ASN defines the preconditions for the resumption of manufacturing in AREVA NP’s Creusot Forge plant

Areva NP informed ASN of its intention to resume forging operations in its Creusot Forge plant, on nuclear pressure equipment components for French BNIs. In letters dated 12^th April 2017 sent to Areva NP and EDF, ASN defined preconditions for resumption of the forging operations.

Serious past technical and organisational malfunctions were brought to light in 2015 and 2016 in the Creusot Forge plant. Areva NP therefore implemented an action plan to guarantee the quality of future production by this plant.

Since then, ASN has carried out several inspections in the plant, more specifically a multinational inspection in accordance with the inspection protocol of the Multinational Design Evaluation Program (MDEP), in 2016.

Prior to the restart of manufacturing, ASN will check that the action plan is complete and that the actions already taken have proven to be effective. Subsequently, ASN will maintain increased oversight and monitoring of Areva NP’s Creusot Forge plant.

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On 7th April 2015, ASN made public the discovery of an anomaly in the composition of the steel in certain zones of the vessel closure head and the vessel bottom head of the Flamanville EPR reactor. The detection of this anomaly led ASN to ask Areva NP and EDF to learn all possible lessons from this event. Three measures have been initiated.

• on other components of the EDF reactors, the search for technical anomalies similar to that detected on the Flamanville EPR vessel. This search enabled EDF to identify similar anomalies on the channel heads of certain steam generators;
• manufacturing quality reviews on parts in the Areva NP manufacturing plants, which enabled Areva NP to detect irregularities in the manufacturing files from Creusot Forge;
• adaptation of the monitoring carried out by BNI licensees on their contractors and subcontractors and of the checks performed by ASN to take account of risks related to fraudulent practices.