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ASN takes part in management
of these situations, for questions
concerning the regulation of nuclear
safety and radiation protection
and, drawing on the expertise of
its technical support organisation,
IRSN, performs the following four
main assignments:
•
ensure and verify the soundness
of the steps taken by the licensee;
•
advise theGovernment and its local
representatives;
•
contribute to the circulation of
information;
•
act as competent Authority within
the framework of the international
conventions.
The ASN emergency response
organisation set up for an accident
or incident in a BNI more specifically
comprises:
•
at the national level, an emergency
centre inMontrouge, consisting of
three Command Posts (PC):
-- a “ S t r a t e g y ” Command
Post, consisting of the ASN
Commission, which, in an
emergency situation, could be
called on to issue resolutions
and impose prescriptions on
the licensee of the installation
concerned;
-- a Technical Command Post
(PCT) in constant contact
with its technical support
organisation, IRSN, and with
the ASN Commission. Its role is
to adopt a stance for advising the
Prefect, who acts as the director
of contingency operations;
-- a Communication Command
Post (PCC), located close
to the Technical Command
Post. The ASN Chairman
or his representative acts as
spokesperson, a role which is
distinct from that of the head of
the Technical Command Post.
•
at the local level:
-- ASNrepresentativesworkingwith
and advising the Prefect in his
decisions and communications;
-- ASNinspectors present on the site
affected by the accident.
Significant events
In 2015, the national emergency
centre was activated for six national
exercises as well as on three occasions
after the licensee triggered the on-site
emergency plan on the Cattenom
NPP on 28th May, the Flamanville
NPP in the night of 26th August
and the former Brennilis NPP
undergoing decommissioning, on
23rd September. In all three cases,
the situation was brought under
control by the licensee after a few
hours and no radioactive substances
were released. The ASN emergency
centre was also activated as a
preventive measure for a few hours
on the evening of 9th October, for a
situation concerning the Flamanville
plant.
Local implementation of the
na t i ona l
“Major nuclear or
radiological accident”
response
plan, published in February 2014,
was initiated in 2015, under the
supervision of the Prefects of the
defence and security zones. It
should take account of the diversity
of local situations and will first of
all entail updating the existing
planning measures according to
the method proposed in the guide
published by the Ministry for the
Interior in late 2014.
In 2015, the new roles of the
Steering committee for managing
the post-accident phase of a nuclear
accident or radiological emergency
situation (Codirpa) formalised in
a letter from the Prime Minister of
29th October 2014 giving ASN a
newmandate for a five-year period,
focused on monitoring, supporting
and analysing the various processes
involved in the preparation for the
post-accident phase. The Codirpa
working group on long-duration
releases submitted its report in 2015.
A newworking group was set up in
2015 on waste management in a
post-accident situation, involving
members from Codirpa and from
the French National Radioactive
Material and Waste Management
Plan (PNGMDR). The report from
the pluralistic seminar on the
economic assessment of the risk
of a nuclear accident, held by ASN
in October 2014, was released in
2015. ASN initiated the necessary
steps to promote the development of
research on this subject, nationally
and internationally.
During their joint meeting in 2014,
the HERCA (Heads of the European
Radiological protection Competent
Authorities) andWENRA (Western
European Nuclear Regulators
Association) associations adopted
a common position for improved
transboundary coordination of
protection measures during the
first phase of a nuclear accident.
The position of HERCA andWENRA
aims, in the event of an accident, to
promote the rapid transmission of
information between the countries
concerned and the consistency
of the population protection
recommendations issued by
the nuclear safety and radiation
protection authorities.
HERCA and WENRA consider
that in Europe evacuation should
be prepared up to 5 km around the
NPPs, and sheltering and ingestion of
stable iodine tablets up to 20 km. A
general strategy should be defined in
order to be able to extend evacuation
up to 20 km, and sheltering and
ingestion of stable iodine tablets up
to 100 km.
In the same way as in previous years,
ASN, together with the General
Secretariat for Defence andNational
Security, the General Directorate
for civil security and emergency
management and the Defence
Nuclear Safety Authority (ASND),
prepared the 2015 programme of
six national nuclear and radiological
emergency exercises concerning BNIs
and radioactive substance transport
operations.
Outlook
The local implementation of the
national response plan for a major
nuclear or radiological accident
will be tested in 2016 and 2017
during half-day exercises based on
a radioactive substances transport
accident scenario. In 2016, ASN
will also take part in amajor exercise
involving the Government.
In 2016, ASN will continue with
the European initiatives taken with
a view to harmonisation of actions to
protect populations in an emergency
situation and todevelop a coordinated
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ASN Report on the state of nuclear safety and radiation protection in France in 2015
SIGNIFICANT EVENTS IN 2015