EDF, Orano, and Framatome: A record year for french nuclear
EDF Reports Outstanding Financial Results for 2024, Driven by Strong Growth in Nuclear and Hydropower Generation. In parallel, Orano and Framatome also posted solid results, confirming the positive momentum of the nuclear sectoras the EPR2 programme prepares for launch.
EDF: Strong Increase in Nuclear Generation
EDF recorded a net profit of €11.4 billion in 2024, a record level largely supported by the growth in electricity generation, particularly from nuclear power.
“We have achieved excellent operational and commercial performance, enabling the group to deliver solid financial results,” said Luc Rémont, Chairman and CEO of EDF.
EDF’s total electricity production reached 520 terawatt-hours (TWh), up 11% compared to 2023, with 361.7 TWh from its nuclear fleet. This recovery follows the challenges of 2022, marked by reactor shutdowns and corrosion issues. 2024 also set a record for electricity exports to neighbouring countries, reaching 89 TWh.
“We have the electricity available; our biggest challenge is how to use it,” Luc Rémont emphasised, stressing the need to develop new applications and attract new consumers, as the electrification of end-uses remains a key yet slow-moving priority.
Orano: Exceptional Performance Driven by Export Contracts
Orano posted outstanding results in 2024, driven in particular by export contracts in the back end of the fuel cycle. The group’s revenue surged by 23% to reach €5.87 billion, while EBITDA also saw a sharp rise, reaching €2.07 billion.
Orano CEO Nicolas Maes praised this strong performance but also acknowledged the challenges faced: “2024 will be remembered as an exceptional year in terms of financial results, marked in particular by export contracts in the back end of the cycle. However, it was also a challenging year in human and operational terms, with the loss of control over our entities in Niger.”
Orano continues to invest in the future, with new mining projects, particularly in Mongolia, developments in medical nuclear applications, and the modernisation of its spent fuel treatment and recycling facilities.
Framatome: Industrial Success and New Contracts
Framatome, a leading provider of equipment and services for the nuclear industry, saw its revenue grow by 11.8% in 2024, reaching €4.67 billion, while EBITDA rose by 4.6% to €623 million.
“New orders reached €21.23 billion in 2024, a year marked by the signing of contracts for the first six EPR2 reactors in France and two units at Sizewell C in the UK,” the company announced.
Framatome’s fuel assembly manufacturing business saw significant expansion, securing new contracts in Bulgaria, Slovakia, and North America.
The company is also investing further to strengthen its industrial capabilities in France, notably by increasing the production of components and nuclear fuel at its Romans-sur-Isère site.■