ASN Report 2018

ÎLE-DE-FRANCE REGIONAL OVERVIEWOF NUCLEAR SAFETY AND RADIATION PROTECTION Complementary investigations concerning the stability of the structure of the low-level liquid effluents storage room (room 97) have led the CEA to suspend, since 2016, the acceptance of effluents from other BNIs. ASN considers that the CEA must clarify its management strategy for the liquid effluents produced on the Saclay site, particularly regarding the future of premises 97 and the management of the effluents produced by BNI 35 itself. In addition, the Decree of 8 January 2004 authorising the creation of Stella also stipulated that the CEA must remove the legacy waste stored in the eight MA500 tanks and the HA4 tank of BNI 35 within ten years. Due to the technical difficulties encountered in the recovery and packaging of this waste, the CEA was unable to meet the various prescribed deadlines and requested a deadline extension. As at the end of 2018, tank HA4 and 7 of the MA500 are empty. The operations to prepare for the emptying of the last MA500 tank have begun. The CEA has scheduled several legacy effluent recovery operations and submittal of the associated files in 2019. In view of the inspections performed in 2018, ASN underlines the proficiency of monitoring of barrier integrity and of operational management for accidents. Furthermore, the licensee rapidly found an alternative solution to remedy the unavailability of the facility’s boiler pending its replacement at the end of 2018. The emergency organisation and means, however, can be improved, and the fire risks study carried out for the periodic safety reviewmust be supplemented. Facilities undergoing decommissioning at the CEA Saclay centre  The decommissioning operations performed on the Saclay site concern two finally shut down BNIs (BNIs 18 and 49) and three BNIs in operation (BNIs 35, 40 and 72), parts of which have ceased activity and in which operations in preparation for decommissioning are being carried out. They also concern two ICPEs – Installations Classified for Protection of the Environment (EL2 and EL3), previously classified as BNIs but which have not been completely decommissioned due to the lack of a disposal route for the low-level long-lived waste. Their downgrading fromBNI to ICPE status in the 1980’s, in compliance with the regulations of that time, could not be done today. More generally, the CEA’s decommissioning and waste management strategy is subject to examination by ASN (see chapter 13).  Ulysse reactor – CEA Centre Ulysse was the first French university reactor. The installation, which constitutes BNI 18, underwent final shutdown in 2007 and has contained no fuel since 2008. The BNI decommissioning decree was published on 21 August 2014 and provides for a decommissioning duration of five years. This installation presents limited safety risks. Further to the authorisation granted by ASN in early 2017, cutting up of the reactor block concrete block – the last step of the nuclear worksites – began in July 2017. The first phase of cutting up the «conventional» part of the reactor block was completed in April 2018. The second phase corresponding to cutting up of the «nuclear» part is in progress and will end in early 2019, before the final clean-out step. The removal of about one hundred concrete blocks resulting from the first cutting-up phase is planned for the first half of 2019. ASN will ensure beforehand that the planned clean- out criteria have been satisfied. High level Activity Laboratory – CEA Centre The High level Activity Laboratory (LHA) comprises several laboratories intended for research work or the production of various radionuclides. It constitutes BNI 49. On completion of the decommissioning and clean-out work authorised by Decree of 18 September 2008, only two laboratories – currently in operation – should ultimately remain under the ICPE system. These two laboratories are the laboratory for the chemical and radiological characterisation of effluents and waste, and the packaging and storage facility for the retrieval of unused sources. The decommissioning of the TOTEM shielded chain in cell No. 10, and the clean-out of cell Nos. 11 and 15 continued in 2018. Despite the progress of the clean-out and decommissioning operations, the accumulated delays have prevented the CEA frommeeting the deadline of 21 September 2018 set by the decree authorising LHA decommissioning. The discovery of pollution in certain intercell yards in 2017 also led to changes in the operations to be carried out. The licensee must therefore draw up a decommissioning decree modification file. ASN will be attentive to the justification of the deadline and the conditions of safety of the future operations. ASN considers that the level of safety of BNI 49 undergoing decommissioning must be improved. 2018 was marked by significant events associated with the fire risk. For example, CEA reported one event rated level 1 on the INES scale for malfunctions of the automatic fire detection systemwhich led the licensee to suspend the work in progress in the premises concerned. ASN report on the state of nuclear safety and radiation protection in France in 2018  59