Weekly report : from March 27 through April 2, 2003

Press release

April 03, 2003

Treatment activity :
During this period, 25 tons of spent fuel assemblies from french and german power plants have been processed on the site. From all treated assemblies, a total of 220 tons have been processed to date this year. This week 17 canisters of fission products(1) have been produced. Since the beginning of the year, 136 canisters have been produced.
Since the beginning of the year, the facility of hulls compaction (ACC) produced 111 canisters of compacted residues(2)

Shipment activity :
A shipment of spent fuel assemblies from Germany arrived at the Valognes railway terminal the March 27th, at 13:21 pm.

(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.