GNS has developed the CASTOR® geo26JP cask especially for the requirements of the Japanese market. The spent fuel cask is designed for the storage and transport of up to 26 PWR fuel assemblies – the largest available capacity for fuel assemblies from the PWR nuclear power plants most widely used in Japan. It is based on the CASTOR® geo cask family for PWR and BWR fuel assemblies of various designs, which was conceived to meet the needs of international customers for “high capacity casks” and is already established in Belgium and Switzerland. “Due to its capacity and price, the CASTOR® geo26JP offers the most efficient packaging solution for Japanese PWR fuel assemblies,” explains Dr Linus Bettermann, Director of Sales at GNS.
Following the application for a type certificate submitted to the Japanese Nuclear Regulation Authority (NRA) in March, GNS will now closely accompany the licensing procedure locally. To this end, it founded the subsidiary GNS Japan KK at the beginning of the year as a corporation under Japanese law with headquarters in Tokyo. The office of the new company will be set up in the premises of the German Chamber of Industry and Commerce in Japan at the beginning of the business activities.
The board of the new company is formed by Dr Linus Bettermann as CEO, Christoph Kohn (Head of Legal Affairs at GNS) as CFO and Tobias Fischer-Wasels as CTO (Team Manager Cask Development at GNS), who will oversee the application process permanently in Japan. Dirk Schlauch (Director Controlling at GNS) will support the Executive Board in an auditing and advisory capacity in the function of Company Auditor, which is required by law in Japan.
Daniel Oehr, GNS-CEO and Chairman of the GNS Board of Directors: “The foundation of our Japanese subsidiary is an important step in the expansion of our cask business to Asia and the intended internationalisation of GNS. The CASTOR® geo26JP will be the most competitive disposal solution for Japanese PWR fuel elements. We wish our Japan team and all those involved a good start and much success in this important project!”