Enrichment: rotation of first Georges Besse II centrifuge cascade

AREVA has announced the rotation of the first centrifuge cascade of its Georges Besse II uranium enrichment facility.

This key milestone was reached in the presence of teams from SET (the facility operator), SGN (the lead contractor) and ETC (the centrifuge supplier). François-Xavier Rouxel, Executive VP of AREVA’s Enrichment Business Unit: "This success confirms that the Georges Besse II project is on target and will allow AREVA to strengthen its position as a leading figure on the global enrichment market, for which it provides nearly a quarter of all services."

The Georges Besse II plant will continue to operate while new centrifuge cascades are being installed and gradually brought on-line to supplement its production output, which is set to reach full capacity in 2016.

This is a concrete example of AREVA’s ability to successfully carry out major projects that confirm France as a world leader for nuclear facilities and skills. At around €3 billion, the Georges Besse II project represents one of the biggest industrial investments of the past decade in France.

Built on the Tricastin nuclear site in Southern France, construction of the plant began three years ago, and when complete will comprise two enrichment units. Its modular design will enable the facility to increase production, reaching 7.5 million separative work units (SWU) per year as of 2016, two years earlier than initially scheduled.