Les cahiers de l'ASN #01 - Nuclear power plants: going beyond 40 years

ASN made a number of additional requests in its position statement in 2016. EDF supplemented its programme of work and, at the beginning of 2018, sent ASN themeasures it envisages taking in order tomeet the safety improvement objectives requested by ASN in 2016. EDF’s objectives response memorandum (NRO) thus details the steps taken to reinforce safety. The risks of accident with or without core melt, rapid and unexpected emptying of a spent fuel pool, earthquake, fire, etc. are considered in this document. The ASN examination process is continuing with further expert consultations in 2019. In 2020, ASNwill issue a decision regarding EDF’s programme for all the 900MWe reactors. After consultation of the public on the asn.fr website, ASN will then regulate the continued operation of each reactor by means of technical requirements. CALLING IN THE EXPERTS When taking its decisions , ASN draws on outside technical expertise, in particular that of IRSN*. ASN also calls on the opinions and recommendations of advisory committees of experts (GPE), from a variety of scientific and technical backgrounds, as well as of associations. ASN encourages the involvement of the public in the process for deciding on the conditions for continued operation of the 900 MWe reactors. In 2016, the main observations from the general public collected during the consultation organised by ASN about its draft position statement concerning the generic guidelines for the 40-year periodic safety review concerned: •  the management of ageing in general and of the reactor vessels in particular; •  consideration of operating experience feedback in general and from Fukushima in particular; •  subcontracting and the qualification of the workers. * See glossary p.24 4th periodic safety review of the French 900 MWe nuclear power reactors • 3