STAR is a hot laboratory that our teams use for the treatment, clean-up and reconditioning (repackaging) of irradiated fuel and spent nuclear materials.
In addition to these activities, both destructive tests (drilling, cutting) and non-destructive tests (visual examinations, length, diameter and thickness measurements, eddy current soundness checks, gamma spectrometry, e.g. the MEGAFOX bench) can be carried out on rods from EDF nuclear power plants or other plants belonging to our industry partners or other electric utilities.
STAR has three shielded cells that can house fuel rods up to 4.4 metres long and transport casks weighing up to 40 tonnes.
STAR also includes the VERDON device, which comprises two shielded cells and a glovebox for studying severe accident scenarios (reactor core meltdown and fission gas releases under various conditions).