Areva and EdF reach agreement on used fuel

Monday, 8 February 2010

Areva and Electricité de France (EdF) announced that they had reached an agreement covering the transportation, treatment and recycling of used nuclear fuel.

 

A used fuel storage pool at La Hague (Image: Areva)

Under the agreement, from 2010 onwards, EdF will increase the amount of used fuel sent for treatment at Areva's La Hague reprocessing plant from 850 tonnes to 1050 tonnes per year. Meanwhile, Areva has agreed to increase the amount of mixed-oxide (MOX) fuel fabricated at its Melox site from 100 tonnes per year to 120 tonnes. A contract reflecting this agreement is expected to be signed before the end of March.

 

The value of the deal between the two state-controlled companies was not revealed, but would be very substantial, covering as it must the used nuclear fuel from 59 large reactors at 20 sites.

 

"The agreement lays down the conditions for applying the framework agreement of 19 December 2008, which sets the principles for a long-term partnership for operations of treatment-recycling of used fuel, and reprocessed fuel fabrication (MOX)," the companies said in a joint statement. It added, "This guarantees both EdF and Areva long-term visibility on their recycling partnership."

 

In December 2008, the two companies signed a framework agreement for the recycling of used fuel between 2008 and 2040. That agreement aimed to clarify responsibilities and improving cooperation between the two companies. The agreement determined the guidelines for cooperation based on two reciprocal commitments: firstly Areva will operate its La Hague and Melox sites until at least 2040, during which time EdF shall have access to the facilities for its own purposes.

 

Areva and EdF said that they are still negotiating an agreement regarding the enrichment of EdF uranium at Areva's Eurodif site.

 

Areva was awarded two contracts by EdF in early 2009 for the long-term supply of uranium conversion and enrichment services. Under a €5 billion ($6 billion) long-term uranium enrichment deal, enriched uranium will be supplied from Areva's Georges Besse II (GB-II) centrifuge plant, currently under construction at the Tricastin site in southern France. EdF also awarded Areva a long-term uranium conversion contract "worth several hundred million euros." The contract, due to come into force in 2009, will be fulfilled initially by output from Areva's Comurhex plants. From 2012 onwards, it will be fulfilled by the new Comurhex II conversion facilities, construction of which began in 2008.
 
The two companies have cooperated since the first EdF nuclear power plants were commissioned. Areva has been responsible for the pick-up and transportation of the used fuel from EdF's 20 nuclear power sites, its reprocessing and the separation of re-usable materials, followed by packaging and minimization of waste volumes for eventual disposal.
 

Researched and written

by World Nuclear News