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1. ASSESSMENT BY DOMAIN
1.1 The nuclear installations
Gravelines nuclear power plant
ASN considers that the radiation protection and
environmental protection performance of the
Gravelines NPP is, on the whole, in line with its general
assessment of EDF’s performance. However, ASNconsiders
that nuclear safety performance is downwith respect to the
other sites. The sitemust takemeasures to improvemore
specifically the reliability of practices, operating rigour,
the speed of detection of deviations and the application
of instructions.
With regard tomaintenance, ASN considers that the site
has made progress with the general condition of some
items of equipment of the facilities. Efforts must be
continued on the other corrosion-sensitive equipment
items due to their seaside location and their ageing. The
maintenance operations wich result in a reduction in
equipment reliability are fewer in number, but the site
must remain attentive in this respect.
With regard to environmental protection, bringing the
tanks storing effluents from the reactor primary and
secondary systems into conformity is taking longer than
initially planned due to the scale of the work involved,
particularly the replacement of the bottoms of all the
tanks. Furthermore, ASN considers that the site must
continue its efforts in the control of effluent discharges
containing tritium.
With regard to emergency situation management, ASN
considers that the site personnel in charge of the strategic
management commandpostmust participatemore actively
in the emergency exercises. Efforts must be made in the
management of fire loads and fire sectorisation.
With regard to radiation protection, ASNnotes recurrent
shortcomings in the control of access to some radiological
areas. Progress is also required in operator monitoring
at zone exits, in the control of worksites with a risk of
dispersion of radioactive substances and themonitoring
of operators on certain specific-risk worksites.
With regard to health and safety, ASN remains attentive to
the training of operators working at height using ropes.
There have been no serious accidents, although safety
deviations have sometimes been noted on the worksites.
ASN examined the results of the inspections of reactor 1
which displays cracks in an instrumentation penetration
in the bottomof the reactor vessel. These inspections did
not reveal any development of these defects and their
final repair is scheduled for 2016.
On 20th August 2015, ASN issued a resolution stipulating
requirements concerning the control of risks associated
with the Dunkerque methane terminal and transfers of
non-radioactive liquid effluents from the Gravelines NPP
installations.
Somanu –
Société de Maintenance Nucléaire
(nuclear maintenance company) – in Maubeuge
ASN considers that operation of Somanu’s facilities is
satisfactory on the whole. As in 2014, Somanu had a
high level of activity due in particular to themaintenance
work on the N4 hydraulics of the 1,400 MWe nuclear
power plants.
Performance in radiation protection has beenmaintained
at the good level of the preceding year. ASN asks that
efforts be maintained, particularly regarding the trend
in doses received by the personnel of Somanu and of
outside contractors.
ASNhas identified areas for improvement, particularly in
the inspection andperiodic testing of equipment important
for the protection of interests (Article L. 593-1 of the
Environment Code), in the handling of deviations and
the management of radioactive substance shipments.
LILLE DIVISION
ASN inspection of the technical galleries of the Gravelines NPP, June 2015.
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CHAPTER 08 :
REGIONAL OVERVIEW OF NUCLEAR SAFETY AND RADIATION PROTECTION
ASN report on the state of nuclear safety and radiation protection in France in 2015