AREVA has delivered its 4000th mixed uranium-plutonium oxide (MOX) nuclear fuel assembly to French utility EDF. The delivery was made to the Gravelines nuclear power plant in northern France.
To date, AREVA has treated more than 13,000t of used fuel at its La Hague plant, which has resulted in the recycling of more than 130t of plutonium in MOX fuel for EDF.
Today, 24 of France’s 58 reactors are licensed to use MOX fuel, and more than 10% of the country’s nuclear electricity is produced using MOX, AREVA says.
MOX fuel has been fabricated at AREVA’s Melox plant, at the Marcoule site in the Gard region of France, since 1996.
Together, AREVA’s La Hague and Melox sites employ some 5800 people and generate 1400 indirect jobs. In 2013 investments of over €650 million were made in the sites, with 75% spent in the local area, AREVA said.
Photo: (c) AREVA, TAILLAT JEAN-MARIE
