Under a commercial agreement between AREVA and Sellafield Limited, plutonium to be used in MOX fuel fabrication is being shipped between the Sellafield* plant in Great Britain and the Melox** plant in southern France.
Today, the plutonium was delivered to the La Hague plant to be repackaged in canisters capable of being handled by the equipment at the Melox plant, where it will subsequently be shipped. Sellafield Limited contracted with Melox to fabricate MOX fuel for its utility customers.
With global warming and soaring oil prices constituting crucial energy challenges, the recycling of plutonium, with its considerable energy potential***, is becoming more strategic than ever for AREVA and its customers.
* Sellafield: reprocessing plant operated by Sellafield Limited (formerly BNG)
** Melox: production plant for MOX fuel, which is used to generate electricity. MOX consists of uranium and plutonium oxides produced by the recycling of 96% of the materials contained in used nuclear fuel.
*** The energy potential of one gram of plutonium is equivalent to that of one ton of oil.
AREVA Press Contact
Christophe Neugnot
T: +33 2.33.02.63.22
M: +33 6.80.93.69.93
Estelle Dubillot
T: +33 2.33.02.40.02
M: +33 6.08 27 05 69
About us
With manufacturing facilities in 43 countries and a sales network in more than 100, AREVA offers customers reliable technological solutions for CO2-free power generation and electricity transmission and distribution. We are the world leader in nuclear power and the only company to cover all industrial activities in this field. Our 65,000 employees are committed to continuous improvement on a daily basis, making sustainable development the focal point of the group’s industrial strategy.
AREVA’s businesses help meet the 21st century’s greatest challenges: making energy available to all, protecting the planet, and acting responsibly towards future generations. http://www.areva.com/.