ASN Report 2018

CENTRE-VAL DE LOIRE REGIONAL OVERVIEWOF NUCLEAR SAFETY AND RADIATION PROTECTION level 1 on the INES scale due to late detection of a reactor control rod cluster position which was outside the limits set by the installation’s safety baseline requirements. ASN nevertheless observed a distinct improvement in the general state of the installations and the detection of anomalies in 2018. It is nonetheless necessary to ensure that these changes in culture are integrated by all the departments and maintained over the long term. Consequently, ASN has decided to maintain the site under tightened surveillance. This situation is likely to change during 2019 depending on the robustness and durability of the actions put in place by the licensee to improve its operating management results. ASN shall specially monitor the improvement plan implemented by the licensee on this subject in 2019. In the area of radiation protection, ASN underlines the significant efforts made by the site, even though control of the risk of contamination dispersion during reactor outage periods can be improved. The environmental performance of the Belleville‑sur‑Loire NPP is comparable with the national average and can be further improved. ASN does however wish to underline the fact that significant improvement work was carried out in 2018, such as the reconditioning of several facilities which could have presented risks for the environment (including the demineralisation station). Dampierre-en-Burly nuclear power plant The Dampierre‑en‑Burly NPP is situated on the right bank of the Loire river, in the Loiret département , about 10 km downstream of the town of Gien and 45 km upstream of Orléans. It comprises four 900 MWe nuclear reactors which were commissioned in 1980 and 1981. Reactors 1 and 2 constitute BNI 84, and reactors 3 and 4 BNI 85. The site accommodates one of the regional bases of the FARN (Nuclear Rapid Intervention Force), the special emergency response force created by EDF in 2011 following the Fukushima NPP accident. Its role is to intervene in pre- accident or accident situations, on any nuclear power plant in France, by providing additional human resources and emergency equipment. ASN considers that the nuclear safety performance of the Dampierre-en-Burly NPP is on the whole in line with the general assessment of the EDF plants. This being said, its environmental and radiation protection performance are below the national average. With regard to safety, the results are satisfactory, with a good level of involvement of the independent safety organisation. However, several significant events resulting from a lack of rigour in the management, operation and monitoring of the installations reveal shortcomings in the implementation of practices to enhance worker reliability. This has led the licensee to implement ad hoc corrective actions which ASN will monitor with particular attention in 2019. With regard to the maintenance of the installations, ASN considers that improvements can be made in service provider monitoring, spare parts management and the maintenance activities. An increase in the number of maintenance non-qualities on equipment important to safety was effectively observed in 2018. By way of example, EDF reported a significant event rated level 1 on the INES scale on account of late detection of a non-quality inmaintenance work performed on the valve of a pipe passing through the reactor containment. Lastly, ASN considers that the sitemust further improve its management of fire-related risks. With regard to radiation protection, the site’s performance is still below the norm. The findings fromASN inspections and the increase in the number of significant radiation protection events reported in 2018 show that the radiation protection fundamentals are insufficiently taken into account on the worksites (radiological cleanliness, worksite surveillance, non-compliance with optimisation approach, etc.). However, since summer 2018 the licensee has become aware of its weaknesses in this area and has put in place a new action plan – more robust than the one presented in 2017 – to regain control in this area. This situation shall be specifically monitored by ASN in 2019. With regard to the environment, in the light of the inspections carried out in 2018, ASN considers that the site must make further improvements. This is because although the gaseous and liquid effluent discharges remain within the maximum permitted values, ASN has observed numerous nonconformities, particularly concerning pollution control and prevention and waste management. 42  ASN report on the state of nuclear safety and radiation protection in France in 2018