Inside a nuclear fuel production plant

09/12/2024 - Breaking News
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For the past 10 years, Orys Pierrelatte has been maintaining the facilities of Orano’s Melox plant in Gard, which specializes in producing MOX fuel, a material created from the recycling of plutonium and depleted uranium.

Circular economy principles apply even in the nuclear sector, as demonstrated by the Melox plant in Codolet. At this unique site in France, a team of about 40 Orys employees provides around-the-clock mechanical, electrical, and control maintenance for its equipment.

Even though Orys is renowned for its maintenance expertise, working on this type of site requires specific safety measures and skills. Before starting their work, technicians must don lead aprons, radiation-protection goggles, and two pairs of gloves.

Mandatory skill development

“Handling the components requires extreme precision, using glove boxes that shield operators from ionizing radiation. This requires a great deal of dexterity” explains Yann Destailleur, Deputy Branch Manager at Orys Pierrelatte. Obviously, it’s not enough to be a mechanic to be able to work in such an environment.“It takes about three years to be fully qualified to work in these conditions. A mentorship program allows staff to progress gradually from beginner to senior level. We invest heavily in skill development and retaining our workforce.”

To minimize intervention time and exposure, extensive preparation is conducted outside the controlled zone. This includes familiarization with tasks through 3D operational models or mock-up simulations. “Inside, the goal is to execute the task perfectly on the first attempt.” This challenge has been successfully met by Orys daily for a decade.

 

What is Mox?

Nuclear reactors use enriched uranium as fuel to produce energy. After use, the spent material is sent to the La Hague reprocessing plant to extract plutonium. This recovered element is then sent to the Melox plant in Codolet, where it is used to produce new fuel that is reinjected into nuclear reactors.

 

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