European Union: Thematic peer review - ageing management of power and research reactors

In 2014, the Council of the European Union adopted directive 2014/87/EURATOM on nuclear security. The main purpose of this directive, supplementing a directive of 2009, was to ensure that the licensees of nuclear facilities learned the lessons from the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant (NPP) accident which occurred in 2011.

The peer review process, considered as an important instrument for promoting the implementation of continuous safety improvement measures, was introduced by the directive in 2014: a peer review of the nuclear facilities of each Member State must thus be carried out every
6 years. This in-depth review process, inspired by that performed during the stress tests on nuclear facilities carried out in the wake of the Fukushima Daiichi NPP accident, started in 2017.

In July 2015, from among the proposals made by WENRA, the 30^th meeting of ENSREG selected ageing management of power and research reactors as the topic for this first peer review. In addition to the national policies developed on this subject, particularly close attention was paid to how they are applied to the following four technical topics: reactor vessels, containments, concealed pipes and electrical cables. In accordance with the provisions[1] regulating this peer review, the 19 Member States concerned and participating in this review are required to submit their national reports before the end of 2017. For the nuclear facilities concerned, ASN publishes its report in both English and French on its website. This report is also published on the ENSREG website.

Following the publication of the reports from each Member State, a peer review of the 19 reports for mutual examination of the steps taken by the licensees and their assessment by the regulators will begin in 2018. A first workshop is scheduled from 14 to 18 May 2017. It will be an opportunity to discuss ageing and identify best practices. The conclusions of this peer review will be presented to ENSREG.