Météo-France and the Ministerial operational monitoring and alert centre of the Ministry for Ecological Transition (CMVOA). A radiological emergency toll-free number (0 800 804 135) enables ASN to receive calls reporting events involving sources of ionising radiation used outside BNIs or during the transport of radioactive substances. It is accessible 24/7. The information provided during the call is transmitted to the on-call team. Depending on the severity of the event, ASN may activate its Montrouge Emergency Centre by triggering the alert system. If not, only the ASN local level (regional division concerned) intervenes to perform its Prefect support and communication duties, if necessary calling on the expertise of the national departments. In order to enhance the graded nature of the ASN response and organisation in the event of an emergency, for situations not warranting activation of the Emergency Centre, the on-call team provides assistance to support the regional division concerned. Since 2018, an on-call duty system reinforces the robustness and the mobilisation and intervention reactivity of the ASN staff. Diagram 2 summarises the role of ASN in a nuclear emergency situation. This functional diagram illustrates the importance of the ASN representative to the Prefect, who relays and explains the recommendations coming from the ASN Emergency Centre. Table 1 shows the positions of the public authorities (Government, ASN and technical experts) and the licensees in a radiological emergency situation. These players each operate in their respective fields of competence with regard to assessment, decision-making, intervention and communication, for which regular audio-conferences are held. The exchanges between the players lead to decisions and orientations concerning the safety of the facility and the protection of the general public. Similarly, relations between the communication units and the spokespersons of the emergency centres ensure that the public and media are given coherent information. 3 // Learning from experience 3.1 Carrying out exercises The main aim of these nuclear and radiological emergency exercises is to test the planned response in the event of a radio– logical emergency, in order: ∙ to measure the level of preparedness of all the entities involved (safety Authorities, technical experts, licensees); ∙ to ensure that the plans are kept up to date, that they are wellknown to those in charge and to the participants at all levels and that the alert and coordination procedures they contain are effective; ∙ to train those who would be involved in such a situation; ∙ to implement the various aspects of the organisation and the procedures set out in the Interministerial Directives: the emergency plans, the contingency plans, the local safeguard plans and the various conventions; ∙ to contribute to informing the media and to develop a general public information approach so that everyone can, through their own individual behaviour, contribute to civil protection; ∙ to build on emergency situation management knowledge and experience. These exercises, which are scheduled by an annual interministerial instruction, involve the licensee, the Ministries, the offices of the Prefects and services of the départements, ASN, the Defence Nuclear Safety Authority (ASND), IRSN and Météo-France, which can represent up to 300 people when resources are deployed in the field. They aim to test the effectiveness of the provisions made for assessing the situation, the ability to bring the installation or the package to a safe condition, to take appropriate measures to protect the general public and to ensure satisfactory communication with the media and the populations concerned. 3.1.1 National nuclear and radiological emergency exercises In the same way as in previous years, ASN together with the SGDSN, the General Directorate for Civil Security and Emergency Management and the ASND, prepared the 2021 programme of national nuclear and radiological emergency exercises concerning BNIs and radioactive substance transport operations. This programme was announced to the Prefects in the interministerial instruction of 26 June 2020. Generally speaking, these exercises enable the highest-level decision-making circles to be tested, along with the ability of the leading players to communicate, sometimes with simulated media pressure on them. Under the aegis of the SGDSN, ASN also took part in the SECNUC 2021 major exercise (see box above). Many lessons were learned from this exercise, including the need to reinforce preparedness for managing the post-accident phase of a nuclear accident. This exercise illustrates the benefits of practicing with the system at interministerial level, by mobilising all the State services and the CIC decision-making level. A CIC simulation was thus run during the national exercises on EDF’s Penly and Blayais NPPs. Table 2 describes the key characteristics of the national exercises conducted in 2021. In addition to the national exercises, the Prefects are asked to conduct local exercises for the sites in their département, in order to improve preparedness for radiological emergency situations and more specifically to test the time needed to mobilise all the parties concerned. TABLE Positions of the various stakeholders in a radiological emergency situation DECISION EXPERT APPRAISAL INTERVENTION COMMUNICATION Public authorities Government (CIC) Prefect (COD, COZ) – Prefect (PCO) Civil protection Government (CIC) Prefect (COD) ASN (CU) IRSN (CTC) Météo‑France IRSN (mobile units) ASN IRSN Licensees National and local levels National and local levels Local level National and local levels CIC: Interministerial Crisis Committee – COD: Départemental Operations Centre – COZ: Zone Operations Centre – CTC: Emergency Technical Centre PCO: Operational Command Post – CU: Emergency Centre 1 ASN Report on the state of nuclear safety and radiation protection in France in 2021 175 04 – RADIOLOGICAL EMERGENCY AND POST-ACCIDENT SITUATIONS 08 07 13 04 10 06 12 14 03 09 05 11 02 01 AP
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