French utility Electricite de France SA (EDF.FR) Monday said arrangements under which some fuel material from its nuclear plants ends up in Russia conform to International rules and that the material isn't waste.
Earlier Monday, Liberation newspaper reported that 13% of the radioactive waste produced by EDF in France can be found in open-air storage in a Siberian town to which access is forbidden.
"No nuclear waste from EDF is transported to Russia," EDF said in an emailed note, adding: "It's only recyclable uranium, coming from the processing of fuels from EDF's nuclear plants, that is transported to Russia to be enriched."
"In order to be used in EDF's reactors, this uranium, like natural uranium, is enriched in different countries like Russia and the Netherlands, in the context of commercial contracts [that are] perfectly in conformity with international obligations and agreed to by the European supply agency Euratom," EDF said.
Nuclear waste that results from the processing of fuel from EDF's reactors remains in France, EDF said.