News releases

All the news about nuclear safety and radiation protection

470 news

Published on 12/09/2011 at 15:59

Information on the accident in Centraco (Gard) : press release #1

ASN, the French Nuclear Safety Authority, activated its emergency centre located in Paris XII at 12.30 following the accident that took place in Centraco (centre for treatment and conditioning of low level radioactive waste) located in Codolet near Marcoule (Gard, South-East of France).

Published on 22/08/2011 at 10:22

Quarterly assessment of radiotherapy events

Between 1 April and 30 June 2011, twenty-four significant radiation protection events occurring during radiotherapy were classified as level 1 on the ASN-SFRO scale. The events, which are not expected to have any impact on patients' health, were nevertheless analysed to see if any lessons can be learnt from them (particularly in terms of organisation) and to avoid any recurrence.

Published on 18/08/2011 at 18:55

Liquid radioactive and chemical effluent discharge at the Cruas-Meysse site

On 28 July 2011, the ASN Commission adopted a temporary decision relating to effluent discharge from the Cruas-Meysse nuclear power plant.

The decision, which responds to a request submitted by EDF on 1 June 2011, was the subject of a technical and administrative investigation by ASN, a public consultation by the departmental councils on the environment and health and technological risks in Drome and Ardeche and a public consultation by the local information committee in Cruas.

Published on 01/08/2011 at 18:58

Osiris and Isis experimental reactors may continue to operate

In its assessment of 27 May 2011 (2011-AV-0121), ASN determined that the Osiris reactor can continue operation until 2015, at which time the reactor should be shut down in compliance with ASN Commission decision 2008-DC-0013 of 16 September 2008. For its part, the Isis reactor can continue to operate for an additional ten years from the date on which its most recent safety review file was submitted, i.e., until 2019. The two experimental reactors constitute basic nuclear installation 40 operated by the CEA in the municipality of Saclay (Essonne)[1].

Published on 26/07/2011 at 15:07

CSA: ASN issues its opinion concerning the methodologies adopted by the operators

By the resolutions taken on 5 May 2011, the French Nuclear Safety Authority (Autorité de sûreté nucléaire – ASN) has required all operators of relevant basic nuclear installations, including AREVA, the French Alternative Energies and Atomic Energy Commission (Commissariat à l’énergie atomique et aux énergies alternatives – CEA), the French national power utility (Électricité de France – EDF) and the Laue-Langevin Institute (ILL[1]) to submit by 1 June 2011 at the latest, a memorandum describing the methodology they adopted in order to conduct the complementary safety assessment (évaluation complémentaire de la sûreté – ECS) for some of their installations with respect to the nuclear accident that occurred at the Fukushima-Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant (NPP) in Japan, on 11 March 2011.

Published on 22/07/2011 at 16:57

Reactor No. 1 of the Fessenheim nuclear power plant : ASN's position

In its opinion No. 2011-AV-0120 of 4 July 2011, ASN considers that subject to the forthcoming conclusions of the complementary safety assessments initiated following the Fukushima accident and in view of the result of the third periodic safety review of reactor No. 1 of the Fessenheim nuclear power plant, that reactor is capable of being operated for a period of ten more years after the third review, provided that the requirements in ASN resolution No. 2011-DC-0231 dated 4 July 2011 are complied with, particularly the following two main requirements...

Published on 13/07/2011 at 16:30

Increase of requirements on radiotherapy medical devices

Two serious incidents in 2006 and 2007 led the French authorities to implement a series of measures to strengthen the security of the practice of external radiotherapy.

In line with these measures, ASN and AFSSAPS have committed a specific reflection on the relationship between the radiation protection requirements of the Directive 97/43/Euratom and IAEA recommendations to the essential requirements of Directive 93/42/EEC applicable to devices including external radiotherapy linear accelerators of electrons.

Published on 13/07/2011 at 16:17

Regulatory status of small amount of radioactive substances added to lamps

HERCA, the association of the Heads of European Radiological protection Competent Authorities, approves an interim Statement promoting a consistent European approach to the processes of national assessment and regulatory decisions on the use of lamps containing small amounts of radioactive substances. With this aim, the results of national assessments and regulatory decisions on this issue will be shared in Europe through HERCA. As consumer goods are introduced in open markets in Europe, HERCA recognises more generally the need for harmonization of the radiation safety regulation of goods containing small quantities of radioactive material.

Published on 10/06/2011 at 15:29

ASN participates in the international forum on Fukushima accident

The nuclear regulatory authorities of the G8, OECD Nuclear Energy Agency (NEA) member countries and associated countries met today in Paris to discuss insights gained in relation to the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant accident and to decide on appropriate follow-up actions at the international level.

Published on 26/05/2011 at 10:59

ASN is very pleased with the agreement reached on European "stress test" ...

On Wednesday, 25 May, the Chairman of ENSREG, Andrej Stritar, accompanied by EU Energy Commissioner Günter Oettinger, announced that an agreement had been reached between the Nuclear Safety Regulators of the 27 EU Member States and the Commission with regard to stress tests for European nuclear power plants. These audits can be officially launched as of 1 June 2011.

Published on 26/05/2011 at 10:57

Environmental radioactivity monitoring adopted in France

To estimate radioactivity levels across French territory following releases from the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant, ASN asked operators[1] to demonstrate particular vigilance regarding the results of measurements made and to step up monitoring. Additional analyses were requested by ASN on 22 March 2011 relative to monitoring the air, entailing measuring the radioactivity levels of aerosols and gaseous iodines.

Published on 24/05/2011 at 00:00

ASN asks EDF to carry out a full analysis of sensitivity and uncertainties ...

Following its examination of the “Fuel Cycle” file, ASN has asked EDF, in a letter dated 9 May 2011, to produce a full analysis of sensitivity and uncertainties relating to nuclear fuel management within a year and to update this analysis every two years; ASN has also asked EDF to submit to it a new update of the “French Fuel Cycle” file in 2016. Further requests have also been made regarding technical aspects of management of and developments in new fuels, as well as storing spent fuel.

Published on 05/05/2011 at 14:45

Second International Seminar on Post Nuclear Accident Management

The French Nuclear Safety Authority (ASN) is organising, with the support of the French Parliamentary Office for the Evaluation of Scientific and Technological Choices (OPECST), an international seminar on post nuclear accidents, i.e., managing the consequences of a nuclear accident.