ASN Report 2017

166 ASN report on the state of nuclear safety and radiation protection in France in 2017 Chapter 05  - Radiological emergency and post-accident situations 2.2.1 Bilateral relations Maintaining and strengthening bilateral relations with neighbouring and other European countries is one of ASN’s priorities. In 2017, ASN thus continued regular exchanges with its European counterparts concerning the harmonisation of emergency management. Experience feedback from the Fukushima Daiichi accident and the steps taken since then in each country, were at the heart of the discussions. ASN is continuing to develop bilateral relations in emergency management with many countries, Spain, Italy, Luxembourg, Germany, Switzerland and Belgium in particular. Meetings specifically dedicated to emergency management were in particular held in 2017 with these countries. Chinese, Turkish, Belarusian and Vietnamese delegations also visited ASN in 2017 to discuss emergency situation management and took this opportunity to visit the ASN emergency centre. The Chinese and Vietnamese delegations also took part as observers in a national emergency exercise at ASN. 2.2.2 Multilateral relations The Fukushima Daiichi accident occupied a substantial amount of time of many of the ASN and IRSN staff, even though it was a remote accident for which the radiological consequences in France would appear to be limited. In addition, ASN’s actions were also limited, because it is not its responsibility to monitor the actions of the Japanese licensee. This accident highlighted the problems that would be encountered by ASN and IRSN, but also their European counterparts, in managing a large-scale accident in Europe. The nuclear safety regulators confirmed the need for mutual assistance mechanisms and have already undertaken international work to improve their response organisations. ASN takes part in IAEA’s work to improve notification and information exchanges in radiological emergency situations. It is helping to define international assistance strategy, requirements and resources and to develop the Response and Assistance Network (RANET). In addition to the four traditional committees which draft its safety standards, IAEA created a new committee in 2015 called EPReSC (Emergency Preparedness and Response Standards Committee), to deal with emergency situations. The standards in this field had hitherto been monitored by the other existing committees. The document at the top of the standards hierarchy in this field is General Safety Requirement (GSR) Part 7, published in November 2015. Two committee meetings, at which ASN represented France, were held in 2017. In 2018, ASN will organise a meeting with all the national emergency management stakeholders in France, to present the concept of the emergency situation protection strategy developed by IAEA. ASN also collaborates with the NEA and takes part in the Working Party on Nuclear Emergency Matters (WPNEM). FOCUS Observation of the “Olkiluoto 17” nuclear emergency exercise in Finland This major exercise (the equivalent of a French Government SECNUC major exercise) was requested by the Finnish nuclear safety regulator (STUK, Säteilyturvakeskus ) before commissioning of the Olkiluoto EPR, scheduled for 2018. The site also includes two other reactors. As in France, an emergency is managed at the local level by the emergency services, with the Government also being involved. In the emergency phase, the licensee may recommend population protection measures until the STUK is able to assume this responsibility (generally within two hours). These measures may include immediate evacuation within a 5 km radius. Emergency management is built around the principles described in the IAEA standards. The ASN observers found similarities in the response levels and roles, but also differences, notably concerning the status of STUK – which is both authority and expert – and the population protection measures implementation levels, explained by the lower population density. Observation of an exercise in the emergency centre of the Olkiluoto NPP.