#2026-327France expands the Georges Besse-II nuclear site and adds new safety approval steps
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This decree updates the authorization for the Georges Besse-II nuclear enrichment site at Tricastin. It increases the authorized quantities tied to the installation, updates the site description to reflect two enrichment modules and support units, and changes the regulator’s name and contact details to the new Nuclear Safety and Radiation Protection Authority. For Orano Chimie-Enrichissement, the key change is procedural: before uranium hexafluoride can first be introduced into the Nord extension, the company must obtain prior approval from the regulator and submit updated safety, environmental, testing, and commissioning documents at least one year in advance. The company also gets a ten-year window from publication to make that first introduction.
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Key Changes
- Raises the authorized quantities for the Georges Besse-II installation from 7.5 million to 10.4 million and from 8.2 MUTS to 11 MUTS.
- Updates the official description of the site to reflect two separate enrichment units, including the Nord extension, plus support units such as the REC II workshop and an analysis laboratory.
- Requires prior regulator approval and advance submission of updated safety, environmental, testing, and commissioning documents before the first uranium hexafluoride introduction into the Nord extension, with a 10-year deadline to do so.
Obligations
What this law requires
Orano Chimie-Enrichissement must obtain prior approval from the Autorité de sûreté nucléaire et de radioprotection (ASNR) before the first introduction of uranium hexafluoride into the Nord extension of the Georges Besse-II installation.
Orano Chimie-Enrichissement must obtain prior approval from the Autorité de sûreté nucléaire et de radioprotection before the first introduction of uranium hexafluoride into the Nord extension of Georges Besse-II.
Orano Chimie-Enrichissement must submit to ASNR, no later than one year before the planned date of first introduction of uranium hexafluoride into the Nord extension, an updated safety report and updated general operating rules.
At least one year before the planned first introduction of uranium hexafluoride into the Nord extension, Orano Chimie-Enrichissement must submit to the Autorité de sûreté nucléaire et de radioprotection the updated safety report and general operating rules.
Orano Chimie-Enrichissement must submit to ASNR, no later than one year before the planned date of first introduction of uranium hexafluoride into the Nord extension, the updated impact study, risk-control study, decommissioning plan, and internal emergency plan, where applicable.