Wilmington-based GE Hitachi Nuclear Energy has been awarded a contract to support nuclear reactor decommissioning work on a plant in Massachusetts.

Comprehensive Decommissioning International LLC (CDI) chose GE Hitachi to dismantle, segment and pack reactor internals and the reactor pressure vessel of Pilgrim Nuclear Power Station's boiling water reactor that was shut down in May, according to a news release.

The terms of the contract were not disclosed, said Jon Allen, spokesman for GE Hitachi.

The firm’s decommissioning business unit is based at its Wilmington headquarters, said Allen, adding that additional staff will be hired to support the contract at the plant site. Work will soon begin on the project, he said.

GE Hitachi is a provider of advanced reactors and nuclear services, including decommissioning and dismantling. Its decommissioning experience includes that gained from reactor internals replacement projects in Japan and segmentation scope for extended power uprate projects in the U.S., according to the release.

GE Hitachi was awarded a similar contract by CDI in July at the Oyster Creek Nuclear Generating Station in Lacey Township, New Jersey.

The company also recently completed the segmentation of reactor internals at Oskarshamn Nuclear Power Plant (OKG) Unit 2 in Sweden and is currently conducting the segmentation of OKG Unit 1, stated the release.

For the work at Pilgrim Nuclear Power Station officials said, "All handling and segmentation will be carried out underwater and will be accomplished using the Primary Segmentation System that was designed in conjunction with REI Nuclear,” officials stated in the release.

GE Hitachi acquired REI Nuclear’s business and certain assets in late 2018.

“We are pleased to continue to support CDI with innovative technology, proven processes and an experienced team that is focused on safety and efficiency,” said Jay Wileman, president and CEO of GE Hitachi, in the release.

Holtec International’s subsidiaries completed the acquisition of the Pilgrim Nuclear Power Station from Entergy Corp. in August, stated the release.

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission approved the transfer of the plant’s operating license to Holtec Pilgrim LLC as the owner and Holtec Decommissioning International LLC as the license holder and decommissioning operator for the plant.

Holtec will contract with CDI, a joint venture company of Holtec International and SNC-Lavalin, to perform the decommissioning, including demolition and site cleanup, stated the release.