MELOX PLANT Created in 1990 and operated by Orano Recyclage, the Melox plant (BNI 151) produces MOX fuel which consists of a mix of uranium and plutonium oxides. ASN considers that the level of nuclear safety and radiation protection is satisfactory in the areas of nuclear chain reaction control and static and dynamic containment, and broadly satisfactory in the areas of waste management, monitoring of outside contractors, TSR and the monitoring of discharges and the environment. The effectiveness of the containment barriers is maintained at a satisfactory level. Breaks in containment, which can occur under normal operating conditions, are subject to specific monitoring and measures to limit them. For several years now the licensee has had difficulties in producing the planned quantities of fuel conforming to the safety specifications of the nuclear reactors. This situation has led to the production of a large quantity of manufacturing rejects, which are sent to the La Hague site for interim storage. This creates a risk of reaching the maximum storage capacity for plutonium-containing materials at the La Hague site in the short term. In 2022, the licensee qualified a new uranium oxide powder which enabled fuel production to be increased and reduced the quantity of rejects in 2023. This improvement must now be continued over the long term. The other solutions deployed to lastingly improve this situation in the facility consist firstly in thoroughly cleaning the glove boxes to reduce the ambient dose levels, and secondly in deploying a major maintenance programme with the aim of restoring the level of availability of the production tools. Furthermore, the programme to repair the machines (“PPRM” project) continued in 2023. The numerous maintenance operations have consequences in terms of radiation protection, with a growing reliance on outside contractors and a high collective dosimetry. They have moreover led to a significant increase in waste production, resulting in a risk of local storage capacities reaching their limit. The licensee has defined an action plan to prevent storage limits being reached. Among the focuses of this action plan is the creation of a new nuclear waste storage area which was authorised by ASN in 2023. Construction of the emergency centre was completed in 2023. The licensee notified ASN of the commissioning of this building in June 2023, in accordance with the ASN requirement. CENTRACO PLANT The Centraco plant (BNI 160), was created in 1996 and is operated by Cyclife France, a 100% subsidiary of EDF. The purpose of the Centraco plant is to sort, decontaminate, reuse, treat and package – particularly by reducing their volume – waste and effluents with low and very low levels of radioactivity. The waste resulting from its process is then routed to the Aube repository (CSA) of the National radioactive waste management agency (Andra). The facility comprises: • a melting unit, melting a maximum of 3,500 tonnes (t) of metallic waste per year; • an incineration unit, in which the incinerable waste is burned, with a maximum of 3,000 t of solid waste and 2,000 t of liquid waste per year; • and storage areas. ASN considers that the safety of the facility in 2023 is relatively satisfactory on the whole. The findings of the inspections on management of the fire risks and external hazards were below expectations. One waste management inspection was considered relatively satisfactory. Further to these inspections, the licensee had to put in place measures aiming in particular to guarantee fire sectorisation and proper management of the facility’s fire loads. The procedures and the operational means that were lacking, called out in the facility’s baseline requirements for external hazard events, have also been defined. Implementation of these actions was checked by an unannounced inspection on this subject held at the end of the year, with a positive conclusion. ASN also conducted inspections on the pressure equipment and the monitoring of discharges and the environment, with broadly positive results. The periodic safety review concluding report was submitted on 18 February 2021 in accordance with ASN resolution 2014-DC-0446 of 17 July 2014. This dossier is currently being examined. Monitoring and control of ageing of the facility, particularly as regards the equipment protecting against the fire risk, constitute one of the themes examined for the periodic safety review. In September 2022, the licensee submitted an application to modify the on-site emergency plan, in order to move its emergency management premises into the perimeter of the BNI, in accordance with section 3.1.3 of ASN Guide No. 9. This modification was authorised in 2023. Furthermore, ASN is currently revising the resolutions regulating the facility’s discharges, in particular to take into account the Industrial Emissions Directive (IED), in order to achieve a high standard of environmental protection. ABSTRACTS – ASN Report on the state of nuclear safety and radiation protection in France in 2023 85 Regional overview of nuclear safety and radiation protection • OCCITANIE •
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