ASN Report 2020

In 2020, ASN carried out 111 inspections in the Nouvelle- Aquitaine region, comprising 42 inspections in the Blayais and Civaux Nuclear Power Plants (NPPs), 58 inspections in the small-scale nuclear activity sector and 11 inspections of approved organisations and laboratories. ASN also carried out 15 days of labour inspection at the Blayais NPP and 7.5 days at the Civaux NPP. During 2020, 8 significant events rated level 1 on the International Nuclear and Radiological Event Scale (INES scale) were reported by the NPP licensees of Nouvelle- Aquitaine. In small-scale nuclear activities, one significant radiation protection event rated level 1 on the INES scale was reported to ASN. Within the framework of their inspection duties, the ASN inspectors drewupone violation report against a veterinary surgeon for using high-activity sealed sources. Blayais nuclear power plant Situated in the Gironde département , 50 kmnorth of Bordeaux, the Blayais NPP is operated by EDF. This NPP comprises four 900 Megawatts electric (MWe) Pressurised Water Reactors (PWRs). Reactors 1 and 2 constitute Basic Nuclear Installation (BNI) 86 and reactors 3 and 4 BNI 110. ASN considers that the nuclear safety performance of the Blayais NPP is in line with its general assessment of the EDF plants. ASN considers that the radiation protection and environmental protection performance fall short of its general assessment of EDF performance. With regard to nuclear safety, although the performance of the Blayais NPP is in line with the general assessment of the EDF plants, ASN considers that it has dropped slightly compared with the preceding years. The Blayais NPP has shown its ability to satisfactorily manage a large number of maintenance and modification embodiment activities on its facilities in a difficult health crisis situation. ASN also notes that the addressing of conformity deviations is satisfactory. ASN does however observe, as in 2019, deficiencies in the quality of the operational documentation covering the preparation and performance of the activities. Lastly, the second half of the year was marked by a large number of significant events highlighting the need for the Blayais NPP licensee to implement improvement actions to maintain its performance. ASN considers that the situation regarding worker radiation protection remains sub-standard and that the site is still not managing to restore a satisfactory level, despite putting in place preventive measures at the beginning of the year and corrective measures during the outages. This finding, made by ASN through its inspections, is corroborated by the numerous and diverse signif icant radiation protection events, two of which were rated level 1 on the INES scale. ASN expects a strong reaction on the part of the site to rapidly and lastingly improve its worker radiation protection performance in 2021. Radiation protection will be subject to a tightened inspection in 2021. With regard to environmental protection, ASN has noted the actions undertaken by the licensee, but considers that their effects and results are insuff iciently conclusive to lastingly remediate the legacy pollution of the site’s soils and captive groundwater tables. These subjects require the implementation of determined actions on the part of the Blayais NPP licensee, with closely-spaced deadlines. With regard to labour inspection, ASN considers that the regulatory monitoring of the electrical installations and control of the asbestos risk must be improved. ASN considers that the safety results are unsatisfactory, but takes positive note of the Blayais site’s drive to identify, report and deal with risk situations. ASN has continued its monitoring of the conformity files of the heavy cranes, the locally manufactured tooling, and the ventilation of premises with specific pollution problems. Lastly, ASN has specif ically monitored the health crisis, especially during the first lockdown, through its presence in the f ield, its participation at extraordinary meetings of the social and economic committee and by responding to individual and collective requests. The Bordeaux division regulates nuclear safety, radiation protection and the transport of radioactive substances in the 12 départements of the Nouvelle‑Aquitaine region. Nouvelle‑Aquitaine Region 84 ASN Report on the state of nuclear safety and radiation protection in France in 2020 REGIONAL OVERVIEWOF NUCLEAR SAFETY AND RADIATION PROTECTION