Georges Besse enrichment plant ceases production

EURODIF's Georges Besse uranium enrichment plant permanently ceased production on June 7, 2012, according to a press release by Areva, the plant operator. The plant, located at the Tricastin site, operated since 1979 using gaseous diffusion technology to enrich uranium for power reactors.

It is being replaced by a modern centrifuge plant, Georges Besse II, which was inaugurated in December 2010 and begun production of enriched uranium in April 2011. According to Areva, the plant has already reached the capacity of 1.5 million SWU.