Orano has awarded a consortium, consisting of two VINCI Construction subsidiaries, a civil engineering and structural work package for the Georges Besse II plant extension in France.
The consortium is made up of Dodin Campenon Bernard and Campenon Bernard Centre-Est.
The plant is situated at the Tricastin nuclear site and has been operational since 2011.
Achieving full production capacity in 2016, the plant currently produces 7.5 million Separative Work Units (SWU) annually.
Using centrifugation technology, the facility is claimed to be noted for its safety, cost-effectiveness, energy efficiency, technical reliability, and minimal environmental impact.
Georges Besse II enrichment plants replaced the former Eurodif Production plant, which ceased operations in June 2012.
The latest contract, valued at tens of millions of euros, will see the construction of two additional units joining the three existing units constructed by VINCI Construction about ten years ago.
The project is set to commence in the summer of 2024 and is expected to last 32 months.
The civil engineering phase alone, spanning 25 months, will involve the use of 35,000m3 of concrete, 4,500t of steel reinforcements, and 500 seismic isolators.
It is expected to provide employment opportunities to more than 170 workers during the height of the construction phase.
Once completed, the expansion will enable the facility to boost its annual enriched uranium production capacity by nearly 30%, thereby fulfilling the increasing demands of its clients.
This development follows the Orano Board of Directors' approval of the investment for the plant's production capacity extension in October last year.
Last month, SNCF Réseau awarded the fourth work package of its industrial regeneration contract to Vinci Construction’s subsidiary ETF.
