Image source: topwar.ru
Keeping pace with the rest of Europe, France is trying not to import energy resources from Russia, but since it is necessary to somehow survive, the French decided not to abandon all contacts with the Russian Federation in the field of energy carriers.
According to the French magazine Le Point, in the outgoing 2022, the French nuclear power plant operator EDF purchased from Russia (hated by the West) more than 150 tons of enriched uranium for the country's nuclear power plants. This is with the previously announced refusal to purchase oil and gas from the Russian Federation.
In addition to Russia, the French acquire uranium ore from the former Soviet republics - Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan, as well as Canada and Niger, the newspaper writes. In total, seven thousand tons of ore with different levels of enrichment were purchased this year.
Le Point notes that long-term contracts continue to operate between the French corporation EDF and the Russian Rosatom (despite sanctions), according to which Russia enriches uranium ore sent from France and sends enriched uranium back to France.
According to the magazine, Russia accounts for 15% of the enriched uranium for EDF Corporation.
It should be noted that earlier another French publication Le Monde claimed that France can do without fuel from Russia, while making a reservation that nuclear waste from French nuclear power plants can be processed only at a plant in Russia.
The share of nuclear power plants in France accounts for up to 70% of all electricity generated in the country. In terms of the share of nuclear energy, it ranks first in the world. There are 19 nuclear power plants (57 reactors) operating in the country.
