Page 193 - Neutrons for Sciences and Society

options, with a first evaluation of their cost and duration, were submitted at the end of September to the Associates, who then requested the ILL to prepare a detailed analysis of the option involving complete replacement of the reflector tank and its internal parts by the end of January 1992, to give them all the elements necessary for a decision. During the summer the cost and duration of this option were estimated at FF 150M and 28 months, respectively, and the work in progress should give these estimates a firm basis of industrial commitments.
Since 30th March 1991 the Reactor Division teams have been involved in analysis and proposal work of great precision and efficiency, and I should like to thank them on behalf of the whole of the ILL.
Financing the reconstruction of the reactor
As stated above, the refurbishment is to be financed out of a reserve set up in the budgets for the years 1991 (FF 313M), 1992 and 1993 (FF 310M). In 1991, because of the late date
of the final decision to keep the reactor shut down, it was not possible to make any major contribution to this reserve, and
the majority of the savings must be effected in 1992-93. Part
of this amount has obviously been found in the immediate consequences of the reactor shutdown: fuel elements, electricity, cryogenic fluids for experiments, expenditure on visitors,
and suspension of recruitment of scientists. But this was not sufficient, and it was necessary to reconsider the timetable for the ILL’s development plan, to encourage personnel close to retirement to leave, to favour secondment to other laboratories
184
Chapter 8 - The Dark Years