ASN's annual reports

Every year, this report presents the state of nuclear safety and radiation protection in France. It also presents all ASN actions performed during the past year to supervise and improve the safety of French civil nuclear facilities and of the transport of radioactive materials, and to check and minimise exposure of workers, patients, the public and the environment to ionising radiation.
 
Since 2004, via the "ASN multiyear strategic plan", it also presents ASN's orientations and goals for the coming 3-year period.
 
This report, which is the fruit of collective analysis and synthesis work, in which all ASN entities take part, provides an annual record of the changes and difficulties encountered, in both the technical and organisational spheres, within the companies and organisations subject to supervision. It also widens the scope of the debate to include nuclear safety and radiation protection projects and prospects.
 
The report and its summary are sent to many of ASN's partners abroad, notably the nuclear safety authorities of various countries. Since 1996, the report has been translated into English to further exchanges between nuclear safety authorities and inform all foreign stakeholders in the nuclear safety and radiation protection sector.

18 publications

Published on 26/06/2024

ASN Report on the state of nuclear safety and radiation protection in France in 2023

The safety level of the nuclear facilities was satisfactory in 2023, with less pressure on the “fuel cycle” facilities than in 2022 and with implementation by EDF of a strategy that ASN considered to be appropriate for dealing with and remedying the stress corrosion phenomenon that had appeared on some of its reactors. Radiation protection performance remained at a good level despite an increase in the number of level 2 significant events in the medical sector. This mixed picture recalls the importance of conducting radiotherapy risk assessments.

Published on 03/08/2023

ASN Report on the state of nuclear safety and radiation protection in France in 2022

In 2022, the level of safety in the nuclear installations remained at a satisfactory level, as did radiation protection in the industrial, medical and radioactive substances transport sectors.
However, the year 2022 was marked by issues in the nuclear installations hitherto never encountered, as well as by a period of intense heatwave.
These events once again highlighted the need to maintain safety margins and to anticipate the challenges ahead, including dealing with exceptional situations linked to climate change.

Published on 07/07/2022

ASN Report on the state of nuclear safety and radiation protection in France in 2021

In 2021, the safety of nuclear facilities and radiation protection in the medical, industrial and radioactive substances transport sectors remained at a satisfactory level, in line with the level observed in 2021.
What are most striking about 2021, in particular its second part, are the industrial vulnerabilities affecting all nuclear facilities and the debate concerning energy policy choices and the position of nuclear power in these choices.

Published on 25/08/2021

ASN Report on the state of nuclear safety and radiation protection in France in 2020

The year 2020 was profoundly marked by the crisis caused by the Covid-19 pandemic. ASN considers that the level of nuclear safety and radiation protection achieved remained satisfactory and that those responsible for nuclear activities were able to adapt and cope with the situation.
In early 2021, the health crisis is still not over and prudence is required with regard to the lessons to be learned, in an uncertain and changing context.
ASN considers that this situation raises systemic questions which could apply, in the same terms, in the event of a nuclear crisis. This notably concerns trust in scientific expertise and in the authorities by the population and the conditions determining the acceptability of the restrictive population protection measures.
More generally, ASN considers that the first analyses of the problems encountered during this health crisis confirm the absolute need, which it has regularly underlined, to strengthen the culture of anticipation and precaution among all those concerned by nuclear matters.

Published on 14/07/2020

ASN Report on the state of nuclear safety and radiation protection in France in 2019

In a context where the level of safety in nuclear facilities has remained on the whole satisfactory, 2019 was marked by increased awareness on the part of the nuclear licensees of the challenges that face them as a group. The need to reinforce the quality of the work done and professional rigorousness in terms of safety has been broadly taken on board, which is essential if progress is to be made. The increase in inspections cannot be considered an appropriate response. As those with prime responsibility for safety, it is therefore up to the licensees to address these challenges.
In the medical field, the radiation protection of patients undergoing diagnostic or therapeutic procedures involving ionising radiation has been maintained at a high level.
The number of significant radiation protection events reported by the health professionals remained very low in 2019 when compared with the number of procedures carried out on the patients every year and the complexity of some of these procedures. However, particular attention must be maintained, owing to the extremely sophisticated technical nature of some medical procedures and the chain of professionals involved.

Published on 27/06/2018

ASN Report on the state of nuclear safety and radiation protection in France in 2017

In 2017, the safety of the operation of the large nuclear facilities and radiation protection in the industrial and medical fields remained on the whole satisfactory. However, with regard to the EDF NPP fleet, vigilance is required in the light of the difficulties encountered in the management of equipment conformity. In the medical sector, the persistence of level 2 incidents, more specifically in radiotherapy and during fluoroscopy-guided interventions, also warrants reinforced oversight.

Published on 11/07/2017

ASN Report on the state of nuclear safety and radiation protection in France in 2016

On the whole, 2016 was satisfactory despite a worrying context.
The year was marked by the detection of a serious generic anomaly. Eighteen EDF reactors were potentially affected by excess carbon in the steel used in the manufacture of the steam generators. Specific checks were ordered by ASN on all these reactors and five of them had to be shut down early.

Published on 05/06/2016

ASN Report on the state of nuclear safety and radiation protection in France in 2015

2015 is similar to previous years: the nuclear safety and radiation protection situation is on the whole satisfactory. The operating safety of the nuclear installations has in particular been maintained at a good level, although radiation protection requires particular vigilance, especially in the medical field, with about ten level 2 incidents occurring in 2015. However, this positive evaluation for 2015 should be moderated as the context is a worrying one, with significant concerns for the future.

Published on 15/07/2015

ASN Report on the state of nuclear safety and radiation protection in France in 2014

2014 was generally in line with previous years in terms of nuclear safety and radiation protection. The situation is on the whole relatively satisfactory, but we cannot afford to rest on our laurels. The scale of the challenges and the expectations of society mean that the nuclear safety and radiation protection requirements must be gradually tightened, in the light of accident analysis, increasing scientific knowledge and technological developments.

Published on 05/06/2014

ASN Report on the state of nuclear safety and radiation protection in France in 2013

In 2013, ASN actively continued its regulation and oversight of nuclear safety and radiation protection. 2013 is on the whole in line with previous years and ASN identified no new major problems. The number of incidents notified remained stable. From this viewpoint, the current situation is on the whole relatively satisfactory.
This should not however let us forget that events with very large scale consequences, such as those of Fukushima and Épinal, can nonetheless occur. The persistence of significant incidents means that vigilance must be maintained with regard to a severe accident, which always remains a possibility...