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 MOX (Mixed OXides) fuel, the processing of radioactive waste and the irradiation of materials. The majority of the site moreover consists of the Defence Basic Nuclear Installation (DBNI) under the oversight 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 facilities and laboratories for transuranium elements analysis and reprocessing studies (Atalante – BNI 148), created in the 1980’s, is to conduct research and development in the recycling of nuclear fuels, the management of ultimate waste, and the exploration of new concepts for fourth generation nuclear systems. In order to extend these research activities, activities and equipment from the Laboratory for research and fabrication of advanced nuclear fuels (Lefca), were transferred here from the CEA Cadarache centre in 2017. ASN published resolution 2022-DC-0720 of 19 April 2022 imposing on the Alternative Energies and Atomic Energy Commission (CEA) the requirements applicable to Atalante and designed to regulate the continued operation of the BNI. ASN is attentive to the traceability of actions from their initiation through to completion. The treatment of radioactive organic liquids has been regulated by a technical requirement. The treatment must be completed before 31 December 2035. In 2023, ASN authorised commissioning of the seismic cut-off device for the electrical power supply and the water supply, which is also a requirement for the continued operation of the BNI. The purpose of this device is to prevent an earthquake from causing a fire or a criticality accident, and to prevent the consequences of a flood. ASN considers that the level of safety is satisfactory on the whole, particularly regarding the measure taken to monitor discharges, the emergency preparedness organisation and prevention of criticality risks. Phénix reactor – CEA centre The Phénix NPP (BNI 71) is a demonstration fast breeder reactor cooled with liquid sodium. This reactor, with an electrical power rating of 250 MWe, was definitively shut down in 2009 and is currently being decommissioned. The major decommissioning phases are regulated by Decree 2016-739 of 2 June 2016. ASN resolution 2016-DC-0564 of 7 July 2016 sets the CEA various milestones and decommissioning operations. The installations and activities to regulate comprise: • Basic Nuclear Installations: • the Golfech NPP (2 reactors of 1,300 MWe), • the CEA Marcoule research centre, which includes the civil BNIs Atalante and Phénix and the Diadem waste storage facility construction site, • the Melox “MOX” nuclear fuel production plant, •the Centraco facility for processing low-level radioactive waste, • the Gammatec industrial irradiator, • the Écrin waste storage facility on the Malvési site; • small-scale nuclear activities in the medical field: •14 external-beam radiotherapy departments, •6 brachytherapy departments, •20 nuclear medicine departments, • 99 centres performing fluoroscopy-guided interventional procedures, • 111 computed tomography scanners, • some 5,000 medical and dental radiology devices; • small-scale nuclear activities in the industrial, veterinary and research sectors: • about 800 industrial and research centres, including 4 cyclotron particle accelerators, 31 companies exercising an industrial radiography activity and 60 laboratories situated mainly in the universities of the region, •some 600 veterinary surgeries or clinics practising diagnostic radiology; • activities linked to the transport of radioactive substances; • ASN-approved laboratories and organisations: • 7 laboratories approved for taking environmental radioactivity measurements, • 9 organisations approved for measuring radon, • 2 organisations approved for radiation protection controls. Chapter 7 p. 204 Chapter 8 p. 240 Chapter 9 p. 270 ASN Report on the state of nuclear safety and radiation protection in France in 2023 83 Regional overview of nuclear safety and radiation protection • OCCITANIE •
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