ASN Report 2020

MARCOULE PLATFORM The Marcoule nuclear platform is situated to the west of Orange in the Gard département . Its six civil installations are dedicated to research activities relating to the downstream part of the fuel cycle and the irradiation of materials, and to industrial activities concerning in particular the fabrication of Mixed OXyde Fuel (MOX), the processing of radioactive waste and the irradiation of materials. The majority of the site is occupied by Defence Basic Nuclear Installations (DBNIs) which come under the responsibility of the Ministry of Defence. CEA MARCOULE CENTRE Created in 1955, the CEA Marcoule centre accommodates three civil installations: the Atalante laboratories (BNI 148), the Phénix NPP (BNI 71) and the Diadem storage facility (BNI 177). Atalante facility – CEA Centre The main purpose of the Alpha facility and laboratory for transuranium elements analysis and reprocessing studies, known as “Atalante” (BNI 148), created in the 1980’s, is to conduct research and development concerning the recycling of nuclear fuels, the management of ultimate waste, and the exploration of new concepts for fourth generation nuclear systems. Developments were made in 2017 to extend the research activities by accommodating the activities and equipment of the Laboratory for research and fabrication of advanced nuclear fuels (Lefca), transferred from the CEA Cadarache centre. ASN plans to make a position statement in 2021 on the continued operation of the BNI on completion of examination of the facility’s periodic safety review report submitted in 2016 and of the CEA’s action plan, incorporating the improvement in control of the fire risk in particular. ASNmoreover carried out an in-depth analysis of an event that occurred on 19 December 2018 which led to the shattering of a vial containing a radioactive liquid while being handled in a glove box. This event injured the worker. ASN rated this event level 1 on the INES scale. In 2020, the licensee detailed the process it plans implementing to authorise the reopening of the laboratory concerned, which has been closed since the incident. The work scenario includes more specif ically the operations to neutralise the reagents and retrieve the waste contained in the glove box. ASN considers that the level of nuclear safety and radiation protection of BNI 148 Atalante in 2020 is relatively satisfactory. ASN has nevertheless observed shortcomings in radiation protection concerning the accuracy of the procedures and their adoption by the workers. The management of deviations, the monitoring of the actions implemented, the assessment of their effectiveness, and the traceability of radiological zoning histories also present shortcomings which must be remedied. ASN considers that the analysis of the causes of events displaying social, organisational and human factors is insufficiently documented and does not allow the assessment of the robustness of the measures taken to guarantee their non-recurrence. In the area of accident management and emergency organisation and means, ASN considers that substantial efforts must be made to comply with the regulatory provisions relating to emergency situation management. THE INSTALLATIONS AND ACTIVITIES TO REGULATE COMPRISES: Basic Nuclear Installations: • the Golfech NPP comprising 2 reactors of 1,300 MWe, • the Mélox “MOX” nuclear fuel production facility, • the CEA Marcoule research centre, which includes the civil BNIs Atalante and Phénix and the Diadem waste storage facility construction site, • the Centraco facility for processing low-activity waste, • the Gammatec industrial ioniser, • the Écrin facility for storing waste on the Malvési site; small-scale nuclear activities in the medical sector: • 14 external-beam radiotherapy departments, • 6 brachytherapy departments, • 21 nuclear medicine departments, • 98 centres performing fluoroscopy-guided interventional procedures, • 127 computed tomography scanners, • some 5,000 medical and dental radiology devices; small-scale nuclear activities in the veterinary, industrial and research sectors: • about 800 industrial and research centres, including 4 cyclotron particle accelerators, 27 companies exercising an industrial radiography activity and 77 laboratories situated mainly in the universities of the region, • about 560 veterinary surgeries or clinics practising diagnostic radiology; activities associated with the transport of radioactive substances; ASN-approved laboratories and organisations: • 3 laboratories approved for taking environmental radioactivity measurements, • 5 organisations approved for measuring radon, • 7 organisations approved for radiation protection controls. p. 206 p. 238 p. 266 ASN Report on the state of nuclear safety and radiation protection in France in 2020 87 REGIONAL OVERVIEWOF NUCLEAR SAFETY AND RADIATION PROTECTION OCCITANIE