News releases

All the news about nuclear safety and radiation protection

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Published on 24/08/2010 at 10:37

Instrumentation and control system of the Flamanville 3 EPR

In order to improve the robustness of the instrumentation and control (I&C) system [1] of the EPR reactor, ASN asked EDF to modify one of the reactor’s control platforms. EDF had already considered this modification towards the end of 2009 in response to ASN’s request on 15 October 2009.

Published on 24/08/2010 at 10:32

Quarterly assessment of radiotherapy events

Twenty-one events, classified as level 1 on the ASN-SFRO scale, were reported between 1 April and 30 June 2010. Although these events are not expected to have any impact on patients’ health, they are analysed to see if any lessons can be learnt from them (particularly as regards organisation) and to avoid any recurrence.

Published on 30/07/2010 at 17:50

Publication of ASN 2009 report in English

For the fifth consecutive year, the English version of the ASN annual report on the state of nuclear safety and radiation protection is available on its dedicated website, at the following address : http://annual-report2009.asn.fr/.

Published on 30/07/2010 at 17:50

Annual report 2010

For the sixth consecutive year, the English version of the ASN annual report on the state of nuclear safety and radiation protection is available on its dedicated website, at the following address : http://annual-report2010.asn.fr/.

Published on 09/07/2010 at 10:58

International meeting on national radioactive waste management organisations

An international meeting was held in Paris from 7 to 9 June 2010 on the establishment of a radioactive waste management organisation in each country. Organised by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) with the support of ASN, DGEC and ANDRA, the meeting brought together around 110 participants from more than 50 countries.

Published on 08/07/2010 at 11:08

the Tritium White Paper

The Tritium White Paper is the fruit of work by two broad-based working groups set up at ASN's initiative to review the behaviour of tritium in the environment and the evaluation of the biological impact of tritium on humans, in the wake of publications by British environmental and health agencies on the subject.

Published on 07/07/2010 at 17:22

New nuclear reactors built around the world

One of the major ASN concerns is to achieve harmonization based on the best nuclear safety and radiation protection levels worldwide. We do not want a “two-speed” safety and we continue to promote at European and international levels safety objectives that take into account the lessons learnt from Three Mile Island, Chernobyl and September 11, 2001 events. In the event of proposals to export nuclear reactors which do not meet these safety objectives, ASN will not hesitate to declare that such reactors could not be built in France.

Published on 11/06/2010 at 12:38

EPR Reactor: Information Letter n°8

The French Nuclear Safety Authority (ASN) continued its inspections on the EPR Flamanville reactor construction site during the first quarter of 2010, and found work to be progressing in good order. Several issues are noteworthy.

Published on 25/05/2010 at 17:30

Full report on the assessment audit coordinated by the IAEA

The full report on the international IRRS (Integrated Regulatory Review Service) audit, carried out at the request of the French Nuclear Safety Authority (ASN) from 29 March to 3 April 2009, has just been submitted to the ASN. The hundred-page text provides supplementary details beyond the initial findings presented by the international experts at the end of the audit.

Published on 04/05/2010 at 16:23

Quarterly assessment of radiotherapy events

Twenty events, classified as level 1 on the ASN-SFRO scale, were reported between 1 January and 31 March 2010. Although these events are not expected to have any impact on patients' health, they are analysed to see if any lessons can be learnt from them (particularly in terms of organisation) and to avoid any recurrence.

Published on 26/04/2010 at 16:25

Radon activity concentration in homes

ASN has just published and submitted to the French Government its report on the 2005-2008 action plan on radon-related risks (Radon Action Plan [1]). A second plan, currently being prepared, will focus primarily on reducing radon activity concentration in homes.

Published on 23/04/2010 at 16:32

Raw materials containing naturally occurring radionuclides

Some industrial processes concentrate natural radionuclides contained in raw materials, manufactured products or production waste. ASN worked in collaboration with IRSN, the French National Institute for Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety, to assess the exposure of workers and the population at large to this “technologically enhanced natural radioactivity” [1].