Yellow Tomorrow

Projects supported by

Orano is increasing the number of projects that meet the criteria of the France Recovery Plan initiated by the government to make the French industrial base even more competitive. 10 projects have already been selected for a total of €28 million in grants. Here is a look at five of them.

Step up the deployment of the plant of the future

Coordinated by Orano, this project brings together 11 industrial partners over a three-year period. Orano and its partners are pooling their expertise to develop and implement new technological solutions. Applicable to the nuclear sector and the whole of industry, these solutions aim to keep Orano’s industrial sites at the cutting edge of technology by improving performance, production, plant competitiveness and operator safety. They also contribute to the development and growth of partner start-ups and SMEs by promoting the breakthrough technological solutions developed by the project. Finally, they foster the development of new knowledge and innovative technological building blocks that contribute to strengthening the French industrial fabric as a whole.

A NEW CAMPUS FOR RECYCLING TRADES IN MELOX

This Trade School (École des Métiers) aims to accelerate the mastery and development of critical skills for a technological process that is unique in the world. It focuses on autonomous operation of a “glove box”, which requires a minimum of 6-9 months’ training. More than 250 employees and subcontractors will attend the school each year. Starting in late 2023, the campus will bring together physical and digital tools in a non-radioactive environment spanning more than 1,000 m2. 40 full-scale industrial models will be built in addition to the 30 or so already in service.

Focus on electric battery recycling

The REsolutION project is part of a circular economy initiative that aims to give a second life to recoverable materials from batteries. Working as a consortium, Orano and its partners have developed a process to purify and separately recover the materials (lithium, cobalt, nickel, graphite, etc.) contained in electric vehicle batteries for recycling into new battery components. Battery recycling is an important issue for the preservation of the environment as it reduces our impact on natural resources. It also contributes to French and European autonomy in the supply of strategic materials.

MAGNOLIA

Short-circuit magnet recycling and remanufacturing

The ultimate goal of this project is to re-establish an industrial base for the production of high-performance sintered magnets in France. For this project, Orano is part of a consortium of five complementary French operators that contribute key skills at each stage of the magnet recycling ecosystem, from sorting and collecting magnets, processing them, manufacturing new magnets, to integrating them into eco-designed electrical systems (engines, generators). The goal is to industrialize a future magnet production line for the European market.

TN®EAGLE

Design and manufacture of new packaging for transportation

The goal of the TN® Eagle project is to relocate to Cherbourg and insource within Orano the assembly of a new modular nuclear packaging concept for the transportation and dry storage of used fuel. Thanks to this modernization project, Orano NPS is strengthening its skills, securing its supply chain and modernizing and automating the manufacture of nuclear packaging. Another major advantage is protecting the intellectual property rights for an innovative concept in packaging and assembly plant design. TN® Eagle is aimed at a global market.