ASN Report 2017

33 ASN report on the state of nuclear safety and radiation protection in France in 2017 in the packages must be protected in particular from fire, mechanical impact, water ingress into the packaging (which would facilitate criticality reactions) and chemical reactions between package components. Safety is thus based above all on the robustness of the package, which is the subject of rigorous regulatory requirements. Given the international nature of these shipments, the regulations are drawn up on the basis of recommendations issued under the aegis of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). Although all packages must comply with strict rules, only 3% require ASN approval. If a package is unable to meet all the regulatory requirements, the regulations nonetheless allow for its transport by means of a shipment under special arrangement which requires ASN approval of the proposed compensatory measures. Assessment In 2017, ASN issued 47 approval certificates for packages or for special arrangement shipments. In 2017, the Advisory Committee for Transports (GPT) made a number of proposals to improve the approval application submitted by Areva TN for the new TN G3 package model, designed for shipment of spent fuel from the EDF NPPs to the La Hague plant. In 2018, ASNwill rule on the latest undertakings by the applicant to take account of the GPT’s recommendations. Since the implementation of the Order of 7th February 2012, on-site transports of radioactive substances within the facilities must be covered by the licensee’s baseline safety requirements. In 2017, ASN authorised on-site transport operations for dangerous goods taking place in the EDFNPPs andwithin the perimeter of the Areva plant at La Hague. In 2018, it will inspect the implementation of the baseline requirements and will continue its efforts with licensees who have not yet integrated these on-site transport operations into their general operating rules. ASN performs inspections at all the stages in the life of a package: frommanufacture and maintenance of a packaging, to package preparation, shipment and reception. Inspections also concern preparedness for emergency situations. In 2017, ASN carried out 105 inspections on radioactive substance transports. ASN considers that the radiation protection situation of the carriers could be improved, in particular for the carriers of radiopharmaceuticals, who are significantly more exposed than the average worker. In 2017, concerning the transport of radioactive substances, ASNwas notified of 62 events rated level 0 and 2 events rated level 1 on the INES scale. More than half of these events concern the nuclear industry. The medical and non-nuclear sectors are the cause of relatively few transport events when compared with the corresponding traffic levels, probably owing to a lack of notification. In the event of an accident involving transport, emergencymanagement should be able to minimise the consequences for the public and the environment. In 2017, ASN therefore drew up a document providing guidelines for the emergency services. It contains general information about radioactivity, general recommendations for the emergency services so that their response can take account of the specific nature of radioactive substance transports, plus sheets organised per type of substance, providing more detailed information and advice for the emergency response coordinator. ASN also expressed the desire to see the stress tests approach extended to the transport field, in the same way as was done in the BNIs. The GPT therefore met in 2017 to decide on the ASN methodology applying the stress tests approach to transports. Froma regulatory viewpoint, ASN actively participates in the international work being carried out under the aegis of the IAEA since 2015 on the revision of the recommendations regarding the transport of radioactive substances. This work will continue in 2018. Outlook In 2018, ASN will continue its work on emergency management preparedness. It will thus contribute to training the emergency services in managing radioactive substance transport accidents and will implement the GPT stress test recommendations, more particularly by updating the guide on the risk assessment of transport infrastructures. ASN will be publishing a guide in 2018 to help carriers achieve a clearer understanding of the regulatory requirements and best practices with regard to radiation protection. In 2018, ASN will maintain its oversight of the manufacture and maintenance of packages requiring approval, in particular for the older packaging and of how irregularities in the manufacture of certain package components are addressed. Lastly, it will finalise the examination of the approval applications for the two new package models, TN G3 and DN 30. Significant events and outlook