ASN Report 2023

The revised schedule, including an assessment of the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic and the repair times for the sectors and thermal shields, should be submitted in 2024. In 2023, IO sent ASN a new authorisation application for water intakes and discharges of non–radioactive effluents for the facility construction phase, and it is currently being examined. A first file on this subject was judged inadmissible in 2022. Five inspections were carried out on the site in 2023, focusing in particular on the design and construction and the monitoring of outside contractors. These inspections served to verify, for example, the design and installation of components of the Vacuum Vessel Pressure Suppression System (VVPSS), the follow-up of a significant event concerning the use of an X-ray fluorescence device outside the regulatory framework for using this type of device, the construction of a bridge linking the tokamak building to the cryogenic plant, consideration of the hazards in the dimensioning of the building or equipment, the manufacture of the vacuum chamber, the addressing of dimensional nonconformities, and the installation of the fuel systems in the tokamak building, to mention but these. In the light of the inspections, ASN considers that improvements have been made, but further efforts are needed in the formalising and traceability of the activities and the handling of deviations, or in taking into account the safety issues and the application of the defined requirements. GAMMASTER IRRADIATOR Since 2008, the company Steris has been operating an industrial irradiator called “Gammaster”, situated on the land of the municipality of Marseille. Gammaster treats products by ionisation (emission of gamma radiation) with the aim of sanitising, sterilising or improving the performance of materials. The facility is made up of an industrial bunker and houses high-activity cobalt-60 sealed sources which provide the radiation necessary for the facility’ operations. In 2023, ASN carried out two inspections on the organisation of the emergency resources, on radiation protection and the follow-up of commitments. Although some commitments fall behind schedule, the progress of the actions is well tracked and comes with deadlines. ASN considers that the level of safety and radiation protection in 2023 is broadly satisfactory. 96 ASN Report on the state of nuclear safety and radiation protection in France in 2023 Regional overview of nuclear safety and radiation protection • PROVENCE-ALPES-CÔTE D’AZUR •

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