Irsn Annual Report 2010 1
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Enhancing nuclear safety 2010 ANNUAL REPORT IRSN_RA2010_COUV_RABAT_UK.indd 1 15/06/11 14:06 01 02 03 04 ORGANIZATION I SUMMARY AND STRATEGY I ACTIVITIES I EFFICIENCY ORGANIZATION ORGANIZATION ENHANCING NUCLEAR SAFETY IN FRANCE AND AROUND THE WORLD IRSN, a public authority with industrial and commercial activities, was set up under Article 5 of French Act No. 2001-398 of May 9, 2001, enacted through Order No. 2002-254 of February 22, 2002. This Order was amended on April 7, 2007. The Institute is placed under the joint authority of the Ministries of Defense, the Environment, Industry, Research, and Health. It is the nation’s public service expert in nuclear and radiation risks, and its activities cover all the related scientifi c and technical issues. Its areas of specialization include the environment and radiological emergency response, human radiation protection in both a medical and pro- fessional capacity, and in both normal and post-accident situations, the prevention of major accidents, nuclear reactor safety, as well as safety in plants and laboratories, transport and waste treatment, and nuclear defense expertise. IRSN interacts with all parties concerned by these risks (public authorities, in particular nuclear safety and security authorities, local authorities, companies, research organizations, stakeholders’ associations, etc.) to contribute to public policy issues relating to nuclear safety, human and environmental protection against ionizing radiation, and the protection of nuclear materials, facilities, and transport against the risk of malicious acts. HUMAN RESOURCES BUDGET(3) 1,768 (1) 296.4€M employees, including many spent by IRSN in 2010 specialists, such as engineers, 43.3% of budget devoted doctors, agronomists, to research, veterinarians, technicians, 47.9% of budget allocated to experts and researchers, technical support and public including 36 doctors or persons service missions. qualifi ed to direct research. IRSN is also the place of work of 85.5(2) doctorate students, 28(2) post-doctorate students. (1) This workforce consists of 1,638 persons on permanent contracts and 130 on fi xed-term contracts (including 62 persons assigned to other organizations, but excluding 24 temporary assignments). (2) Expressed in full-time equivalent terms. (3) Budget excluding property restructuring project and special fund. See Financial Report for further details. IRSN ANNUAL REPORT 2010 1 IRSN_RA2010_Partie1_UK_CA2.indd 1 21/06/11 12:10 CONTENTS 01 + Foreword Agnès Buzyn P. 06 Jacques Repussard P. 07 Michel Brière P. 09 + Key events P. 10 + Major reports P. 13 + Activity: key figures P. 14 + IRSN Organization Chart P. 16 + Board of Directors P. 18 + Steering Committee for the Nuclear Defense Expertise Division P. 19 + Scientific Council P. 20 ORGANIZATION + Ethics Commission P. 20 + Nuclear Safety and Radiation Protection Research Policy Committee P. 21 + Progress and main activities in 2010 P. 24 02 + Transparency and communications policy P. 32 + Promoting a safety and radiation protection culture P. 34 SUMMARY SUMMARY AND STRATEGY 2 01 02 03 04 ORGANIZATION I SUMMARY AND STRATEGY I ACTIVITIES I EFFICIENCY ORGANIZATION ORGANIZATION SAFETY P. 38 SAFETY OF EXISTING FACILITIES P. 38 Monitoring reactors P. 38 Monitoring plants, fuel cycle facilities, and radioactive material shipments P. 42 Fuel safety P. 45 03 Aging nuclear faciliies and service life extension P. 47 Fires and containment P. 48 Accidents P. 50 Natural hazards P. 53 + About defense P. 54 CONDUCTING ASSESSMENTS ON FUTURE FACILITIES P. 57 Reactors of the future P. 57 Deep geological repositories for nuclear waste P. 58 ACTIVITIES SECURITY – NON-PROLIFERATION P. 60 Protection and control of nuclear and sensitive materials P. 60 Protection against malicious acts P. 64 RADIATION PROTECTION – ENVIRONMENT AND HUMAN HEALTH P. 66 ENVIRONMENTAL AND POPULATION EXPOSURE P. 66 Environmental monitoring P. 66 Environmental studies P. 67 Analyzing radiological incidents P. 69 Polluted sites and soils P. 71 Radioecology P. 73 Radiation protection in the workplace P. 75 EFFECTS OF CHRONIC EXPOSURE P. 78 PROTECTION IN HEALTHCARE P. 80 EMERGENCY AND POST-ACCIDENT SITUATIONS P. 82 Preparing emergency exercises P. 82 Work of CODIR-PA P. 83 Developing tools P. 84 04 + Control and operation P. 88 + Property assets P. 89 + Human resources P. 90 + Health, safety and environmental protection P. 92 + Quality policy P. 93 + Glossary P. 94 + FINANCIAL REPORT AT THE END OF THE ANNUAL REPORT EFFICIENCY + IRSN SITE DETAILS (ON FLAP) IRSN ANNUAL REPORT 2010 3 IRSN_RA2010_Partie1_UK_CA2.indd 3 21/06/11 12:10 IRSN took part for the fi rst time in ATOMEXPO, a forum organized rst time in ATOMEXPO, IRSN took part for the fi research, IRSN offered assessment, study, nuclear industry. by Russia’s and training services to a public composed of Russian, Indian, Chinese, and Italian organizations. 01 MOSCOW, RUSSIA I JUNE 7-11 4 IRSN_RA2010_Partie1_UK_CA2.indd 4 21/06/11 12:10 01 02 03 04 ORGANIZATION I SUMMARY AND STRATEGY I ACTIVITIES I EFFICIENCY ORGANIZATION ORGANIZATION + FOREWORD AGNÈS BUZYN . P. 06 JACQUES REPUSSARD . P. 07 MICHEL BRIÈRE . P. 09 + KEY EVENTS . P. 10 + MAJOR REPORTS PUBLISHED . P. 13 + ACTIVITY: KEY FIGURES . P. 14 + ORGANIZATION CHART . P. 16 + BOARD OF DIRECTORS . P. 18 + STEERING COMMITTEE FOR THE NUCLEAR DEFENSE EXPERTISE DIVISION . P. 19 + SCIENTIFIC COUNCIL . P. 20 + ETHICS COMMISSION . P. 20 + NUCLEAR SAFETY AND RADIATION PROTECTION RESEARCH POLICY . ORGANIZATION COMMITTEE P. 21 IRSN ANNUAL REPORT 2010 5 IRSN_RA2010_Partie1_UK_CA2.indd 5 21/06/11 12:10 FOREWORD In 2010 IRSN completed all the necessary steps to consolidate its governance. AGNÈS BUZYN, CHAIRPERSON In 2010, IRSN fulfi lled all its assess- Institute came through successfully. and the opinions of the Nuclear Safety ment, research and training obli- The recommendations made during and Radiation Protection Research Policy gations, and moved forward with its the evaluation process, combined with Committee (COR). One example of this initiative to open up to society, inform an ongoing restructuring initiative in is the opinion issued on extending the the public, and promote transparency in certain areas of internal organization, service life of nuclear reactors, a prospect its activities, thus confi rming its cred- should put the Institute in a position that has already begun to raise new and ibility in the eyes of French society as to rise to the major challenges that lie sometimes unexpected questions con- a whole, during a period overshadowed ahead in the fi eld of safety and radia- cerning safety. Similarly, recent events in by the recent Japanese nuclear crisis. This tion protection. Japan have pushed back the limits and activity report provides an overview of all margins for which we were prepared, the Institute’s 2010 activities, together As part of a drive to cut government obliging us to consider increasingly com- with a certain number of cross-disciplin- spending, state-run institutions and plex emergency response situations, and ary reports concerning radiation protec- organizations have been asked to make review safety at nuclear facilities in France. tion, nuclear safety, and environmental a greater effort towards cost-effective Our expertise will be needed in situations monitoring that have been submitted to management. This constraint has encour- beyond the scope of our routine assess- the authorities and released to the public aged the Institute to pursue its efforts to ment activities, while our research teams at large. plan effectively and defi ne its priorities. It will be called on to tackle new issues. If has also raised questions as to the fund- it is to rise to all these challenges, the In addition to conducting its daily ing of certain activities. In this respect, Institute must open up and draw on the business in 2010, IRSN completed the Government decided to compensate support of existing and future coopera- all the necessary steps to consolidate for the cut in the public grant to IRSN in tion structures and partnerships, both at its governance. Thanks to the commit- 2011 by setting up a special annual con- home and abroad. It is a matter of pre- ment of all its employees, the Institute tribution to be paid by nuclear operators serving the scientifi c and technical excel- saw its ISO9001 certifi cation renewed, to partially fi nance work conducted by lence for which the Institute’s research a clear refl ection of effi cient manage- IRSN to support the French nuclear safety activities are renowned, and working to ment and high quality. The Contract of authority, the ASN. Talks are still under- ensure that its recognized performance Objectives between the State and IRSN way to address the issue of funding for as a public expert continues to build on for the period 2010-2013, a major stra- the Institute’s major research programs, innovative, forward-looking research in tegic instrument governing exchange such as those involving the Cabri reactor. an increasingly competitive, globalized between IRSN and the French authori- It is essential for these talks to succeed, world. In this way, it will be sure to pre- ties, was completed and signed by as IRSN’s research is one of the main- serve the skills and expertise it needs to the Institute’s supervisory ministries stays of nuclear safety in the long term. fulfi ll its public service obligations and at the beginning of 2011. The latest Nothing is ever achieved for good where safeguard its values of excellence and version of the contract includes some nuclear safety is concerned, which is why independence. new indicators which, although sim- the Institute must constantly open up plifi ed, are better suited to realities in new avenues of research to ensure that the fi eld. They will be used to monitor it can go on adding to the body of knowl- the Institute’s performance in accom- edge needed to drive progress in nuclear plishing its tasks year by year.