TRICASTIN URANIUM-BEARING MATERIAL STORAGE YARDS, P35 AND FLEUR Following the delicensing of part of the Pierrelatte DBNI by decision of the Prime Minister, the Tricastin uraniumbearing materials storage yards (BNI 178) have been created. This facility groups the uranium storage facilities and the platform’s new emergency management premises. Following on from this delicensing process, facility “P35” (BNI 179) was created. It comprises ten uranium storage buildings. An additional storage area called “FLEUR” was authorised by a Decree of 18 March 2022. Commissioning of this new BNI (BNI 180) was authorised by ASN resolution 2023-DC-0750 of 3 January 2023. At the end of the periodic safety review of the yards, ASN ordered complementary measures in its resolution CODEPCLG-2023-012740 of 8 March 2023. Among these measures figure the emptying or the decommissioning of material packagings. Further to the three inspections at these facilities on the themes of meeting commitments, control of the criticality risk and civil engineering, ASN considers that the level of safety of the storage yards in 2023 was satisfactory. Nevertheless, with the various past and future movements of material, the way the radiological exposure induced by the yards evolves – both within and outside the site – should be monitored. Lastly, in mid-2023 Orano started work on the AMC2 project which consists in adding a new facility for washing and rinsing containers dedicated to the transport of UF6. This facility will replace the existing AMC which is situated in the DBNI. The creation of AMC2 was authorised by Decree 2023-1220 of 19 December 2023 following a public inquiry which ran from 10 December 2021 to 12 January 2022. Romans-sur-Isère site FRAMATOME NUCLEAR FUEL FABRICATION PLANTS On its Romans‑sur‑Isère site in the Drôme département, Framatome operates BNI 63-U, baptised “Nuclear fuel fabrication plant” resulting from the merging of two old BNIs, namely the unit fabricating fuel elements for research reactors (formerly BNI 63) and the unit fabricating nuclear fuel for the PWRs (formerly BNI 98). The fabrication of fuel for nuclear power plant reactors involves transforming UF6 into uranium oxide powder. The pellets fabricated from this powder in Framatome’s Romans‑sur‑Isère plant are placed in zirconium metal clads to constitute the fuel rods, then brought together to form the fuel assemblies to be used in the NPP reactors. In the case of experimental reactors, the fuels are more diverse, with some of them using, for example, highly-enriched uranium in metal form. These fuels are fabricated in the Romans‑sur‑Isère plant called “Cerca”. The Cerca plant features a “uranium zone” in which the compacted powder cores placed in aluminium frames and plates to form the fuel elements are produced, as are the irradiation targets for the production of medical radionuclides. The licensee has undertaken to replace this uranium zone by a New Uranium Zone called “NZU”, in order to improve more specifically the containment of the premises, the process and the prevention of risks in the event of an extreme earthquake. The NZU construction work began in late 2017. These new buildings shall accommodate the current activities of the existing uranium zone. Due to technical problems and the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic, the NZU construction work has fallen significantly behind schedule. In 2022, Framatome applied to ASN for a partial commissioning authorisation for the NZU to enable it to transfer materials between the existing buildings and the NZU. ASN issued this authorisation in October 2022. Difficulties with the tests of certain equipment items arose in 2023, leading Framatome once again to postpone commissioning of the NZU until 2024. ASN expects increased mobilisation on the part of Framatome in order to effectively commission the NZU, and points out that the level of safety of the existing uranium zone does not permit continued long-term operation. In 2023, Framatome conducted a fuel production campaign with Enriched Reprocessed Uranium (ERU). An application for a substantial modification to the unit fabricating nuclear fuels for PWRs, with the aim of increasing the production of fuels based on enriched reprocessed uranium, is currently being examined by ASN and will undergo a public inquiry in 2024. The results of the inspections carried out at Romans-sur-Isère in 2023 are satisfactory, particularly regarding implementation of the new environmental monitoring plan, control of the criticality risk, restarting of production of fuels based on ERU, radiation protection and emergency management. A weeklong in-depth inspection was carried out in March 2023 on the themes of operating rigour and prevention of fraud: the inspection result was broadly positive. 42 ASN Report on the state of nuclear safety and radiation protection in France in 2023 Regional overview of nuclear safety and radiation protection • AUVERGNE‑RHÔNE‑ALPES •
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