Research and development (R&D) laboratories R&D on new technologies is also carried out for the nuclear industry in laboratories, more particularly with regard to the development of new fuels, their recycling, or the management of ultimate waste. The Alpha facility and laboratory for transuranian elements analysis and reprocessing studies (Atalante – BNI 148), situated in Marcoule and operated by CEA, provides Orano Cycle with technical support for optimising the operation of the La Hague plants. It carries out experimental work to qualify the behaviour of nuclear glass matrices in order to guarantee the long-term confinement properties of high-level waste packages. ASN checks the correct performance of the measures undertaken following the last periodic safety review. Artificial Radionuclides Production Facility The Artificial Radionuclides Production Facility (UPRA), situated in Saclay and operated by CIS bio international, is a nuclear facility designed according to the same principles as a laboratory (special areas for handling and experimenting with radioactive substances, using appropriate means), for the purposes of research and to develop radionuclides for medical uses. CIS bio international is a subsidiary of the Curium group, a manufacturer of radiopharmaceuticals. ASN is currently examining the facility’s periodic safety review, and it was also the subject of an opinion from the Advisory Committee of Experts for Laboratories and Plants (GPU) dated 16 March 2023. 1.2.2 Particle accelerators Some particle accelerators are BNIs. These installations use electrical or magnetic fields to accelerate charged particles. The accelerated particle beams produce strong fields of ionising radiation, activating the materials in contact, which then emit ionising radiation even after the beams have stopped. Exposure of the population, the personnel and the environment to ionising radiation is thus the primary risk in this type of facility. The Ganil The Large National Heavy Ion Accelerator (Ganil – BNI 113), located in Caen, carries out fundamental and applied research work, more particularly in atomic physics and nuclear physics. This research facility produces, accelerates and distributes ion beams with various energy levels to study the structure of the atom. An examination is currently under way on the construction of a new building to receive bundles, called “Désir”, so that new experimental research programmes can be carried out. Following the public inquiry held in 2023, publication of the Decree modifying the facility’s Creation Authorisation Decree in order to integrate the “Désir” building, is expected by the end of 2024. The CERN The European Organisation for Nuclear Research (CERN) is an international organisation situated between France and Switzerland, whose role is to carry out purely scientific fundamental research programmes concerning high energy particles. On several interconnected sites, the CERN operates a whole chain of research devices looking at the structure of matter, which currently includes several linear and circular accelerators, along with several detectors and acquisition systems. Owing to its cross-border location, the CERN is subject to particular verifications by the French and Swiss Authorities. 1.2.3 Industrial ionisation installations Industrial ionisation installations, called “irradiators”, use the gamma rays emitted by sealed sources of cobalt-60 to irradiate targets in the irradiation cells. These irradiation cells are designed with particularly thick walls and windows, to protect the operators against the ionising radiation. The sealed sources are either placed in the lowered position, stored in a pool under a layer of water which protects the workers, or are placed in the raised position to irradiate the target item. Personnel exposure to ionising radiation is thus the primary risk in these facilities. The main applications of irradiators are to sterilise medical equipment, agrifood products and pharmaceutical raw materials. Irradiators can also be used to study the behaviour of materials under ionising radiation, notably to qualify materials for the nuclear industry. These irradiators are used by: ∙ the Ionisos Group, which operates three facilities located in Dagneux (BNI 68), Pouzauges (BNI 146) and Sablé-sur-Sarthe (BNI 154); ‒ a new irradiator project (D7) is currently being examined for the Dagneux site, ‒ further to an analysis of the implications of the facility and inspections on the topic of the facility’s periodic safety review, ASN made no objection to the continued operation of BNI 154 for the next few years; ∙ the Steris group, which operates the Gammaster (BNI 147) and Gammatec (BNI 170) facilities in Marseille and Marcoule; ∙ CEA, which operates the Poséidon irradiator (BNI 77) on the Saclay site. 1.3 MATERIALS STORAGE FACILITIES The materials storage facilities operated by CEA are primarily devoted to the conservation of non-irradiated (or slightly irradiated) uranium and plutonium-bearing fissile materials from other CEA facilities. This activity enables the laboratories (Atalante, Lefca, etc.) to be supplied according to the needs of the experiments being conducted. More recently, they have become a temporary storage solution for the fissile materials which were present in facilities that are now shutdown, such as the research reactors (Éole, Minerve, Osiris, Masurca in particular). Principles and safety issues The main challenges inherent in these facilities are to prevent the dispersal of radioactive substances and to control the chain reaction (criticality). In 2023, ASN served formal notice on CEA to implement operational measures on its LECI facility (BNI 50) to ensure that a safe state is achieved and maintained on the facility in the event of a fire in the areas adjacent to the nuclear areas. This technical requirement had been sent to CEA following the 2013 periodic safety review, with an initial deadline of 31 December 2019. Further to the finding by ASN’s inspectors that this deadline had not been complied with, CEA requested a postponement to 31 December 2029. ASN considers this new request to be unacceptable, notably in the light of analysis of operating experience feedback from other licensees regarding fire reinforcement works, and thus served formal notice on the licensee, through resolution CODEP-DRC-2023-015452 of 4 July 2023, to comply with the technical requirement no later than 31 December 2026. FORMAL NOTICE SERVED ON THE SPENT FUEL TESTING LABORATORY (LECI) 342 ASN Report on the state of nuclear safety and radiation protection in France in 2023 • 13 • Nuclear research and miscellaneous industrial facilities
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