France’s Action / Peaceful uses of nuclear energy
For the nuclear energy of the future
French participation in the development of the nuclear systems of the future
Thanks to its high-performance and vibrant research, France is committed to developing the nuclear energy of the future. France considers international cooperation to be essential in coming up with a new generation of more competitive, safer and more proliferation-resistant reactors that generate less long-lived radioactive waste.
- It participates in the International Generation IV Forum and the IAEA’s International Project on Innovative Nuclear Reactors and Fuel Cycles (INPRO).
- In March 2013 in Paris, in collaboration with the IAEA, it hosted the International Conference on "Fast Reactors and Related Fuel Cycles : Safe Technologies and Sustainable Scenarios (FR13)"
- It is using high-tech experimental infrastructures used for the fuel cycle and reactors : LECA, LECI laboratories, Atalanta and the Jules Horowitz Reactor which is under construction.
- France is studying the construction of a Cigéo deep geological disposal centre for highly-radioactive waste.
- It is playing an active role in the IFNEC initiative (International Framework For Nuclear Energy Cooperation, formerly GNEP).
- The ITER reactor will be built on the European site in Cadarache, France.
- It is taking part in the Multinational Design Evaluation Programme (MDEP) which aims to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of the process to assess the safety of new reactor designs.
- It is developing the Small Modular Reactor NUWARD

Mur d’images de la Direction de l’énergie nucléaire. Simulation pour la conception de réacteurs à neutrons rapides de 4ème génération. Crédits : P.Stroppa/CEA