ASN Report 2017

424 ASN report on the state of nuclear safety and radiation protection in France in 2017 Chapter 15  - Decommissioning of Basic Nuclear Installations 2.2.2 The Grenoble Centre The Grenoble Centre was inaugurated in January 1959. Activities associated with the development of nuclear reactors were carried out there before being gradually transferred to other CEA centres in the 1980’s. Now the Grenoble Centre conducts its research and development in the fields of renewable energies, health and microtechnology. In 2002 the CEA Centre in Grenoble launched a site delicensing programme. The site housed six nuclear facilities which were gradually shut down and entered the decommissioning phase with a view to their ultimate delicensing. Delicensing of the Siloette reactor was declared in 2007, that of the Mélusine reactor in 2011, that of the Siloé reactor in January 2015 and that of the LAMA in 2017. ASN considers that the safety of the decommissioning and post-operational clean-out of the installations in the Grenoble Centre was on the whole satisfactory in 2017. Radioactive Effluent and Solid Waste Treatment Station (STED) and Decay Storage Facility (BNIs 36 and 79) The final shutdown and decommissioning operations of the STED (BNI 36) and the interim radioactive waste decay storage facility (BNI 79) were authorised by the Decree of 18th September 2008 which prescribed a term of 8 years for the completion of decommissioning activities. All the buildings have been destroyed in compliance with the above Decree. The main operations still to be carried out concern decontamination of the soil. The technical discussions between ASN and CEA concerning the radiological and chemical remediation of the soil of the STED continued in 2017. All the operations technically achievable at an economically acceptable cost have been carried out and should lead to the establishing of Active Institutional Controls (AIC). Once the AICs are established, the licensee shall submit a delicensing application for the installation to ASN. Active Material Analysis Laboratory (LAMA) (BNI 61) This laboratory conducted post-irradiation studies of uranium and plutonium based nuclear fuels and structural materials from nuclear reactors until 2002. Decommissioning of the LAMA was authorised by Decree on 18th September 2008. In accordance with the provisions of this Decree, CEA carried out the decommissioning of BNI 61 (LAMA) from 2008 to 2015. Storage of uranium-bearing substances and waste pending transfer to area 79 of the Comurhex plant at Tricastin. FOCUS Delicensing of the LAMA The CEA sent ASN a delicensing application for the Active Materials Analysis Laboratory (LAMA, BNI 61) in March  2015. ASN sent the CEA a request for additional information in March 2016 in order to clarify certain points. The CEA transmitted the additional information between March and June 2016. On the basis of its inspections and its analysis of the elements provided by the licensee, ASN considered that the LAMA had been properly decommissioned and the set objectives had been met. The decommissioning and post-operational clean- out work has reduced the radioactivity-related risks to a very low level. The final state attained on completion of decommissioning prevents public health and safety risks and ensures the protection of nature and the environment. In view of the very low radiological impact of the site, it was not deemed necessary to implement active institutional controls. In July 2016 ASN asked the Isère département Prefect’s Office, the 18 municipalities concerned and the CLI for their opinion on the delicensing application for BNI 61. Six municipalities gave favourable opinions in the consultation on the facility delicensing application. The other 12 municipalities did not respond. The CLI deemed that the lack of a response within the allotted time constituted a favourable opinion. ASN therefore prepared the draft resolution for delicensing the BNI. The draft resolution and the licensee’s file were made available for public consultation in March 2017. The draft resolution was then approved and ASN finally delicensed BNI 61 by a resolution of 24th August 2017. This resolution was approved in September 2017.