ASN oversees the continued operation of basic nuclear installation 67, called the High-Flux Reactor, operated by Laue-Langevin Institute (ILL), further to the conclusions of its third safety review

The ILL, an international research organisation, accommodates a 58 Megawatts thermal (MWth) heavy-water High-Flux Neutron Reactor (RHF) which produces high-intensity thermal neutron beams for fundamental research, particularly in the areas of solid-state physics, neutron physics and molecular biology.

In recent years, made improvements to its facility, particularly in the light of the experience feedback of the Fukushima accident. The ILL plans to continue operating its facility for the next ten years.

Article L. 593-18 of the Environment Code requires that the licensee conduct such a review every ten years, following which ASN communicates the results of its analysis to the Minister responsible for nuclear safety and may issue a resolution setting binding requirements for continued operation of the facility.

The third periodic safety review concluding report for BNI 67 was submitted by ILL in November 2017. ILL also undertook to implement improvements especially regarding the management of fire-related and handling-related risks.

ASN notes the strong involvement of the licensee. It considers that the measures to manage risks and detrimental effects identified in the ambitious action plan by the licensee, the implementation of which has begun, will enable the installation to make further safety gains and to continue operating under satisfactory conditions until the next periodic safety review.

Following public concertation and in the light of the potential consequences associated to certain accident scenarios, ASN requires the ILL for the continued operation of the facility to comply with the provisions set out in the ASN Resolution of 28 July 2022, in particular, the improvement of preventing fire and explosion risks and risks associated to handling operation.

The concluding report for the periodic safety review of BNI 67 shall be submitted before December 2027.

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