In 2020, EDF announced postponement of the commissioning of its centralised storage pool project to 2034 at the earliest. This means that countermeasures will have to be deployed to deal with this delay to the project: these countermeasures are the densification of the storage pools at La Hague, dry storage of spent fuels and greater use of MOX fuel in the reactors. ASN recalls that none of these countermeasures has the same safety advantages as the centralised storage pool project, which to date remains the reference solution with no alternative equivalent in terms of safety. After the problems concerning certain steps in the “fuel cycle”, which had appeared and became worse in 2021, the situation in 2023 is improving, but remains fragile: ∙ An action plan has been implemented by Orano since 2019 to overcome the production difficulties at Melox. The use of a “wet process” depleted uranium powder was qualified in September 2022. The production by the Melox plant in 2023 was thus significantly higher than in 2022. The production of radioactive materials containing plutonium that was not compatible with use as fuel in the reactors, referred to as “MOX scrap” also fell. The use of this “wet process” powder thus helps improve the situation, pending the use of a comparable uranium powder from a new unit called “New Wet Process” (NVH) in Orano’s Malvési plant, qualification of which is scheduled for 2024. ∙ The problems with Melox production are still causing faster than anticipated saturation of the storage capacity for plutonium-bearing materials, requiring the creation of new storage areas for these materials at La Hague. An initial extension was authorised by ASN in April 2022, a second in April 2023 and a third is currently being examined by ASN. ∙ Replacement of the fission products evaporator-concentrators (“NCPF” project) in the UP3-A plant was completed in 2023, while replacement of those in plant UP2-800 is scheduled for 2024. ∙ The La Hague pools densification authorisation application file, submitted at the end of December 2022, is currently being examined. This project, which consists in replacing the baskets currently used in pools C, D and E by more compact baskets, in compliance with the limits set by the Creation Authorisation Decrees (DAC) of BNIs 116 and 117, constitutes one of the countermeasures identified to deal with the delay in commissioning of a centralised storage pool. 1.5 OUTLOOK: PLANNED FACILITIES “New Concentration of Fission Products” (NCPF) project on the La Hague site In order to replace the fission products evaporator-concentrators at La Hague, which are suffering from a more advanced stage of corrosion than imagined in the design, Orano is building new units, called “NCPF”, comprising six new evaporators. This particularly complex project required several authorisations and was the subject of an ASN resolution in 2022 concerning the commissioning of three of these evaporators (NCPF T2) with start-up planned for March 2023. They were built and commissioned in accordance with the schedule set out by the licensee. The commissioning authorisation for three other evaporators (NCPF R2) is envisaged for 2024. Construction of new storage capacity for waste packages on the La Hague site To anticipate the saturation of storage capacity for CSD-V (units R7, T7 and E/EV/SE), construction work on new storage facilities, known as the “glass storage extension on the La Hague site” (E/EV/LH) began in 2007. These facilities are being built module by module, with the construction of identical units called “pits”. On 8 September 2022, ASN authorised the introduction of radioactive waste packages into pit 50 in the E/EV/LH2 unit. Pit 60 is under construction in order to boost storage capacity. In addition, an extension of CSD-C storage, authorised by the Decree of 27 November 2020, is currently under construction; radioactive substances should be introduced into this extension for the first time in 2025, after authorisation by ASN. In 2023, Orano submitted an application for a substantial modification to the DAC of BNI 116 (UP3-A) to increase the storage capacity for CSD-C waste packages and CSD-V waste packages. This application will be the subject of a public inquiry. Extension project for the North unit of the George Besse II plant on the Tricastin site In July 2022, Orano sent ASN a Safety Options Dossier (DOS) concerning a project to extend the North unit of the GB II plant, in order to increase the plant’s production capacity by about 30%. ASN issued a position statement on the file on 7 February 2023. A prior consultation was organised on this project by Orano, under the aegis of the National Commission for Public Debate (CNDP) from 1 February to 9 March 2023. The guarantors designated by the CNDP submitted the results of the consultation on 9 May 2023, to which Orano responded on 13 June 2023, indicating that it intended to continue with the project. On 19 June 2023, Orano submitted an application for modification of the DAC in order to increase the production capacity of the GB II plant by about 30%. The application is currently being examined by ASN and will be the subject of a public inquiry in 2024. EDF centralised storage pool project at La Hague During the public debate held in 2019, prior to the 5th edition of the National Radioactive Materials and Waste Management Plan (PNGMDR), EDF reaffirmed that the strategy to increase the spent fuel storage capacity is based on the construction of a new centralised storage pool. This new facility should allow storage of spent fuels for which reprocessing or disposal can only be envisaged in the long-term future. The envisaged operating life for this storage facility is about a century. In 2017, EDF transmitted a DOS for this project. In July 2019, ASN issued its opinion on the safety options presented by EDF for such a facility and considers that the general safety objectives and the design options adopted are satisfactory. In 2020, EDF reported a delay concerning this storage pool project, which should be located on the La Hague site, but will not be commissioned before 2034. In 2021, EDF referred to the CNDP regarding this project and a prior consultation under the CNDP’s aegis was organised by EDF from 22 November 2021 to 8 July 2022, although it was suspended from 2 February to 20 June 2022. The guarantors designated by the CNDP submitted the results of the consultation on 8 August 2022. EDF now announces that the creation authorisation application file for the facility will be submitted in the first half of 2024. ASN Report on the state of nuclear safety and radiation protection in France in 2023 335 • 12 • “Nuclear fuel cycle” facilities 12 05 15 08 11 04 14 06 07 13 AP 03 10 02 09 01
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