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ASN authorised commissioning of the first section of
the storage facility for low-level waste (two storage
buildings) and intermediate-level waste (one storage
building) in April 2006. ASN specified the conditions
for commissioning the sections not built to date in a
resolution of 22nd July 2014. At the end of May 2015,
the filling rate was 35% for the LLW halls and 29% for
the ILW hall. According to CEA’s projections, the LLW
halls should be filled to capacity after 2029 and the
ILW hall in 2028, but this latter time frame is highly
dependent on the rate of removal of waste from BNI 56.
The construction schedule for the new tranches therefore
depends on the retrieval and packaging of waste from
BNI 56. ASN considers that the experience feedback
from the first years of operation is satisfactory. The CEA
will submit the guidelines file for the first periodic safety
review of the facility in May 2016.
•
Cascad facility (BNI 22)
The Cascad facility, which was authorised by the Decree
of 4th September 1989, is used for the dry storage
of spent fuel. In June 2015, 84% of the storage wells
were occupied.
Through a resolution of 8th July 2014, ASN authorised
a further ten years of storage for the spent fuels that
have already been present in the facility for more than
fifteen years.
This resolution is without prejudice to the conclusions
of the next periodic safety review of the installation,
planned for 2017.
Regarding the development of the source term over the
next ten years, CEA estimates that the Cascad well will
be filled to 91% capacity in 2026 (on condition that
the Phénix spent fuel is removed from storage before
2023) and therefore considers that it is not necessary
to build the second tranche provided for in Article 2
of the Decree of 4th September 1989. CEA has started
a strategic reflection on the need to modify the Decree
of 4th September 1989 accordingly.
ASN opinion on the safety of operation of the Cascad
facility is generally positive.
•
Chicade facility (BNI 156)
Chicade (BNI 156) (Chemistry, Waste Characterisation)
is a facility for research and development on low and
intermediate level waste. This work mainly concerns:
•
the destructive and non-destructive characterisation
of radioactive objects, waste sample packages and
irradiating objects;
•
the development and qualification of nuclear
measurement systems;
•
the development and implementation of chemical and
radiochemical analysis methods;
•
assessment and monitoring of waste packaged by the
waste producers.
Creation of the facility was authorised by the Decree of
29th March 1993 and its definitive commissioning was
authorised in 2003.
The periodic safety review file for the facility must be
submitted to ASN in 2016. CEA submitted a guidelines
file for this review in 2015, and ASN has examined it.
The licensee is also considering upgrading its facility in
themedium term to incorporatemetal waste cutting and
packaging activities.
On the Saclay site
•
Stella facility (BNI 35)
BNI 35, declared by CEA by letter on 27thMay 1964, is
dedicated to the treatment of radioactive liquid effluents.
By Decree of 8th January 2004, CEA was authorised
to create an extension in the BNI, called Stella, for the
purpose of treating and packaging low-level short-lived
aqueous effluents from the Saclay centre. These effluents
are concentrated by evaporation then immobilised in
a cementitious matrix in order to produce packages
acceptable by Andra’s surface waste disposal centres.
The concentration process was put into service in 2010,
but the appearance of cracks in the first packages led
ASN to limit the packaging operations. CEA has thus
only packaged certain effluents coming from one of the
installation’s tanks that contains 40 m
3
of concentrates.
ASN considers that CEA must continue the studies and
discussions with Andra to obtain, before mid-2017, the
approvals allowing packaging of the concentrates and
transfer of the packages produced to the Aube disposal
centre.
Renovation or shutdown of old facilities
On the Cadarache site
•
Radioactive Effluent and Solid Waste Treatment
Station (BNI 37)
The function of BNI 37, whichwas declared by CEA by a
letter dated27thMay1964, is the treatment andpackaging
of liquid and solid radioactivewaste. The two independent
facilities that it comprises – theSolidwasteTreatment Station
(STD) and the Effluent Treatment Station (STE) – were
registered respectively as BNI 37-Aand37-Bby resolution
of the ASNChairman in July 2015. The registrationswere
made after defining the perimeters of these two BNIs by
Orders of the Minister responsible for Nuclear Safety on
9th June 2015. The registration resolutions for these two
BNIs act as a Creation Authorisation Decree.
ASN considers that safetymanagement on these facilities
must be improved.
Serious shortcomings in the management of verifications
and periodic tests had been observed during inspections.
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CHAPTER 16:
RADIOACTIVE WASTE AND CONTAMINATED SITES AND SOILS
ASN report on the state of nuclear safety and radiation protection in France in 2015