OREANDA-NEWS France is not going to abandon the contract with Russia for the processing of regenerated uranium, as it will be more profitable for Russia, said the Minister of Energy Transition Agnes Panier-Runache on the BFM Business TV channel.

"This one will bring too much benefit to Russia compared to what the treaty brings them now, so we will not serve Russia," she said.

Ways to reduce dependence on Russian nuclear energy will be discussed at today's meeting in France of representatives of the nuclear industry of 16 European countries. It will focus on building "European value chains of sustainability and independence" of the energy sector, as well as possible ways to strengthen Europe's independence from Russia, especially in terms of nuclear fuel.

Regenerated uranium is obtained in France during the processing of spent nuclear fuel from local nuclear power plants, and then sent to Russia, where additional enrichment of uranium-235 takes place at the production facilities of Rosatom. From such enriched regenerated uranium, France then produces nuclear fuel again.

In 2018, Techsnabexport (part of Rosatom) and the French Electricite de France signed a contract for the processing of regenerated uranium. Last year, EDF purchased 153 tons of such enriched uranium from Russia, meaning Russia accounts for 15 percent of the French company's activities in this area.