- 216 - Phénix The Phénix reactor is situated on the Marcoule site in the south of France, on the right bank of the river Rhone, north of Avignon, mid-way between the towns of Orange to the east and Bagnols-sur-Cèze to the west. This site accommodates other BNIs, such as Atalante operated by the CEA, the secret basic nuclear installations (BNIS) of the CEA, the CENTRACO waste incineration and melting plant operated by SOCODEI, and a facility classified on environmental protection grounds (ICPE), operated by CIS bio international. The nearest towns - Orange and Bagnols-sur-Cèze - are 8 km away and are not situated downwind of the prevailing winds, which are essentially the Mistral blowing from the north, and to the lesser extent the Noroît blowing from the north-west. The communication routes and infrastructures follow the natural line of the Rhodanian corridor. Built and operated by CEA in collaboration with EDF, Phénix is a demonstration sodium-cooled fastneutron reactor. It was authorised by a decree of 31 December 1969 and made its first divergence in 1973. Its initial nominal power of 563 MWth was reduced to 350 MWth in 2002. The Phénix reactor definitively stopped delivering electrical power to the grid in early 2009. Tests corresponding to end of operation (end-of-life tests) were then conducted until the beginning of 2010. These tests were intended to supplement knowledge of sodium-cooled fast-neutron reactor systems in view of the possible development of a "Generation IV" electricity generating process, and also came within the framework of the studies of the prototype facility mentioned in article 3 of Act 2006-739 of 28 June 2006 relative to radioactive material and waste management. The decommissioning authorisation application file was awaited at the end of 2011. The facility is currently in the phase of preparation for final shutdown for decommissioning. The decommissioning programme will include the installation of sodium treatment facilities. The facility comprises: the reactor building housing the reactor and the primary cooling system, and constituting the containment vessel; the handling operations building, containing the fuel assembly storage drum, the washing pits, and cells, notably the irradiated fuel elements cell and the auxiliary cell; the steam generators building containing the secondary sodium storage tanks; the turbine hall; the other buildings (the nuclear auxiliary building, the supervision-office building (BCB), accommodating the control room, the pumping station, etc.). Operating schematic (source CEA)
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