Molten salt reactor developers Thorizon and Stellaria, both in consortium with Orano, have been selected by the French government to receive funding through the France 2030 national investment plan.

Minister for the Economy, Finance, Industrial and Digital Sovereignty Bruno Le Maire announced the decision to continue with France's treatment-recycling strategy for used nuclear fuel beyond 2040, with plans to extend the life of existing recycling plants and to launch studies for a new MOX fuel fabrication plant and a new used fuel processing plant.

In a contract signed during a visit to the Czech Republic by French President Emmanuel Macron, Orano will supply uranium enrichment services, which will be used at ČEZ's Dukovany nuclear power plant.

The Sino-French TAC-1 consortium - led by China National Nuclear Corporation subsidiary China Nuclear Power Engineering and including Framatome - has been awarded a contract to assemble the vacuum chamber modules of the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor, under construction in Cadarache, southern France.

Unit 2 of the Cruas-Meysse nuclear power plant in south-eastern France was recently restarted with its first full core of recycled uranium fuel. The move marks a major milestone in France's efforts to revive its domestic uranium reprocessing industry.

French Economy Minister Bruno Le Maire and Bulgaria's Energy Minister Rumen Radev have signed a declaration of intent to establish bilateral cooperation in the field of nuclear energy, including the areas of nuclear construction programmes, small modular reactors and development of a European supply chain.

The revamped project plan for the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor - with modifications to its configuration, phased installation and new research schedule - is being finalised ahead of being submitted to the ITER Council in June.

France's nuclear industry giants - EDF, Framatome and Orano - have each reported improved results for 2023, compared with 2022, and expect continued growth in 2024, partly due to France's plan to build new reactors.

Naarea of France and Thorizon of the Netherlands have signed a strategic partnership agreement to advance the development of molten salt reactors in Europe.

Orano subsidiary Orano Med has laid the foundation stone for its Alpha Therapy Laboratory in Onnaing in northern France. This will be Europe's first industrial-scale pharmaceutical facility dedicated to the production of lead-212 based radioligand therapies.

The first of five vacuum vessel sectors under the responsibility of Fusion for Energy - the Iter Organisation's European domestic agency - is undergoing factory acceptance tests. The component has already passed leak testing and its dimensions will now be checked.

Three new steam generators were delivered last month to the Cruas-Meysse nuclear power plant in south-eastern France. The components will be replaced at unit 3 later this year in order to enable the 900 MWe pressurised water reactor to continue operating beyond 40 years.