AREVA is joining the World Association of Nuclear Operators (WANO), as a Category 1 Member. The group qualifies for WANO membership due to its operation of La Hague nuclear fuel recycling facility in France. WANO's Governing Board, gathered at the organization's regional Paris Centre, has approved AREVA's membership in the presence of Luc Oursel, AREVA CEO, who signed WANO's charter.

"Safety has always been AREVA's top priority. It is therefore natural for the group, as a nuclear site operator, to be part of WANO. We are committed to guaranteeing the optimum safety of our own industrial facilities and to contributing to the highest level of nuclear safety performance worldwide," said Luc Oursel.

"After Fukushima, it became clear that WANO is to become a major cornerstone for strengthening safety and that AREVA should become part of the association. We are ready to share our expertise in safety with the other members, and we look forward to benefiting from regular peer reviews by WANO experts and from WANO members' decades of operating experience", continued Mr. Oursel.

Laurent Stricker, WANO Chairman, added, "We are extremely pleased to welcome AREVA to WANO. WANO is expanding the scope of its programs and deepening its technical reviews as the association implements the strong action plan set up right after the Fukushima accident. We are confident that AREVA will make an important contribution in multiple areas thanks to its broad nuclear expertise."

WANO is an industry association fully and exclusively dedicated to nuclear safety. It was formed in May 1989, following the Chernobyl accident.

WANO's mission is to maximize the safety and reliability of nuclear power worldwide and to achieve the highest possible standards of nuclear safety.

It brings together all the world's nuclear power plant operators as well as some nuclear fuel recycling facility operators.

The members work jointly to assess, benchmark and improve the safety performance through peer reviews, mutual support, exchange of information and emulation of best practices.