Written by:
Philip G. McDermott
Director
Global Nuclear Services
Underwater Construction Corporation (UCC) is a leading global underwater service provider specializing in nuclear dive services for the past 40 years. UCC is proud to have safely completed more than 90% of the world’s nuclear dive projects in 2011. Additionally UCC will be providing support for 25 of the 30 US power plants scheduled for refueling outages in the spring of 2012.
As with the development of other innovative Nuclear Dive Techniques such as certified stainless steel welding, plasma arc cutting and arc water gouging, UCC is pioneering again with their Advanced Underwater Coating System. This unique coating process can be utilized underwater in large areas on various substrates such as concrete, carbon steel and stainless steel without the cost and schedule impacts of dewatering, decontamination, elevated radiation exposure, scaffolding erection and the safety challenges that accompany such elevated work.
UCC was invited to exhibit and showcase their coating process at “The Practical Application of Technology Exhibition” or “PATEX 2011” at Beckermet Technology Park, near Sellafield (Cumbria, England). An on-site dive tank was facilitated where Nuclear Industry Peers witnessed a live demonstration of the underwater epoxy coating application by UCC’s expertly trained, certified and experienced nuclear divers.
UCC’s latest coatings projects involve large area epoxy coating application in concrete fuel pools as well as large area application on carbon steel surfaces such as BWR suppression chambers. The coating application process is supported by various testing programs involving pressure, temperature, adhesion, and radiation exposure.
Numerous nuclear facilities throughout the world benefit from the UCC Advanced Underwater Coating System including BWR, PWR, CANDU, Spent Fuel Reprocessing Facilities, Government Waste Facilities and Decommissioning Projects.