Weekly report : from 05th to 11th April, 2001

Press release

April 12, 2001

UP2 Plant :
The UP2 800 plant has been stopped except for the R7 vitrification facility.
Reminder : on the 24th February during a rincing operation, a leak was detected on the chute linking the shearing machine and the dissolver.
The repairing operation completed between the 05th and the 11th permitted the restarting of the R1 facility.

A total of 69 metric tons of uranium have been processed to date this year.
At the R7 vitrification facility, line B is on stand-by, lines A and C are in service.
A total of 110 canisters of glass have been produced to date this year.

UP3 Plant :
The head end plant is currently undergoing a scheduled shutdown. Maintenance operations are being carried out in accordance with the scheduled programme.
At the T7 vitrification facility, line B is in service, lines A and C are on stand-by.
A total of 81 canisters of glass have been produced to date this year.

Work in the Moulinets Cove :
The preparatory work(1) for the dismantling of the former pipe has been successfully completed during the last tides with a high coefficient, with difficult weather conditions.
The work realized in the neighbourhood of the block P, consisted in clearing the area, putting down a portion of the protecting pipe sleeves and heavy weight's drilling  the two pipes.
The next operations will consist in dissociating the point P in June and evacuating it during Summer.

(1) This work involves a survey of the pipe s route and determination of the state of the remaining part of the former pipe.