LES ACTIVITÉS NUCLÉAIRES : RAYONNEMENTS IONISANTS ET RISQUES POUR LA SANTÉ ET L’ENVIRONNEMENT The contamination spectrum of this waste is also wide with, in particular, the presence of alpha emitters in activities relating to fuel cycle research and beta-gamma emitters in operational waste from the experimental reactors. CEA has specific facilities for managing this waste (processing, packaging and storage). Some of them are shared between all the CEA centres, such as the Liquid Effluent Treatment Station (STEL) in Marcoule or the STD in Cadarache. The issues and challenges The main issues for CEA with regard to radioactive waste management are: ∙renovation of the facilities (specifically BNI 37-A whose current unavailability remains a major point requiring particular attention (see Highlight No. 3); ∙extension of existing storage capacity (Cedra), whose ramp-up remains limited and sensitive to technical contingencies; ∙the commissioning of future storage capacities (Diadem), the consolidated timetable for which is still subject to considerable uncertainty; ∙conducting legacy WRP projects, the progress of which depends directly on the availability of the “support” facilities; ∙honouring of commitments made to shut down old facilities whose safety level no longer meets current requirements, and to transfer some of their functions to other facilities where they are still necessary. The general objective of CEA’s waste management strategy, based on these elements, is to ensure the processing, packaging and storage of effluents, spent fuel and waste under satisfactory safety and radiation protection conditions and within controlled time frames. ASNR notes that achieving these objectives is made more difficult by the lack of operational alternatives for critical facilities, which increases the sensitivity of the overall waste management system. ASNR’s examination of CEA’s waste management strategy In response to a request from ASN and ASND dating from 2012, CEA submitted an overall review of its decommissioning and waste management strategy in December 2016. After examining this report, the two Authorities gave a joint opinion on this strategy in May 2019. ASN and ASND concluded that CEA’s decommissioning and materials and waste management strategies present considerable uncertainties, particularly concerning the availability of support facilities. These strategies rely on the sharing of resources between its research centres and are based on the use of facilities of which some are at the project stage while others are undergoing commissioning, being refurbished, waiting for a periodic safety review or are authorised to continue operation for a limited period of time. Most of them are unique, with no obvious operational alternative in the event of failure. All these factors constitute vulnerabilities in CEA’s strategy, particularly the support facilities and means necessary for the post-operational clean-out & decommissioning and WRP projects, for which the availability requirement is particularly critical given that they fulfil functions that no other CEA facility is able to perform. ASN and ASND have therefore addressed several demands to the CEA with the aim of limiting these vulnerabilities, consolidating its strategy and detailing the operations schedule. They demanded that CEA make regular progress reports on the decommissioning and waste management projects, and ensure regular communication with the public, applying procedures appropriate to the nature of the facilities, civil or defence. ASN, ASND and CEA have agreed to set up regular monitoring of these operations, through progress indicators in particular and the periodic updating of CEA’s major safety commitments. An update of this strategy is expected before the end of 2026. Monitoring implementation of CEA’s waste management strategy ASNR has observed the difficulty the CEA has fully controlling the challenges associated with these projects, which must be carried out simultaneously and concern as much the management of the decommissioning operations as the operation of the waste management support facilities. ASNR notes in particular that: ∙The situation at BNI 37-A is a cause for concern, despite the renovation efforts undertaken; its observed unavailability in 2025 will potentially have a cascade effect on WRP operations planned at other facilities (see Highlight No. 3). ∙The review of the second periodic safety review for BNI 35 highlighted the need for CEA to adopt a position on the future of the facility before the end of 2025. The facility has not been able to fulfil its main functions since 2021, and is experiencing difficulties in controlling the storage and retrieval conditions for historic effluent. ∙The timetable for commissioning Diadem (BNI 177) continues to be marked by major uncertainties and successive postponements, leading the CEA to submit a request to postpone the commissioning date to the end of 2030. This request, which is currently being reviewed by ASNR, could lead to saturation of storage capacity for certain waste stored in other CEA facilities. The unique and irreplaceable nature of these facilities increases the vulnerability of the system, particularly in the absence of alternative scenarios in the event of prolonged unavailability. ASNR considers that this situation is detrimental to CEA’s waste management strategy. It will continue to be particularly attentive to the management and monitoring of these projects. ASNR nevertheless underlines the good forward-planning of the work necessary to avoid saturating some of the waste storage capacities, such as phase 3 of the Cedra facility, and the goodness of fit of the blueprint for transport operations with CEA’s storage capacities. 2.4 Orano’s waste management strategy and its assessment by ASNR The spent fuel reprocessing and recycling plant at the La Hague site presents major radioactive waste management issues. The waste on the La Hague site comprises on the one hand waste resulting from reprocessing of the spent fuel, which generally comes from nuclear power plants but also from research reactors, and on the other, waste resulting from operation of the various facilities on the site. Most of this waste remains the property of the licensees – whether French or foreign – who have their spent fuel reprocessed. French waste is directed to the management routes described earlier, whereas foreign waste is sent back to its country of origin. On the Tricastin site, Orano also produces waste associated with the front-end activities of the “cycle” (production of nuclear fuel), essentially contaminated by alpha emitters. In 2016, Orano submitted a file to ASN and ASND, which was supplemented in 2017, presenting its decommissioning and waste management strategy for the group’s French facilities, and its practical implementation on the La Hague and Tricastin sites. Moreover, Orano submitted general and particular commitments for the La Hague and Tricastin sites in 2018. ASN issued a position statement on the strategy on 14 February 2022. Orano has sent information to ASN since 2022 in response to ASN’s various requests in its letter of 14 February 2022. These elements are currently being reviewed by ASNR. The issues and challenges The main issues relating to the management of waste from the licensee Orano are: ∙The safety of the legacy waste storage facilities. On the La Hague site, the facilities dedicated to legacy waste retrieval, packaging and storage have to be designed, built and then commissioned. These projects meet with technical difficulties which can make it necessary to adjust deadlines set by ASNR (see chapter 12). 372 ASNR Report on the state of nuclear safety and radiation protection in France in 2025
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