ASN Report 2017

205 ASN report on the state of nuclear safety and radiation protection in France in 2017 Chapter 08  - Regional overview of nuclear safety and radiation protection AUVERGNE-RHÔNE-ALPES As far as radiation protection is concerned, and despite the improvements with respect to last year, there are still some shortcomings in radiological cleanliness. Labour inspection on the nuclear power plants of the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region Thirty four labour inspections were carried out during 2017, along with 21 days of presence in the region’s nuclear power plants for meetings, discussions with employees and staff representatives, and participation at the meetings of the Committees for Health, Safety and Working Conditions (CHSCT). The inspections are divided between inspections conducted on the sites of maintenance work carried out during the reactor outages and thematic inspections (chemical, electrical, asbestos risk). Work on the conformity of the loading machines and the safety of the ultimate backup diesel generator set construction sites was moreover carried out on the four sites in the region. Lastly, inspections were also carried out further to serious workplace accidents. ASN notes the substantial preparation work carried out to control the risks associated with the lifting operations involved in the replacement of steam generators of reactor 1 of the Cruas-Meysse NPP. Broadly speaking, what emerges from 2017 is: ཛྷ ཛྷ Compliance work on the loading machines needs to be continued. ཛྷ ཛྷ Difficulties were encountered in the management of some asbestos-removal work sites. ཛྷ ཛྷ Continued efforts are required in radiation protection. ཛྷ ཛྷ The quality of work site operations risk analyses must be improved. Fuel cycle installations Areva NP nuclear fuel fabrication plants in Romans-sur-Isère (Drôme département ) In 2017, the licensee Areva NP continued its work to improve the safety of its facilities, which have been under tightened ASN surveillance since 2014. The inspections carried out in 2017 confirmed the improvements with regard to compliance with the safety requirements and operating rigour, particularly in the control of the criticality risk, equipment qualification and maintaining qualification, and the performance of periodic inspections and tests. The site has increased its personnel numbers in various areas: safety, radiation protection, projects and support services. This increase in manpower and the reorganising of the safety teams are helping to improve the way operational safety and the safety of the ongoing projects on the site are taken into account. With regard to environmental protection, Areva NP must further improve its control of the waste management routes, particularly with regard to the distinction between radioactive waste and conventional waste. Improvements can still be made in radiation protection, but the site is nevertheless actively engaged in a progress strategy. The majority of the compliance and reinforcement work on the facilities of BNI 98 (fuel manufacture for the nuclear power plants) is complete. The examination of the periodic safety review file for this facility showed that further improvements must be made in earthquake and fire resistance and in the management of the risks associated with hazardous substances. The first commitments made by the licensee have been met. ASN will rule on the conditions for continued operation of BNI 98 in 2018. Another phase of reinforcement work on the recycling unit is also expected. The licensee suspended operation of BNI 63 (manufacture of fuels for research reactors) until June 2017 in order to carry out compliance work required by ASN resolution 2015-DC-0485 of 8th January 2015 to improve the containment of radioactive substances and control of the earthquake and fire risks in the main building. In 2018, in its examination of the periodic safety review file submitted by the licensee, ASN will rule on the conditions for continued operation of BNI 63. Moving forward with the new uranium handling zone project must be a priority in this respect. Areva NC nuclear fuel cycle plants situated on the Tricastin industrial platform (Drôme and Vaucluse départements ) In 2017, Areva’s Tricastin site senior management was inspected on the themes of occupational radiation protection and environmental monitoring, and the inspections found the practices to be satisfactory. ASN also conducted a series of unannounced inspections on the theme of retention devices for preventing environmental pollution. These inspections revealed the existence of a base of common requirements, but their monitoring and verification can be further improved. In 2016, Areva presented a project to ASN that aims to continue pooling the organisation of licensees in order to achieve a fully integrated site based on cross-structural functional departments. This modification would lead more specifically to the reorganising of the department responsible for safety and the environment. At the end of 2016, ASN considered that the file initially submitted was not admissible because it did not demonstrate how the nuclear licensees, who are responsible for the safety of their installations, will be able to exercise this responsibility. The new version of the file submitted by the licensee is currently being examined. ASN will adopt a position on this application in the first half of 2018. Areva’s uranium chemistry plants TU5 and W in Pierrelatte (Drôme département ) ASN considers that the safety of operation of the TU5 and W plants is satisfactory. Relations with the licensee are nurtured and constructive. The conclusions of the periodic safety review early in the year were of major importance for the TU5 plant in 2017. Areva made 66 commitments in this context. The commitments for 2017 have been implemented. In 2018, ASN will rule on the conditions for continued operation of this facility.