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All the news about nuclear safety and radiation protection

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Published on 23/06/2015 at 17:30

EPR Reactor: Information Letter n°17

In the second half of 2014 and early 2015, ASN continued its monitoring of the Flamanville 3 EPR reactor and the various manufacturing operations for this reactor. The notable points observed over these last few months are detailed below

Published on 28/05/2015 at 18:30

End of the incident at nuclear power plant of Cattenom (Moselle)

The incident which affected reactor No. 1 at Cattenom nuclear power plant (Moselle) has been terminated. The reactor is shut down and being cooled normally. EDF has exited its emergency plan and French national emergency organizations have been deactivated.

Published on 28/05/2015 at 17:45

Cattenom (Moselle) - level 1 on the international INES scale

According to preliminary information available to ASN, the origin of the event that occurred at the reactor n°1 of the Cattenom NPP (Moselle) was an unexpected opening of a secondary system valve which resulted in a steam release. The reactor was automatically shut down at 13:25, according to procedures.

Published on 27/05/2015 at 14:00

Transport incident of a gamma ray projector

On 16th March 2015, ASN was informed by the ECW company (Courcelles-les-Lens) that one of their gamma ray projects had been carried on the public highway on 2ndMarch 2015 in conditions failing to comply with a number of requirements stipulated by the transport approval issued by ASN.

Published on 22/04/2015 at 08:00

ASN 2014 Report

On 15th April, ASN presented its report on the state of nuclear safety and radiation protection in France in 2014 to Parliament (Parliamentary Office for the Evaluation of Scientific and Technological Choices (OPECST)).
On 16th April, ASN also held a press conference at its headquarters in Montrouge for about forty journalists from the international, national and regional press.
The ASN Commission and its Chairman, Pierre-Franck Chevet, presented the state of nuclear safety and radiation protection in France in 2014, before reviewing ASN, its roles and the strategic priorities for nuclear safety and radiation protection in 2015.

Published on 02/03/2015 at 10:00

European stress tests: ASN publishes the update of its national action plan

On 26 April 2012, one year after the Fukushima Daiichi accident, a joint statement by ENSREG and the European Commission concluded the stress tests conducted on the European nuclear power plants. This statement emphasised the need to implement an overall action plan to ensure that these stress tests would be followed by safety improvement measures implemented in a consistent manner in each country.

Published on 02/02/2015 at 14:00

Bordeaux: level 2 on the INES scale

On 14th October 2014, ASN was informed by Bordeaux CHU that the regulatory annual whole-body dose limit of 20 mSv was exceeded by an orthopaedic surgeon while using an interventional radiology device (image intensifier) in the operating theatre.

Published on 02/02/2015 at 10:00

ASN sets additional prescriptions for AREVA and CEA facilities and sites

Pursuant to the ASN resolutions of 5th May 2011, AREVA and CEA carried out stress tests on each of their facilities for which there are major potential safety issues, in order to take account of experience feedback from the Fukushima accident. The stress tests performed in Europe on the nuclear power reactors were, in France, extended to cover all basic nuclear installations, including fuel cycle and research facilities. The particular aim of the stress tests was to determine the safety margins that exist on these facilities with regard to extreme hazards such as earthquake and flooding.