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BUSINESS OVERVIEW
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6.4 Operations
Site monitoring continues after rehabilitation, in particular checks of air quality,
surface water and groundwater quality, bio-indicators and the food chain. The
monitoring provided under the mining sites’ post-closure management plans is
of variable duration, depending on the pace of improvement and the stabilization
of chemical and radiological parameters. These plans are discussed with national
administrations and local stakeholders. This period is specific to each site’s
characteristics as well as to the expectations of local stakeholders. Experience to
date indicates that this period is generally not less than ten years. For sites located
in emerging countries and/or countries where there are strong expectations for
local economic support, AREVA also leads societal initiatives designed to generate
income and create jobs for communities affected by mine closures.
Relations with customers and suppliers
The backlog amounted to 9.480 billion euros at the end of 2016. This backlog
continues to be diversified among customers in different uranium-consuming
regions.
Suppliers
The uranium sold comes from the mineral resources of the companies in which
AREVA has an equity interest, or from uranium bought on the market.
Development outlook and challenges
In a post-Fukushima environment, and despite a slower pace of growth in demand,
AREVA intends to remain a key supplier of natural uranium. Its objective is to
continue to optimize the competitiveness of its existing sites and to maintain its
portfolio of projects by conducting the necessary studies in order to be able to
launch new capital expenditure when market prices permit.
In this way, AREVA intends to strengthen its position in the uranium market while
remaining one of the most competitive producers.
6.4.1.2.
FRONT END
Key figures
2016
2015
Revenue*
(in millions of euros)
1,025
1,097
Operating income
(in millions of euros)
158
101
Workforce at year end**
2,807
3,012
* Contribution to consolidated revenue.
** Workforce consistent with the breakdown by operation shown in Chapter 17,
Employees.
Businesses
Conversion of natural uranium (U
3
O
8
) into uranium hexafluoride
(UF
6
)
The principal business of the Chemistry operations is to convert natural uranium
into uranium hexafluoride. All enrichment processes – the stage after conversion
in the fuel cycle – currently function with uranium in the chemical form of UF
6
.
Uranium concentrates shipped from the mine for conversion are owned by the
electric utility customer. They are converted in a two-stage process:
p
in the first stage, the uranium is converted into uranium tetrafluoride (UF
4
).
This involves dissolving the mine concentrates in acid, then purifying them to
produce UO
3
powder. This powder is then hydro-fluorinated with hydrofluoric
acid, converting it into UF
4
. These operations are carried out in AREVA’s plant
at the Malvési site in the Aude department of France;
p
in the second stage, the UF
4
is converted by fluorination into uraniumhexafluoride
(UF
6
), a chemical compound that exists in gaseous form at relatively low
temperature. The fluorine used in this process is produced through electrolysis
of anhydrous hydrofluoric acid. These operations are carried out in AREVA’s
plant at the Tricastin site in the Drôme and Vaucluse departments of France.
U0
3
(gas at 56 °C
and atmospheric
pressure)
Malvési
Pierrelatte
Hydrofluorination*
(HF)
Fluorination*
(F)
(HF electrolysis*)
Acid
Dissolution*
Purification
and effluent
management
UF
4
UF
4
UF
6
(powder)
(powder)
(powder)
(powder)
Mine
concentrates
* Purely chemical operations (no change to the uranium’s isotopic composition).
Source:AREVA.
Enrichment of natural uranium in uranium-235
Enrichment operations consist of increasing the uranium-235 content of natural
uranium from its initial 0.7% to the assay specified by the customer, ranging from
3 to 5%, depending on the type and operating mode of the reactor. Molecules of
gaseous uranium hexafluoride (UF
6
) undergo isotopic separation to achieve the
desired enrichment assay. AREVA supplies the enrichment service to the customer,
with the latter retaining ownership of its material.
An enrichment plant’s production is expressed in separative work units (SWU).
This unit is proportional to the quantity of uranium processed and is a measure
of the work required to separate the fissile uranium-235 isotope. The SWU is a
standard international unit of measurement for enrichment services and sales, and
is independent of the separation technology used.
Implementation of a new, more efficient enrichment technology
that uses less energy
Following the shut-down of Eurodif’s gaseous diffusion enrichment plant in 2012,
AREVA invested in the new Georges Besse II plant and has now deployed the
centrifuge enrichment technology, whichmeets increasingly stringent nuclear safety,
environmental protection and competitiveness requirements.
By using this new technology, the Georges Besse II plant consumes 50 times less
electricity than that consumed by the gaseous diffusion process. Another advantage
is its modular construction, enabling rapid ramp-up of production and adjustment
of production capacity to market demand.
70
2016 AREVA
REFERENCE DOCUMENT