# Orano

Canonical page: https://technooptimist.io/companies/orano
French nuclear fuel cycle group, 90% owned by the French state, formed from the restructuring of Areva and renamed Orano in 2018. It mines, converts and enriches uranium and recycles spent fuel; it enriches at the Georges Besse II plant in Tricastin.

## In brief

- One of the two big Western enrichers; has supplied enriched uranium to US reactors from France for over 40 years.
- Project IKE: a ~$5 billion, 7.4 million SWU enrichment plant in Oak Ridge, Tennessee, targeting production in 2031.
- Also extending Georges Besse II in France by 30%. Revenue €5.87 billion in 2024.

## Facts

- Headquarters: FR
- Status: government
- Staff: ~17,500
- Website: https://www.orano.group
- Frontiers: [Energy](https://technooptimist.io/energy.md) (Nuclear fuel)

## Programs

- [Project IKE](https://technooptimist.io/energy/project-ike.md) (Energy): Proto; next: NRC licensing decision (Apr 2027). NRC accepted its licence application in May 2026 for a 12-month review; production targeted 2031.

## Technical approach

- **Centrifuges: ETC gas centrifuges**: Enriches uranium in ETC centrifuges (ETC is co-owned with Urenco), the same machines it runs at Georges Besse II in France.
- **Copy a working plant: IKE follows Georges Besse II**: The US plant's first design is about the size of Georges Besse II, roughly 750,000 sq ft, reusing a design that already runs.

## Open problems

- **Financing a $5 billion plant** (active research): DOE support covers up to $900M; the rest must come from Orano and long-term contracts with US utilities.

## Upcoming

- **Apr 2027**: NRC licensing decision on Project IKE (Project IKE)
- **1 Jan 2028**: US waivers for Russian enriched uranium end (Project IKE)
- **2031**: First LEU production (Project IKE)

## Latest updates

- **21 May 2026**: NRC accepts Orano's Project IKE application and aims to decide by April 2027. The NRC accepted Orano Enrichment USA's licence application for Project IKE and committed to an accelerated review, aiming to finish in April 2027. ([our story](https://technooptimist.io/stories/nrc-accepts-orano-s-project-ike-application-and-aims-to-decide-by-april-c3b3776e.md) · [original source](https://fissilematerials.org/blog/2026/05/nrc_accepted_oranos_licen.html))
- **27 Mar 2026**: Orano completes its NRC licence application for the Project IKE enrichment plant. Orano filed the technical part of its licence application for Project IKE, completing the package it began with an environmental report in January. ([our story](https://technooptimist.io/stories/orano-completes-its-nrc-licence-application-for-the-project-ike-00132412.md) · [original source](https://www.orano.group/usa/en/our-news/news-releases/2026/orano-finishes-scheduled-license-submission-for-project-ike-uranium-enrichment-facility-to-NRC))
- **5 Jan 2026**: DOE selects Orano for up to $900 million toward Project IKE, a $5 billion US enrichment plant. The US Department of Energy picked Orano for up to $900 million to build low-enriched uranium capacity on US soil, supporting its planned ~$5 billion Project IKE plant in Oak Ridge, Tennessee. ([our story](https://technooptimist.io/stories/doe-selects-orano-for-up-to-900-million-toward-project-ike-a-5-billion-b8fff48b.md) · [original source](https://www.orano.group/en/news/news-group/2026/january/orano-obtains-900-million-dollars-of-funding-from-the-us-department-of-energy-to-develop-new-uranium-enrichment-capacity-on-us-soil))

## Partners, customers and investors

- Urenco (partner): Co-owns Enrichment Technology Company (ETC), maker of the centrifuges both use.
- US Department of Energy (customer): January 2026: up to $900M LEU task order supporting Project IKE.
- North America's Building Trades Unions (partner): April 2026 agreement to staff construction of Project IKE (1,000+ workers).

## People

- Nicolas Maes, Chief Executive Officer
- Jean-Luc Palayer, CEO, Orano USA

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