Fuel rods used to power nuclear reactors are examined at France's Melox mox fuel fabrication plant.

(Source: AREVA/COGEMA)

An installation for manufacturing fuel elements or other reactor components containing nuclear material. The associated conversion, storage and analytical sections are usually included as parts of the fabrication plant. For safeguards purposes, fuel fabrication plants are further categorized according to the nuclear material handled: natural uranium, depleted uranium, low enriched uranium (LEU), high enriched uranium (HEU), thorium, mixed plutonium-uranium oxide (MOX) and plutonium.