The planned expansion of French nuclear fuel cycle company Orano’s Georges Besse 2 uranium enrichment plant in southern France could also lead to the production of low-enriched uranium plus (LEU+) fuel in 2025 with potential higher assays under consideration depending on market demand by 2028.

LEU+ fuels can improve the efficiency of existing reactors and could be used by some advanced reactor designs. Demand for higher assays could also come from advanced reactors that are under development.

Philippe Valbuena, strategic marketing manager at Orano’s new nuclear department, told the TopFuel 2024 conference in Grenoble last month that the Georges Besse 2 expansion, announced last year, would position the company to supply both large reactors and small modular and advanced modular reactors (SMRs and AMRs) with LEU and, if needed, LEU+ fuels.