Orano Tricastin lays the first stone of the extension of its Georges Besse 2 plant located in Drôme

La première pierre de Georges Besse posée le jeudi 10 octobre 2024.

The expansion project for the Georges Besse 2 plant is starting. With an estimated cost of nearly 1.7 billion euros, this project will enable Orano to increase its production capacity by more than 30%, or 2.5 million SWU.

On Thursday, October 10, 2024, the operator Orano laid the foundation stone for the extension of the Georges Besse 2 plant on the Tricastin site (Drôme and Vaucluse). The ceremony was held in the presence of Claude Imauven, Chairman of the Board of Directors, Nicolas Maes, Managing Director, François Lurin, Director of Enrichment Chemistry Activities, customers as well as many elected officials and economic players in the region. As a reminder, Orano Tricastin's core business is uranium enrichment to produce low-carbon energy.

Investment: €1.7 billion

With a forecast amount of nearly €1.7 billion, this project will enable Orano
to increase its production capacity by more than 30%, or 2.5 million SWU1. It
consists of building identically four complementary modules to the fourteen
existing modules, using the same technology, recognized, proven and having
a reduced environmental footprint. This project will mobilize, during the construction phase, up to 1,000 people, with a strong participation of regional companies.

One hundred and twenty million homes supplied

This capacity expansion meets the demands of our electricity customers to
strengthen their security of supply, thanks to initial production planned
as early as 2028 and full commissioning in 2030. "This project, which is taking shape, is one of the five largest industrial programs underway in France today", declared Nicolas Maes. With the production of this plant, nearly 120 million homes will be supplied with low-carbon electricity, strengthening our contribution to the fight against global warming" he added. François Lurin, for his part, welcomes a highly symbolic project in terms of sovereignty and international influence" of the operator Orano.

The Separation Work Unit (SWU) is the unit of measurement used as an international standard to quantify the production of the enrichment activity.