The nuclear safety and radiation protection situation is of major concern. ASN is remaining vigilant

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On 20 January, through its Chairman, Mr Pierre-Franck Chevet, ASN presented its New Year’s wishes to the press, in its Montrouge headquarters.

Mr Pierre-Franck Chevet reviewed the current challenges faced by ASN and the strategic priorities for nuclear safety and radiation protection in 2016.

He underlined that “the nuclear safety and radiation protection situation is of major concern”.

This view is based on three observations:

"Nuclear safety and radiation protection are facing unprecedented challenges”:

• “The continued operation of the nuclear power plants beyond 40 years cannot be taken for granted.The operating conditions for the nuclear power plants beyond 40 years is still a subject of some considerable debate”, P. - F. Chevet pointed out. This implies that beyond the fourth periodic safety review, it will be possible to guarantee that the equipment important for safety remain compliant with its initial requirements, that its ageing is controlled and that its safety is reinforced in line with the requirements applicable to new installations. ASN underlines that its first opinions concerning the scope of the studies required on the NPP fleet will be issued in early 2016 and that the generic positions statement regarding the proposed improvements will in principle be issued in 2018. ASN will then issue a position statement reactor by reactor, as of 2020.

• “Between now and 2017, ASN will be receiving the periodic safety review reports of fifty or so fuel cycle facilities or research facilities, most of which are older installations”. There are major safety issues involved in the continued operation of the old CEA and Areva nuclear facilities. ASN has already stipulated the shutdown of installations which were unable to comply with the most recent safety requirements. For most of these installations, these reports will constitute the first safety review since they were created and will be an opportunity to make significant safety improvements.

• “The deployment of post-Fukushima measures must continue”. Between 2014 and 2016, ASN determined additional requirements for deployment of a hardened safety core on the EDF NPP sites, as well as on the fuel cycle and research facility sites where the potential consequences are the most significant. These resolutions specify additional requirements in order to reinforce prevention and mitigate the consequences of a severe accident, for example affecting the reactor core or spent fuel storage pools. They also entail reinforced measures for emergency management by the licensee. ASN has initiated a detailed analysis of the measures proposed by AREVA, CEA and EDF in response to its resolutions, more specifically those concerning the hardened safety core. The Advisory Committee for nuclear reactors will be meeting in 2016 to review these various measures.

• “Difficulties in the construction of new nuclear installations” (EPR, RJH, Iter).
  With regard to EPR, oversight of the construction site is continuing and the vessel carbon content anomaly is currently the subject of a comprehensive investigation. Despite the delays in the construction of RJH and ITER, ASN considers that safety on these construction sites is satisfactory.
  With regard to Areva’s Creusot Forge site, ASN will be assessing its organisation for the period 2005 – 2015 by an examination of the products manufactured over this period, with the aim of understanding the processes which led to the anomalies on the Flamanville 3 vessel domes and will assess the extent to which lessons have been learned from past generic anomalies.

“The industry is in a difficult economic and financial situation”.

At a time of reorganisation, ASN will be attentive to ensuring that firms regain the financial capacity required to meet their overall responsibilities and that they maintain essential skills and safety investments.

“It is in this demanding context that ASN asked for a significant increase in its resources”

Thought must be given to the financing of oversight in order to ensure that ASN and IRSN are given long-term human and financial resources commensurate with the new challenges.
P. - F. Chevet underlined that ASN will give immediate priority to the oversight of operating installations , with the examination of new installations being temporarily put to one side until such time as a solution is found.

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ASN applies a policy of “accountability”, more specifically by submitting its Report on the State of Nuclear Safety and Radiation Protection in France to Parliament each year. It will be presenting its report on“The state of nuclear safety and radiation protection in France in 2015”at a hearing open to the press, organised on 17 May 2016 by the Parliamentary Office for the Evaluation of Scientific and Technological Options (OPECST).