The Dutch developer of the advanced small modular molten salt reactor, Thorizon One, has announced a partnership with French molten salt-based energy storage solutions specialist Storabelle.

Framatome has inaugurated a new workshop at its site in Romans-sur-Isère in the Drôme department of southeastern France, dedicated to the fabrication of fuel for research reactors and targets for medical isotopes.

France's Nuclear Policy Council - headed by President Emmanuel Macron - has agreed that a subsidised government loan should be issued to state-owned power utility EDF to cover at least half the construction costs of six EPR2 reactors.

Innovative reactor developer Newcleo has acquired a site in Chusclan in the Gard department in southern France on which it will build an R&D innovation and training centre supporting the development of its future fuel assembly manufacturing facility in France.

France-based Newcleo is to collaborate with Italian designer, manufacturer and installer of machinery and plants for the iron and steel industry Danieli Group on integrating Newcleo's lead-cooled fast reactors with Danieli's steelmaking technology.

The European Investment Bank and Orano have signed a loan agreement for EUR400 million (USD434 million) to partly fund the project to extend the Georges Besse II uranium enrichment plant in Tricastin in southern France. The project will increase the plant's capacity by more than 30%.

France's Orano has signed an agreement to supply enrichment services for Ukraine's Energoatom through to 2040.

France-based innovative reactor developer Newcleo and the Emirates Nuclear Energy Corporation of the UAE have agreed to explore the deployment of Newcleo's lead-cooled fast reactor in Europe, the Middle East and North Africa.

France's Hexana has formed a strategic partnership with Belgian engineering firm Tractebel to support the development of its sodium-cooled fast neutron reactor energy platform. Meanwhile, Swedish and French lead-cooled fast reactors developers Blykalla and Newcleo are to jointly research and develop materials for such reactors.