Nuclear Energy - Energie EDF

More documents

Recommendations

Info

Nuclear energy SAFETY, AN ABSOLUTE PRIORITY Safety comprises all measures taken at each stage of a plant’s life span, starting with the design phase, to ensure that plant operations have no adverse effects on man and the environment. To achieve this aim, EDF relies on the high professional standards of its work force, on the meticulous attention and care they bring to their work, on the reliability of its generation facilities and on scrupulous adherence to regulations, under the watchful eye of the French nuclear regulatory authority. Two fundamental principles are applied in the endeavour to avert risk: “defence in depth”, which entails setting up a number of lines of defence by envisaging potential equipment and human failures, and “circuit redundancy”, which provides back-up safety systems. Nuclear fi ssion is also constantly monitored and can be stopped at any time. The reactor core is constantly being cooled and radioactive substances are contained behind successive barriers (see diagram). This safety culture is accompanied by strict measures to control impacts on man and the environment. Before a nuclear plant is even built, EDF conducts a radio-environmental survey of each site, the results of which serve as a base line for subsequent analyses. Throughout its service life, a plant is monitored on two levels: the on-site laboratory takes measurements and samples of air, water and fl ora within a 5-km radius, while the Department of Health and Industry then double-checks these samples. Similarly, liquid and gaseous effl uents produced by power plants undergo a number of operations prior to disposal, in order to reduce their radioactivity. 06 Reactor vessel 1 st barrier: fuel cladding 3 SAFETY BARRIERS SEPARATING NUCLEAR FUEL FROM THE ENVIRONMENT 3 rd barrier: reactor containment structure THE NUCLEAR REGULATORY AUTHORITY On behalf of the State, the French nuclear regulatory authority (ASN) monitors nuclear safety and radiation protection in France, in order to protect workers, patients, the public and the environment from the risks associated with nuclear activity. Enjoying the status of an independent public authority, the ASN is also instrumental in providing the French public with information. Pressuriser Steam generator 2 nd barrier: reactor coolant pressure boundary
Emergency drills Every year, each nuclear power plant conducts 7 to 8 emergency simulation drills in conjunction with the local and national public authorities, the aim being to train staff in responding to all types of emergency. Controlroom operators also receive six weeks of industrial safety training a year. The INES scale Waste management France came up with the International Nuclear Event Scale (INES) in 1987. The scale started being used internationally in the early nineties. Consisting of 7 levels, it is used to gauge the signifi cance of events and accidents occurring on a nuclear facility. INCIDENT ACCIDENT 7 Accident Major accident majeur 6 Accident Serious accident grave 5 Accident entraînant with wider un consequences risque hors du site 4 Accident n’entraînant with local consequences pas un risque important hors du site 3 Incident Serious incident grave 2 Incident 1 Anomalie Anomaly 0 Ecart. No Safety Aucune Significance importance du point de vue de la sûreté EDF rigorously manages the waste produced by its nuclear power plants, by restricting the amounts of waste produced at source, by selectively sorting its waste into categories and activity levels, and by packaging its waste appropriately. Repositories are already in place for the disposal of “short-lived” waste produced in the course of plant operation and maintenance activities. These disposal facilities are run by the French radioactive waste management agency (ANDRA) and are located in the Aube, region of France. Long-lived waste produced through the reprocessing of spent fuel is temporarily stored at AREVA facilities. After the 15 years of research called for by the Bataille Law enacted in 1991, the programme-bill on the management of radioactive waste and materials was adopted by Parliament on the 15 th of June 2006. Among other aspects, this law incorporates the principle of reversible, deep underground storage of ultimate waste, by 2015. For more information go to www.edf.com EDF has been awarded ISO 14001 certifi cation, which grants international recognition of its environment management system (monitoring of air and water quality, etc.). 07
Page 1 and 2: Series: | The future of our energy
Page 3 and 4: EDF, EUROPEAN LEADER IN POWER GENER
Page 5 and 6: Cover: Saint-Laurentdes-Eaux nuclea
Page 7: Energy resources of the future By t
Page 11 and 12: Heat source: nuclear fi ssion Durin
Page 13 and 14: EPR FIND OUT MORE Each nuclear powe

Nuclear Energy - Energie EDF

You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles

Delete template?

Save as template?