Framatome designs, develops and manufactures fuel assemblies for pressurised water reactors, boiling water reactors and research reactors. The company’s know- how spans the entire process: from the design of the fuel assembly, to the production of zirconium and its alloys – zirconium being vitally important for fuel production – on to fuel fabrication and related services, right through to operations on the nuclear power plants.
The company performs all relevant calculations from general fuel management up to dedicated licensing for the highest performance and safety. Over 226,000 Framatome fuel assemblies have been loaded in more than 100 reactors in operation around the world.
Framatome has substantial international experience working with nuclear safety authorities on all types of reactors currently in service around the world. The company also offers support for operators through relationships with their respective safety authority and in the application of existing regulations in their country of establishment.
In France, Framatome has expertise in the application of the Order relating to nuclear pressure equipment (Arrêté relatif aux Équipements Sous Pression Nucléaire – ESPN).
The company also provides its international customers with technical centres where numerous tests are carried out each year to qualify their equipment. It assists them in the preparation of qualification studies and associated documentation.
Framatome offers innovative solutions and services to maintain and modernise existing nuclear power plants, and extend the lifetime of existing installations, while guaranteeing the safety, performance and availability of operations. Framatome has over 60 years’ international experience of all types of technologies and maintenance of more than 300 reactors worldwide. Its teams have expertise and knowledge in maintenance, component replacement, inspections and checks, refuelling operations, and optimised management of reactor shutdowns for maintenance. More specifically, its activities cover the management of equipment and spare parts, modernisation of I&C, and chemistry and radiochemistry services.
Framatome’s participation in the construction of new-build nuclear reactor projects spans across design, through procurement and supply, and on to commissioning. With recognised expertise in the management of complex projects, its teams are tasked with delivering to the most stringent security standards and fulfil the requirements of its customers. In the case of new-build construction projects, the company proposes solutions for the nuclear island scope.
Framatome is actively involved with EDF in the construction, commissioning and maintenance of 5 EPR reactors worldwide: in France (Flamanville 3), in China (Taishan 1&2), and in the United Kingdom (Hinkley Point C, reactor 1 and 2).
In 2017, EDF and Framatome created Edvance, a joint engineering subsidiary for the construction of new nuclear power plants in France and in the world.
Following the discovery of stress corrosion affecting sections of the primary circuits on some EDF reactors, Framatome brought to bear all its engineering and maintenance resources to support the French nuclear fleet. A large number of calculations were performed to allow the ASN to take a view on the strategy suggested by EDF in July 2022. Repairs were also carried out by Framatome on the Bugey 4 and Chooz B1 reactors.
As part of its vertical integration strategy, in May 2022 Framatome acquired several subsidiaries of the EFINOR group, a leader in welding operations. These companies are active in nuclear energy and naval defence in France and the United Kingdom.
In July 2022, Framatome also enhanced its capacity to manage Stress-Relieving Heat Treatments (SRHT) through its acquisition of CETh, now a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Group. This has reinforced its expertise in all processes relating to welding.
Framatome has extended its offering in the field of cybersecurity by taking out a majority stake in Cyberwatch, a French information security software developer.
As part of the deployment of the business of its Framatome Healthcare™ brand, Framatome has strengthened its partnership with Bruce Power and Isotope Technologies Munich (ITM) through the joint venture ISOGEN (1). In the second half of 2022, ISOGEN announced the start of commercial production of lutetium-177, a medical isotope used in cancer treatment. Also in 2022, Framatome took out a stake in Global Morpho Pharma to support the development of nuclear medicine and its commitment to the fight against cancer.
Framatome Défense™ has renewed the MoUs entered into with Technicatome since 2017, reaffirming the two companies’ commitment to continuing their partnership for operation of their industrial activities relating to national defence.
To ensure the long-term future and development of key skills for successful nuclear defence programmes, CEA, Framatome and Naval Group signed a framework agreement on 23 February. This covers studies and experiments on the materials used for nuclear propulsion.
Framatome has made a major contribution to the France Relance programme. Several of its innovative projects were winners during 2022.
The two basic nuclear facilities (BNF) on the Framatome site in Romans (BNF 63 and BNF 98) were combined by Decree No. 20211782 of 23 December 2021. The facility grouping these two basic nuclear facilities is called BNF 63-U: Nuclear fuel manufacturing plant.
As in 2021, no major safety or radiation protection event was recorded at Framatome’s Romans-sur-Isère site. In 2022, Framatome’s site declared 16 significant safety events (SSE) classified at INES 0, 4 SSE at INES 1 and none at INES 2. On 21 September 2022, a fire broke out in a workshop in Romans containing uranium. There were no consequences for the workers, the public, or the environment.
The 2022 detailed results on nuclear safety are published in the annual report drawn up by the General Inspector for Nuclear Safety and in the TSN report of the Framatome site of Romans-sur-Isère (3).
Dedicated assets have been constituted to cover long-term nuclear commitments (see in section 6.1 note 17.1 “Other provisions for decommissioning” in the appendices to the consolidated financial statements for the year ended 31 December 2022).
Thermal generation assets have a number of advantages: they are very responsive and flexible (quick to start up and power can be modulated), and they have relatively low investment costs and short construction times.
Thermal generation assets are one of the key components of the energy mix to ensure the balance of generation and consumption in real time by accommodating fluctuations in electricity consumption and renewable energy generation (sun and wind power in particular) and thereby contributing to maintaining suitable voltage and frequency levels across the grid. This role will increase with the massive inclusion of intermittent generation resources in French and EU electricity systems.
(1) Set up in partnership with KINETRICS.
(2) The objective of Framatome is to detect, report and treat in the best possible manner all deviations and anomalies occurring in connection with its activities. The purpose of this indicator is to enhance the sharing of experience, broaden analysis and the importance given to weak signals. Events declared at level 0 on the INES scale are safety deviations, considered as “weak signals”. It is essential to take them into account as part of a continuous improvement process for a better management of risk prevention in the conduct of activities. In order to facilitate the reporting on “weak signals” and the sharing of experience, Framatome detects and records any deviation. The analysis of the latter, by the Filière Indépendante de Sûreté (independent safety reviewer), assesses the level of reporting to the safety authority.
(3) Available on the www.framatome.com website.
