The inerting and removal of magnesian waste should resume in 2024. ASN granted a decommissioning authorisation for the highly active liquid effluent systems in August 2023. Given that EDF reported technical and contractual difficulties as of April 2022, these operations – which were initially planned as of 2023 – have been rescheduled for 2024. The treatment of the legacy chemical products present in controlled areas continued and the transfer of this nuclear waste to facilities that can accept them has begun. Lastly, the year 2023 was marked by the resuming of “Thermip” pollution monitoring (non-radiological pollution by hydrocarbons and naphthalene), for which the management plan must be supplemented by technical elements expected in 2024. Through the checks made during its inspections, ASN considers that the safety management applied at the AMI is satisfactory. The work sites inspected are well kept and suitably monitored. The monitoring of discharges and the environment is well managed, as is equipment qualification, examined by random checks. The alpha emitter contamination risk indicators are correctly tracked. Particular attention must nevertheless be paid to the monitoring of the buildings and the water infiltrations in the basement acting as a retention area. An improvement in the depth of analysis of important radiation protection events is also expected. Saint-Laurent-des-Eaux site The Saint-Laurent-des-Eaux site, situated on the banks of the river Loire in the municipality of Saint‑Laurent‑Nouan in the Loir‑et‑Cher département, comprises various nuclear installations, some of them in operation and others undergoing decommissioning. The Saint‑Laurent‑des‑Eaux NPP has two 900 MWe reactors in operation, B1 and B2, which were commissioned in 1980 and 1981 and constitute BNI 100. The site also features two old GCRs, A1 and A2, currently in the decommissioning phase, and two silos for storing the graphite sleeves from the operation of reactors A1 and A2. SAINT-LAURENT-DES-EAUX NUCLEAR POWER PLANT Reactors B1 and B2 in operation ASN considers that the safety performance is in line with the general assessment of the EDF plants, and has improved compared with 2022. The radiation protection performance, however, is below the national average. The environmental performance is satisfactory and stands out favourably compared with the general assessment of the EDF plants. ASN considers that the site’s nuclear safety performance improved in 2023. There is still room for progress, however, in operational management, particularly regarding monitoring in the control room. Lastly, ASN considers that the site’s fire risk management has significantly regressed, with numerous shortcomings detected during the inspections carried out in 2023, particularly in the management of fire loads, in fire sectorisation and the management of hot work permits. ASN will monitor this subject particularly closely in 2024, in order to check the progress of the action plan deployed by the site. The maintenance performance of the Saint‑Laurent‑des‑ Eaux NPP remains at a level deemed relatively satisfactory. The year 2023 saw a significant increase in maintenance activities, notably with the fourth ten-yearly outage of reactor 2. Few significant events are caused by maintenance deficiencies, even if ASN expects improvements to be made in activity preparation and monitoring. The radiation protection performance of the Saint‑Laurentdes‑Eaux NPP deteriorated in 2023. Work site preparation and the monitoring of radiological cleanliness must be improved. The organisation of the site to meet the regulatory requirements in the area of environmental protection is considered satisfactory. ASN underlines the site’s commitment in the performance and analysis of situational exercises on the theme of environmental protection, whether organised internally or carried out without prior notice at the request of ASN. Management of the storage of non-radiological hazardous substances however must be improved, and will be closely watched by ASN in 2024. ASN notes a deterioration in occupational safety at the Saint‑Laurent‑des‑Eaux NPP in 2023, particularly regarding outside contractor accident levels. Progress has been observed in prevention of the electrical risk. The site must nevertheless further improve its management of the ATEX risk. Reactors A1 and A2 undergoing decommissioning The former Saint‑Laurent‑des‑Eaux NPP constitutes a BNI comprising two “integrated” GCRs, reactors A1 and A2. These first-generation reactors used natural uranium as the fuel, graphite as the moderator and were cooled by gas. Their final shutdown was declared in 1990 and 1992 respectively. Complete decommissioning of the installation was authorised by the Decree of 18 May 2010. 52 ABSTRACTS – ASN Report on the state of nuclear safety and radiation protection in France in 2023 Regional overview of nuclear safety and radiation protection • CENTRE-VAL DE LOIRE •
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