ASN Report 2015

rigour, application of and compliance with instructions.

In effect, several significant events in 2015 again revealed

shortcomings in this respect, their main consequences

being containment losses. ASNmoreover observed that the

monitoring of outside contractors is not always satisfactory,

despite the licensee’s commitment, which has already

been pushed back, to deploy the Areva group’s directive

at the end of 2014.

For the TU5 facility, 2015 started with clean-out work to

allow its restarting following the event of December 9th

2014 involving a significant leak of uranyl nitrate, which

was limited to the premises of the installation. ASN

conducted an inspection to verify the licensee’s repair

work before the facility was put back into service. On

the basis of its findings, ASN asked Areva to improve the

management of the prerequisites for return to service.

ASNhas moreover started examining the periodic safety

review file for this installation. Once the examination is

completed, ASNwill state its position on the continuation

of operation of these installations at the end of 2016.

For the W facility, the start of 2015 was marked by

the entry into service of the new hydrofluoric acid

storage area, which went smoothly. The examination

of this modernisation work led ASN to update all the

technical requirements applicable to this ICPE, which is

classified Seveso high-threshold, through its resolution

of 6th January 2015.

With regard to the new emission unit (EM3) whose

entry into service has been prescribed by ASN for 2018,

examination of the file began in 2015 along with the

preparation of the worksite for work to start at the end

of 2015. This new unit will meet the safety requirements

set by ASN following the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear

accident.

Areva NC (Formerly Comurhex)

Fluorination plant in Pierrelatte

ASN considers that the facilities situated within the

perimeter of BNI 105 are operated with a satisfactory

level of safety.

Particularly noteworthy in 2015 was the examination

of the request to extend operation of the Comurhex I

plants until the end of 2017. This request from Areva

stems directly from the fact that construction of the new

Comurhex II plants is well behind schedule. This extension

has been framed by ASN CODEP-LYO-2015-024792

resolution of 30th June 2015, which set out the main

reinforcement works for these plants. On 11th August

2015, ASN carried out an unannounced inspection to

find out whether these principal improvements had

been effectively carried out, at the end of which it asked

that the layout of a newly installed mitigation system

be improved.

ASN therefore remains attentive to ensuring that sufficient

rigour in the operating and maintenance procedures

for these plants is maintained. This latter point must

be put into perspective with the ongoing renewal of

personnel skills which remains a subject of attention for

ASN, particularly with a view to the transition between

the facilities of Comurhex I and those of Comurhex II

in the years to come.

With regard to the environmental aspects, the discharge

resolutions of BNI 105 were revised in 2015 by ASN

resolutions 2015-DC-0496 and 2015-DC-0497 of

27th January 2015.

ASN also observed an unsatisfactory situation in the

management of the conventional waste areas of BNI 105.

The licensee reacted promptly and deployed a plan of

action to restore conformity.

Eurodif Georges Besse -

Uranium enrichment plant in Pierrelatte

The last rinsing operations were continued until October

2015, under conditions that ASN considers satisfactory.

Since the end of these operations, there is no longer any

chlorine trifluoride (ClF

) in the facility.

Due to technical difficulties, particularly concerning the

qualification of new equipment items, the operations to

hydrolyse and introduce air into the cascade did not start

until 2015 and will continue in 2016.

ASN moreover authorised the operations to hydrolyse

and introduce air into the DPR unit and the final

shutdown of the units of annex U for treating substances

extracted from the diffusion cascade. It is currently

examining the hydrolysis authorisation application for

the annex U systems. Following all these operations,

which will have eliminated the majority of the source

term, the plant will be in a surveillance phase until the

first decommissioning operations are started.

In accordance with the Decree of 2nd November

2007, the licensee submitted its final shutdown and

decommissioning application for the installation at the

end of March 2015. Examination of its admissibility

revealed that further information was required before

the examination could proceed. These shortcomings

concern general aspects in the decommissioning strategy

adopted by Eurodif Production, more particularly in the

management of radioactive waste and the description of

the initial and final states of the installation.

LYON DIVISION

257

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