ASN Report 2020

Activated waste packaging and interim storage facility The Activated waste packaging and interim storage facility (Iceda), which constitutes BNI 173, is intended for the packaging and storage of various categories of radioactive waste on the Bugey site (Ain département ). It is designed to receive, package and store: • low-level long-lived (LLW-LL) graphite waste f rom the dismantling of the Bugey 1 reactor, which is destined – after interim storage – for near-surface disposal in a facility whose concept is still being studied; • activated metallic intermediate-level long-lived waste (ILW-LL) f rom the operation of the in-service power plants, for example parts which have spent time near the reactor core, such as control rod clusters, destined for deep geological disposal after interim storage; • some low-level or intermediate-level short-lived waste (LL/ILW-SL), called “deferred transfer” waste, intended for above-ground disposal but requiring a period of radioactive decay ranging from several years to several decades before being accepted at the Aube repository (BNI 149), operated by the French national agency for radioactive waste management (Andra). Inter-Regional Warehouse MIR, the inter-regional warehouse (BNI 102) operated by EDF at Bugey, is a storage facility for fresh nuclear fuel intended for the nuclear power plant fleet in operation. MIR presented a satisfactory overall level of safety in 2020, a year in which its activities were greatly restricted to allow the renovation of the main handling crane in particular. ASN nevertheless wants to see tightened operational monitoring of the activities. The periodic safety review of the facility is in progress, as are the stress tests requested by ASN following the Fukushima Daiichi NPP accident. Saint-Alban nuclear power plant The Saint-Alban NPP, operated by EDF in the Isère département on the municipalities of Saint‑Alban‑du‑Rhône and Saint‑Maurice‑l’Exil, 40 km south of Lyon, comprises two 1,300 MWe PWRs commissioned in 1986 and 1987. Reactor 1 constitutes BNI 119 and reactor 2 BNI 120. ASN considers that the performance of the Saint-Alban NPP with regard to nuclear safety, radiation protection and environmental protection stands out positively in comparison with the general assessment of EDF plant performance. The NPP has satisfactorily managed the impact of the sanitary crisis due to the Covid‑19 pandemic, particularly with regard to monitoring and operation of the facilities, maintaining the emergency organisation and waste management. With regard to nuclear safety, ASN notes that the Saint- Alban NPP maintained its good performance in 2020, which is at a higher level than ASN’s general assessment of the EDF power plants. Despite this, ASN noted that some events indicate that compliance which the operating technical specifications needs to be improved. Concerning maintenance, only reactor 1 was scheduled for a refuelling and maintenance outage and ASN considers that the planned activities were on the whole well managed by EDF. During this outage, EDF finished integrating the modifications stemming from the third ten-yearly outage of the reactor. The Ultimate Backup Diesel generator sets (DUS) were also commissioned within the deadlines set by ASN. With regard to worker radiation protection, ASN considers that the operational results were satisfactory. Although the availability of radiation protection equipment and the monitoring of entry points to work sites involving a contamination risk have improved, ASN found that the quality of the estimated dosimetric evaluations for EDF employees must be improved. Lastly, ASN is still waiting for improved compliance with work site access rules and the wearing of the requisite protective equipment. ASN considers that the environmental protection performance of the Saint-Alban NPP stands out positively compared with the general standard of EDF plant performance and is stable with respect to the preceding years. The organisation defined and implemented by EDF to meet the regulatory requirements concerning the monitoring of discharges and the environment is found to be satisfactory. The results concerning health and safety at work are also satisfactory. ASN notes in particular that no serious accidents occurred during the reactor 1 maintenance outage. Nevertheless, ASN observes a relatively high accident rate during this outage. With regard to worker protection in response to the health crisis, ASN noted that as of March 2020 the site had put in place appropriate protection measures, which evolved as knowledge progressed. On 28 July 2020 ASN authorised the commissioning of Iceda and regulated operation of the facility through requirements relative to the operating range, the maximum storage durations for radioactive waste, the defining of criteria for activating the on-site emergency plan, the content of the end-of-startup file, compliance with waste package qualification heights, and the conditions of reception of source rods from Chooz A. The first activated waste package was received in late September. ASN has also set the time frame within which EDF shall submit the end-of-startup file, as provided for in Article R. 593-34 of the Environment Code. 42 ASN Report on the state of nuclear safety and radiation protection in France in 2020 REGIONAL OVERVIEWOF NUCLEAR SAFETY AND RADIATION PROTECTION