ASN Report 2020

various files to ASN presenting the progress of the studies and work carried out. ASN issued a position statement: ∙ in 2013, on the documents produced between 2009 and 2013 – the year of the public debate, and on the intermediate design milestone at the outline stage presented by Andra in 2012; ∙ in 2014, on the safety components of the closure structures and the expected content of the safety options dossier for the facility; ∙ in 2015, on the control of operating risks and the cost of the project; ∙ in 2016, on the components development plan; ∙ in 2018, on the Cigéo safety options dossier. The authorisation process Examination of the creation authorisation application for a deep geological disposal facility will not start until formally requested by Andra and will be governed in particular by Book V, Title IX, Chapter III, Section 4 of the Environment Code and by Article L. 542-10-1 of the Environment Code, which is specific to deep geological disposal facilities. 7. Article R. 593‑14 of the Environment Code stipulates that “ any person who plans operating a BNI can, before initiating the creation authorisation procedure, ask ASN for an opinion on all or part of the options it has chosen to protect the interests mentioned in Article L. 593-1. ASN through an opinion rendered and published under the conditions determined by ASN, indicates the extent to which the safety options presented by the applicant are appropriate for preventing or limiting the risks for the interests mentioned in Article L. 593.1, given the prevailing technical and economic conditions. ASN may indicate the additional studies and justifications that will be required for a prospective creation authorisation application. It can set a validity period for its opinion. This opinion is communicated to the applicant and to the Minister responsible for nuclear safety ”. Examination of the Cigéo Safety Options Dossier The filing of a Safety Options Dossier (DOS) marks the start of a regulatory process (7) . ASN received the DOS for Cigéo in April 2016. At the end of the technical examination phase, the ASN draft opinion underwent public consultation, which took place from 1 August to 15 September 2017. After analysing the resulting contributions, ASN issued its opinion on 11 January 2018. ASN also sent a follow-up letter giving recommendations on the safety options to prevent or limit the risks and asked Andra for additional studies and justifications (corrosion phenomena, low-pH concretes, representativeness of the hydrogeological model, surveillance strategy, etc.). The demands made in this letter take into account the suggestions and comments received through the public consultation. The examination of the Cigéo DOS highlighted several issues relating to specific aspects (architecture, defining of hazards, post- accident management, etc.). Among these issues ASN pointed out that the management of bituminised waste required special attention. The management of bituminised waste is moreover monitored under the PNGMDR, which demands several studies relative to the characterisation of these packages, their conditions of transport and the treatment possibilities (Articles 46, 47 and 48 of the Order of 23 February 2017). UNDERGROUND RESEARCH LABORATORY RAMPS ZONE SHAFTS ZONE DOUBLE RAMPS SHAFTS HLW REPOSITORY ZONE Underground installations ILW-LL REPOSITORY ZONE Schematic diagram of the Cigéo repository showing the surface and underground facilities 364 ASN Report on the state of nuclear safety and radiation protection in France in 2020 14 – RADIOACTIVE WASTE AND CONTAMINATED SITES AND SOILS