Orano to Meet Ukraine’s Enrichment Needs Until 2040

Orano and Energoatom, Ukraine’s national nuclear operator, signed a contract on March 6, 2025, for the supply of uranium enrichment services to fuel Ukrainian nuclear power plants until 2040.

Earlier, in June 2024, France and Ukraine strengthened their ties by signing a cooperation agreement on civil nuclear technologies. France’s support for the Eastern European country continues with Orano now securing a major long-term commercial contract with Energoatom. The agreement ensures a diversified supply of fuel enrichment services for Ukrainian nuclear power plants until 2040.
“We are proud to support Energoatom in its development to strengthen Ukraine’s energy independence. This agreement reflects our commitment to assisting our client and contributing to European energy security,” said Nicolas Maes, CEO of Orano.

Growing International Demand

Amid increasing global demand, Orano began expanding its Georges Besse 2 uranium enrichment plant in October 2024. The project aims to boost enrichment capacity by 30%, increasing output from 7.5 to 10 million SWU by 2030. The European Investment Bank (EIB) has also granted Orano a €400M loan to support these expansion efforts.

Ukraine, which no longer uses Russian uranium, operates 15 reactors, including six at the Zaporizhzhia plant, which has been under Russian military control since early March 2022.
“Energoatom continues to enhance Ukraine’s energy security. Uranium enrichment is a key step in nuclear fuel production, and today’s agreement enables our country to plan for a stable and prosperous future based on the operation of our nuclear power plants,” said Petro Kotin, acting CEO of Energoatom.

Additionally, Ukraine’s demand for enrichment services is set to rise as the country has launched a new reactor construction program with U.S. support. The extent of American assistance remains to be seen, especially as Ukraine and the U.S. are currently negotiating U.S. access to Ukraine’s rare earth resources [1].■