Abstracts ASN Report 2021

ASN carried out 150 inspections in the Hauts-de-France region in 2021, of which 30were in theGravelines NPP, 106 in small-scalenuclear activities, 12 in the transport of radioactive substances, and 2 at suppliers of equipment for BNIs. ASN also carried out 14.5 days of labour inspection in the Gravelines NPP. In the course of 2021, 11 significant events rated level 1 on the INES scale were reported by the Gravelines NPP, including one concerning radiation protection. In small-scale nuclear activities, 3 events were rated level 1 on the INES scale. In radiotherapy, 2 eventswere rated level 1 on the ASN-SFRO scale. Gravelines nuclear power plant The Gravelines NPP operated by EDF is located in the Nord département on the shores of the North Sea, between Calais and Dunkerque. This NPP comprises six PWRs (900 MWe) representing a total power of 5,400 MWe. Reactors 1 and 2 constitute BNI 96, reactors 3 and 4 BNI 97, and reactors 5 and 6 BNI 122. ASN considers that the performance of the Gravelines NPP with regard to nuclear safety and radiation protection is below ASN’s general assessment of EDF plant performance. The environmental protection performance of the NPP is in line with ASN’s general assessment of the EDF plants. Nuclear safety performance did not improve in 2021, particularly with regard to the rigour of work interventions. The first measures taken by the licensee have not put an end to inappropriate practices or behaviours. The site must therefore continue its efforts to federate all the protagonists. ASN will conduct an interim assessment in mid-2022. With regard to maintenance, the year 2021 was marked by significant increases in the refuelling and maintenance outage times. This situation increased the workload of an already very intense industrial programme, involving more specifically the fourth ten-yearly outage of reactor 1, replacement of the Steam Generators (SGs) of reactor 6 and the work on the peripheral protection against external flooding, implemented further to the lessons learned from the Fukushima Daiichi NPP accident. Concerning environmental protection, ASN considers that the Gravelines NPP must continue its efforts in the maintenance of equipment that uses the insulating greenhouse gas (SF6) and the facilities for treating the radioactive effluents produced by reactor operation. ASN considers that the situation regarding radiation protection remains sub-standard and that the site is still not managing to restore a satisfactory level, despite putting in place preventive measures at the beginning of the year. The efforts made must be increased in order to rapidly and sustainably restore satisfactory performance in occupational radiation protection in 2022. Radiation protection will be subject to a tightened inspection in 2022. The labour inspection actions conducted in 2021 on the Gravelines NPP were split between the inspections on the maintenance work sites, particularly during reactor outages, and specific inspections focusing on subjects such as lifting, electrical risks and work times. Regular meetings were organised with senior management, members of the health, The Lille division regulates nuclear safety, radiation protection and the transport of radioactive substances in the 5 départements of the Hauts-de-France region. Hauts‑de‑France Region THE INSTALLATIONS AND ACTIVITIES TO REGULATE COMPRISE: ཛྷ Basic Nuclear Installation: • the Gravelines NPP (6 reactors of 900 MWe) operated by EDF; ཛྷ small-scale nuclear activities in the medical sector: • 19 external-beam radiotherapy departments, • 3 brachytherapy departments, • 31 nuclear medicine departments, • 92 centres performing fluoroscopy-guided interventional practices, • 127 computed tomography scanners, • some 4,600 medical and dental radiology devices; ཛྷ small-scale nuclear activities in the veterinary, industrial and research sectors: • 1 accelerator for the inspection of freight trains, • 600 industrial and research organisations, including 29 companies exercising an industrial radiography activity, 3 particle accelerators including 2 cyclotrons, 38 laboratories, mainly located in the universities of the region, and 19 companies using gamma ray densitometers, • 340 veterinary surgeries or clinics practising diagnostic radiology; ཛྷ activities associated with the transport of radioactive substances; ཛྷ ASN-approved laboratories and organisations: • 3 agencies of organisations approved for radiation protection controls. ABSTRACTS – ASN Report on the state of nuclear safety and radiation protection in France in 2021 63 REGIONAL OVERVIEW OF NUCLEAR SAFETY AND RADIATION PROTECTION HAUTS-DE-FRANCE

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