Largest French nuclear training centre opens

A new nuclear training centre has been inaugurated by Trihom, a training organisation jointly owned by New Areva and Engie's industrial maintenance subsidiary Endel. The new centre - in Equeurdreville-Hainneville, Normandy - is the largest nuclear training centre in France.

A new nuclear training centre has been inaugurated by Trihom, a training organisation jointly owned by New Areva and Engie's industrial maintenance subsidiary Endel. The new centre - in Equeurdreville-Hainneville, Normandy - is the largest nuclear training centre in France.

The new training centre at Equeurdreville-Hainneville (Image: Areva)

An inauguration ceremony was held yesterday and was attended by New Areva managing director Philippe Knoche, as well as company managers and representatives from the region.

The new centre has six training workshops containing exact replicas of nuclear facilities of all types, including a nuclear reactor, a fuel cycle plant and a nuclear-powered submarine. These workshops will allow trainees to practice nuclear operations, including the use of digital technologies.

New Areva - which owns 66% of Trihom - said the opening of the centre "forms part of a major development plan being rolled out by Trihom". Trihom, it said, plans to invest €7.0 million ($8.2 million) over the next few years to increase its training capacity and digitalise its entire training offer.

Avoine-based Trihom was formed in 1990 and now has a panel of 200 certified trainers and hosts more than 30,000 trainees each year at its 15 training centres throughout France. It offers more than 200 training courses, covering areas as diverse as regulation, in-depth technical studies and personal development. It also has an instructional design department to develop innovative, made-to-measure learning and skills transfer solutions.

Trihom CEO William Lhermite said, "This completely new type of centre, a genuine flagship for Trihom's national network of agencies, is a source of great pride for all Trihom's employees. And we are proud to have been able to build it in Normandy, as area with a great industrial tradition and one of providing support for the nuclear industry."

Knoche said, "The French nuclear industry is an internationally renowned sector of excellence, a sector of the future that is looking to recruit new talent. With Trihom and this new centre, it has the resources required to develop skills and train the engineers, technicians and nuclear operators of tomorrow."

Researched and written
by World Nuclear News