ASN notes that the decommissioning operations on the BNI part were suspended in mid-2023 due to operational difficulties linked to waste management. Further to ASN’s requests, the licensee undertook actions aiming to improve, in the short term, the safety of storage of the radioactive and hazardous substances of areas 61 and 79, which will more specifically require a transfer of these storage areas on the site. A number of new difficulties, such as prevention of the criticality risk for a portion of these materials, arose in 2023, after conducting new analyses of the stored substances. In 2024, ASN will check the progress of the decommissioning operations and the gradual emptying of areas 61 and 79. After the technical difficulties experienced by the Philippe Coste plant in 2022, ASN considers that the licensee has stabilized its functioning and that this plant is operated satisfactorily with regard to nuclear safety. In 2024, ASN will ensure that the licensee maintains a good standard of operating rigour, and also expects the licensee to accomplish its project to design treatment units for non uranium-bearing effluents and the on-line treatment of potassium diuranate (KDU). GEORGES BESSE I ENRICHMENT PLANT The Georges Besse I (Eurodif) uranium enrichment facility constituting BNI 93 consisted essentially of a plant for separating uranium isotopes using the gaseous diffusion process. After this plant stopped production in May 2012, the licensee implemented the “intensive rinsing followed by air venting” operations (Prisme operation) from 2013 to 2016. These operations allowed the extraction of virtually all the residual uranium deposited in the diffusion barriers. The main residual risk of BNI 93 is now associated with the UF6 containers in the storage yards, which are still attached to the perimeter of the installation. At the end of the periodic safety review of the yards, ASN ordered complementary measures in its resolution CODEP-CLG-2023-012727 of 8 March 2023. These yards should in the short term be attached to the Tricastin uranium storage yards (BNI 178). The Decree ordering Orano to proceed with the decommissioning of the Georges Besse I plant was published on 5 February 2020. The decommissioning issues particularly concern the large volume of very-low level waste (VLLW) produced, including 160,000 tonnes of metal waste which is undergoing specific studies. On completion of the periodic safety review of the facility, ASN sent its conclusions to the Minister of the Energy Transition on 13 July 2023, without issuing further requirements. ASN underlines that the action plan involving the management of large quantities of legacy operational waste must be strictly followed and implemented, and that attention must be paid to the facilities in service within the perimeter of the installation. ASN considers that in 2023 the monitoring operations and the progress of the decommissioning project are satisfactory, but there is room for improvement in operational rigour. ASN is expecting the detailed decommissioning scenario studies for the diffusion cascades to be completed in 2024. GEORGES BESSE II ENRICHMENT PLANT The Georges Besse II (GB II) plant, which constitutes BNI 168, has been the site’s enrichment facility since the Georges Besse I plant was shut down. It separates uranium isotopes using the centrifugation process. The standard of safety of the plant’s facilities in 2023 was satisfactory. The technologies used in the facility enable high standards of safety, radiation protection and environmental protection to be achieved. ASN considers that the licensee is duly following its commitments to ASN. The examination of the concluding report of the first periodic safety review of BNI 168 is continuing. ASN conducted a dedicated inspection on this subject in June 2023 which underlined the good organisational setup put in place for the safety review and led to the formulation of demands concerning regulatory conformity and the action plan. In 2022, Orano began the project to extend the GB II North enrichment plant in order to increase its production capacities by adding centrifuge modules. The GB II North plant extension project underwent a prior consultation from 1 February to 9 April 2023, organised by the French National Public Debates Commission (CNDP). In June 2023, Orano submitted the substantial modification application file in order to build this extension. This project will undergo a public consultation in 2024. MAINTENANCE, EFFLUENT TREATMENT AND WASTE CONDITIONING FACILITIES The effluent treatment and uranium recovery facility (IARU), which constitutes BNI 138, ensures the treatment of liquid effluents and waste, as well as maintenance operations for various BNIs. Concerning the periodic safety review, every six months the licensee sends a statement of the commitments made to ASN. The progress of the action plan and commitments is considered satisfactory despite some delays. ASN takes positive note of the start of work on building 57L in 2023, which will improve the safety of certain storage areas. The results of the inspections carried out in 2023 on the themes of commitment follow-up, civil engineering monitoring, criticality safety, modification management and waste management are satisfactory. In 2023, ASN also checked the progress of the site’s new linen room project, situated outside the BNI perimeters, which will improve fire risk prevention in BNI 138. ABSTRACTS – ASN Report on the state of nuclear safety and radiation protection in France in 2023 41 Regional overview of nuclear safety and radiation protection • AUVERGNE‑RHÔNE‑ALPES •
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