RVA oversees Lucy III power plant blowdown

The Lucy III Power Plant in France. (PHOTO: RVA Group)

The company was contracted to the three-phase project by French energy company GazelÉnergie, which with a portfolio that comprises coal and biomass fuelled power plants, wind and solar farms is the fourth largest energy provider in the country.

RVA was responsible for overseeing the project’s appointed demolition and explosives contractor - the name of which was not disclosed.

The company’s role saw it assess best practices, design, and procedures for the demolition of the plant, to ensure the project adhered to stringent safety standards and environmental regulations.

The dismantling project at Lucy III involved the precise demolition of a 140-metre-tall concrete chimney stack and a 100-metre-high hyperbolic concrete cooling tower, both of which were integral components of the power production plant, which has been closed since 2014.

According to RVA, only two to three months were allocated for the design and implementation of the demolition and blowdown, which is reported to have taken place on November 8, 2023, with two explosive events taking place within seconds of each other, to minimise the disruption to the local residents and road systems.

The base of one of the cooling towers at the Lucy III Power Plant in France. (PHOTO: RVA Group)

Mark Taylor, engineering and consultancy director at RVA Group, said: “We are proud of our team’s dedication to maintaining the highest standards of health and safety throughout this project, despite the quick turnaround timescales.

“Maintaining dialogue with key stakeholders from start to finish, along with our demonstrated experience in cooling tower and complex structure explosive demolition, played crucial roles in driving efficiency, safety, and compliance. We are honoured to contribute to GazelÉnergie’s sustainable energy initiatives.”

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