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General presentation

Concentrated uranium, or yellow cake

The Front End Business Group combines operations related to uranium conversion and enrichment as well as the design and fabrication of nuclear fuel. AREVA is a world leader in the front end of the nuclear fuel cycle and has major industrial plants, primarily in Europe (France, Germany and Belgium), North America (United States) and Japan, with two joint venture companies with its local partners.

Three complementary activities

AREVA operates in every stage of the nuclear fuel supply chain. This gives us a significant competitive edge by enabling us to offer innovative solutions tailored to each customer’s requirements.

Chemistry

  • Our business: the main focus of our chemistry business is to convert natural uranium coming from the mines into uranium hexafluoride (UF6) suitable for enrichment. Another mission is the stabilization of depleted uranium hexafluoride.
  • Key data: With 12,000 metric tons of UF6 produced in 2009, AREVA is a major global player in uranium conversion services.

Enrichment

  • Our business: isotopic conversion of natural uranium to increase its percentage of uranium-235 to make fuel that can be used in nuclear reactors. Two enrichment processes are in use worldwide: centrifugation and gaseous diffusion. AREVA now has expertise in both of these techniques and is transitioning towards the more efficient centrifugation technology.
  • Key data: AREVA is a global leader in the enrichment business, with about 22% of the world's available capacity in 2009.

Fuel

  • Our business: the design, fabrication and sale of nuclear fuel assemblies for pressurized water reactors (PWR), boiling water reactors (BWR) and research reactors.
  • Key data: AREVA is a leading market player. As of the end of 2009, 131 of the world’s 306 operating PWRs and BWRs routinely used AREVA fuel. The group’s market share is approximately 35%.