Orano to build enrichment facility in Tennessee

Thursday, 5 September 2024

Announcing the company's selection of the Oak Ridge site for the multi-billion-dollar facility, Tennessee Governor Bill Lee said Tennessee is the "number one state" for nuclear energy companies to invest. "Our administration created the Nuclear Energy Fund in partnership with the Tennessee General Assembly to support and expand the state’s nuclear ecosystem, and in the last six months, we’ve announced four projects that will further strengthen Tennessee’s position as a leader in safe, clean, and reliable energy for the future," he said.

Orano's forerunner company Areva had previously planned to build the Eagle Rock centrifuge plant at Idaho Falls. That plant was originally envisaged as a 3.3 million SWU per year plant with the company later applying to the US regulators to double its capacity to 6.6 million SWU. It was subsequently cancelled, and Orano requested the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission to terminate its licence for the plant in 2018.

Orano will be the second company to locate in Tennessee using the Nuclear Energy Fund, established by Governor Lee in partnership with the Tennessee General Assembly in the state’s fiscal 2023-2024 budget. An additional USD10 million was appropriated in the state’s budget in FY2024-2025.

"We are very pleased to make this announcement with the great state of Tennessee," Orano USA CEO and President Jean-Luc Palayer said. "The warm welcome, responsive engagement and established nuclear energy community in Oak Ridge, as well as access to continuous and stable power, have been key factors for this site selection. We're already preparing for our next required steps, including securing available Federal support and customer commitments, obtaining an NRC licence and Orano's Board approval, but today we celebrate this major milestone towards bringing a new enrichment facility online to help meet our country’s need for an increased, secure domestic nuclear fuel supply."

Last year, Orano announced plans to extend enrichment capacity at its Georges Besse II uranium enrichment plant in France. Speaking at World Nuclear Symposium in London on Thursday, Orano CEO Nicolas Maes said the company plans first concrete for the extension in October this year, targeting the start of production in 2028.