TechnicAtome

2020 was the year of Covid-19, an unprecedented pandemic in terms of its global economic and social consequences, the extent of which are still far from being fully known. For TechnicAtome, 2020 was also a year of major events that have enabled us to consolidate our role as a key player in naval propulsion, specialising in compact nuclear reactors, at the crossroads of the civil and military nuclear sectors.

La propulsion nucléaire navale a été plus que jamais à l’honneur en 2020 :

The Suffren 1^rst the first nuclear attack submarine (SNA) of the Barracuda generation, made its first sea trip in April, followed by a test campaign confirming the perfect operation of the nuclear steam supply system developed by TechnicAtome, culminating in the ship's reception on 6 November, in the presence of the Minister of the Armed Forces.

On 8 December, the French President announced the country's decision to acquire a second nuclear-powered aircraft carrier. It will be equipped with a new type of nuclear steam supply system, called K22, based on the proven concept of previous compact nuclear steam supply systems but presenting new technical challenges for our engineers.

2020 was a year marked by operational results in line with expectations, including the start of power operation of the test reactor and the installation of the Jules Horowitz Reactor pile block at Cadarache.

Le chiffre d’affaires de TechnicAtome a été en recul en 2020 compte tenu des circonstances mais notre situation financière s’est encore consolidée, avec des ratios financiers de haut niveau, supérieurs même aux années précédentes. Le carnet de commandes continue de se renforcer et les recrutements se sont activement poursuivis, l’entreprise franchissant le cap des 1 700 salariés.

Au plan sanitaire, nous avons adopté une attitude pragmatique, visant à protéger sans faille nos salariés tout en maintenant aussi proche de l’optimum que possible l’activité opérationnelle. La période d’interruption a été limitée au minimum souhaité par les clients, le télétravail à grande échelle a permis à notre ingénierie de projets de largement poursuivre ses missions, enfin le choix de garder les sites ouverts toute l’année, dans le respect strict d’exigeantes mesures barrières, a permis de garder un taux d’interaction assez élevé entre nos salariés, gage du bien-être au travail et de l’efficacité collective.

2021 looks set to be a year in which we will consolidate achievements, despite an epidemiological situation that has not yet stabilised. Continuing the development of the Barracuda SNA series, starting studies for the future aircraft carrier, beginning the implementation phase of the third-generation Device-Launching Nuclear Submarine (SNLE) programme and moving on to the detailed design of the Nuward modular civil reactor project, besides numerous other projects, are the tasks that will keep our growing workforce resolutely busy.

With our unique expertise in nuclear propulsion, our operational results and our ongoing projects, we are fully confident, committed and ready to meet all these challenges.