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Energy Transition for Green Growth Act
N
ine years
after the TSN Act was passed on 13th June 2006, Act 2015-992
of 17th August 2015 on the Energy Transition for Geen Growth, known as
the “TECV Act”, marks a new step forward in nuclear legislation.
On the basis of the experience acquired with application of the framework
set up in 2006 and extensive work to harmonise practices across Europe,
to which France made a significant contribution, this supplements and consolidates this
framework, while strengthening the regulatory powers of ASN.
These adaptations to nuclear legislation come on the one hand from the TECV Act itself
– it contains a Title VI entitled “Reinforcing nuclear safety and information of the public” –
and on the other from Ordinance 2016-128 issued by the President of the Republic on
10th February, concerning the grounds for an authorisation qualification provided for by
this same TECV Act.
ASN is pleased to note that the legislative provisions introduced by these texts represent a
number of advances in the regulation of nuclear safety and radiation protection and that
they reinforce public information on these subjects.
It in particular notes the following positive points.
Enhanced transparency
and information of the citizens
The law requires that each year, the
Local InformationCommittees (CLI)
hold at least one meeting open to
the public and that the CLIs of BNIs
situated in
départements
on theborders
include representatives of the foreign
States concerned.Moreover, theCLIs
may ask to visit the facility, in order
to understand its normal operation
and any significant events rated at
least 1 on the INES scale which may
have occurred in it.
Without having to ask for it, those
living in the vicinity of a BNI will, at
the expense of the licensee, receive
regular information about safety
measures and the steps to be taken
in the event of an accident. These
population information operations
will be regularlypresented to theCLI.
Given the stakes associated with the
continued operation of the nuclear
reactors beyond forty years, the
measures proposed by the licensee
during the reactor periodic safety
reviews performed after thirty-five
years of operation, will be the subject
of a public inquiry.
Finally,thepublic’srighttoinformation
about the BNIs will be extended to
all the risks and detrimental effects
of the installations.
Evolution of the BNI authorisation
system
The law states that depending on the
stakes involved and their scale, BNI
modifications shall be the subject of:
•
either amodificationof the creation
(or decommissioning) authorisation
decree, after a public inquiry;
•
or anASNauthorisation,whichmay
involve participationby the public;
•
or notification of ASN by the
licensee.
Thismore graduated systemwill thus
allow processing appropriate to the
risks and detrimental effects of the
facility and its modifications.
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ASN Report on the state of nuclear safety and radiation protection in France in 2015
ENERGY TRANSITION FOR GREEN GROWTH ACT