Paris, February 5, 2010 — Areva and Electricite de France reached an agreement covering the transportation, treatment and recycling of used nuclear fuel, for which a contract will be signed before the end of the first quarter of 2010.
The agreement lays down the conditions for applying the framework agreement of December 19, 2008, which sets the principles of a long-term partnership for operations of treatment-recycling of used nuclear fuel, and reprocessed fuel fabrication (MOX).
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MOX is a mixed-oxide (uranium and plutonium) fuel, fabricated by treating used fuel and reloaded into some EDF nuclear power plants.
This guarantees both EDF and Areva long-term visibility on their recycling partnership. It is agreed that, starting from 2010 on, EDF will increase the amounts of used fuel sent for treatment to La Hague from 850 tons to 1,050 tons per year and the amounts of MOX fuel fabricated at the Melox site from 100 to 120 tons per year.
As regards the enrichment of EDF uranium on Areva’s Eurodif site, AREVA and EDF are currently doing all they can to quickly reach an agreement.