7. Conclusion

The uranium-based nuclear fuel industry has reached a high level of maturity. More than a thousand tonnes of UO ₂ fuel for pressurized water reactors are manufactured every year in France to a very high quality standard. The in-reactor behavior of current fuels is highly satisfactory, and performance has been significantly improved while retaining substantial margins with regard to safety criteria.

Notwithstanding the level of excellence already achieved, research and development are continuing in France and around the world to further improve the performance, reliability, safety and competitiveness of nuclear fuels.

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