ORANO | ADVERTORIAL FEATURE
Maximizing the value of nuclear energy
Nuclear energy requires a sustainable, accessible, and robust fuel cycle to support growing industry momentum. Orano delivers every step of the way
TO ACHIEVE NET-ZERO EMISSIONS, energy policies must reconcile decarbonization goals with long-term security of supply of competitive energy. In this context, nuclear energy stands out as a strategic asset: a proven, low-carbon, and reliable source that not only supports electricity generation but also strengthens emerging vectors such as clean hydrogen, process heat for industry, and district heating. By doing so, nuclear energy is increasingly regarded as indispensable to building resilient, sovereign, and diversified energy portfolios. As such, recent developments in the nuclear industry include operating lifetime extensions and power upgrades of existing large reactors and significant efforts to launch the next generation of reactors including small modular reactors and advanced reactors. As such, nuclear energy requires a sustainable, accessible, robust nuclear fuel cycle to support this momentum. As a major industrial player in the nuclear fuel cycle,
Orano’s ambition is to support the development of today’s and tomorrow’s reactors by delivering efficient solutions for the development of nuclear energy. On the front end of the nuclear fuel cycle, Orano offers customers long-term contracts with separate or combined components, including transport of material:
Regarding the back end of the fuel cycle, Orano meets
customer needs across all aspects of spent fuel management, including engineering, storage and transport, recycling schemes, up to waste disposal.
Above: Orano La Hague Reprocessing Plant (France) Copyright: Orano, Cyril Crespeau
Storage and transport: Orano provides storage solutions for all kinds of spent nuclear fuel with wet or dry technologies, including its latest disruptive TN Eagle cask. In addition, Orano has demonstrated international experience and extensive capabilities of transporting for the whole nuclear cycle.
Mining: For certainty of supply, Orano maintains robust and geographically diversified uranium mining assets in OECD nations (Canada, Kazakhstan). To meet the increasing natural uranium demands in the coming years, Orano will also leverage its proven experience and technologies in new promising territories (Uzbekistan, Mongolia), while keeping its strong commitment to be a responsible mining player.
Conversion services: Orano operates the world’s most modern conversion plant – commissioned in 2018 and constructed to the latest safety standards – to ensure a high level of reliability and on-time delivery.
Enrichment services: Orano’s enrichment facility, with a future capacity expansion (+30% with a ramp-up from 2028 to 2030), offers a flexible range of enrichment assays. The next challenge is producing the various levels and forms of enriched uranium to supply future reactor technologies. Orano, leveraging its cumulative existing production know-how, is ready to invest in these capabilities if secured by long-term commitments from customers or stakeholders.
Reprocessing/recycling: with decades of operation of its industrial platform, Orano provides spent fuel reprocessing services separating recyclable uranium and plutonium from the final waste. The plutonium is reused to manufacture Mixed Oxide Fuel in the Melox plant, for supplying reactors. The resulting much lower volume of safe and stable vitrified waste form is easily managed and stored over the very long-term pending its disposal. These services, implemented for utilities worldwide, contribute to the circular economy, preserve natural resources, and provide viable solutions for spent fuel and final waste management. Following decisions of the Nuclear Policy Councils chaired by the French President in 2024 and 2025, the “Aval du Futur” program has been launched and the future renewed facilities at La Hague will be operating till the end of the century and beyond.
Waste management: Orano’s engineering and decommissioning teams support industrial technologies at all stages of spent fuel and radioactive waste management, up to the disposal of final waste forms.
With its modern front-end facilities, its significant industrial experience in spent fuel management, and its continuing development of innovative industry solutions, Orano fulfills customer needs throughout the entire fuel cycle. The group supports existing nuclear reactors and is actively engaged in the expanding market for new generation nuclear energy. ■
Orano group W:
www.orano.group/en
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