ASN Report 2018

∙ ∙ the Orders of the Prefect authorising water intake and discharges of liquid and gaseous effluents: pre-dating November 2006, they contain binding requirements concerning the procedures and discharge limits specific to a nuclear site. In order to apply the new regulatory architecture to all the French NPP reactors, revision of the orders has led to them being repealed, with the adoption of ASN resolutions. For each site, ASN sets the limit values for emissions, water intake and discharge of effluents on the basis of the best available technologies in technically and economically acceptable conditions, taking into consideration the characteristics of the installation, its location and the local environmental conditions. ASN also sets the rules concerning the control of detrimental effects and the impact on health and the environment of the pressurised water reactor NPPs. These binding requirements are notably applicable to the management and monitoring of water intake and effluent discharge, to environmental monitoring and to information of the public and the authorities (see point 4.1 of chapter 3). In order to set these requirements, ASN bases its work on operating experience feedback from all the reactors, while taking account of operational changes (change in conditioning of systems, anti-scaling treatment, biocidal treatment, etc.) and changes to the general regulations. Finally, every year, the NPP licensees send ASN an annual environmental report which notably contains a summary of the intakes from and discharges into the environment, any impacts they may have, the significant events which have occurred and the future outlook. • The impact on thermal discharges from the NPPs NPPs discharge hot effluents into rivers or the sea, either directly, from those NPPs operating with direct or “once- through” cooling, or after cooling of these effluents in cooling towers, enabling some of the heat to be dissipated to the atmosphere. Thermal discharges from NPPs lead to a temperature rise between the points upstream and downstream of the discharge which, depending on the reactors, can range from a few tenths of a degree to several degrees. These thermal discharges are regulated by ASN resolutions. Since 2006, provisions have been incorporated into these resolutions in order to define in advance the operating modes of NPPs in exceptional climatic conditions that would lead to significant warming of the watercourse. These special provisions are however only applicable if the security of the electricity grid is at stake. • Oversight of waste management The management of the conventional and radioactive waste produced by the NPPs falls within the general framework of BNI waste management. The legal framework for the management of waste applicable to French NPPs comprises legislative and regulatory texts of general scope, notably the Environment Code, the Order of 7 February 2012 and ASN resolution 2015-DC-0508 of 21 April 2015 concerning the study of waste management and the inventory of waste produced in BNIs. In compliance with the Environment Code, EDF carries out waste sorting at source, differentiating in particular between waste from nuclear zones and other waste. For all the waste, ASN examines the study produced by the licensee regarding waste management. This document is specific to each facility, as required by the regulations (see “Regulation” section on asn.fr ). This document more specifically presents a description of the operations which are the cause of production of the waste, the characteristics of the waste produced or to be produced, an estimation of the waste traffic volumes and a waste zoning plan. Improved confinement of liquid dangerous substances in NPPs Further to an ASN request in 2013, EDF initiated a review of its ability to ensure reliable and lasting prevention of accidental flows into the environment of dangerous substances and effluents liable to result from fire-fighting. If not collected upstream, these flows are liable to spill into the site’s wastewater and rainwater drainage network and into the environment. This review led to the implementation of a national programme, some parts of which are still being deployed. A first part consists in developing technical solutions to collect any pollution not retained upstream of the wastewater network. The preferred solution is to build retention tanks to collect the polluted waters and avoid their spilling into the environment. When this solution cannot be envisaged on a site, for example owing to a lack of space, other systems are used. This involves plugs or valves which confine the pollution directly in the wastewater system and prevent it from being drained away. Work was also carried out on the operation and maintenance of the equipment used in the collection of spills, notably retention areas. After examining operating experience feedback, EDF defines a set of operational management rules for its sites designed to prevent pollution. Finally, EDF is improving its personnel training to make them aware of the pollution risk and the corresponding prevention measures. More particularly during the course of inspections, ASN carries out spot-checks on the effective implementation of  this national improvement programme and issues requests for the necessary corrective measures as applicable. ASN report on the state of nuclear safety and radiation protection in France in 2018  297 10 – EDF NUCLEAR POWER PLANTS 10