The ASN Commission gave EDF a hearing on the draft resolutions to regulate the decommissioning of the first generation gas-cooled reactors

On 12 February 2019, the ASN Commission gave EDF a hearing so that the licensee could make its observations on the draft resolutions to regulate the decommissioning of six gas-cooled reactors, which have been shut down for about thirty years.

This hearing follows on from that of 30 June 2017¹, at which EDF had presented the main data to justify the modification of its gas-cooled reactor decommissioning strategy. ASN examined the files justifying this strategy, transmitted by EDF in 2017 and carried out an inspection on this topic.

ASN envisages issuing a position statement on this strategy, more specifically setting deadlines by  which  EDF must submit the decommissioning files and dates for performance of decommissioning operations which are earlier than those requested by EDF.

ASN sent the draft requirements to EDF,  which had a period of two months in which to submit its observations, in accordance with the regulations. EDF then expressed the desire to be given a hearing by ASN. During the hearing, EDF undertook to rapidly forward additional data justifying the choice of the “first off” reactor and the time needed for the reactors decommissioning operations to benefit from the lessons learned from the operations on the first reactor to be decommissioned.

On receipt of these data and further to their examination, ASN will consult the public on its draft resolutions.