ASN’s supervision of the Flamanville-3 reactor (EPR) : News

Read the newsletters about the supervision of the Flamanville-3 reactor (EPR).

32 news

Published on 21/03/2012 at 14:00

EPR Reactor: Information Letter n°12

ASN oversight of the Flamanville 3 EPR construction site continued during the second half of 2011. Details of recent findings are provided below:
- Inspection of prestressing tendon duct installation work
- Manufacture of polar crane support brackets
- Oversight of complex concreting operations
- Quality control of tank, pool and liner welding operations
- ASN report on the complementary safety assessments conducted by EDF after the Fukushima accident
- Repair of reactor vessel head
- Non-conformances detected during the pipe manufacturing process

Published on 12/09/2011 at 17:21

EPR Reactor: Information Letter n°11

Since 2008, several inspections by ASN have examined the prestressing system[1] of the Reactor Building containment. During construction of the first concreting lifts of the inner containment wall, EDF notified ASN of noncompliance issues relating to the prestressing system (see Information Notice No. 8).

In May 2011, new noncompliance issues regarding positioning of portions of the prestressing sheaths were identified. In addition to occasional deviations, ASN found that recurring anomalies in the system indicated a lack of preparation, skills and training in safety culture on the part of workers and shortcomings in EDF’s monitoring of its subcontractors. As a result, ASN requested EDF to suspend concreting of the inner containment wall on 23 June 2011 and to present an action plan to avoid any further deviations in constructing the prestressing sheaths.

Published on 26/04/2011 at 10:49

Reactor vessel head for the Flamanville EPR

In November 2010, AREVA NP detected defects in several nozzle penetration* welds during its regulatory manufacturing inspections of the Flamanville 3 EPR reactor vessel head.

Published on 19/04/2011 at 10:41

Health and safety inspection at EPR reactor

ASN oversees occupational health and safety inspection at French nuclear power plants [1]. It provides coordinated oversight of the health, safety, working conditions and quality of employment of EDF employees, as well as those of EDF service providers and subcontractors, just as it does for nuclear safety at facilities. This activity covers the construction, operation and decommissioning of nuclear power plants [2].

Published on 24/08/2010 at 10:37

Instrumentation and control system of the Flamanville 3 EPR

In order to improve the robustness of the instrumentation and control (I&C) system [1] of the EPR reactor, ASN asked EDF to modify one of the reactor’s control platforms. EDF had already considered this modification towards the end of 2009 in response to ASN’s request on 15 October 2009.

Published on 11/06/2010 at 12:38

EPR Reactor: Information Letter n°8

The French Nuclear Safety Authority (ASN) continued its inspections on the EPR Flamanville reactor construction site during the first quarter of 2010, and found work to be progressing in good order. Several issues are noteworthy.

Published on 02/11/2009 at 13:57

EPR Pressurised Water Reactor

1. The UK nuclear safety regulator (HSE’s ND), the French nuclear regulator (ASN), and the Finnish nuclear regulator (STUK) are currently working to assess the EPR Pressurised Water Reactor...

Published on 10/10/2008 at 00:00

EPR Reactor Flamanville 3

In application of the Act on transparency and security in the nuclear field (TSN) of 13 June 2006, ASN defined by a decision of 26 September 2008 the prescriptions for the Flamanville 3 EPR reactor currently being built on the Flamanville site.