News releases

All the news about nuclear safety and radiation protection

470 news

Published on 11/06/2019 at 14:35

Overexposure of the hands of personnel in a nuclear medicine department

On 6 May 2019, the Réunion Island University Hospital in Saint-Denis notified ASN of a significant event that occurred in its nuclear medicine department. Further to malfunctions affecting an automated injector for radiopharmaceutical, several workers suffered radiation exposure to the hands in an unusual manner.

Published on 27/05/2019 at 13:30

A worker exceeds the regulatory annual radiation exposure limit

On 24 April 2019, ASN, the French nuclear regulator, was informed by the company Eiffage Énergie Système – Clevia Ouest, located in Saint-Grégoire (Ille-et-Vilaine département), of a significant radiation protection event involving a worker who exceeded the regulatory annual ionising radiation exposure limit.

Published on 21/05/2019 at 11:30

EPR Reactor: Information Letter n°21

ASN continued its monitoring of the Flamanville 3 EPR reactor construction site and the various manufactured items intended for it. The significant points in 2018 and early 2019 are detailed below; ASN was particularly vigilant with regard to the processing of the deviations detected on the main secondary system welds and the continuation of the reactor start-up tests.

Published on 17/05/2019 at 15:45

Progress report on the ASN action plan against the risk of fraud

On 21 November 2018, ASN opened a portal to the public so that anyone wishing to do so can inform it of any irregularities regarding nuclear safety, radiation protection of persons and protection of the environment. This portal offers whistleblowers direct access to ASN, while guaranteeing that their identity will remain confidential.

Published on 12/04/2019 at 09:00

Flamanville EPR reactor

On 9 and 10 April 2019, ASN convened its Advisory Committee for Nuclear Pressure Equipment (GP ESPN) concerning the approach proposed by EDF to deal with the deviations detected in welds on the main steam transfer pipes of the Flamanville EPR reactor. Representatives from the Flamanville CLI, the HCTISN, the ANCCLI and foreign safety regulators concerned by the construction of an EPR reactor attended this session as observers.

Published on 28/03/2019 at 11:03

Decommissioning of the first generation gas-cooled reactors

On 12 February 2019, the ASN Commission gave EDF a hearing so that the licensee could make its observations on the draft resolutions to regulate the decommissioning of six gas-cooled reactors, which have been shut down for about thirty years.

Published on 19/03/2019 at 16:04

Auxiliary systems of the backup diesel generating sets for the EDF reactors

In 2017, EDF notified a significant safety event concerning the failure to demonstrate the seismic resistance of the civil engineering anchors of the auxiliary systems of the backup diesel generating sets for its 1300 MWe nuclear power reactors. ASN had rated this event level 2 on the INES scale.

Published on 28/02/2019 at 11:12

Flamanville EPR equipment

In a resolution of 25 February 2019, ASN served EDF with formal notice to produce and save proof of qualification of the Flamanville EPR reactor equipment.

Published on 27/02/2019 at 11:14

Quality assurance requirements for certain medical practices that use ionising radiation

In France, medical applications represent the primary source of artificial exposures of the public to ionising radiation. This medical exposure is increasing, mainly due to the increased number of examinations using computed tomography CT scanners. In order to control the doses delivered to patients undergoing medical imaging examinations, and thereby contribute to enhanced safety for the patients, ASN is defining new quality assurance requirements in medical imaging.