In an industry like nuclear, this is always a special moment. On April 24, at the Naval Group site in Cherbourg, TechnicAtome teams diverted the Tourville nuclear reactor. A process which consists “to trigger a nuclear reaction in a completely controlled manner in the reactor core and thus produce energy”, specifies the company.
The Barracuda program renews the fleet of Rubis-type nuclear attack submarines. It includes the delivery of six Suffren-type submarines by 2030. Suffren entered into activity in June 2022 and the second, the Duguay-Trouin at the beginning of April. The pace should continue at the rate of a divergence every two years, TechnicAtome anticipates.
A full order book
The company specializes in the design, construction and operational maintenance of compact nuclear reactors. TechnicAtome employs more than 2,000 people in the naval propulsion, research and energy sectors.
In a context marked by the relaunch of nuclear power in France and a rearmament program, TechnicAtome continues its rise in power with a net profit of 81 million euros for a turnover of 551 million euros in 2023 compared to 497 in 2022. The company has a firm three-year order book: 1.8 billion euros. Most of its turnover is generated in the military sector (85%). Its positioning also explains the constitution of its capital around the APE (State Participation Agency), Naval Group, the CEA and EDF.
The return to favor of the nuclear industry
TechnicAtome is also developing in the civil nuclear sector. In association with EDF, Edvance (joint subsidiary of Framatome and CEA), Tractebel among others, the company is working within Nuward to develop an SMR, a small nuclear reactor. Around a hundred TechnicAtome engineers are associated with this project. “The most advanced are the Chinese”, observes Loïc Rocard.
With the return to favor of the nuclear industry in Europe and the United States, new projects are emerging, also notes the general director of TechnicAtome. “The French new nuclear start-ups (Newcleo, Naarea, Jimmy, etc.) are not “competitors” of Neward on a technical level, which is a reactor with long-proven technology (pressurized water reactors). They favor new technologies with a more distant timetable. »
