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 900 Megawatts electric (MWe) Pressurised Water Reactors (PWRs) giving a total power of 5,400 MWe. Reactors 1 and 2 constitute Basic Nuclear Installation (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 environmental protection and radiation protection is in line with ASN’s general assessment of the EDF plants. The nuclear safety performance improved slightly in 2024, particularly in the addressing of significant events. The site has managed to stabilise its performance in the areas of cooling and fire protection. The licensee’s recovery plan is continuing, focusing on subjects presenting difficulties such as the control of reactivity and maintenance. Despite the measures in place, ASN has again noted a number of inappropriate practices or behaviours, including noncompliance with procedures and poorly executed maintenance operations. The licensee must therefore continue its efforts to federate all the protagonists. With regard to maintenance, 2024 was again marked by the substantial extensions in the reactor outage durations, largely due to unforeseeable technical issues. Three reactors were in outage at the same time for 12 weeks from midJune to early November, putting an unusual amount of pressure on the departments in mid-summer. The intense activity linked to the reactor outages in 2024 included the fourth ten-yearly outage of reactor 4, in addition to an industrial programme including construction of the new local emergency centre and the creation of ultimate water make-ups further to the lessons learned from the Fukushima Daiichi NPP accident in Japan. This situation led to inadequately prepared maintenance activities. ASN thus observed poorly executed maintenance operations and work postponements due in particular to the unavailability of spare parts. With regard to environmental protection, ASN considers that the Gravelines NPP’s organisation and performance are broadly satisfactory, even though some deviations must be corrected, such as in the management of liquid effluent discharges or the application of the general requirements concerning the competence of the calibration and test laboratories. The efforts made over the last few years have brought an improvement in the management of equipment using SF6 (a powerful greenhouse gas), but vigilance remains necessary for all greenhouse gas refrigerants. ASN notes some progress in occupational radiation protection. The site has taken account of the difficulties encountered in the preceding years and the measures deployed are starting to bring positive results on the ground. The downward trend in the number of significant events continued in 2024, but two contamination-related events rated level 1 on the INES scale were reported. This assessment remains contrasted due to persistent shortcomings in the application of the optimisation approach in work preparation and the coordination of radiation protection measures with outside contractors. ASN also observes an increase in deviations linked to deficiencies in the radiation protection culture or rigour of the workers, particularly regarding the conditions of access to controlled areas and taking regulatory zoning into account. Hauts‑de‑France The Lille division regulates nuclear safety, radiation protection and the transport of radioactive substances in the 5 départements of the Hauts-de-France region. 93 inspections 15 significant events rated level 1 or higher In 2024, ASN carried out 93 inspections in the Hautsde-France region, of which 36 were in the Gravelines Nuclear Power Plant (NPP), 53 in small-scale nuclear activities and four in the transport of radioactive substances. ASN also carried out 13.5 days of labour inspection in the Gravelines NPP. During 2024, the Gravelines NPP notified ASN of nine significant events rated level 1 on the International Nuclear and Radiological Event Scale (INES). In small-scale nuclear activities, one event was rated level 1 on the INES scale. In radiotherapy, five events were rated level 1 on the ASN-SFRO scale. 62 ABSTRACTS – ASN Report on the state of nuclear safety and radiation protection in France in 2024
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