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In 2015, ASN and the Chinese Nuclear Safety Regulator
(NNSA, National Nuclear Safety Administration) met
in China, where two EPR type reactors are under
construction. During this meeting, the progress
made in the respective reviews of the commissioning
authorisation applications were presented and the
prospects for cooperation between the two countries
were identified for the coming years, in particular with
regard to monitoring the results of the start-up tests or
the follow-up to the investigation of the Flamanville 3
vessel head anomaly. ASN also met the NNSA in France
specifically on this latter subject.
In 2015, ASNwelcomed experts from the British Office
for Nuclear Regulation (ONR) in order to discuss the
monitoring of the manufacture of nuclear pressure
equipment intended for the EPR reactors at Flamanville
and Hinkley Point C (United Kingdom).
These three safety regulators, STUK, NNSA and ONR,
were invited by ASN to attend the debates of the Advisory
Committee of experts on the anomaly affecting the
Flamanville EPR reactor vessel.
Multinational cooperation
Some international bodies such as NEA andWENRA also
provide opportunities for exchanges on practices and
lessons learned from overseeing reactor construction.
ASN is a member of the Multinational Design Evaluation
Programme (MDEP) which evaluates the design of
new reactors (see point 3.3 of chapter 7). In this
context, ASN took part in 2015 in the activities of the
working group devoted to the detailed design of the
EPR. With the support of IRSN, ASN took part in the
work dealing with severe accidents, I&C, probabilistic
safety assessments and the modelling of accidents and
transients. The group also held two plenary sessions.
ASN also takes part in the work done by the MDEP’s
Vendors Inspection Cooperation Working Group,
which met twice in 2015, once in China and once at
ASN. Within this framework, ASN made a particular
contribution to the definition of a list of good inspection
practices for suppliers of equipment intended for NPPs
and the preparation of a multinational inspection,
scheduled for 2016.
ASN also takes part in the Working group on the
regulation of new reactors, which is a technical group
of the Nuclear Energy Agency (NEA) Committee on
Nuclear Regulatory Activities (CNRA) (see chapter 7,
point 3.2.). The corresponding work in particular
led to the creation of a database of anomalies and
deviations observed in recent construction projects.
ASN inputs the deviations observed on Flamanville 2
into this database.
For ASN, these international exchanges are one of
the driving forces behind the harmonisation of safety
requirements and inspection practices.
2.11 Studies on reactors
of the future
Since 2000, in partnershipwith EDF and Areva, CEA has
been looking at the development of fourth generation
nuclear reactors, notably within the framework of the
Generation IV International Forum (GIF). The six
technologies covered by the work of this forum are the
following:
•
SFR: Sodium-cooled Fast Reactor;
•
GFR: Gas-cooled Fast Reactor;
•
HTR/VHTR: Gas-cooled High Temperature (850°C)
and Very High Temperature (1,000°C) fast reactors;
•
LFR: Lead-cooled Fast Reactor;
•
MSR: Molten Salt Reactor;
•
SCWR: Super Critical Water Reactor.
For their promoters, the main challenge for fourth
generation reactors is to ensure sustainable development
of nuclear energy while improving the use of natural
resources, reducing the production of radioactive waste,
improving safety (reducing the risk of core melt and
improved protection of the population) while offering
a greater ability to withstand security, proliferation or
terrorism risks. For those promoting them, the industrial
deployment of fourth generation reactors is envisaged
in France no earlier than the middle of the 21st century.
It will require prior creation of a prototype, for which
the planned commissioning date is set at 2020 by the
Act of 28th June 2006 on the sustainable management
of radioactive materials and waste (see point 1.1 of
chapter 16).
With this simultaneouslymediumand long-termview, at
a stage much earlier than that required by the regulatory
procedure, ASN wishes to monitor the development of
fourth generation reactors by French industry, as well
as the associated safety concerns – as was the case with
development of the EPR so as to be in a position, at the
appropriate time, to establish the safety objectives for these
future reactors. For ASN, fourth generation reactors will
have tomeet stricter nuclear safety, radiation protection
and environmental protection objectives. ASN inparticular
considers that fourth generation reactors will require a
level of safety significantly higher than that of the third
generation reactors, represented in France by the EPR.
ASN underlines the importance it attaches to the safety
justification of the plant technology chosen over those
adopted by the GIF. In this context, and on the basis
of the documents transmitted at its request by CEA,
Areva and EDF in 2009 and 2010, ASN asked the
Advisory Committees for Nuclear Reactors (GPR), for
Plants (GPU) and for Waste (GPD) for their opinion
on the range of various reactor technologies envisaged
for the fourth generation, with regard to the prospects
for more stringent nuclear safety, radiation protection
and environmental protection objectives, as well as with
respect to the possibility of separation and transmutation
of long-lived radioactive elements mentioned by the
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CHAPTER 12:
EDF NUCLEAR POWER PLANTS (NPPs)
ASN report on the state of nuclear safety and radiation protection in France in 2015