Grand Est Fessenheim nuclear power plant The Fessenheim NPP is situated 1.5 km from the German border and about 30 km from Switzerland. Its two reactors, which were commissioned in 1977 and definitively shut down in 2020, are currently undergoing preparation for decommissioning. ASN considers that the site is continuing decommissioning preparation conscientiously. In 2026, the site will be begin decommissioning, with the finalisation of the decommissioning dossier review and the publication of the decree governing decommissioning. As in previous years, preparatory activities for decommissioning were carried out satisfactorily and broadly according to schedule, with in particular the removal of three lower parts of the old steam generators for decontamination and recovery by a melting process at Cyclife’s facilities in Sweden. Major modifications to the site’s ventilation/heating and power supply systems are currently underway. ASNR also considers that the organisational changes and successive staff reductions since 2020 have been well managed and have not led to any noticeable negative effects on the operation of the site. However, the decline in staff numbers means that they need to be vigilant about maintaining certain skills over the medium term. The site’s performance in radiation protection is considered broadly satisfactory. Finally, in the context of the decommissioning of the site, ASNR decisions governing water discharges and intakes from the Fessenheim nuclear power plant will be amended to adapt them to the specific needs of decommissioning. Nogent‑sur‑Seine nuclear power plant Operated by EDF and situated in the municipality of Nogent-surSeine in the Aube département, 70 km north-west of Troyes, the Nogent‑sur‑Seine NPP comprises two PWRs each of 1,300 MWe, commissioned in 1987 and 1988. Reactor 1 constitutes BNI 129 and reactor 2 BNI 130. ASNR considers that the performance of the Nogent‑sur‑Seine site in the areas of nuclear safety, environmental protection and radiation protection is consistent with ASNR’s general assessment of EDF’s NPPs. With regard to nuclear safety, ASNR considers that the results are satisfactory overall, with one point requiring particular attention concerning the relatively short shift lengths of the staff making up the reactor operating teams. The issues of maintaining skills and training staff will therefore need to be closely monitored. ASNR also considers that the improvements noted in 2024 in the management of system configuration have been confirmed in 2025. With regard to maintenance, a notable event in 2025 was the maintenance and refuelling outage of reactor 1. Operations proceeded satisfactorily during this outage, apart from the unwanted activation of a backup system during a periodic equipment test. As far as occupational radiation protection is concerned, ASNR observes that the management of worksite radiological cleanliness remains satisfactory. However, there is still room for improvement in the management of airlocks to maintenance sites, particularly with regard to dynamic containment. With regard to environmental protection, ASNR is pleased to note that efforts to contain liquid pollution are continuing. However, it considers that there is still room for improvement in the way the site is organised, particularly with regard to waste management. Lastly, the labour inspections did not find any particular weak point, other than the abovementioned aspects in occupational radiation protection. The points to be improved identified during the inspections are moreover addressed conscientiously by the employer. Aube waste disposal facility Authorised by a Decree of 4 September 1989 and commissioned in January 1992, the Aube repository (CSA) took over from the Manche repository (CSM) which ceased its activities in July 1994, while benefiting from the operating experience feedback gained from the latter. This facility, located in Soulaines-Dhuys, has a disposal capacity of one million cubic metres (m3) of low- and intermediate-level, short-lived waste (LL/ILW-SL). It constitutes BNI 149. The operations authorised in the facility include the conditioning of waste, either by injecting mortar into metal containers of 5 or 10 m3 volume, or by compacting 200-litre drums. At the end of 2025, the volume of waste in the facility had reached about 396,000 m3, or 40% of the authorised capacity. According to the estimates made in 2016 by Andra (the French National Agency for Radioactive Waste Management) in the concluding report on the periodic safety review of the CSA, the repository could be completely filled by 2062 rather than 2042 as initially forecast. This can be explained by having better knowledge of the future wastes and their delivery time frames, as well as by an optimisation of waste management through the compacting of certain packages. ASNR considers that the CSA is operated under satisfactory conditions in the areas of nuclear safety, radiation protection and the environment. The inspections carried out in 2025 revealed satisfactory management of the waste generated by the CSA, good control of the risk of external flooding, and satisfactory consideration of the risk of fraud. However, one area for improvement has been highlighted concerning the organisation implemented for the management and in-service inspection of pressure equipment. 60 ABSTRACTS – ASNR Report on the state of nuclear safety and radiation protection in France in 2025
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