ASN Report 2018

AUVERGNE-RHÔNE-ALPES REGIONAL OVERVIEWOF NUCLEAR SAFETY AND RADIATION PROTECTION Romans‑sur‑Isère site Framatome operates two basic nuclear installations on its Romans‑sur‑Isère site in the Drôme département , namely the research reactor fuel fabrication unit (BNI 63) and the pressurised water reactor nuclear fuel fabrication Unit (BNI 98), and an Installation Classified for Protection of the Environment (ICPE) called the «cavities» facility which manufactures specific components such as the «cavities» or «LHC collimators» for CERN. Framatome nuclear fuel fabrication plants The fabrication of fuel for electricity generating reactors involves the transformation of UF 6 into uranium oxide powder. The pellets fabricated f rom this powder in Framatome’s Romans‑sur‑Isère plant, called «FBFC» (BNI 98), are placed in zirconium metal clads to constitute the fuel rods, then brought together to form assemblies for use in the NPP reactors. In the case of experimental reactors, the fuels used are more varied, with some of themusing, for example, highly-enriched uranium inmetal form. These fuels are also fabricated in the Romans‑sur‑Isère plant, formerly called «Cerca» (BNI 63). Framatome maintained its efforts with regard to rigour of operation in 2018, and implemented an ambitious works programme within its two facilities. The site continued to increase its personnel numbers in the following areas in 2018: safety, project management, regulatory inspections and service provider monitoring. During 2018, ASN checked the fulfilment of the commitments made following the periodic safety reviews of the two BNIs (BNIs 98 and 63), which involved additional safety studies or work to reinforce the buildings (fire-risk management, anti- seismic reinforcements, improved containment). The improvement in safety management and operating rigour is confirmed. These improvements must nevertheless continue, notably through the systematic checking of activities. In effect, 4 events linked to prevention of the criticality risk were reported in 2018 and rated level 1 on the INES scale, and 3 of them gave rise to reactive inspections by ASN. With regard to radiation protection, the situation has improved but further progress can be made in certain areas. The dosimetric risks nevertheless remainmoderate in these facilities which do not use reprocessed uranium. With regard to environmental protection, the site must further improve its control of the waste management routes, particularly with regard to the distinction between radioactive waste and conventional waste. In view of the site’s significant improvements in safety management, organisation and operating rigour, ASN decided in May 2018 to lift the tightened monitoring constraint which had been placed on the site in 2014. The other industrial and research facilities  High Flux Reactor of the Laue‑Langevin Institute The Laue Langevin Institute (ILL) international research organisation accommodates a 58 MWth heavy-water High-Flux neutron Reactor (HFR) which produces high- intensity thermal neutron beams for fundamental research, particularly in the areas of solid-state physics, neutron physics and molecular biology. The HFR, which constitutes BNI 67, accommodates the European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL), an international research laboratory, within its perimeter. Employing some 500 persons, this BNI occupies a surface area of 12 ha situated between the rivers Isère and Drac, just upstream of their confluence, near the CEA centre of Grenoble. ASN considers the HFR safety management to be fairly satisfactory but it has observed deviations in the operating organization during inspections, which have led it to demand improvement measures in certain areas. The works to set up «hardened safety core» safeguard systems to integrate the lessons learned from the Fukushima NPP accident were completed in the first half of 2018, which is positive. The setting up of an Integrated Management System (IMS) for quality and safety that meets the requirements of the Order of 7 February 2012 continued in 2018. This system aims to improve the licensee’s control of the activities and the state of the facilities. ASN report on the state of nuclear safety and radiation protection in France in 2018  35