platform of Cyclife provides solutions for the optimised and sustainable management of nuclear waste and the decommissioning and dismantling of nuclear installations. With its three sites in the United Kingdom, Sweden and France, its subsidiaries Cyclife Digital Solutions, Cyclife Engineering and more recently Graphitech, Cyclife offers a range of activities that extends from building the physical and radiological inventory of a nuclear installation, on-site technical support for decontamination and a wide range of dismantling services including cold and hot segmentation (e.g. for primary circuits or other reactor cooling systems).
For the past 10 years, Cyclife UK Ltd. has its Metals Recycling Facility (MRF) near Workington in Cumbria. The site has been offering solutions to meet the growing needs of nuclear industry to dismantle, reduce and recycle their waste. Cyclife UK is a leader in the treatment of low-level radioactive waste, with a market share of more than 90% for metallic waste in the UK. Cyclife Sweden AB is located outside Nyköping on the east coast of Sweden. The facility has been providing waste treatment services to domestic and international customers for 40 years. All treatment services provided include volume reduction and treatment (hot and cold cutting, melting, incineration and pyrolysis) is always carried out in customer-specific campaigns. The treatment of metallic waste consists of a series of services: segmentation, decontamination, melting (up to 5,000 tons per year), clearance and recycling of produced metal ingots, characterisation and conditioning of secondary waste for return to customer.
“Thanks to its close link and communications over the years, both facilities provide built-in flexibility, which means that we can continue to deliver all contracts for our UK customers in 2020”, declared Joe Robinson, Director, Cyclife UK.
The platform of Cyclife provides solutions for the optimised and sustainable management of nuclear waste and the decommissioning and dismantling of nuclear installations. With its three sites in the United Kingdom, Sweden and France, its subsidiaries Cyclife Digital Solutions, Cyclife Engineering and more recently Graphitech, Cyclife offers a range of activities that extends from building the physical and radiological inventory of a nuclear installation, on-site technical support for decontamination and a wide range of dismantling services including cold and hot segmentation (e.g. for primary circuits or other reactor cooling systems).
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