Rupture of an underground pipe of uranium liquid discharges at the FBFC plant in Romans-sur-Isere (Drôme)

On July 17 2008 at 5 pm, the Franco-Belgian fuel manufacturing plant (FBFC), group AREVA-NP, located in Romans-sur-Isere in the French Drôme

département

, informed ASN of the rupture of an underground pipe of uranium liquid discharges.

 ASN decided to conduct a reactive inspection. Three inspectors from the ASN division of Lyon visited the site on the night of July 17 2008 to July 18 2008 to examine the exact circumstances of the event and the provisions taken by the operator.

The ASN inspectors recorded that :

• according to the FBFC licensee, the rupture of the underground pipe could date back to several years;
• the FBFC licensee has taken corrective actions to protect the area against any weather injury.

 
 The FBFC licensee will proceed, July 18, to the cleaning of the contaminated area. Inspectors requested an examination of all materials removed to evaluate the mass of uranium present.

The inspectors have noted the non-compliance of this pipe with the regulation requirements demanding a sufficient mechanical ability to resist to shocks to avoid its rupture.

ASN classes provisionally this event at level 1 of the International Nuclear Event Scale (INES).