Nuclear France: materials and sites

By Mary Byrd Davis

 
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ILE DE FRANCE-GRANDE COURONNE

CENTRE DE SACLAY

Purpose: basic and applied research

Installations: reactors, laboratories, facilities for waste

Type: officially civilian center, with some military aspects

Location: area of about 200 ha at Saint-Aubin, Saclay, Villiers-le-Bacle (Essonne) on the Saclay plateau about twenty km southwest of Paris. The center is composed of two areas: the center proper and the annex l’Orme des Merisiers

Operator: Commissariat à l’énergie atomique

Period operation of: since 1952

Substances manipulated: uranium, plutonium, tritium, etc.

Saclay conducts basic research in chemistry, physics, biology, and metallurgy. On the side of applied research, the center studies reactor fuels and participates in the development of isotope separation technologies and of various types of reactors. It played an important role in the development of submarine propulsion; and the registered office of Technicatome is still located at Saclay. In addition, it has produced and sold radioelements. We note the main installations relating to the fuel chain and waste storage.

I. Pilots and laboratories

II. Reactors and critical assemblies in operation

III. Reactors and critical assemblies permanently shut down

IV. Accelerators

V. Treatment and storage of waste

VI. Releases

 

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