IKE:
ORANO’S FRENCH EXPERTISE WINS over the US
The US Department of Energy (DOE) has awarded Orano a USD 900 million contract to build a new enrichment plant in Tennessee. This project, known as IKE1, will provide a new, reliable and secure supply of enriched uranium in the United States.
- Why is IKE strategic?
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J.L.P.
The IKE project will ensure the needs of American nuclear reactor operators are met, in compliance with US regulations which ban the import of Russian uranium from 2028. It also meets the growing needs of US electric utilities linked to the development of data centers and artificial intelligence, which require stable, reliable and low-cost sources of energy.
- Why was Orano chosen?
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J.L.P.
Orano was the only company among six bidders to meet the requirements for the Low Enriched Uranium (LEU) program thanks to its technological expertise and 50 years of industrial experience in enrichment. The project is based on ultracentrifugation technology, a uranium enrichment process2 that Orano has mastered for 20 years, mainly at its Tricastin site in the south of France. This industrial process, recognized for its reliability and low environmental impact, plays a key role in the production of low-carbon electricity.
- What are the next steps?
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J.L.P.
Before starting this large-scale project with an estimated cost of around $5 billion, the project still has to go through several stages, including the creation of an order book, ongoing management of regulatory procedures and finalization of the financing plan. It will also be a driver of economic growth, with more than 1,000 jobs planned for the construction phase and around 300 over the long term to operate the facility. Commissioning is planned for the early 2030s.
Georges Besse 2: expanded uranium enrichment capacity
At the same time, Orano is continuing to expand the enrichment capacity of its Georges Besse 2 plant on the Tricastin site. The objective is to create more than 30% additional capacity, or 2.5 million SWU,3 in order to replace some of the Russian enriched uranium supplied to the Western market from 2028.