Areva: production at full steam at Niger plant after attack

French nuclear entity Areva, in which Kuwait holds a minority stake, said in a statement Wednesday that uranium production at its SOMAIR plant in northern Niger has fully resumed after refurbishments following a May 23 terrorist attack against the plant. In December 2010, the Kuwaiti Investment Authority (KIA) took a 4.8 percent stake in Areva, worth USD 794.6 million (Euros 600 million), after French authorities sought outside investors to boost the company's capital. Areva is state-controlled and the French government at that time also contributed Euros 300 million to the capital increase operation. Mines in Niger are a crucial source for uranium concentrate for Areva but output was disrupted when the plant near Arlit was attacked and briefly occupied by a group of armed men claiming to be Islamist radicals. Uranium ore extraction and two processing lines are now back in service, the French company said Wednesday. "The SOMAIR and AREVA teams mobilized magnificently to repair the damage caused by the unspeakable act, which cost the life of one of our co-workers," said Olivier Wantz, an Areva Board member and a Senior Executive Vice-President for Mining. "The SOMAIR site (near Arlit) is completely operational today, two months ahead of the provisional timetable," the Vice-President added