In line with the company’s set timelines, installed production capacity at Georges Besse II reached over 2.5 million separative work units (SWU) for the year 2012.
Areva front end business group senior executive vice president Guillaume Dureau commented, "The capacity milestone reached shows AREVA’s continuous commitment towards enrichment activities to ensure security of supply for its customers."
Georges Besse II, installed as two separate North and South units at the AREVA Tricastin site, utilizes centrifuge enrichment technology.
The South plant is expanding at a rate of two additional cascades commissioned each month on average, with 70% of the plant now in production.
The North plant, meanwhile, is expected to begin operations by March 2013, wherein the civil engineering work and the centrifuge assembly building are being currently finalized.
The plant is scheduled to reach full production capacity of 7.5 million SWU in 2016.
