Orano to supply services to three French plants

22 October 2019

French utility EDF has awarded a contract worth almost EUR100 million (USD111 million) to Orano to provide services to its Paluel, Civaux and Gravelines nuclear power plants. The contract runs until 2024, with an option for two additional years.

The six-unit Gravelines plant in northern France (Image: EDF)

Under the contract, Orano will work in partnership with ARIS and Samsic to provide industrial logistics to support operation of reactors at the Paluel and Civaux sites. Services will include radiation protection, waste management and conditioning, and equipment management.

At the Gravelines site, Orano will work with ARIS to install and remove thermal insulators and scaffolding at four of the site's six units, during maintenance and refuelling outages.

ARIS provides facilities management services, while Samsic delivers cleaning, logistics, security, reception, recruitment, training and temporary employment solutions.

Orano said that, during peak times, the contract will require up to 350 employees from its Orano DS subsidiary to be on the three sites. Orano DS specialises in providing services to operational nuclear plants and those being decommissioned.

Paluel comprises four 1300 MWe pressurised water reactors (PWRs) which entered commercial operation in 1985 and 1986. Two 1495 MWe PWRs entered commercial operation at Civaux in 1999 and 2000, while six 900 MWe PWRs at the Gravelines plant were commissioned between 1980 and 1984.

"This contract is a reflection of our ambition to grow our services offering for the nuclear industry," said Alain Vandercruyssen, director of Orano Group's dismantling and services activities. "The trust placed in us by EDF, the world's leading nuclear operator, is a mark of recognition of the daily expertise demonstrated by our teams in the nuclear sector, whether in terms of site logistics or maintenance of sensitive equipment."

Researched and written by World Nuclear News