The ASN adopts a position on small-beam radiotherapy treatments (radiosurgery)

In a letter from its Chairman, André-Claude Lacoste, dated 1st July (available on the ASN website, www.asn.fr), the ASN informed EDF that it had not identified any generic problem that might cause it to doubt EDF’s capacity to assure the safety of their 900-MW reactors up to the age of forty years.

International Scientific Seminar on Seismic Risk and Nuclear Safety: the ASN identifies new focuses for regulatory modernisation

The international scientific seminar on seismic risk in nuclear installations, held in Strasbourg on 17 June 2009 and organised by the ASN in conjunction with the Swiss Federal Nuclear Safety Inspectorate (ENSI) and the Institute for Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety (IRSN), allowed the ASN to identify various ways in which regulations concerning seismic risk could be modernised.

Extension of the operating lifetime of 900-MWe nuclear reactors up to 40 years: ASN considers that the conclusions of the generic studies conducted by EDF are satisfactory

On 1 July 2009, the French Nuclear Safety Authority (Autorité de sûreté nucléaire – ASN), in a letter from its Chairman, Mr André-Claude Lacoste, informed Electricité de France (EDF), the French electrical utility that ASN had not identified any generic problems capable of jeopardising EDF’s capability to ensure the safety of its 900-MWe reactors up to 40 years.

On 25 June 2009, the Council of the European Union adopted the Nuclear Safety Directive

The adoption of this directive constitutes an important step towards the creation of a legal framework for nuclear safety common to all Member States.

Applicable Procedure for Issuing Creation Authorisations for Nuclear Power Reactors

The French government announced recently the possibility to undertake the construction of a second nuclear-power reactor of the European-Pressurised-Reactor type (EPR) on the Penly Site, Seine-Maritime Department, where two other nuclear reactors are already implemented, each producing 1,300 MWe.

The French Nuclear Safety Authority (ASN) evaluated by 12 international experts coordinated by the AIEA

The French Nuclear Safety Authority (ASN), at its request, had an “Integrated Regulatory Review Service” (IRRS) international audit mission conducted from 29 March to 3 April 2009.

The French Nuclear Safety Authority (ASN) has presented its report on “the status of nuclear safety and radiation protection in France in 2008” to the OPECST.

The French Nuclear Safety Authority (ASN) intends to carry on raising the level of nuclear safety in France in 2009

Quarterly report of ASN/SFRO level 1 radiotherapy events reported during first quarter 2009

Since 1 July 2008, events classified as level 1 on the ASN/SFRO scale are summarized in a general quarterly report that ASN (French Nuclear Safety Authority) publishes on its website.

Quarterly statement of radiotherapy events reported to ASN, classified as Level 1 on the ASN-SFRO (French Nuclear Safety Authority - French Society of Radiation Oncology) scale - 4th quarter 2008

Events after 1st July 2008, classified as level 1 on the ASN-SFRO scale and which ASN initially reported via the incident report system, are summarised in an overall quarterly statement which was published on the ASN Internet site.

ASN Classifies Melox Incident as INES Level 2

The French nuclear safety authority (Autorité de Sûreté Nucléaire, ASN) has classified an incident at Areva NC’s Melox mixed-oxide fuel fabrication plant at Marcoule in southern France as level 2 on the International Nuclear Event Scale (INES).

Information notice No.5: ASN keeps a close watch on construction work on the future Flamanville 3 reactor

Information notice No.5: ASN keeps a close watch on construction work on the future Flamanville 3 reactor

Flamanville 3 : ASN keeps a close watch on construction work on the future Flamanville 3 reactor (newsletter n°5)

During the last quarter of 2008, ASN continued its inspection activities on the construction site of the Flamanville 3 EPR.

Inauguration of an English version of the www.asn.fr website

ASN is opening a website in English. It can be consulted either from the French site or directly at http://www.french-nuclear-safety.fr.

ASN independence: enhanced regulation and transparency

To usher in the new year, the French Nuclear Safety Authority (ASN), in the person of Mr André-Claude Lacoste, Chairman, Mr Marc Sanson, commissioner, and Mr Jean Christophe Niel, Director General, presented its best wishes to the press on 20 January.

ASN – vigilant surveillance of radioactivity in the environment

With a view to advancing nuclear regulation in France, ASN brought in an approval procedure on 1 January 2009 for laboratories measuring radioactivity in the environment.