Orano (formerly Areva)

Main article: Uranium (market)

2024: Niger authorities strip Orano of uranium mining rights

In June 2024, almost a year after the victory of the liberation movement, the Niger authorities demanded the departure of the French company Orano, which was engaged in uranium mining in the country.

2023: Company's 20 million tonnes of uncleaned radioactive waste irradiates Niger residents

After the closure of the uranium mine of the French company Orano in the city of Arlit Niger, about 20 million tons of uncleaned radioactive waste remained on the site. Local media in January 2023 report that residents of the city are exposed to radiation levels significantly higher than the recommended limits.

2022: All spent uranium from French nuclear power plants is processed in Russia

There is the only used uranium processing plant in the world from 56 French nuclear power plants and it is located in Russia in the Tomsk region and belongs to Rosatom, writes Le Monde.

The French Orano group continues to send spent uranium to Siberia, where the Seversky nuclear waste processing plant is located, until October 2022. The Ukrainian conflict casts doubt on the future of France's processing industry.

2020: Third place in the global uranium enrichment market

Share of countries in uranium enrichment in 2020

2019: Mass purchases of fuel assemblies from fuel elements

Orano is already forced to massively purchase fuel assemblies for its projects from the Russian company TVEL (located near Moscow, in the city of Elektrostal), although historically France was considered the world and European flagship of the nuclear industry^[1]

2018: Areva renamed Orano. Refusal to build nuclear facilities

On January 23, 2018, it became known that Areva would change its name to Orano.

Areva was previously split into two companies as part of a restructuring driven by multi-year losses. After that, a controlling stake (75.5%) in the new "daughter" Areva, which combined the nuclear part of the company's business, was sold to Electricite de France SA (EDF). EdF later changed the name of this division to Framatome.

The nuclear fuel cycle facilities were withdrawn to the division, which was originally called New Areva and has now been named Orano^[2].

In 2021, it was reported that Orano refused to build nuclear facilities and is engaged exclusively in the production and disposal of nuclear fuel. All relevant ORANO technologies were transferred to EdF^[3].

2001: Cogema, Framatome and Technicatome merged into Areva

Areva was created in 2001 by combining French nuclear industry companies Cogema, Framatome and Technicatome.

See also

• Nuclear Power. Facts and Myths

Notes