Orano has begun construction on the Georges Besse 2 uranium enrichment plant extension at the Tricastin site in France, with a foundation stone ceremony. The project, which involves a €1.7bn investment, aims to increase production capacity by over 30% or 2.5 m Separative Work Units (SWUs), adding four new modules to the existing fourteen. Operations are expected to start in 2028 and full commissioning is scheduled by 2030. The Georges Besse 2 plant started up in 2011 and reached its full production capacity of 7.5 million SWUs in 2016.