Project Overview
The Ignalina Nuclear Power Plant (INPP), located near the town of Visaginas in northern Lithuania, was constructed in 1974, with Reactor Unit 1 becoming operational in 1983. Unit 2 followed in 1987, and construction of Unit 3 was halted in 1988 following the Chernobyl disaster.
As part of Lithuania’s accession to the European Union, the country agreed to decommission INPP’s remaining reactors. Decommissioning activities began in 2004 and are scheduled for completion by 2038 at an estimated cost of €3.4bn, after which the site will be restored for brownfield use.
A key challenge within this long-term programme was the safe handling and storage of spent nuclear fuel. The solution – the B1 Interim Spent Fuel Storage Facility (ISFSF) – was designed to house approximately 18,000 fuel assemblies from Units 1 and 2 within 190 metal and CONSTOR containers, stored safely for a 50-year period.
Following successful cold trials and commissioning in 2017, INPP received an operating licence from VATESI, Lithuania’s State Nuclear Power Safety Inspectorate. This paved the way for “hot testing” with live nuclear fuel, confirming that the facility operated safely within design parameters.
To date, all spent fuel from Unit 1 has been successfully relocated to the ISFSF, with Unit 2 fuel transfer scheduled for completion in 2022.
“Xacom were instrumental in helping INPP to develop our staff and capabilities in scheduling and Primavera P6, Earned Value Management, and Risk Management across several strategically and politically crucial projects. Their intervention was not only strategic but incredibly practical – Xacom added significant value to many aspects of the programme.” – Darius Janulevicius, Director General, State Enterprise INPP (2013–2018)
Services Delivered
Xacom Project Controls were appointed in 2016 as part of a consortium with Amec, Vattenfall and Tractebel to provide project controls consultancy and training across the INPP decommissioning programme.
One of Xacom’s senior consultants was embedded on-site in Visaginas for the duration of the engagement, delivering hands-on support and targeted capability development across three key areas:
Challenges
- Developing operators into project planning roles using Primavera P6.
- Inconsistent programme quality across multiple workstreams.
- Limited understanding of Earned Value Management within the organisation.
- Absence of a unified, enterprise-level Risk Management solution capable of managing risks across the entire megaproject portfolio, including corporate-level risks.
Intervention
Xacom’s approach combined targeted consultancy with structured capability building. The intervention focused on:
- Delivering comprehensive training to support staff transitioning from operational plant roles to project-based decommissioning roles.
- Enhancing the quality and consistency of Primavera P6 schedules, introducing best-practice methodologies and governance structures.
- Providing practical EVM training, including both theoretical foundations and the delivery of custom EVM reports and outputs tailored to the client’s reporting needs.
- Streamlining risk management systems, reducing 32 software tools down to 3, simplifying processes and strengthening enterprise-wide visibility and control.
Outcome
Through Xacom’s sustained involvement, INPP established a stronger, more consistent project controls framework, supported by skilled internal teams and improved programme governance.
The partnership delivered:
- A measurable uplift in staff capability across planning, scheduling and risk management disciplines.
- Consistent, auditable programme data for improved project decision-making.
- Streamlined software infrastructure, reducing complexity and risk across the programme.
Xacom’s blend of technical expertise and practical on-the-ground support was key to helping INPP navigate one of Europe’s most complex nuclear decommissioning programmes.
About Xacom
Xacom Project Controls is an APMG-accredited training and consultancy organisation specialising in Earned Value Management, Risk Management, and comprehensive Primavera P6 software training. We work with organisations to deliver practical, high-quality interventions that improve capability, strengthen governance and drive measurable results.
Learn more about Xacom’s Primavera P6 training services here.