From February 6, 2003 through February 12, 2003

Press release

February 13, 2003

Treatment activity :
During this period, 11 tons of spent fuel assemblies from german power plants have been processed on the site. Three of the six lines of vitrification of fission products(1) were in service. Since the beginning of the year, 35 canisters have been produced. It should be noted that the facility of hulls compaction (ACC) produced 16 canisters of compacted residues(2)

Shipment activity :
A shipment of spent fuel assemblies from Germany is expected at the Valognes railway terminal from February 20th.
Old pipe disassembling works, located between the fence of the site and the foot of cliff, are in progress in accordance with the program, with in particular the installation of equipments for the demolition and the evacuation of the concrete covering the pipe.
The results of measures performed in accordance with the specific programme of monitoring of the environment of the site are all lower than 1 Bq/g.

(1)The fission products (ultimate residues of spent fuel) are incorporated in heated glass to approximately 1100°C. The whole is poured in stainless steel containers. The fission products are an integral part of stable, compact and resistant glass. This process is called vitrification.
(2)It is about the metal envelope of the spent fuel assemblies as well as metal waste resulting from maintenance operations of the installations.