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Page 1

Contents
SearchSites
Head Office: Clamart – FRANCE
77-83, avenue du Général-de-Gaulle
92140 Clamart
Tel. +33 (0)1 58 35 88 88

The institutional section

Agen
BP 27 – 47002 Agen Cedex
Tel. +33 (0)5 53 48 01 60

1 A short description of the IRSN
Editorials

Angers39, rue Joachim-du-Bellay
49000 Angers
Tel. +33 (0)2 41 87 83 21

2 • Foreword of the Chairman
and the Director General

4 • Foreword of the Assistant Director
General in charge of defence-related
missions

Beaumont – La Haguerue du Vieux Chemin – BP 224
50 442 Beaumont-Hague Cedex
Tel.: +33 (0)2 33 01 05 61
Cadarache
BP 313115 Saint-Paul-lez-Durance Cedex
Tel. +33 (0)4 42 25 70 00

Annual report

Fontenay-aux-Roses
BP 17 – 92262 Fontenay-aux-Roses
Tel. +33 (0)1 58 35 88 88

IRSN in 2003

CHAPTER 3

52 Defence nuclear expertise54 • Physical protection of nuclear
installations and transportation

56 • Accounting of nuclear materials
58 • Assessment of the safetyof the Laser Megajoule installation

59 • Assessment of the SNLE Le Vigilant
CHAPTER 4

60 International relations
62 • IRSN’s role in European construction

ANNUAL REPORT 2003

Le Vésinet
31, rue de l’Écluse – BP 35
78116 Le Vésinet
Tel. +33 (0)1 30 15 52 00
Les Angles – Avignon
550, rue de la Tramontane
BP 70295 – Les Angles
30402 Villeneuve-lès-Avignon Cedex
Tel. +33 (0)4 90 26 11 00
MahinaBP 519 Tahiti Papeete, French Polynesia
Tel. +33 (0)0 689 481 707

Orsay
Bois des Rames (bât. 501)
91400 Orsay
Tel. +33 (0)1 69 85 58 40

Challenges, strategies, organisation• IRSN missions• The challenges facing IRSN
• IRSN organisation• IRSN organisation chart• Board of Directors

13 • Activity 2003 - Key figures
14 • Main events

La Seyne-sur-Mer
zone portuaire Bregaillon – BP 330
83507 La Seyne-sur-Mer Cedex
Tel. +33 (0)4 94 30 48 29

Octeville – Cherbourg
BP 10 – rue Max-Pol-Fouchet
50130 OctevilleTel. +33 (0)2 33 01 41 00

5
6
10
11
12

CHAPTER 2
Human and Environment Protection• Chronic risks and radioactivity• Crisis management• Workers and public supervision
with regard to radiation protection48 • Medical management of a large numberof accidentally exposed individuals
51 • Radiation protection assessment
in EDF nuclear plants

38
40
42
44

Siège OfficesocialHead
77-83, avenue
avenue dudu Général-de-Gaulle
Général-de-Gaulle
77-83,
92140 CLAMART
CLAMART – FRANCE
92140
Téléphone
Telephone(33)1(0)1
58 35
+33
58 88
35 88 88

PierrelatteBP 166 – 26702 Pierrelatte Cedex
Tel. +33 (0)4 75 50 40 00

Courrier
Mail
B.P. 17 – 92262 Fontenay-aux-Roses Cedex – FRANCE

SaclayBP 68 – 91192 Gif-sur-Yvette Cedex
Tel. +33 (0)1 69 08 60 00

Site Internet
IRSN
Websitede l’IRSN
www.irsn.org

Activities in 2003
18
20
22
24
27
28
29
30
32
34
36

CHAPTER 1
Safety of civilian installations,transportation and waste• Risk of blockageof PWR containment sumps• Assessment of instrumentationand control software• Ageing of pressurised water reactors
and safety assessment for third
10-yearly outage programmes• Experimental programmes on fire
• CABRI REP-Na programme• Examination of safety options
for the ITER installation• Research on the Middle Durance fault• SARNET, European networkof excellence for severe accidents• Expertise in the field of geologicaldisposal of radioactive waste• European project on allowancefor the criticality risk in packages
transporting actinides

CHAPTER 5

66 Contributing to public informationand training

68 • Information and communication
70 • Training
CHAPTER 6

72 Quality at IRSN
74 • The introduction of a quality
management system at IRSN

76 Glossary
80 IRSN sites

Human Resources andFinance Ledger 2003
(End-of-document insert)

GB CV

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Page 1

Contents

SearchSites
Head Office: Clamart – FRANCE
77-83, avenue du Général-de-Gaulle
92140 Clamart
Tel. +33 (0)1 58 35 88 88

The institutional section

Agen
BP 27 – 47002 Agen Cedex
Tel. +33 (0)5 53 48 01 60

1 A short description of the IRSN
Editorials

Angers39, rue Joachim-du-Bellay
49000 Angers
Tel. +33 (0)2 41 87 83 21

2 • Foreword of the Chairman
and the Director General

4 • Foreword of the Assistant Director
General in charge of defence-related
missions

Beaumont – La Haguerue du Vieux Chemin – BP 224
50 442 Beaumont-Hague Cedex
Tel.: +33 (0)2 33 01 05 61
Cadarache
BP 313115 Saint-Paul-lez-Durance Cedex
Tel. +33 (0)4 42 25 70 00

Annual report

Fontenay-aux-Roses
BP 17 – 92262 Fontenay-aux-Roses
Tel. +33 (0)1 58 35 88 88

IRSN in 2003

CHAPTER 3

52 Defence nuclear expertise54 • Physical protection of nuclear
installations and transportation

56 • Accounting of nuclear materials
58 • Assessment of the safetyof the Laser Megajoule installation

59 • Assessment of the SNLE Le Vigilant
CHAPTER 4

60 International relations
62 • IRSN’s role in European construction

ANNUAL REPORT 2003

Le Vésinet
31, rue de l’Écluse – BP 35
78116 Le Vésinet
Tel. +33 (0)1 30 15 52 00
Les Angles – Avignon
550, rue de la Tramontane
BP 70295 – Les Angles
30402 Villeneuve-lès-Avignon Cedex
Tel. +33 (0)4 90 26 11 00
MahinaBP 519 Tahiti Papeete, French Polynesia
Tel. +33 (0)0 689 481 707

Orsay
Bois des Rames (bât. 501)
91400 Orsay
Tel. +33 (0)1 69 85 58 40

Challenges, strategies, organisation• IRSN missions• The challenges facing IRSN
• IRSN organisation• IRSN organisation chart• Board of Directors

13 • Activity 2003 - Key figures
14 • Main events

La Seyne-sur-Mer
zone portuaire Bregaillon – BP 330
83507 La Seyne-sur-Mer Cedex
Tel. +33 (0)4 94 30 48 29

Octeville – Cherbourg
BP 10 – rue Max-Pol-Fouchet
50130 OctevilleTel. +33 (0)2 33 01 41 00

5
6
10
11
12

CHAPTER 2
Human and Environment Protection• Chronic risks and radioactivity• Crisis management• Workers and public supervision
with regard to radiation protection48 • Medical management of a large numberof accidentally exposed individuals
51 • Radiation protection assessment
in EDF nuclear plants

38
40
42
44

Siège OfficesocialHead
77-83, avenue
avenue dudu Général-de-Gaulle
Général-de-Gaulle
77-83,
92140 CLAMART
CLAMART – FRANCE
92140
Téléphone
Telephone(33)1(0)1
58 35
+33
58 88
35 88 88

PierrelatteBP 166 – 26702 Pierrelatte Cedex
Tel. +33 (0)4 75 50 40 00

Courrier
Mail
B.P. 17 – 92262 Fontenay-aux-Roses Cedex – FRANCE

SaclayBP 68 – 91192 Gif-sur-Yvette Cedex
Tel. +33 (0)1 69 08 60 00

Site Internet
IRSN
Websitede l’IRSN
www.irsn.org

Activities in 2003
18
20
22
24
27
28
29
30
32
34
36

CHAPTER 1
Safety of civilian installations,transportation and waste• Risk of blockageof PWR containment sumps• Assessment of instrumentationand control software• Ageing of pressurised water reactors
and safety assessment for third
10-yearly outage programmes• Experimental programmes on fire
• CABRI REP-Na programme• Examination of safety options
for the ITER installation• Research on the Middle Durance fault• SARNET, European networkof excellence for severe accidents• Expertise in the field of geologicaldisposal of radioactive waste• European project on allowancefor the criticality risk in packages
transporting actinides

CHAPTER 5

66 Contributing to public informationand training

68 • Information and communication
70 • Training
CHAPTER 6

72 Quality at IRSN
74 • The introduction of a quality
management system at IRSN

76 Glossary
80 IRSN sites

Human Resources andFinance Ledger 2003
(End-of-document insert)

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Page 2

SearchThe 7 missions of IRSN*
Research and public service missions

IRSN’s fields of competence
Defence nuclear expertise
Environment and response■ Prevention of major accidents■ Human radiation protection■ Reactor safety■ Safety of plants, laboratories, transportation and waste■■

Defining and implementing
national and international
research programmes

Contributing to training
in radiation protection

IRSN coordination
Department for Strategy,
Development and External Relations
Communications Department

Editorial Board
DG:
D. Quéniart
SG/DAF:
D. Demeillers
DSDRE:
F. Ducamp, E. Mur
DESTQ:
F. Bretheau
DCOM:
ML. de Heaulme, H. Fabre
DEI:
N. Chaptal-Gradoz
DEND:
Y. Souchet
DPAM:
M. Adroguer
DRPH:
J. Aigueperse/J. Brenot
DSR:
A. Dumas
DSU:
P. Cousinou

Research and public service missions■ Defining and implementing national

and international research programmes
Permanent monitoringin matters of radiation
protection

Informing the public■ Contributing to training in radiation protection■ Permanent monitoring in matters of radiation protection■ Informing the public

Missions of technical support
and assistance for public authorities

Technical support
in matters of nuclear
and radiological risk

Operational support
in the event of a crisis
or radiological emergency

Contractual services of expertise,research and measurement

Collaborations:• European and International collaborations: European Commission, GRS, BfS(Germany), NRPB, HSE (England), NRC (USA), Nupec and Jaeri (Japan),
Kurtchatov Institute (Russia)• For the drawing up of technical standards: ICRP, ICRU, IEC, IAEA, Unscear,
ISO, OECD/NEA…
• In France: CEA, CNRS, universities, engineering schools, BRGM, IFREMER,
INRA, Ineris, research hospital structures, agencies (Afssaps, InVS…)

Missions of technical support and assistancefor public authorities■ Technical support in matters of nuclear and radiological risk
■ Operational support in the event of a crisis or radiological emergency

for: • DGSNR • DSND • High Civil Defence Servant for Industry • DPPR
• DRT • CEA (Department for International Relations)• DGEMP • Afssaps…

Carrying out expert
appraisals, research andworks for public or privateorganisations.

Contractual services of expertise,research and measurement■ Carrying out expert appraisals, research and works

for public or private organisations* These pictograms appear before articles in the section “Activities in 2003” to indicate
the missions corresponding to the activity discussed. The description of these missions
appears on page 5 of this document.

for: • Local information commissions• Industrials• European Commission

The 7 missionsof IRSN

Writing
IRSN with the cooperation of Camille Jaunet (La Clé des mots)
and Jean-Christophe Hédouin
Graphic design and coordination
Wprintel
Production assistance
LAO Conseil
Printing
OPAG
Photography credits
Cover page: Médiathèque EDF, Thomas Gogny, Cogema/Sydney
Jezequel (from top to bottom)
Pages 2-4: Vincent Leloup
Pages 18-19: COGEMA/ Jean-Marie Taillat (truck)
Page 20: IRSN
Page 21: Ph. Pauquet Claude/Framatome ANP (left), IRSN
(right)Page 22: ESA/Concorde Europe Film (left),
CNES/ESA/Arianespace (right)
Pages 23-24-25-26: Médiathèque EDF
Page 27: Illustration - Stéphane Jungers (left), IRSN (right)
Page 28: IRSN
Page 29: ITER
Page 30: IRSN
Page 31: IRSN
Pages 32-33: Illustrations - Stéphane Jungers
Page 34: Médiathèque EDF (left), IRSN (right)
Page 35: IRSN
Pages 36-37: COGEMA/ Jean-Marie Taillat

Pages 38-39: Médiathèque EDF
Page 40: IRSN (left and right), Phox Photo Provence/
M. le Senechal (centre)
Page 41: Illustration - Stéphane Jungers
Page 42: Patrick Méjean - Fluid mechanic and acoustics
Laboratory of the Ecole Centrale in Lyon, UMR 5509 (left),
IRSN (right)
Page 43: IRSN
Pages 44-45-46: Claude Cieutat
Page 47: Thomas Gogny (left), Médiathèque EDF (right)
Page 48: IRSN
Page 49: IRSN and IGR
Page 50: IRSN
Page 51: Médiathèque EDF
Pages 52-53: DCN/Marine Nationale
Page 54: Médiathèque EDF
Page 55: COGEMA/ Jean-Marie Taillat (left),
Médiathèque EDF (right)
Page 56: COGEMA/Sidney Jezequel
Page 57: IRSN (left), COGEMA/Philippe Lesage (right)
Page 58: Geney-Burdin/CEA (left), CEA/Gonin (right),
CEA (bottom)
Page 59: DCN/Marine nationale
Pages 60-61: Photononstop
Page 62: Médiathèque EDF (left), Thomas Gogny (right)
Page 63: IRSN
Page 64: Riskaudit (left), IRSN (right)
Page 65: IRSN
Pages 66-67-68: Thomas Gogny
Page 69: Médiathèque EDF/Marc Morceau (left), IRSN (right)
Pages 70-71: Thomas Gogny
Pages 72-73: Photononstop
Page 75: Stéphane Jungers
Insert page 3: IRSN
© Communication IRSN
ISSN No. and copyright in progress

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Page 1A SHORT DESCRIPTION
OF THE IRSN

SearchThe institutional section

GB 1-16

A short description of the IRSN
CreationLines of development

Created by article 5 of the law of May 9, 2001
instituting the French Agency for Environmental
Health and Safety, for which the implementing
decree was signed on February 22, 2002
(Official Journal of February 26, 2002).

■■

Status
A public establishment of an industrial andcommercial nature placed under the joint
authority of the Ministries of Defence, Ecology
and Sustainable Development, Industry,
Research, Health and Social Affairs.

■

Directors
Jean-François Lacronique, Chairman.
Jacques Repussard, Director General.
■ Michel Brière, Assistant Director Generalin charge of defence-related missions.
■ Philippe Jamet, Assistant Director Generalin charge of general matters.
■■

Missions
Set down in Decree 2002-254 of February 22,
2002 relating to the Institute for RadiologicalProtection and Nuclear Safety.
■ Defining and implementing national
and international research programmes.
■ Contributing to training in radiation
protection.
■ Permanent monitoring in mattersof radiation protection.
■ Informing the public.
■ Technical support in matters of nuclear
and radiological risk.
■ Operational support in case of crisis.
■ Carrying out expert appraisals, research andworks for public or private organisations.

Positioning■ Public expert in research and expertise
related to nuclear and radiological risk.

Optimising support missions for publicauthorities.
■ Reinforcement of its research process
in consultation with its main partners.
■ Opening up its expertise to takethe expectations of society into account.
■ Developing its European and international
dimension.

Fields of activity
Nuclear expertise relating to defence.
Environment and response.
■ Prevention of major accidents.
■ Radiation protection of human beings.
■ Reactor safety.
■ Safety of plants, laboratories,
transportation and waste.
■■

Budget 2003
250 M€ of which 210 M€ is provided bygovernment subsidies and 40 M€ by revenues
from contracts with other organisations,especially international bodies. 50% of thetotal budget is devoted to research.

■

Staff
IRSN employs 1,500 specialists: engineers,
researchers, physicians, agronomists,
veterinarians and technicians, experts
competent in nuclear safety and radiologicalprotection, and control of nuclear andsensitive materials.

■

Sites
Head office: Clamart
Agen ■ Angers ■ Beaumont – La Hague■ Cadarache ■ Fontenay-aux-Roses■ La Seyne-sur-Mer ■ Le Vésinet■ Les Angles – Avignon ■ Mahina (Tahiti)■ Octeville – Cherbourg ■ Orsay■ Pierrelatte ■ Saclay■■

I R S NA N N U A L

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Page 2

SearchJean-François Lacronique,
Chairman.

Jacques Repussard,
Director General.

2003, a year of consolidation
for the IRSN

D

uring its second year of existence, thecompleted: i.e. creating bodies for governanceInstitution had to address three mainand industrial relations; establishing person-

issues:■ Ensuring continuity in the performanceof its expertise and response mission
involving the provision of technical support
to the different authorities concerned, as
well as the other missions with which it was
entrusted by way of the Decree of February
2002 (research, radiological surveillance ofthe environment and population, nationwide
monitoring of radioactive sources, keeping
national records of nuclear material, training,
informing the public about nuclear and radiological risks) and continuing to provide contract services to its French and internationalcustomers.This report gives an account of theresults achieved, showing the Institution’s
continued involvement in major issues relating to nuclear safety and security, radiation
protection of people and the environment at
national or international level.

nel statuses; coming to agreements with the■

Restoring its economic equilibrium, in aparticularly difficult budgetary context, in

I R S NA N N U A L

R E P O R T

2 0 0 3departments in October 2003 so as to actually merge the IPSN and the OPRI, and makethe Institute more efficient and clear-cut;
renegotiating a large number of international agreements signed by the CEA/IPSN;
implementing framework agreements withthe main administrations that receive theInstitute’s technical support.
At the same time, it was also necessary todevelop new tools to facilitate synergies within
the Institute: a communications charter, an
in-house newspaper, budget management,a quality policy, a global study on scientificexcellence and the development of assessment practices, etc.
The efforts of one and all led to a great dealof work being accomplished and we would
like to thank all those involved. As a result,
we can now assert that the IRSN is in fullworking order.

accordance with instructions from the Min-

Naturally, some of these projects have notister of the Budget. This mission was also

been completed and others have only begun

accomplished, as the accounts published in

to take shape. To name but a few - drawing

this report show. This was achieved without

up the future contract of objectives between

undermining the scope of action of the IRSN

the State and the Institute, defining the majoror sacrificing any priorities, but by postpon-

strategic programmes which will influence theing investments and rescheduling researchevolution of the Institute’s scientific knowl-

programmes that are however essential fromedge and expertise capacity during thea medium-term angle.

coming decade, creating a decision-making

Finally, a great deal of work relating

information system to facilitate the runningto the creation of the IRSN as a publicof the Institute, plus other projects of moreestablishment, recognised for the quality

limited scope but of equal importance,

and independence of its expertise, hadi.e. reorganising the Internet sites, creating

to be undertaken, and as far as possible

a periodical for the Institute’s general public■

2

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Page 3

EDITORIALS

Searchand reviewing the format of the future annual

and multi-source expertise.Thanks to greater

report which will be more detailed.Therefore,

collaboration with CLI (local information

we shall pursue our efforts at a steady pace.

commissions), the IRSN is gaining more expe-

They will be structured by four main objec-

rience in the management of this type oftives presented to the Institute’s partners at

situation, as illustrated in the results obtained

the end of 2003:

in the Nord-Cotentin a few years ago. More-

Optimising technical support for public

over, the IRSN must become more involved

authorities: Apart from operators, the IRSNin education and radiation protection train-is the only body to have the necessary mate-ing in collaboration with universities.

rial and human resources to allow it to mon-■itor and assess risks independently, espe-

opments become part of an international

cially in emergency situations, to carry out

context in terms of research (this is alreadyin-depth assessments of the conformity of

the case, more or less), expertise – especiallyfacilities and to ensure that France adhereswith a view to gradually harmonising prac-

to international nuclear non-proliferation

tices within the enlarged EU – and strategic

undertakings. Therefore, efficient action andbilateral collaboration (Germany, USA, Japan,

high-quality coordination with the public

China, Russia especially).

authorities in charge of risk management isThis is the grand design of IRSN - anticipat-

essential if public action and economic oper-

ing and integrating scientific and technicalators are to succeed.

transformations as well as changes in society

Basing research activities on strict scien-so as to improve the service rendered totific excellence: to remain pertinent, IRSN

national authorities in terms of nuclear andexpertise must be supported by a great effort

radiological risk control and thereby ensuring

in terms of research on which the Institutethe safety of facilities and the protection of

devotes half of its resources. This researchpeople and the environment. In this way theeffort must be pursued by anticipating prob-

Institute can honour the trust that these samelems related to society, by cooperating withnational authorities placed in it when they

the best teams worldwide so as to establish

appointed it as public expert in nuclear andpoles of reference capable of fuelling expert-

radiological risk.

■■

We must ensure that the Institute’s devel-

ise potential as technological progress is made.
■Opening up the expertise of IRSN

to take account of the expectations ofsociety. More specifically, the Institute must
to be portrayed as an exemplary centre of
public expertise and recognised as credibleby most of the parties involved. Indeed, if thedesired transparency is to be developed, it isfirst necessary to have access to high-quality

I R S NA N N U A L

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Page 4Michel Brière,
Assistant Director General in chargeof defence-related missions.

SearchIn 2003, the IRSN strengthens
its organisation to enhance the nuclear safety
and security of defence
n 2003, while ensuring the operational

I

They concern three main fields: protecting

continuity of its missions involving nuclear

and controlling nuclear and sensitive mate-safety and security of defence, the IRSN

rial within the national framework and instarted to implement an organisation dedi-

accordance with France’s commitments incated to these missions. This concerned thethis field; protecting nuclear facilities and theInstitute’s general management and its oper-transport of radioactive and fissile material

ational departments. Thus, a post of Assis-

from malevolent acts, ensuring the safetytant Director General in charge of missions

and radiation protection of facilities andrelated to defence and a department dedi-

nuclear activities related to defence.

cated to nuclear defence expertise (DEND)
was created.

More than ever, public authorities can depend
upon IRSN competence, organisation and

Nuclear defence expertise is now well identi-

commitment to ensure the nuclear security

fied and supported by the public competences

and safety of defence.

of nuclear safety and radiation protectiongrouped together within the Institute.Therefore, it can fully benefit from the scientificknowledge and experience that France hasat its disposal in these fields. Thanks toagreements clearly identifying the tasks
and processes entrusted to the IRSN, themissions of assistance and technical support
for authorities in charge of the nuclear
security and safety of defence are carriedout in such a way as to respect their legal
and if necessary their confidential nature.

4

I R S NA N N U A L

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Page 5C H A L L E N G E S , S T R AT E G Y,O R G A N I S AT I O N

SearchIRSN missions
IRSN missions are set down in Decree 2002-254 of February 22, 2002 relating to
the Institute for Radiological Protection and Nuclear Safety. In this context, the IRSN
carries out seven types of missions that can be classified into three categories:
Research and public service
missions
Defining and implementing
national and international research
programmes
IRSN defines research programmes

Public information
The IRSN informs the public ofnuclear and radiological risks via

In the event of an incident or acci-

publications, the Internet, travel-

dent involving ionising radiation,

expertise in its fields of activity. It either
carries them out itself or entrusts them toother French or foreign research institutes.

Contributing to training
in radiation protection
The IRSN provides training in radiation protection to health professionals and people exposed torisk in their jobs.

Permanent monitoring in mattersof radiation protection

DGSNR, conferences, etc.

a technical, health and medical nature forpublic authorities, in order to ensure theprotection of the population, workers andMissions of technicalsupport and assistancefor public authorities

the environment, and restore the security

Technical support in mattersof nuclear and radiological risk

Contractual servicesof expertise, research
and measurement

Public authorities that request theof the facilities.

services of IRSN are provided withtechnical support in the field of
nuclear and radiological risk, whether it befor civil nuclear facilities, secret classified

Carrying out expert appraisals,
research and works for public
or private organisations
The IRSN carries out contractual

facilities, the transport of radioactive sub-services of expertise, research andstances, the application of non-prolifera-

The IRSN carries out permanenttion treaties or the safety of industrial andmonitoring in matters of radiation

medical applications. Among other things, it

protection by assisting in the radi-carries out safety tests,research,development,

ological monitoring of the environment andexperimentation and develops models, codesby managing and processing dosimetric dataand safety tools.

concerning workers exposed to ionising radi-

the IRSN carries out measures ofling exhibitions jointly organised with the

aimed at maintaining and developing the skills necessary forOperational support in the eventof a crisis or radiological emergency

works – particularly analysis,measurement and dosing – for French, European
and international organisations in the public
and private sector. In addition, the Institutecarries out third-party expertise services for
ICPE outside the nuclear sector.

ation and managing the inventory of ionisingradiation sources.

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Page 6

SearchThe challenges facing IRSN

Budget allocation 2003 foreach category of mission

50% Research

RSN is a public establishment of an indus-I

intervention. In 2004, this work will lead totrial and commercial nature (EPIC) createdthe signing of agreements between the Insti-

by article 5 of the law of May 9, 2001,

tute and the administrations concerned.These

instituting the AFSSE. It has an annual budget

agreements describe the missions of the twoof 250 M€ divided out as indicated in theparties to the agreement and how the mis-diagram. The technical missions previously

sions will be carried out - they have to beundertaken by the IPSN and the OPRI haveplanned but at the same time allow IRSN to

been confirmed or renewed for IRSN. Missions

respond to new requests.They also touch upon

involving training in radiation protection andquestions of ownership and information

public information have also been reinforced.

regarding the results of the Institute’s actions.

This new scope of responsibility has led to

35% Support
10% Services

Putting the quality assurance system

the Institute repositioning itself in the insti-■

tutional and social landscape.

into general use and establishing

15% Other missions(excluding research)outcome indicators
One of the challenges facing IRSN is to play

In 2003, IRSN did a considerable amount ofa leading role in an evolution which has seen

work to develop a methodology that would

the emergence of a fourth set of players, usu-

enable their action to be controlled and their

ally described as the stakeholders, the three

supervising authorities to be kept informed.

traditional nuclear players being industrialists,

This work includes a study on programmesafety authorities and research and expertise

follow-up (drawing up the new nomenclature

bodies.

of activities) and the budget.This requirement
is carried out in accordance with the organic

IRSN strategy: report on 2003
and prospects for 2004

law relating to finance laws (LOLF). At the

In order to carry out its missions effectively

mation system called the Decision-making

and to enhance its credibility, IRSN set itself

Information System which will enable detailed

four institutional and organisational objec-

analytical follow-up of the Institute’s various

tives for 2003.

activities, consolidation and synthesis neededsame time, IRSN is developing a suitable infor-

for talks with its partners. One of the first
1. OPTIMISING ITS SUPPORT MISSIONS

budget modules should be available in 2004.

FOR PUBLIC AUTHORITIES■6I R S NA N N U A L

R E P O R T

2 0 0 3

Encouraging discussions between the■

Signing a contract of objectives withpublic authorities and the Institute andthe controlling authorities

formalising them in framework agreements

IRSN is drawing up the foundations for a

In 2003, IRSN and the administrations that

contract of objectives which should be finishedreceive its support or technical assistanceby the end of 2004. This contract will enable(DGSNR, DSND, HFD Industrie, DPPR, DRT,

us to record the expectations of the Institute’setc.) started to redefine the conditions of its

contacts and position the Institute in relation

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Searchto the national, European and internationalin the coming years. This will help revitalisein the eyes of the controlling ministries,

challenges linked to its main fields of action.

the research carried out, create closer links

requestors and partners in the same way aswith universities and enhance credibility anddynamic research does.The Institute intends

2. REORGANISING ITS RESEARCH

recognition at national and international level.

to improve its ability to assess the scientific

PROCESS IN CONSULTATION WITH

Therefore, IRSN is developing a partnershipand technical quality of the programmes

ITS MAIN PARTNERS

policy with universities and Grandes Ecoles

it hopes to undertake. The process imple-

Carrying out an internal study on

which will involve training through research,mented by the Department in charge ofthe challenges that radiation protection,

post-doctoral courses or scientific collaboration.

scientific and technical evaluation andsafety and security representThis policy will concern generic research inquality aims to assess both the programmes

The research mission represents 50% of the

fields applicable to the Institute’s activities,

and the researcher’s activities.

Institute’s total budget and is included in theinterpares comparison of work carried out,and

decree of February 22, 2002 in the samethe development of scientific communication.

■

An in-house seminar on Scientific Excellence
organised in the middle of March 2004,

capacity as expertise.This investment shouldattempted to bring forth in a collective

be pursued in order to build the Institute’s■

expertise upon the best knowledge available

excellencemanner the orientations of the Instituteand the skills of its experts and researchers.

For IRSN, scientific and technical quality is ain the fields associated with the recognition

Therefore, the Institute is carrying out impor-necessity because it enhances its credibilityof scientific and technical excellence.

Promoting scientific and technicaltant research programmes in matters related
to safety, security and radiation protection.
In particular, it is playing a leading role inprogrammes like PHEBUS and CABRI, which
are being carried out with European and international partners who share the same safetyconcerns and wish to pool resources. In 2003,
IRSN launched a study on the Institute’s
medium-term strategies in the fields covered
in its missions: safety, radiation protection,
security. This study,which associates the wholeof the Institute and should contribute to thecontract of objectives with public authorities,
will end with a seminar in September 2004.
■

Implementing a determined policyof training through research
Taking in doctorands or post-doctorands isessential if we want to carry out active andhigh-quality research. IRSN has decided toInitiating discussions
and informing “stakeholders”
In January 2003, the Institute organised a seminar in Ville-d’Avray to initiate
discussions on high-risk facility consultations. The participants came from very
different horizons in the nuclear and non-nuclear fields – industrialists, experts,
institutions, associations. On January 31, 2003, it signed a cooperation agreement with ANCLI. Under the terms of this agreement it will provide scientificand technical support in the fields of radiation protection and nuclear safety.
In addition to a three-day training course held in May, the content of which wasrecorded on a CDROM and circulated among ANCLI members, information
campaigns and studies have been carried out by IRSN for several CLI. A meetingwith ANCLI was held on November 20, 2003 to take stock of the action taken
within the framework of the agreement and to examine what action could betaken in 2004 to strengthen the cooperation. At this meeting, it was decided toinclude the launching of pilot initiatives in the shared programme, i.e. on issues
related to the monitoring of waste and the ageing of power stations.

increase the number of these young researchers

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3. OPENING UP ITS EXPERTISE TO TAKE

In this way, it helps give concrete form to the

INTO ACCOUNT THE EXPECTATIONS

principles of public access to information on

OF SOCIETY

the environment and health.These principles

Becoming a public expert

were set out in the Aarhus Convention and in

In addition to the support it gives public

the draft law on nuclear transparency.

■

authorities, IRSN intends to make its expertise available to society via local information■commissions (CLI), associations, etc.To organ-

The Institute encourages operational unit

ise its action in this field, IRSN has created a

teams to develop skills and know-how in their

mission called Stakeholders. Within thisfields of activity, provided that the markets

framework, the mission coordinates the Insti-

they target are sustainable and of high added

tute’s action on themes of local interest andvalue and that they do not lead to ethicaltakes part in national and international net-

problems but rather promote the expertiseworks involved in the governance of high-riskand image of IRSN. Naturally, the Instituteactivities.

makes sure that these teams do not neglect

Developing the Institute’s activities

their main missions, particularly the imporThus, in January 2003, IRSN organised atant, top-priority programmes. The rightseminar on the concerted approach, signed abalance between State subsidies and outside

cooperation agreement with the National

revenue must be sought.

Association of Local Information Commis-

This, for example, is the case with expertise

sions (ANCLI) and organised a training courseand studies of non-nuclear,technological risks.

by members of the CLI.

The recent adoption of new and more restrictive legislation is generating a great demandContributing to public information

for third party expertise and IRSN know-how

Contributing to public information is an

can be effectively implemented to prevent risks.

■

important mission laid down in the decree of8

I R S NA N N U A L

R E P O R T

2 0 0 3February 22, 2002. The Institute actively cir-

4. DEVELOPING ITS EUROPEAN

culates information via its reports, Web site,

AND INTERNATIONAL DIMENSION

conferences, joint exhibitions with the ASN,

European and international action is one ofthe preparation of a CDROM on nuclear risk

IRSN’s main priorities. In 2003, it created aand participation in exhibitions like Pollutec,

Department dedicated to strategy, develop-

Medec and the Eurosafe Forum co-organised

ment and outside relations (DSDRE) whichwith its opposite number in Germany, GRS,

included a Division for international relations.

and other organisations that carry out

It also strengthened its international teamtechnical expertise. In addition, the Instituteby appointing executive staff to develop thehas for many years been using a barometer

Institute’s bilateral relations and a Europe

to measure the general public’s perception

section within the DSDRE.IRSN’s internationalof risks.

development policy has four objectives.

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SearchHelping create the European

the implementation of European Commission

plants.These agreements are related to all the

Research Arena

programmes like PHARE and TACIS which are

Institute’s fields of competence, whether theyIn the spirit of the European Council of Lisbon

aimed at improving the safety levels of nuclear

involve research or expertise. IRSN is draw-of March 2000 and the European Union’s FP

facilities in Central and Eastern Europe. IRSN

ing up a master plan of its international ini-

which aim to reinforce the integration ofcarries out expertise and provides support totiatives in order to ensure the coherence of

research in Europe, IRSN contributes – often

the CENS which groups together the safety

its action, its missions and its objectives.

in collaboration with GRS, its opposite num-

bodies of these countries. The aim of this is

Finally, the Institute intends to make a greater

ber in Germany – to about forty projects

to strengthen their own expertise abilities.

contribution to task groups who, under the■control of international organisations, draw

concerned with the management of nuclear
power plants and the extension of their life-■

Strengthening bilateral

up recommendations or directives like guide-cycle, the safety of the fuel cycle, radiationand multilateral relationslines and standards for radiation protection

protection, the management of crises outside

To date, IRSN has entered into about one hun-and nuclear safety and security. In 2003, forof facilities, the transport of radioactive mate-dred cooperation agreements with research

example, it helped step up measures aimed

rial in the environment, etc. In addition, thebodies and technical and scientific expertiseat preventing radiological terrorist acts, in

Institute is a driving force behind the creation

bodies from 29 countries, carrying out researchaccordance with the decisions taken by theof Sarnet, the network of excellence, dedi-

programmes and/or operating nuclear power

G8 at the Evian Summit.

cated to identifying and treating the most
relevant research subjects in the field of severe
accidents.
■

Promoting the convergence of technicalpractices in safety expertise in Europe
IRSN, in collaboration with GRS and other
European, technical expertise bodies, encourages the convergence of technical practices
in safety. This process has two aims. The firstaim is to create a network of European expert-

Throughout 2003,
IRSN had special relations with China,
Finland and the United States

ise via the action of Eurosafe for example:
an annual Forum, a journal and a Web site.
The second aim is to establish common
expertise practices by drawing up shared recommendations on the expertise process andon technical subjects of common interest.
■

Helping improve nuclear safety

in Eastern Europe
IRSN, in partnership with its opposite num-

In 2003, IRSN strengthened its collaboration with the Chinese expertise body
(BINE) in matters of safety analysis, and with the Chinese safety authority(ANSN) regarding the reassessment of facility safety and physical protection.
In Finland, the decision to build a new European Pressurised water Reactor(EPR) stimulated collaboration between IRSN and the Finnish safety authority (STUK) with whom an agreement was concluded. In addition, IRSN
pursued its collaboration with the American safety authority (NRC) bysigning of an agreement focusing on experimentation and modelling withregard to fire.

ber in Germany, GRS, plays an active role in

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Page 10

Philippe Jamet,
Assistant Director General in chargeof general matters.

SearchIRSN organisation

Interview with Philippe Jamet.

How are the staff departments
organised?

link it to its five controlling ministries. The

What are the founding principles
behind IRSN organisation?

There are four of them, plus the accounting

supervising the formalisation of IRSN’s pol-office: the General Secretariat, the Commu-

icy, using its capital of experience, so that in

IRSN, organised around a small general man-nications Department, the Department for

the future the Institute can draw on a base-agement, operational departments, staff

Strategy, Development and External Relations

line which is structuring, visible and clear both

departments and an accounting office,pursues(DSDRE) and finally the Department for

inside and outside the Institute. In addition,

two main objectives:

Scientific and Technical Assessment andthe appointment of directors for strategicorganising the operational departments in

Quality (DESTQ). The General Secretariat

programmes within the DSDRE introduces asuch a way as to promote synergies between

groups together all the administrative andproject dimension to IRSN by encouraging

the Institute’s different activities and skills;

logistic functions of IRSN; a new unit in charge

as much multidisciplinary interaction asorganising the staff departments in such aof managing real estate holdings and corpo-

possible in an effort to contribute to major

way as to be able to deal with the new require-rate services has been integrated into thisprogrammes.

ments that have arisen since IRSN became an

department to deal with the many require-

I would like to conclude by saying that theindependent body.

ments resulting from the creation of IRSN.

DESTQ and the DSDRE mutually confirm the■■DSDRE is also in charge of facilitating andpertinence of their action. Indeed, the filter

10

How are skills and operational
teams integrated into this new
Institute?

What new objectives have been set
at the DESTQ and the DSDRE?

of scientific and technical evaluation

One of the main challenges for IRSN is toby the Department for strategy which in turn

One of the main objectives of this organi-rapidly position itself as a leading scientificchecks that a project, regardless of its

sation is to federate the teams from theand technical institute.To achieve this, it wasscientific and technical quality, is coherent

ex-IPSN and the ex-OPRI according to skills

decided to highlight the Institute’s knowl-

with IRSN strategy.

and fields of activity. This has been done inedge capital and its experience in method-the Department for the human radiation

ology. This is carried out by a unit in charge

protection and the Department for the envi-of promoting the quality of IRSN’s scientificronment and response. Grouping together

and technical production, of assessing thisdifferent activities into these departments

production and attaining outside recognition.

also encourages interaction between research,

This is one of the main roles of the DESTQ.

expertise, studies and response activities.

Another basic challenge for IRSN is to acquire

In the fields of nuclear safety and security,

real institutional existence by establishingthe departments also closely integrate

its reputation and creating direct and inde-

activities involving studies, expertise andpendent relations with its controlling author-

research related to a specific field: reactors,

ities, members of parliament, prime contrac-

fuel cycle, activities related to defence. The

tors, its opposite numbers, stakeholders,purpose of bringing these activities together

etc. This is one of the main missions of theis to forge a common language between

DSDRE which is also in charge of building theexperts and researchers via the sharing ofInstitute’s strategy and using it as a basis to

study activities.

draw up a contract of objectives which will

I R S NA N N U A L

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confirms the strength of the proposals made

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SearchIRSN organisation chart April 2004
BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Jean-François Lacronique
Chairman
GENERAL MANAGEMENT

Jacques Repussard, Director General
Michel Brière, Assistant Director General in charge of IRSN missions related to defence
Philippe Jamet, Assistant Director General in charge of general matters
OPERATIONAL DEPARTMENTS

STAFF DEPARTMENTS

Department for Nuclear Defence Expertise – Jérôme Joly, Director• Application of international controls• Technical support and studies• Defence safety assessment• Safety of nuclear facilities

Department for Strategy, Development and External Relations
Jean-Christophe Niel, Director• Strategic programmes• Relations with institutional partners• Management tools and follow-up of strategic objectives• Study and research programmes• International relations• Policies and synthesis• Promoting and supporting operations• Relations with stakeholders• Secretariat for standing advisory groups• Risk management

Department for the Environment and Response
Didier Champion, Director• Study of radionuclide behaviour into ecosystems• Study and monitoring of radioactivity in the environment• Analysis of geosphere-related risks• Sample processing and metrology for the environment• Response and assistance in radiation protection• Emergency situations and crisis organisation
Department for the Prevention of Major Accidents
Michel Schwarz, Director• Studies and experimental research on accidents• Experimental engineering and instrumentation• Fuel studies and modelling in accidents• Fire, corium and confinement studies and modelling
Department for Human Radiation Protection
Patrick Gourmelon, Director• Radiation protection studies and expertise• Radiobiology and epidemiology• External dosimetry• Internal dosimetry
Department for Reactor Safety – Martial Jorel, Director• Pressurised water reactors• Gas-cooled, fast neutron and experimental reactors• Equipment and structures• Systems and risks• Thermo hydraulics, cores and monitoring of facilities• Severe accidents and radiological consequences• Human factors
Department for Safety of Plants, Laboratories,Transportationand Waste – Thierry Charles, Director• Fuel cycle transportation and installations• Laboratories, irradiators, accelerators and decommissioned reactors• Radioactive waste• Confinement, fire, and industrial risks• Criticality• Air dispersion of pollutants

Department for Scientific and Technical Assessment and Quality
Joseph Lewi, Director• Radiation protection lessons• Scientific evaluation and activities• Quality management• Hygiene, security and environmental protection• Scientific and technical knowledge engineering• Scientific information resources
Communications Department – Marie-Pierre Bigot, Director• In-house communications• Information and relations with the medias• Programmes and relations with the public
General Secretariat – Jean-Baptiste Pinton, General Secretary• Financial business• Human resources• Commercial relations and legal support• Managing real estate holdings and corporate services• Managing information systems

Accounting Office – Jean-Claude Dale, Accountant

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SearchBoard of Directors of IRSN
April 2004
Chairman of the Board of Directors
Jean-François Lacronique

State representatives
Patrick Audebert

Manager of the national support Mission for nuclear risk management, representing the Minister for Civil Security

Jean-Denis Combrexelle

Director of Labour Relations, representing the Minister for Employment

Marie-Claude Dupuis

Head of the Industrial Environment division of the Department for the Prevention of Pollution and Hazards,
representing the Minister for the Ecology and Sustainable Development

Florence Fouquet

Branch manager of the nuclear industry, General Directorate for Energy and Raw Materials, representing the Minister
for Industry

Bernard Frois

Director of the “Power, transport, environment, natural resources” division at the Technology Department, representing
the Minister for Research

Marcel Jurien de la Gravière Delegate for nuclear safety and radiation protection for activities and installations concerned by national defence
provisions
André-Claude Lacoste

Director General of Nuclear Safety and radiation protection

Thierry Michelon

Deputy director of environmental risk management, General Directorate for Health, representing the Minister
for Health and Social Affairs

Marc Prévôt

Head of the Armament Inspectorate, representing the Minister of Defence

Nicolas Vannieuwenhuyze

Office manager, Budget Department, representing the Minister for the Budget

Qualified personalities
Claude Birraux

Member of the Parliamentary Office for scientific and technical choices

Dominique Goutte

Director of the major heavy ion accelerator, at the instigation of the Minister for ResearchJean-François Lacronique

Professor of medicine, at the instigation of the Minister of Health

Maurice Laurent

Former department head at the National Assembly, at the instigation of the Minister of Industry

Jean Rannou

Air Force General, at the instigation of the Minister of Defence

Jacques Vernier *Mayor of Douai, at the instigation of the Minister of the Ecology and Sustainable Development

Personnel representatives
Mireille Arnaud

Thierry Fleury

Hervé Boll

Dominique Martineau

Betty Catania

Xavier Moy

Jean-Marc Dormant

François Rollinger

Personalities present by rightThierry Trouvé

Government Commissioner and Director of pollution and risk forecasting

Daniel Racinet

State Controller

Jacques Repussard

Director General

Michel Brière

Assistant Director General, in charge of defence-related missions

Jean-Claude Dale

Accountant

Marie-Catherine Poirier

Secretary of the Works Committee

Jean-Baptiste Pinton

Board Secretary* Resigned at the time of publication of the report.

12

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Search2003 budget for
operating/investment costs

Activity 2003
Key figures

92% Operating costs
18% Investment costs

2003 budget –origin of funding

Research
50% of IRSN budget.
■ 745 researchers.
■ 16 current themes of study and research(PWR fuel; probabilistic safety analyses (PSA);
human factors; thermal-hydraulics;
core fusion and steam explosion;
behaviour of the containment building;behaviour of fission products; fire; criticality;
technology of materials used in facilities;
transportation of nuclear materials;
storage of waste; radioecology; dosimetry;
radiopathology; epidemiology andrisk management).
■ 6 current European contracts:– Radiation protection: EURANOS, ERICA.
– Safety: SARNET, EURAC, NF-PRO, COWAM 2.
■ 53 theses in progress.
■ 15 post doctoral trainees per year totallyfinanced by IRSN.
■ 34 state or qualified doctors supervisingresearch.
■ 2,375 hours of teaching.
■ Several hundred scientific publications
and communications.
■ Approximately ten conferences organised.
■Public service missions
Radiation protection of persons■ 260,000 workers listed in the Siseri
database.
■ 20,000 adiotoxicological analyses.
■ 8,000 source movements registered.
■ 214 anthropogammametries.
■ 7 dose evaluations using biologicaldosimetry.
Environmental analysis and monitoring■ 40,000 samples taken per year.
■ 700 sampling points throughout the wholeterritory.
■ 214 beacons making up the territory’s
remote monitoring network.
■ 100,000 radiological analyses carried out.

Technical support for public authorities
10 nuclear crisis exercises nationally.
■ Approximately 200 civil or defence-related
nuclear facilities underwent expertiseby the Institute to monitor safety, security
and radiation protection.
■■ 850 technical notices were transmitted tosafety authorities including 100 concerning
the safety of transport.
■ 20 meetings held by the standing advisorygroups based on 15 IRSN reports on
the safety of nuclear facilities■ 150 support missions carried out by Basic
Nuclear Installation (BNI) inspectors.
■ Approximately 200 inspections of nuclear
materials.
■ 32 support missions carried out
by international inspectors to check nuclear
and sensitive materials.
■ 88 inspections on accounting follow-up
of nuclear materials.
■ 53 inspections on physical protection,
10 of which concerned malicious actions.

84% State
13% France
13% Foreign
State

Services
19,300 customers or partners.
1.9 million personal dosimeters suppliedand used.
■ 50 third-party expertise studies on
the hazards of listed environmental
protection facilities (technological risks
outside of the nuclear sector).
■

98% MEDD *■12% Others
FranceCommunication and information
Travelling exhibition Keeping a Close
Watch on Nuclear Energy.
– 4,339 visitors, 1,248 of whom wereschool children.
– 3 towns: Givet (Ardennes),
Arles (Bouches-du-Rhône), Uchaud (Gard).
– 9 conferences organised.
■ Web Site: 430,000 log-ons.
■ 6,000 information booklets for the generalpublic distributed (collection of 6 booklets).
■ 12,000 copies of the annual report
distributed.
■

37% EDF
10% COGEMA
19% CEA
44% Others
ForeignInternational activities
Almost 100 bilateral agreements withresearch and expertise bodies from 29 countries■ Over 80 international projects in progress.
■ The time spent amounts to 100 persons
per year.
■* Ministry for Ecology
and Sustainable Development

46% RISKAUDIT

19% EPRI

12% GRS

18% NRC

11% CCE

14% Others

Source: IRSN budget 2003.
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Search

■16. The standing advisory group for

nuclear reactors was given a presentation of
the report on the evaluation of the genericstudies carried out by EDF as part ofthe safety reassessment of 1,300 MWe
nuclear reactors.
■ 21. Decree ratifying the appointmentof Jean-François Lacronique, a professorof medicine, to the post of Chairman of theBoard at IRSN (published in Official Journal
no. 19 of January 23).
■

21-22. IRSN organised a seminar on“high-risk facility consultations” whichbrought together about fifty participants(industrialists, experts, institutions
and associations).
■ 23. Election of representatives
to the Works Committee.
■

31. ANCLI and IRSN signed a cooperation

FEBRUARY

agreement, the aim of which is to provide
scientific and technical support to ANCLI
and its members.
■

13. Start of the Carmela Bis and Carmelo

test campaign on electrical cabinet fires.
■

19. Signing of a cooperative agreement

on nuclear safety and radiation protection
with the National Centre for Nuclear Energy,
Sciences and Techniques (CNESTEN),
Morocco.
■25. First Works Committee meeting.

■ 27. Signing of a cooperation agreement
on nuclear safety and radiation protection
with the Vinçotte Nuclear Association(AVN), a body that was approved by AFCN,
the Belgian authority for nuclear safety
and radiation protection.

14

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2 0 0 3■

Conference on the security of sourcesin Vienna (Austria). Chaired by Mr. Spencer
Abraham, the American secretary of energy,
this conference was co-sponsored by
the governments of the Russian Federationand the United States and organised by
the IAEA in cooperation with the European
Commission (EC), the World Customs
Organisation (WCO), the International
Criminal Police Organisation (ICPO-Interpol)and the European Police Office (Europol).
■11-14. IRSN took part in the MEDEC

medical forum for professionals in Paris,
as it does every year.
■

APRIL

■ 24. The standing advisory group for nuclear
reactors was presented with the reporton the safety options of the Jules Horowitz
reactor installation project.

12. The Pierre Isoard prize was awarded

to Laure Alloul-Marmor for her thesison particulate re-suspension carriedout at IRSN.
■ 17. Decree ratifying the appointment
of Jacques Repussard to the post of Director
General of IRSN (published in Official Journal
no. 66 of March 19).
■ 18. Sabrina Hassoun, a pharmacy internat the IRSN Internal Dose Assessment andModelling Laboratory, was awarded thirdprize in the Paris Public Hospital system’s
pharmacy internship competitive
examination for her study entitled Analyticalion microscope study of the thyroid
distribution of iodine in rats born of mothers
suffering from a stable-iodine deficiency
and contaminated with iodine 129.
■ 21. Creation of three CHSCT for the sitesof Vésinet (Yvelines), Fontenay-aux-Roses(Hauts-de-Seine) and Cadarache(Bouches-du-Rhône) and theirassociated sites.

■ 16. The appointment of qualified
personalities to the Panel Steering Groupof IRSN department dedicated to nuclear
defence expertise.
■ 22-29. A delegation from Minatom (Russia)
visited the Fontenay-aux-Roses site as partof the CEA/IRSN/MINATOM collaboration
on crisis management, including accidents
that occur during transportationof radioactive and nuclear materials.

10-13. IRSN took part in the International

MAY■ 13. Mr. Taniguchi (Assistant General
Manager of the IAEA, in charge of
the Department for nuclear safety andsecurity at the IAEA) visited IRSN.

■ 3-14. IRSN chaired a meeting of experts
from 45 States in Vienna (Austria) under
the auspices of the IAEA, to prepare
the strengthening of the convention on
physical protection of nuclear material.

4-8. IRSN took part in the CSARP
conference on severe accidents organisedby the NRC in Washington.

■■ 6-7. A consensus meeting on
the treatment of irradiated persons,organised by IRSN in Vaux-de-Cernay,
with the participation of the main Frenchhaematologists and radio pathologists
concerned.
■ 19-21. IRSN gave a specially designed,
three day training course to ANCLI
members, to provide them with basic
knowledge and enable them to take partin technical discussions.
■ 23. Inauguration of IRSN branch in Angles(Gard).
■ 29. Signing of the IRSN company-wideagreement.

JUNE

3. Decree ratifying the appointment ofmembers of IRSN board of directors(excluding representatives of personnel).

■

MARCH

JANUARY

Main events■ 2-4. IRSN organised an ISP 47 meeting(International Standard Problem) steeredby the OECD (Committee on the Safety of
Nuclear Facilities - CSNI) dealing with thethermal hydraulics of a reactor containment in the event of a severe accident.

12-18. The standing advisory group for
nuclear reactors was presented with thereport on guidelines to follow for thesafety reassessment of 900 MWe plants■

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Page 15IRSN IN 2003

associated with the third ten-yearly
outages (VD3 900).

thyroid cancer, including 1 from Ukraine
and Byelorussia. This inter-comparison took
place in the department of pathologic
anatomy and cytology at the Ambroise Paré
Hospital and was directed by Professor
Brigitte Franc who took part in thisinter-comparison with Ukrainian and
Byelorussian anatomical pathologists.

■ 19. The standing advisory group for
nuclear reactors was presented with areport on the commissioning of the two
Chooz B national power generating plants.
■

20. Signing of the IRSN/CEA agreementon IRSN’s use of the CABRI and PHEBUS
test reactors for its research programmes,
after three years of discussion between
the two organisations.

8. Decree ratifying the appointmentof Michel Brière to the post of Assistant
Director General of IRSN (published in
the Official Journal no. 158 of July 10).

■23-25. Jacques Repussard visited
Moscow for meetings with
the Gosatomnadzor (Russian safety
authority), his technical support
the SEC-NRS and the Kurchatov Institute.

■■■ 15. Claudie Haigneré, the minister in chargeof Research and New Technologies invited
Philippe Busquin, the European Commissioner
in charge of research, to discover the
Cadarache site and visit the PHEBUS facility.

24. The standing advisory group of

17. Nicolas Lecrux from IRSN wasawarded the Jacques Gaussens prize
for his work on the Amande accelerator
for metrology and neutronics applications
for internal dosimetry.

■experts on installations intended forlong-term storage of radioactive waste
was presented with the evaluation of
the 2001 ANDRA dossier on clay
formations that considers the feasibilityof storing high-level radioactive waste
in the Bure clay formations.
■■ 19-20. The Technical Crisis Centre (CTC)
was authorised to field monitor the pulling
down of the G1 chimney at Marcoule andthe atmospheric sampling.

24-26. PHEBUS FP - fifth internationalseminar: almost 174 participants, 80 ofwhom were foreign. Lessons from the firsttests were consolidated and the first
applications supporting French safety
studies were presented.

30. Jacques Repussard, Director Generalof the IRSN, and Geneviève Berger,
Director of the CNRS signed a scientificcooperation framework agreement,
thereby strengthening the existing relations
between the two organisations.

■■ 26. The standing advisory group for
nuclear reactors was presented with areport on qualification of nuclear power
plant material with regard accident
conditions.

2-4. As part of the Franco German“Health” programme for Chernobyl, IRSN
organised an inter-comparison of thediagnosis of 326 histological slides of■Replacement of about forty low background beta counters as part of the renovationof the counting room at the Vésinet site.

■

AUGUST■ 30/06 to 4/07. Sixth international
conference on fundamental and applied
radiobiology From radiobiology to
the clinic organised in Batz-sur-Mer,(Loire-Atlantique).

■ 31. The European partners made theirfirst assessment of the Evita and Coloss
projects (5th FP) on the qualification andreactor calculation of the integrated Asteccode (co-developed by IRSN and GRS).

18. The agreement on the mobilityof employees between CEA and IRSN
was signed.

■

SEPTEMBER

SearchJULY

GB 1-16■ 8. The cooperation agreement with the
Bulgarian Institute for Nuclear Researchand Nuclear Energy (INRNE) was signed.
It concerns nuclear safety and radiation
protection.

15-20. IRSN took part in the Entretiens deBichat (Paris) for the first time: IRSN organiseda round table on The medical managementof victims of accidental irradiation.

■■ 16. IRSN organised an exercise on theinventory of nuclear material in emergency
situations. This exercise was carried out
simultaneously at the COGEMA in theHague (Manche) and the CEA in Cadarache(Bouches-du-Rhône).

16-17. IRSN organised a training throughresearch days at the Maison de la Chimie.

■

18. The standing advisory groupfor nuclear reactors was presented witha report on the safety of the FPT-3 test
that is to take place in the PHEBUS reactor
in Cadarache in 2004.

■■ 19. First meeting of the Panel SteeringGroup for the department dedicated tonuclear defence expertise (CODEND).
■ 22-24. IRSN hosted a meeting for theAmerican Committee, composed of twelve
experts from different countries who havebeen asked by the American academies ofscience and technology to investigate waste
management with a view to improving
regulatory practices and the waste
management of low level radioactive waste
in the USA. Experts from Europe and Asia
took part in these discussions.
■ 25. Eight representatives from thepersonnel were elected to the Institute’sboard of directors.
■ 30. Meeting of the Observatory to study
opinions on risks and safety. The theme was
Actual risks and perceived risks: application
to risks and territories. It was held at the
Fondation Pour la Recherche Médicale(Foundation for Medical Research) in Paris.

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Searchparticularly interesting results concerning
the effects of acute uranium exposure on
persons and the environment.

OCTOBER■ IRSN helped prepare the 2nd callfor proposals for the EURATOM 2004
Programme of Work.

■■ 20. Installation of the Epicur irradiator
which provides IRSN with a powerfulresearch tool to study the behaviourof iodine during a severe accident at
a pressurised water reactor.

1. An amendment was signed enabling

the transfer of the IPSN/NUPEC agreement to IRSN/JNES (Japan Nuclear Energy
Safety), a technical body that consults thesafety authority on commercial industrial
and nuclear facilities in Japan.

Signing of the agreement between CEA
and IRSN relating to the terms of transfer
of assets, rights and obligations from
CEA to IRSN.
■■ 15. The new organisation was
implemented at IRSN.

21. An agreement with the European
Commission and the organisations
concerned, on the content of the SARNET
network of excellence project, relating tosevere accidents. This network, coordinatedby IRSN, groups together about fifty
European research organisations.

20-24. The IRSN took part in the annual
NRC conference on research into thesafety of water reactors (NSRC) in
Washington. On this occasion, Jacques
Repussard met commissioners from NRC
and the proposed PHEBUS STLOC
programme was presented to NRC,
DOE and EPRI.

■

■

■

24. Restart of tests in the Diva facilityon the spread of fire in ventilated
premises.

site.

■

25-26. The EUROSAFE symposium on thetheme: Contributing to the convergence of
nuclear safety technical practices in Europe,at the Palais Brongniart, in Paris.

■■ 31. The repatriation to France of an
irradiator loaded with 8 sources of
caesium 137 (residual activity 740 TBq)
was completed under the responsibilityof the Institute. It came from the
University of Cocody in the Ivory Coast.

Completion of work at the Vésinet site –the land was cleaned up and the boiler
was upgraded further to the oil spillof March 5.

22. The Vésinet town council visited IRSN■

28. IRSN teams intervened at Roissy after

a parcel containing bottles of iodine 125
were crushed.

■ 3-14. IRSN took part in the meetingof signatories of the Joint Convention on
the Safety of Spent Fuel Management
and on the Safety of Radioactive Waste
Management.
■ 10. IRSN signed a cooperation agreement
on fire modelling with NRC (United States).
■

13-14. Supporting the Directorate for

Nuclear Defence Facility Safety (DSND),IRSN took part in the crisis exercise involving
a nuclear weapon at an air base.

17. The new organisation and corporate
identity of IRSN was presented to
the Institute’s partners.

■■

17-19. The scientific committee for the

ENVIRHOM programme held a meeting in
Cadarache: presentation of the first,

16

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DECEMBERNOVEMBER■■

2-3. The Technical Crisis Centre (CTC) was

authorised to intervene following torrential
rain that caused the rate of flow of the Rhone
to rise. As a result and as a preventive
measure the operators of the Cruas andTricastin power stations and the BCOT set off
the internal emergency plans of thesefacilities. Teams were sent to the area to takesamples and measurements downstream
from the nuclear sites.

2-5. IRSN was present at the Pollutec
exhibition (Villepinte Conference Centre,
Paris) where it organised the Risk Forum incollaboration with INERIS and BRGM.

■■ 3. A visit from Jean-Jacques Gagnepain,
director of technology at the Ministryof Research and New Technologies.
■

3-4. The CSNI of the OECD/NEA approved

the final report on ISP46 organised by the
IRSN and devoted to the calculation of thePHÉBUS FPT-1 test. Thirty three organisations
and twenty three countries participated.

4-11. The standing advisory group for
nuclear reactors was presented with a reporton the ageing of EDF’s pressurised water
reactors in nuclear power plants.

■

5. IRSN and the Japan Atomic Energy
Research Institute (JAERI) signed
a cooperation agreement on nuclear safety
and radiation protection.

■

The Ukrainian safety authority signed
an assistance contract with a viewto commissioning two VVER 1,000 reactors
at the Rovno and Khmelnitsky sites
in the Ukraine.

■

8-12. A coordination meeting for the
IRSN/BARC cooperation was held anda technical seminar on the ASTEC code wasorganised at the Bhabha Atomic ResearchCentre (India).

■■ 17. IRSN and Paris Tech signed a scientificcooperation agreement concerning three
types of collaboration: partnership research
programmes, IRSN involvement in
the teaching at these schools, doctorands
and trainees to be received by IRSN.
■ 18. Standing advisory group devoted toradiation protection in EDF power plants:
first meeting of the standing advisory groupfor nuclear reactors specifically related toradiation protection.

Finland’s decision to build an EPR will leadto closer relations between IRSN and STUK(Finnish safety authority).

■

Circulation of a progress report on the firstten tests in the CABRI REP-Na programme(carried out from 1993 to 1998) whichhighlights the importance of cladding
material and fission gases in the resistanceof the fuel rods of pressurised water reactors
in the event of a reactivity accident(ejection of a control rod).

■

19.The signing of a technical services
contract involving efficiency tests on filtering
elements and iodine traps and experimental
expertise on ventilation at the Nuclear
Research Centre facilities in Maâmora,Morocco.

■An agreement between CEA IRSN and
the Archives de France was signed.

■

27. The Official Journal published the orderof October 24, 2003 concerning the transfer
of assets from OPRI to IRSN.

■

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Activities
in 2003

Activities in 2003

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18

38

52

60

66

72

Safety of civilian
installations,transportation
and waste

Defence nuclear
expertiseContributing
to public informationand training

Human andenvironment
protection

International
relations

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Safety of civilian installations,, transportation and waste

C

Searchontributing to ensuring the safety of civilian installations,radioactive material transportation and radioactive waste

calls for technical support actions for authorities, studies
and R&D work that IRSN conducts in its own laboratories
or in partnership:■ safety analysis of installations (waste disposal, thematic files

on instrumentation and control software, ageing of power plants, etc.)
and radioactive material transportation packages;■ studies and research work (testing, development of models and codes)on the operation of pressurised water reactors, reactor accidents(severe accidents, reactivity accidents), criticality risks associatedwith transportation, fire, seismic hazard, and the behaviour of rocks
as regards waste disposal, etc.

18

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SearchMANON loop: Study of horizontal transfer andsettling at the bottom of the reactor building.
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MISSIONS

Risk of blockage of PWR containment sumps
In order to obtain a better appreciation of certain measures regarding thecooling of pressurised water reactors in the event of an accidental breakon the primary system, IRSN launched a programme in 1997, the resultsof which were published in 2003. This entailed making a closer study on
how the operational condition of the fuel cooling system pumps wasaffected by such an accident.

Safeguard systems(1) Train: set of components(pump, valve, pipes, etc.) performinga specific function. In the caseof the RIS and EAS safeguard
functions, the system comprises
two redundant trains.

20

I R S NA N N U A L

In the event of an accidental break on a PWR primarysystem, continued cooling of the reactor is ensured
by the safety injection system (RIS). In parallel, thecontainment spray system (EAS) is started up in orderto reduce the pressure in the reactor containment(or building). This system is also used to inject soda
in order to reduce gaseous radioactive iodine discharges. At a first stage, the water injected by thepumps of these two systems is drawn from a tankcontaining approximately 1,600 m3 of borated waterat 2,000 ppm (RWST). When this tank is empty, theRIS and EAS systems operate in closed circuit mode,
drawing in water collected in the sumps situated in
the lower section of the containment and which has
a pH of about 9.3. Fuel cooling can be ensured forlong periods with the systems in this configuration.
In this case, clogging of the prefilters or sump filtration grids constitutes a failure mode which could affect
all the trains (1) of the safeguard systems. In fact, debris
produced in the containment by the impact of thejet from a break on equipment and structures (heatinsulators, dust, concrete and paint particles) could
reach the sump filtration grids. Owing to the natureof the water flows in the reactor building, the blockingof these grids would lead to an increase in pressure
drops on the suction side of the pumps, possible
air intake and, therefore, the risk of malfunction of
the pumps.

R E P O R T

2 0 0 3A study and research programme
In the absence of studies on French power plants
making a convincing attempt to draw on the lessons
provided by the accident at the Barseback power plant(Sweden) in 1992, IRSN started a programme in1997 aimed at assessing the operability of the pumpsof the RIS and EAS safeguard systems in recirculation
phase. In particular, IRSN studied the case of the
900 MWe which have the most sensitive characteristics among French nuclear power plants. It should
be noted that the French nuclear power plants were
designed in accordance with the instructions of theRegulatory Guide 1.82, revision 1, published in 1985.
This risk assessment was conducted taking into
account all foreseeable breaks on the primary system
and was based on the estimation of the quantities ofdebris, their size distribution, their crushing modes
and the means of vertical transfer of that debris in
the containment and its horizontal transfer at thebottom of the reactor building. The first studies
conducted identified the main relevant parameters
and an experimental programme was conducted for
those parameters:■ Vertical transport of debris and its crushing on
the gratings in the containment (IVANA loop, Vuez
Institute, Slovakia);■ Speeds of horizontal transport and settling at
the bottom of the reactor building (VITRA loop, Erect
Institute, Russia);■ The behaviour of filters and their prefilters (MANON
loop, Vuez Institute, Slovakia). The tests conducted
made it possible to better assess the sizes of primary
breaks which could lead to blockages.
■ The efflorescence of fibrous debris due to the effectof temperature, pH and water characteristics (ELISA
loop, Vuez Institute, Slovakia).

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RIS sump, Civaux nuclear power plant (Vienne).

Tests on the IVANA loop
allowed a better assessmentof the behaviour of filters.

Main results

A detailed description of the risks and of the conclu-

SearchIn a few minutes, 90% of the dislodged heat insu-

sions drawn by IRSN was put before the Standing

lator at the location of the break is crushed by theAdvisory Group for Nuclear Reactors on June 12 andspraying force and transformed into medium sized

18, 2003. This group concluded that the problem

fibres (0.5 mm);should be examined and dealt with as a matter

The horizontal transport speeds observed are aboutof priority. That opinion was taken up by DGSNR in

4 cm/s for heat insulator debris.The speed of transport

October 2003. In a letter dated December 24, 2003,

of paint debris is estimated at 14 cm/s;

EDF indicated its intention to make the necessary

The prefilters can be clogged in a very short time,

modifications on all French nuclear power plants as

resulting in the dewatering of the filtering grids locatedfrom 2005. The studies and research work described

downstream and, as a consequence, an air intake into

above clearly illustrates the importance of conducting

the pumps;

research to provide objective data for debate. In the

■

■

■

Temperature plays an important part in thecase in point, the studies and research conducted atchemical degradation of the heat insulator debris. At

the initiative of IRSN in support of its expert appraisal

60°C (temperature of the sump water) for example,

work convinced the various parties concerned of the

30% of the dislodged heat insulator at the locationnecessity of re-examining the design of sumps in theof the break is dissolved in 96 hours;

light of the results of those studies and research.

■■

The presence of the particles transported to thefiltering screens has a significant effect on the porosity of the fibrous layer deposited and, therefore, on
the pressure drop on the suction side of the pumps.
■

The nature and characteristics of the water and of

the thermal insulation play an important part in
the formation of precipitates which, in the medium
term, modify the porosity of the fibrous layer fixed
on the grids and thus significantly increases thepressure drops;■

There is a very significant increase in the pressure

drop on the filters of the trains in operation when
one train is shut down due to the migration of the
fibrous layer formed on the grids of the shut-down
train. In view of the results obtained, IRSN considered that, depending on the size of the breaks, satisfactory cooling of the reactor could not be demon-International collaboration
The results of the above-mentioned work also aroused the interest of
the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (USA) working on a revisionof the Regulatory Guide 1.82, of the Finnish safety authority (STUK),of the Vinçotte nuclear association (Belgium) and of Gesellschaft
für Anlagen und Reaktorsicherheit (Germany) with whom technicalmeetings were held in 2003.
The continuation of these discussions and the OECD/CSNI congress
in Albuquerque, USA, in February 2004, on the state of the art in the field
allowed progress to be made towards establishing a common view of theuncertainties that remain with regard to:■ the magnitude of the effects caused by a jet from a break on equipment
and structures,■ the chemical effects in the fibrous layer deposited on the sump filters
due to the formation of precipitates,in alkaline solution,which could resultin significant change in the time for pressure drop to occur on the filters.

strated. The problem exists to varying degrees for all
French nuclear power plants.
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SearchRecovery of components of Ariane 501 near Kourou
on June 4, 1996.

see
cover flap

MISSIONS

A programming error in an electrical component caused
the explosion of the Ariane 501 launcher, shown here
during launch from the Guyana Space Centre.

Assessment of instrumentationand control software
In the context of its expert appraisal work and technical support for safety authorities, IRSN is called upon
to assess the safety of software packages, which may be new developments, renovations or modifications.
Constant development
IRSN began assessing the safety of critical software(i.e. software directly contributing to reactor safety)
in the 1980s when EDF made the choice of developing a digital protection system for its 1,300 MWe
power plants. Since then, the use of software has
increased and now concerns most instrumentationand control equipment in the N4 standardised plantseries (Chooz, Ardennes and Civaux, Vienne power
plants) as well as experimental reactors and on-board
reactors.
This has been a global trend that has followed thevery rapid technological progress in this field. As aresult, the latest computers installed are much more
powerful than those used for the 1,300 MWe power
plant protection system. However, this gain in
performance has gone hand in hand with increased
complexity of the functions performed by software
packages and, consequently, an increase in the difficulties of checking that software. In this respect, theFundamental Safety Rule II.4.1.a (adopted in 2000),
which defines the conditions in which these software
packages are acceptable from the safety point of view,states that conducting tests on a software package
is not enough in itself to ensure that the software
complies with its specifications. These difficulties
in terms of assessment will further increase for thefollowing reasons:■ the almost inevitable use of programmed electrical components performing complex functions with
software that is also complex,■ EDF’s choice of using TELEPERM XS for the protection system for an EPR type reactor.This product uses

22

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2 0 0 3technical solutions which have not yet been implemented in critical systems which should mean thatIRSN will have to adopt new methods to analyse thedemonstration of safety that EDF may put forward,
if the EPR reactor project is actually started.

Involvement in the field of regulation andstandardisation
To obtain highly reliable software, there must be
requirements applicable to the development process(including verification and validation, in particular)
and to the software itself. For this reason, IRSN
contributes to the regulation and standardisation ofthis software.
In the context of the International ElectrotechnicalCommission (IEC), the Institute is contributing to
the revision of standard 60880 regarding criticalsoftware. It is also playing a part in furthering twoother projects regarding standards 62138 concerning less critical software and 62340 which establishes requirements to prevent failures of common
causes in computerised instrumentation and control
systems.
IRSN also plays a part in the Task Force on Safety
Critical Software of the Nuclear Regulatory Working
Group set up by the European Commission. For the
purpose of European harmonisation, this body
discusses topics as varied as diversification, requirements to be taken into account for safety demonstrations, and the introduction of relevant feedback
for programmed systems.

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Agent at the control console
in the Le Blayais power plant
control room (Gironde).

Locked-out electrical cabinets
in the electrical building of plant unit 2of the Civaux power plant (Vienne).

Assessment work
In particular in 2003, IRSN assessed the project
to revise the Design and Construction Rules for electrical equipment of nuclear islands (RCC-E) by
introducing a new section on programmed electricalcomponents (sensors and actuators). In its analysis,
IRSN notes that it is difficult to control their technical characteristics and considers that the operator
must make more effort to identify the means ofqualifying these components.
In addition, since 1999, IRSN has examined thevarious stages of the renovation of the neutron measurement system of the Bugey (Ain) and Fessenheim(Haut-Rhin) power plants with a digital system. It
studied, in particular, the pertinence of the tests
performed by the manufacturer to validate the software. Other work has been conducted on the maintenance of software packages and their parameters.
Critical software of the N4 standardised plant series
comprises more than 13,000 parameters per plant
unit and some of them vary according to how far thefuel is spent. EDF has taken action to ensure thecontinuation of its competencies in PWR softwareand has drawn up reference documentation on
those parameters.
IRSN has also started examining modifications of
the software of the N4 standardised plant series
protection system planned by EDF in the context ofestablishing the end-of-series state, to verify that thesteps taken to manufacture them does not impair
safety. Using innovative static and dynamic analysis
tools, IRSN revealed memory overflows in one of thesoftware packages. For its part, EDF found otherprogramming errors. The effects of these errors are
currently being examined by EDF and IRSN. In spiteof the importance of regulations, standards and codes(RCC-E), it has to be admitted that the requirements
they contain do not provide the precise instructions
that are found, for example, in regulations andSearchstandards applicable to mechanical engineering.
Indeed, the provisions set out organisational rules
and not manufacturing procedures as they are,de facto, more concerned with design than manufacture. The assessment of software must therefore
entail examining the source and executable programs,
and not remain limited to checking compliance withthe requirements of standards.

Testing tools
Tools are needed if assessments of this type are to
be conducted completely independently. For thisreason, IRSN defines and conducts studies to findsuch tools or have them developed.
It is by means of this process that the CLAIRE microprocessor simulator was developed with CEA.This tool
allows IRSN to run the actual executable program ofcritical system software on its own premises.
Another CEA tool (GATeL) currently being tested
tackles, in a formal manner, the tricky problem of
the cover provided by functional tests: how to be
sure of covering a software package’s full range of
behaviours by running only a limited number of tests?
Convincing results and pertinent test cover criteria
have been obtained in the context of a European
project.
Work on the numeric precision of software is also inprogress in co-operation with CEA. A prototype
named FLUCTUAT calculates and propagates rounding errors in floating point calculations. In this way,
the user knows the calculating error deviation that
may be applicable to each variable at each point in
the program for all its possible execution modes.
This tool has been tested on actual cases and gives
very pertinent results.

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Search

Nuclear power plant
at Saint-Laurent-des-Eaux (Vienne).

Servicing work on power plant steam
generator tubes.

seecover flap

MISSIONS

Ageing of pressurised water reactors
and safety assessment for third 10-yearly
outage programmes
In May 2003, the French parliamentary Office for Evaluation of Scientific and Technological Options delivered its
report on the operating life of nuclear power plants and new types of reactors. According to its authors, the report
was aimed at answering fundamental questions concerning electricity generation in France, such as: “Whatphenomena may limit the service life of nuclear power plants? What steps can be taken to combat their ageing,at what price and in what safety conditions?”. In the perspective of the third 10-yearly outage programmes for
900 MWe reactors (VD3 900 MWe) which will start in 2008, IRSN studied the safety reassessment programme
for these reactors for the purpose of implementing improvement by that deadline and the manner in which
ageing is taken into account.

Ageing of components,
structures and systems
Degradation due to various ageing phenomena can affect the availability of components, structures of systems which have an importantrole with regard to normal or excellent operating safety of installations.
In some cases, components or structures are not replaceable (embrittlement of tanks, loss of prestress of containment concrete) or thecost of their replacement may be considered prohibitive by the operator (ageing of electric cables, loss of toughness of some moulded components of primary systems). The effect of excessive ageing cannot becorrected by repairs or replacements: it therefore directly affects theservice life of plant units. In other cases, i.e. for all other components
playing a part in the installation’s safety, there are means of dealing
with degradation but in-depth defence, and thus safety, may bediminished to a varying extent and for a varying duration.

24

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2 0 0 3

Safety reassessment of 900 MWe reactors
with regard to third 10-yearly outage
programmes
In France, safety reassessments are conducted periodically (about every 10 years) for nuclear reactors.
During these reassessments, the condition of thereactors is analysed and their level of safety is reconsidered in the light of lines of thought developed in
the intervening period or applied to more recent orplanned installations. A safety reassessment starts
with proposals by EDF of topics to be covered, thatare examined by IRSN on the request of DGSNR.
The conclusions of this examination are generally
presented to the Standing Advisory Group for Nuclear
Reactors (GPR).
In this context, in June 2003, IRSN put forward, to
GPR, its evaluation of the approach and range ofstudies proposed by EDF to prepare the safetyGB 17-51

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Turbogenerator set, overhaul at the Le Blayais power
plant (Gironde).

Floods in December 1999 inside the Le Blayais
power plant: indication of the rising water levelin the premises housing the spray system heatexchanger in the fuel building.

Searchreassessment for the third 10-yearly outage programmes for the thirty-four 900 MWe reactors. Thesestudies will be used to define the modifications to bemade to the installations so that they can continue
to be operated in satisfactory conditions after thethird 10-yearly outage programmes.
IRSN proposed that the safety reassessment should
study the applicability of the safety requirements
for the EPR project to 900 MWe reactors so that
their level of safety would be as close as possible
to that for the most recent reactor project, whentechnically feasible and when there is a significant
improvement in safety.
IRSN also made sure that the content of the safety
reassessment covered a wide enough scope, in
keeping with international practices. In particular, itemphasised fields where little information is provided
by feedback, such as accidents or hazards (forest fires,extremely high winds and high air and river watertemperatures, etc.). A seismic reassessment will also
be conducted on the installations in order to consider
the development of technical knowledge in that field.
IRSN also recommended that an in-depth study
should be made of all explosion risks. These risks
concern the disposal and utilisation of pressurised
gases, such as hydrogen and acetylene.

Role of probabilistic safety analyses (PSA)
in safety reassessment
PSAs have undergone major developments at EDF and
IRSN since the second 10-yearly outage programmes.
Consequently, the VD3 900 MWe safety reassessment will be based on updated level 1 PSAs in order
to allow for the latest hardware modifications
implemented in the installations. It will also draw
on the fire PSA and the level 2 PSA developed by IRSN.
It should be borne in mind that PSAs facilitate

the appraisal of measures adopted by the operator
thanks to their systematic investigation of accident
scenarios. In particular, they help to gauge the importance from the safety point of view of problems
identified during design or operation.The level 1 PSA
identifies scenarios leading to core meltdown anddetermines their frequencies. It is completed by thefire PSA which integrates the risks related to thathazard. The level 2 PSA can be used to evaluate thenature, extent and frequency of radioactive discharges
outside the containment.

Service life of nuclear
power plants
The designers of French nuclear power plants adopted a theoreticalservice life of 40 years for the design of main components. This is thecase for the reactor vessel and the containment. However, the actual
service life of a nuclear power plant must make allowance for threemain factors:■ The normal wear of components and systems, sometimes referred
to as ageing, depends in particular on age, operating conditions andthe maintenance actions carried out by the operator.
■ The required level of safety varies according to new requirements
adopted in the context of safety reassessments.
■ Cost-effectiveness must remain satisfactory compared with that ofother production means.
According to EDF, there are many reasons to favour the smoothing of
the renewal of nuclear power plants in service over 20 to 30 years, which
would require a significant extension in the service life of some reactors
to beyond 40 years. This only appears achievable if permitted by theirsafety level which is reassessed every 10 years.

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SearchAND WASTE

Damage caused by floods in December 1999 inside
the Le Blayais power plant: premises housing the spraysystem heat exchanger in the fuel building.

Maintenance operation on a turbine
at the Dampierre-en-Burly power plant (Loiret).

Ageing-related risks

level of reactors, the Standing Advisory Group, in
response to IRSN’s proposal, adopted a number ofrecommendations concerning, for example, the indepth analysis of feedback, the forward planning ofstudies on the repair and replacement of some equipment and the allowance for ageing in component,
system and structure surveillance and maintenanceprogrammes.

In the perspective of the third 10-yearly outage programmes, EDF started work in 2001 on the controlof risks associated with nuclear power plant ageing
phenomena. These phenomena can lead to deterioration of the physical properties of materials andcause, for example, decreases in mechanical strength
resulting in loss of integrity or tight sealing ofcontainment barriers, or reduced component or
system reliability.
IRSN conducted an assessment of EDF’s method
and organisation regarding the control of ageing. Oneof the difficulties identified concerns the assuranceof the existence of satisfactory possibilities forthe replacement of worn or obsolete components orequipment after the third 10-yearly outage programmes. Indeed, ageing-related risks could be
the result of lack of foresight in identifying and understanding ageing mechanisms and of inadequate
or unsuitable preventive maintenance measures, oreven shortcomings in the preparation of remedial
maintenance.
IRSN also examined the problems raised by theageing of the personnel responsible for operating
nuclear power plants and the considerable renewalof competencies that is expected over the period
2010 to 2020.
The conclusions of the assessment conducted by IRSN
were put to the Standing Advisory Group for Nuclear
Reactors on December 4 and 11, 2003. While EDF’s
method and organisation for ageing management
appear to be globally suitable to maintain the safety

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2 0 0 3Ageing analysis reports
The main point of the approach proposed by EDF is the drawing up ofageing analysis reports. These reports are based on the systematic
analysis of safety-related components, structures and systems andageing degradations which may affect them. Each of these reports, ofwhich there are 450, are currently analysed by the operator in various
ways:■ Is the feared ageing mechanism adequately controlled (knowledge,
kinetics and consequences)?
■ Are the maintenance and periodic inspections provided for in maintenance programmes (nature and frequency) suitable for sufficiently
early detection of any degradation?
■ Are preventive measures (reduction of causes, repair, replacement)
provided for?
The results of this analysis, which must be completed in the course of2005, will be taken into account in the preparation of the third 10-yearly
outage programmes for plant units and, for the most important cases,
will give rise to specific files demonstrating suitability for continued
operation prior to the third 10-yearly outage programmes.

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Ventilation system

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VHE filters

Extraction
Blowing

Cableways
Electrical cabinets

Smoke (soot and gas)

Smoke

Test of the CARMELA programfor studying the combustionof electric cabinets.

Experimental programmes on fire
The experimental programmes currently being conducted at IRSN on fire are intended to further knowledge on
two subjects which are major preoccupations for the assessment of fire risks in nuclear installations: electricalcabinet fires and the propagation of a fire from one room to neighbouring rooms through ventilation systems or
openings. These programmes are also of interest beyond the nuclear industry.

MISSIONS

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Electrical cabinet fires
The CARMELA and CARMELO programmes are aimed
at preparing a simple model describing electricalcabinet fires. Owing to the complexity of this typeof fire, a two-stage experimental approach was
adopted:■ A first step of an analytical type with the CARMELA
programme followed by CARMELA bis comprising a
total of about 30 tests, 11 of which were conducted
in 2003. The electrical cabinet is represented by asteel box filled with a variable number and arrangement of tiles of Plexiglas, PVC or polyethylene
simulating the electric components in the cabinet.
At the end of these tests, it was possible toconstruct a simple empirical model which could
be used to determine the development of thefire’s power according to the cabinet’s geometriccharacteristics;■ A second stage conducted in 2003 with two global
tests on relay cabinets which were representativeof actual cabinets. Using the results, the reliabilityof the model prepared during the previous stage
can be tested and perfected with reference to realcases.

Fire propagation to adjacent rooms
The test campaign performed in 2003 in the DIVA
device was aimed at studying the consequences of afire of the oil slick type in a room for neighbouring

rooms and the coupling between the fire and theventilation. In particular, its purpose was to study
the change in the pressure of gases at the various
points of the installation and the propagation of heatand smoke within the experimental configuration.
This campaign comprising nine tests was also used
to assess the effect of calibrated leaks under doors
between rooms and sectorisation components usedin the nuclear industry such as fire dampersthat close automatically at a temperature threshold (70°C). The large volume of experimental
data obtained is currently being analysed and will
be used to improve the computer code FLAMME_
S-SIMEVENT.

Definitionof new programmes
In the course of 2003, existing experimental data
was analysed as were the plausible scenarios for fire
propagation in nuclear installations. This work led
to the definition of two new multi-year programmes:
PRISME, on the reactor side, to study the mechanisms of smoke and heat propagation in configurations comprising several rooms with ventilation;
PICSEL, on the plant side, to study the consequencesof an electrical cabinet fire on the clogging of veryhigh-efficiency (VHE) filters, on negative pressurelevels in rooms and on components involving
radioactive material.

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Search15View of the pit and the CABRI core, at the CEA installation
at Cadarache (Bouches-du-Rhône).

2

1 – Crack in clad.
2 – Hydride concentration in the Zircaloy-4 fuel rod
clad used for test REP Na 8.

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MISSIONS1CABRI REP-Na programme
The purpose of the CABRI REP-Na programme is to acquire knowledge on the behaviour of fuel rods highly irradiatedduring a reactivity accident. It was initiated by IRSN to compensate for the lack of any experimental validation of
the safety criteria used so far for this type of accident, in the case of fuels with high burnup or MOX fuels used in
French PWRs. It was conducted in the sodium loop of the CABRI reactor in co-operation with EDF and with financial
support from the US-NRC (Nuclear Regulatory Commission).

The programme’s major objectives were to identify the physical phenomena that could lead torod failure and the ejection of fuel during the firstphase of the accident, characterised by a highmechanical interaction between pellet and clad.
The programme comprised eight tests with UO 2
fuel rods and four tests with MOX fuel rods. The
following parameters were explored: burnup fraction, clad corrosion and energy injection (speed andmaximum energy).

Main results
The clad failures observed on some fuel rods, forrelatively low maximum average fuel enthalpy
values, between 30 and 113 cal/g, confirmed theneed for change in the safety criteria used so far
and drawn up for fresh or slightly irradiated fuel.
The following main points were deduced after
detailed interpretation of the tests:■ High level of clad corrosion with the presence of
hydride concentrations (for example: due to spallingof the zirconium outside layer formed during
operating conditions) has a damaging effect on
the mechanical strength of the cladding;■ The fission gases present at grain boundaries (large
quantities in the peripheral area of UO2 pellets witha high fuel burnup and in plutonium rich agglomerations of the irradiated MOX fuel) lead to fine
fragmentation of the fuel and considerable gas
release (increasing with the burnup fraction) along

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with the possibility of additional mechanical loadingof the clad for MOX fuel.

A new international programme:
CABRI CIP
Owing to the characteristics of the sodium loop,
the CABRI REP-Na tests cannot reproduce all thephenomena that can result in failure of the fuelrod clad and its consequences. Questions remainon the behaviour of fuel rods in the advanced phaseof the transient for conditions representative of
the reactor (after heating of the clad), on the fuelcoolant interaction after clad failure, and on thequantification of the role of fission gases (a subject which will be examined in analytical tests).
It is for this reason that IRSN initiated the CABRICIP programme in the context of broad international collaboration under the auspices of the OECD
(11 participant countries) and in co-operation with
EDF. After renovation of the installation and thesetting up of a water loop in the CABRI reactor, theaim of future tests in the context of the international CABRI CIP programme will be to obtain, infuel rod cooling conditions representative of thosein a pressurised water reactor, better knowledge
on the behaviour of fuels with a high burnup
during a reactivity accident.

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The ITER
installation
Experimental thermonuclear
fusion installation (ITER).
MISSIONsee
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Examination of safety options
for the ITER installation
The French site of Cadarache is the European candidate to host an experimental
thermonuclear fusion installation called ITER. In the context of the definition of thisinstallation’s safety options, IRSN was required to examine the file drawn up by CEA.

The definition of the safety options that would be
adopted in the event of ITER being set up on the
Cadarache site (Bouches-du-Rhône) was conductedunder CEA responsibility with, in particular, the preparation of a safety options file. On the basis of the
document issued by the Joint Central Team (JCT)and in liaison with the international team, CEA
made the modifications and additions necessary
to adapt the ITER design to the Cadarache site(allowance for earthquakes, in particular) and to
take into account specific French practises regarding
safety (such as the management of low level waste– LLW).The safety options file was examined by IRSN,
which reported the results of its examinations tothe standing advisory group for plants (GPU).

Acceptable safety options
The risks of workers being exposed to ionising radiation associated with tritium, neutrons and neutronactivated materials constitute the major hazards ofthis installation. They led CEA to provide for containment systems and radiation protection screens,
as well as the use of robotic tools to perform maintenance and inspection operations. The inventory ofactivated materials must, however, be extended sothat, when the time comes, it will be possible to ensure
optimal design of the installation and precisely
identify the characteristics of the waste.
To prevent the risks of pulmonary tumours related
to the inhalation of beryllium dust, CEA has madeplans for the installation of containment systems andthe periodic cleaning of the areas concerned. This
dust will be produced by the impact of particles created by nuclear fusion on the walls which recover
the high energy of the neutrons in the form of heat.
It will be mixed with tungsten and carbon dust, theother materials from the walls eroded by the flow ofparticles. The conditions for this mixture to explodemust be examined.
As regards seismic risks, CEA has planned to design
the installation on the basis of ground movements
calculated in accordance with the most recent French
regulations which are stricter than those adopted
for the generic site. This is a satisfactory approach.
The design of structures and equipment will, of course,
be subject to subsequent examination. Furthermore,
the main portion of the waste produced during
operation and during the subsequent dismantling of
the installation will constitute waste with a very
low, low or moderate level of activity, and its management modes will have to be specified at futurestages in the examination process. In conclusion, thesafety options proposed by CEA appeared to be appropriate: there is nothing to prevent the project moving
ahead. If it is decided to set up the ITER installationon the Cadarache site, the operator must transmit a
support specifying the technical solutions adopted
prior to any works. This report will be thoroughly
examined by IRSN as part of the Government’s
decision on a construction authorisation.

I R S NThe aim of ITER is todemonstrate, scientifically and technically,
the control offusion energy byexperiments lastingaround 400 seconds
with a powerof approximately
500 MW.
The design studies forthis installation wereconducted by Japan,
the Russian Federationand Europe.
In 2001, the Joint
Central Team (JCT)submitted the resulting
document describing
the main pointsof the installation
on a generic site.

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SearchSeismological station for the Durance array.

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MISSIONS

Research on the
Middle Durance fault
Continuing its research work on the seismicity of the Middle Durance fault, IRSN’s aim is to generally improveknowledge of the activity of an active fault in the French seismotectonic context. The goal is to obtain a better
assessment of the seismic hazard in France and, in particular, for dwellings and installations at risk in the ProvenceAlpes-Côte d’Azur region.
South-East France is a region of moderate seismicity compared with Japan and California. However, destructive earthquakes have occurred:
the Lambesc earthquake in June 11, 1909, left
40 dead, and 600 were killed in the earthquake in
the Gulf of Genoa in 1887. In Provence, the Middle
Durance region is classified as the highest level
hazard in the French regulatory seismic zoning
system in force in 2003. The Middle Durance fault
system, known more simply as the “Middle Durance
fault”, produced a major earthquake a few thousand
years ago (order of magnitude of 6.5), significant
historic earthquakes every century since the 16th
century (order of magnitudes of between 5 and 5.5)
and it is the seat of regular microseisms detectedby seismometers.

Research conducted on the Middle Durance
fault system
IRSN has been studying the Middle Durance fault
between Meyrargues and Saint-Arnoux since thebeginning of the 1990s.The Institute set up an arrayof instruments consisting of 12 velocimeters and
19 accelerometers capable of recording both verysmall earthquakes as well as powerful earthquakes.
This array is completed by a geodesic system(permanent GPS) which continuously measures therelative sliding of two blocks bordering the fault.

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The research is aimed at obtaining better characterisation of the fault’s seismic potential and has beenin progress for about 10 years in collaboration with
the Universities of Orsay (Essonne),Aix-Marseille III(Bouches-du-Rhône) and Sophia Antipolis (AlpesMaritimes). Five doctorate theses have been written
on this topic.
In more detail, the research is aimed at:■ Specifying the magnitude and depth of the earthquakes occurring in this fault system;■ Specifying the fault’s geometry and location on
the surface and deep underground;■ Estimating the relative rate of displacementof the blocks separated by the fault system;■ Studying past major earthquakes by means of
paleoseismic studies;■ Estimating the maximum size of the earthquakesthat can occur in the fault system, by means ofempirical methods or numeric modelling.

Contribution of research resultsfor expertise
Assessing seismic risk for a nuclear organisation obviously means knowing the seismic hazard associatedwith the site concerned. The seismic hazard is, for agiven location and a given period of time, definedby the maximum seismic movements consideredGB 17-51

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AND WASTE

5

Middle Durance fault.

SearchView of a 3D model of the Middle Durance fault on the basis of geology and seismic
profiles. This model can be used to locate seismicity more precisely. The differencein colour represents the variation in the depth of the crystalline crust verticallyoffset by the fault (deep areas in blue, shallow areas in red).

to be plausible during the installation’s service life.
In general, each fault which may cause significant
earthquakes should be pinpointed and its geometry
and its instrumental and historic seismic activity, or
its paleoseismic activity, should be known.The rates
of geological and geodesic deformations along thefault must also be estimated.
The seismic hazard corresponding to a fault is thenspecified at a second stage when all the abovementioned parameters can be used to define themagnitude, location and return period of the earthquakes to be considered.
In the case of the Middle Durance fault system, thewhole of this approach is directly applicable and thefeedback resulting from its study takes into account“slow” active faults for the definition of the seismic
hazard for installations at risk (nuclear and chemical) and conventional installations in the French seismotectonic context.

Over the years, the position and geometry of the
Middle Durance fault have been specified. The characteristics of historic earthquakes and paleoseismic
characteristics have been studied. Using the resultsof these studies, it has been possible to establish aseismic hazard assessment that is independent ofthat by the CEA, in accordance with the statutory
procedure updated in 2001 (Fundamental Safety
Rule 2001-01) for the Cadarache centre (see box).
Finally, the progress made in the field of seismic
instrumentation has made it possible to catalogue
the instrumental seismicity associated with this fault
system. In 2003, a map plotting the fault and theuncertainties associated with geological knowledge
was published, and the seismicity catalogues were
published between 1999 and 2002. All these results
and research studies can also be used to better assess
the seismic hazard for dwellings and installations at
risk in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur region.

Seismic hazard at Cadarache
The research conducted on active faults in Western Europe and, in particular, the Middle Durance fault reveals someoccurrences of major earthquakes in the distant past (paleoseismic earthquakes). To assess the seismic risks associatedwith new or existing installations on the Cadarache site, a paleoseismic earthquake associated with the Middle Durance
fault system, located a few kilometres to the west of the site, should be taken into account. It is also considered that
historic earthquakes in the region (Manosque in 1708, Lambesc in 1909) may also reoccur near the site along the
Middle Durance fault system as well as on the Trévaresse faults near Lambesc or the Luberon mountains. On the basisof the research conducted, the depth and magnitude of those historic earthquakes and the position of the faults canbe specified. These parameters have made it possible to determine the seismic movement to be taken into account forthe safety of the Cadarache nuclear installations.

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SearchSARNET
Severe Accident Research NETwork• 19 countries• 49 organisations• 18 research organisations• 10 universities• 11 manufacturers• 4 electricians• 6 ASM or technical safety organisations

see
cover flap

MISSIONSSARNET, European network of excellence
for severe accidents
On the occasion of its 6th Framework Programme (for Research and Technological Development), the European
Commission encouraged large research organisations to create “networks of excellence” in order to give new
impetus to research in Europe and to create a “European research area”. It is in this context that IRSN initiatedthe setting up of a network of excellence in the field of severe accidents affecting light water reactor (accident
involving reactor meltdown). The objective is to optimise the use of available research means in this importantfield regarding nuclear safety.
About 50 European organisations (research centres,
technical safety organisations,safety authorities,electricians and manufacturers) combined their efforts atthe beginning of 2003, under the leadership of IRSN,
to prepare a network project in the field of severe
accidents affecting pressurised water reactors (accidents involving reactor core meltdown).The objective
is to optimise the use of available research means inthis important field regarding nuclear safety. This
project was submitted to the European Commissionin April 2003. It was selected following a hearing byassessors in July 2003, known as SARNET, this project
was formally adopted in February 2004 with a budgetof € 6 M over four years.

A network to progress,
co-operate and perpetuate
The network’s definition is based on three goals:■ Improve scientific knowledge in the field of severe
accidents and thus reactor safety;■ Define and conduct research programmes bymaking optimal use of complementary laboratory
facilities;■ Perpetuate achievements, preserve the memory ofwhat has been done, and disseminate knowledge
throughout Europe. The activities carried out in thecontext of the network will be co-ordinated by IRSN32

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until March 31, 2008, when the contract with theEuropean commission ends. The network will continue to exist beyond that date, independently fromthe Commission, on the basis of an operating mode
yet to be defined.
Four types of activities are planned in the context ofthe network, as follows:

Analysis of needs and drawing upof research programmes
The main guidelines that European research programmes must follow in order to respond to the mainquestions in the field of accidents with core meltdown are periodically redefined in line with the
EURSAFE conclusions stated in the frame of the 5th
Framework Programme. The projects themselves
will be drawn up taking into account existing programmes and seeking to make best use of the competencies of the various laboratories.

Knowledge report and summary
This activity, pursued along the high-priority lines
defined by EURSAFE and periodically updated by
SARNET, will have the purpose of supplying stateof the art reports and recommendations in termsof modelling.

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SAFETY OF CIVILIANI N S TA L L AT I O N S , T R A N S P O RTAT I O NExperimental
programs

AND WASTESARNETweb site
IRSN experimental
database

Other experimental
databases

Internet
Summaries

CEA
E experimental
databaseFzK experimental
database

Users

Test results
Physical models

ASTEC
web site

Example of informationexchanges within SARNET.

SearchThe following four fields will be covered:■ the degradation of the core in the reactor vessel(kinetics of hydrogen production, reflooding of adegraded core, etc.);■ the behaviour of corium – a mixture of materials
produced by core meltdown – once the vessel has
been perforated (ejection, reaction between coriumand concrete, cooling of a layer of debris, etc.);■ the strength of the containment (possible detonation of hydrogen, steam explosion, etc.);■ the behaviour of the radioactive products released
from the degraded core (from MOX fuels or fuels withhigh burnup fraction, chemistry of the iodine in the
primary system and the containment, etc.).

Preparation of tools and reference methods
The integrated ASTEC code, jointly developed by IRSN
and GRS (Germany), will be placed at the disposal of
network members who will contribute to its qualification. ASTEC will gradually incorporate the models
constructed within the network and will be adapted
to users’ needs for their interpretation work andtheir applications to reactors. Capitalising the knowledge produced by the network, adapted to the characteristics of the various types of reactors existingin Europe (including Russian designed reactors) andwidely distributed, the ASTEC code will become theEuropean reference for severe accident codes. In
the field of applications to reactors, an effort will bemade to develop a reference method for the level
2 probabilistic safety analyses (probabilistic studiesof the consequences of accidents with core meltdown). Furthermore, all the experimental results
obtained and used by the various partners will becollected together, in accordance with the same protocols, on a controlled access databases network.

Knowledge transmission
The transmission of knowledge is among the objectives of SARNET. In addition to training in the use of
ASTEC and making it available for applications toreactors, it is planned to pursue the transfer of knowledge through three types of action:■ A conference every 12 to 18 months on the progress
accomplished within the network, attended by international participants and of the same level as thoseorganised by the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission
in this field (Cooperative Severe Accident Research
Program, MELCOR Code Application and Maintenance
Program);■ Training courses organised periodically for students
and young researchers;■ The writing of a book on “Severe Accidents” for thescientific community during the first three years of
the network’s operation.
The network will be controlled by a structure comprising two levels:■ the Governing Board, a decision-making body
responsible for defining the strategic orientations
and action plans on the basis of proposals from theManagement Team;■ the Management Team responsible for operational
control, directed by the network co-ordinator.
The SARNET network will gradually modify thelandscape of research on severe accidents in Europe.
It will become a reference for the definition of research
priorities in this field which will necessarily have an
impact on the orientation of national programmes.
Gradually, a major part of research activities on severe
accidents will become co-ordinated by the network,
so strengthening the complementary facilities ofthe various laboratories.

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Check on the radioactivity of nuclear waste disposal
drums at the Nogent-sur-Seine power plant (Aube).
MISSIONS

Layout of galleries and instrumentation in bores to analyse
the impact of excavation of the Tournemire tunnel (Aveyron)in the argillaceous medium.

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SearchExpertise in the field of geological disposalof radioactive waste
In the context of its technical support missions for public authorities, IRSN is developing and applying its expertisein the field of the safety of radioactive waste management and, in particular, the geological disposal of high-level
and longlife waste. Indeed, while the law of December 30, 1991, gave an open framework for the research intoways of managing this waste (transmutation, interim disposal, long-term disposal), the skills already required by
IRSN in the safety of nuclear installations led it to focus its efforts on questions raised by the safety of possible
geological disposal.
In this way, IRSN conducts research centred mainlyon the study of clayey environments in keeping withthe surrounding environment of the undergroundBure laboratory (Meuse) which is the responsibilityof ANDRA. On-site tests in Tournemire (Aveyron) andthe laboratory, modelling operations and methodological exercises to analyse the impact of disposal
are being conducted in the context of European
contracts or bilateral co-operations in France (ENSMP,
engineering schools, universities, CEA) and in Europe(CEN·SCK in Belgium, University of Bern and NAGRA
in Switzerland, ENRESA in Spain).
In addition, on request from DGSNR, IRSN is evaluating the progress of ANDRA’s work on the feasibilityof possible geological disposal at Bure.

Actions undertaken at Tournemire
The Tournemire experimental station, a former railway tunnel 2 km long dug more than a century ago,
provides direct access to a clayey Toarcian formation
which makes it possible to conduct testing within aclay layer with a covering of 250 meters of sedimentary rock. These clays have enough similarities
with those on the Bure site to allow IRSN to carryout suitable research programmes to further its
expertise.
The possible existence of natural fractures and therole they may play in transfer mechanisms represent

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important points with regard to the safety of a disposal. For this reason, IRSN has conducted a major
multi-disciplinary programme with the aim of testing methods of identifying and characterising suchdiscontinuities.The nature and characteristics of thenatural fractures which may affect a clay massif are
now better known. It still remains to determine therole such fracturing plays in the transfer times for
fluids and aqueous solutions through a clay layer on
the scale of geological time.
Furthermore, the excavation of wells, galleries andtunnels in a clay formation causes modifications inthe state of the massif’s initial stresses with theappearance of a disturbed area around the engineering works. Locally, this disturbed area significantly modifies the massif’s intrinsic hydraulicproperties (permeability, porosity, etc.) as well as the
direction of flow. It must therefore be covered in
the context of the long-term safety assessments ofsuch a disposal facility. In 2003, IRSN constructed
two new instrumented galleries, 40 m and 15 m longrespectively, with a semicircular section 5 m indiameter in order to study the hydromechanicaldisturbances caused by excavation.The interpretationof this experiment, especially for the validation offlow analysis models developed in the past, is planned
for the three coming years.

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Head of the roadheader excavating machine.

Excavation of the main gallery in the experimental
installation at Tournemire (Aveyron) in 2003.

SearchInternational collaboration
IRSN is participating in a gallery ventilation test in
the context of the international Mont-Terri project(canton of Jura, Switzerland). The aim of this test is
to follow the progress of the desaturation front in
the rocky massif around a micro-tunnel under acontrolled atmosphere. This process will take place
during the construction of a disposal facility and may

facilitate the propagation of cracks in the massif inthe vicinity of galleries.
Furthermore, the development of thermal gradientsin a clay massif can lead to considerable hydraulicand mechanical modifications. Since 1995, IRSN has
been participating in the international DECOVALEX
project on the effects of THM (Thermal, Hydraulicand Mechanical) coupling on the circulation ofwater in fractured media.

Actions undertaken on the site
in the east of the Paris basin

Assessments conducted in 2003
Among IRSN’s expertise activities concerning the disposal of radioactive waste, the evaluation of the “clay file 2001” drawn up by ANDRA
was an important step in the follow-up of the progress of work regarding the feasibility of a high-activity waste disposal in argillaceous geological formations.This document summarises the knowledge acquired
by ANDRA up to the end of 2001 concerning the hydrogeological,
geochemical and geomechanical characteristics of sedimentary formations at the Bure site, describes the design options for a possible
disposal installation and sets out an initial approach to the assessmentof the safety of such an installation.
The IRSN assessment was presented to the standing group of experts
for installations for the long-term disposal of radioactive waste inJune 24, 2003. IRSN laid special emphasis on evaluating how theapproach developed by ANDRA identified and took into account theremaining uncertainties, regarding in particular the site’s naturalproperties, the methods of constructing the disposal structures andthe incidence of disturbances of thermal, hydraulic, chemical andmechanical types on the installation’s overall safety. Models of thelong-terms transfers of radioactive substances put forward by ANDRA
were also assessed allowing, in particular, for the various operationsof the same type in which IRSN has participated (especially the SPA
and BENIPA projects included in the European Commission’s researchframework programmes).

The studies carried out by IRSN on the sedimentary
formations in the east of the Paris basin were articulated, between 1999 and 2002, with the National
Hydrological Research Programme (PNRH) 99/35 of
CNRS which involved various public organisations(INSU, ANDRA and Gaz de France). As from 2003,
the work, conducted in co-operation with CNRS, hasbeen focused on improving the understanding of thegeometry of the Saint-Diez fault system in the region
containing the Bure site.
In the context of an agreement reached with ANDRA,
the Institute is also conducting analyses of argillaceous rock and water taken during sinking of thewells for the Bure laboratory and surrounding bores.
The aim of these analyses is to identify the chemical and isotopic compositions of the water for the
local area.
The data acquired in the context of this work as well
as data available in the public domain is input intoa geological, hydrogeological and hydrogeochemical database on the Paris basin (BPDATA) set up by
IRSN in 1998. This database is used in collaboration
with the Ecole Nationale Supérieure des Minesde Paris in order to understand and reconstitutethe various possible flow patterns in the east of theParis basin.

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SearchTransportation of spent fuel on the Pacific Teal at La Hague (Manche).

Loading a ship transporting MOX fuel packages,
between Japan, La Hague and Cherbourg (Manche).

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MISSIONS

European project on allowancefor the criticality risk in packages
transporting actinides
Under current regulations on the transportation of radioactive materials, only three fissile isotopes are subject tolimitations for the prevention of criticality risks: uranium 235, plutonium 239 and plutonium 241. Other isotopes
in the actinide family can lead to an uncontrolled chain action. Such isotopes are found, in particular, in small
quantities in fuels removed from nuclear power plants. Until now, only a recommendation in appendix to the IAEA
regulations deals with the problem raised by the transportation of such fissile isotopes and alerts the relevant
authorities of the need to assess the criticality risk when significant quantities of those isotopes are present.
The studies conducted by IRSN in co-operation with
EMS (Sweden) and SERCO (Great Britain) in thecontext of a contract with the European Union havefurthered knowledge of the criticality risks regardingthese isotopes and have made it possible to proposea change in the regulations on the transportation ofthese isotopes.

Basic knowledge on actinides
The first phase of the studies consisted in collecting
all the existing data and obtaining basic knowledge
on actinides: half-life and capability of maintaining
a fission chain reaction on their own.Then, to appreciate the criticality risks for the various isotopes, it
was necessary to determine the “critical” parameters, especially their minimum critical masses below
which there is no criticality risk whatever the formand concentration of the material. Owing to the factthat some nuclear data regarding these isotopes had
not been qualified, criticality calculations were
performed using various nuclear databases from theUnited States, Europe and Japan.The results of thesecalculations show that, depending on the isotopes,
the minimum critical mass is between a few tens ofgrams (californium 251) and several tens of kilograms.
By comparing the values obtained with the various

36

I R S NA N N U A L

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2 0 0 3

assessments of nuclear data and with various designcodes, it is possible to evaluate knowledge on thevarious isotopes and the uncertainties associatedwith their minimum critical masses.

Transportation configurations
Owing to the very small quantities of actinides that are
generally transported, one way to avoid unnecessarily
penalising all transportation units containing actinides
is to determine, for each isotope, the mass per package below which the combination of a large numberof packages does not entail any criticality problem.
For example, under the current regulation, any package in which the mass of fissile isotopes is less than
15 g can be approved without a criticality study.
This limit mass is drawn from calculations formed in
the 1960s, based on the assumption of a maximum
number of 250 transported packages. In the latest
revision to the IAEA regulations (1996), an additional
requirement was introduced, limiting the total massof fissile isotopes per shipment to half the minimum
critical mass of the mixture of fissile isotopes.
This requirement limits the criticality risk in the eventof an accident situation resulting in the fissile material from several packages being thrown together.

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SAFETY OF CIVILIANI N S TA L L AT I O N S , T R A N S P O RTAT I O N
AND WASTE

Internationaltransportation
regulations
The various national
regulations on
the transportation ofradioactive materials
share a common
technical basis:the internationaltransportation
regulation issued by
the IAEA. The latest
edition of thisregulation dates backto 1996 (revised
edition in 2000).

Transportation of spent fuel packages at the Valognes(Manche) railway terminal.

SearchThe calculations performed in the context of the European project were able to determine, according to
the number of packages transported, the maximum
permissible mass of isotopes per package for whichsubcriticality is demonstrated on the basis of thesame safety principles as those used for the usual
packages transporting fissile materials.

subject to compliance with the maximum limit
masses per package as defined in the project, it ispossible to consider that “fissile excepted” packages
transporting actinides will, as far as the criticality
risk is concerned, be transported with the same levelof safety as usual fissile packages.

Conclusions
Proposal for change in regulations
Using the data obtained during the project, IRSN
and its partners drew up, for all fissile isotopes, limit
masses per package and per group of packages
below which packages are considered to be “fissile
excepted” packages: they can then be transported
without any need to specifically substantiate theirsubcriticality.These limits make allowance for uncertainties in the nuclear data, by means of safety factors
applied to the limit masses.
In this way, provided that a maximum number ofsimultaneously transported packages is ensured and

The studies conducted during the project increased
the available knowledge on actinides and on thevalues of their “critical” parameters. Furthermore,
the results obtained could be used to establish, byapplying a general method, exemption criteria for
packages containing low masses of fissile isotopes.
IRSN’s work will form the basis of proposals formodifications to the IAEA regulations. A working
meeting was held in France in March 2004 with theaim of reaching international consensus on a change
in the definition of “excepted” fissile materials.

This regulation requires the demonstration of subcriticality in orderto prevent any criticality risk during the transportationof N packages containing fissile materials.
Normal conditions

N packages
actually transported

Accidental conditions

5N packages
2N packages

In a normal situation, for the grouping of 5N
packages (with the packages being considered in theirstate after tests representative of normal transportation conditions), the smallest outside dimensionof the package must not be less than 10 cm.
■■ In an accident situation, for the groupingof 2N packages (with the packages consideredin their state after tests representative of accident
transportation conditions).

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Human and Environment Protection

SearchT

he IRSN actions with regard to human and environment
protection are organised in four areas:■ radiation protection of workers, patients and population in general,more especially including the management of radioactive sources
inventory, the study of biological effects from ionising radiation,
the analysis of health impact of radioactive releases tothe environment, external dosimetry, internal dosimetry, etc.;■ study and monitoring of radioactivity in the environment,

study of radionuclide behaviour in ecosystems and analysis
of geosphere-related risks, etc.;■ response and support for radiation protection;■ operational support for public authorities in case of crisis.

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2 0 0 3I R S NA N N U A L

R E P O R T

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SearchThe members of the ENVIRHOM Scientific Council
held from November 17 to 19, 2003, in Cadarache(Bouches-du-Rhône).

Experimental studyof the uranium effecton the growth ofunicellular green algae.

The uranium bioaccumulation is studied
out for bivalve and crayfish.

Chronic risks and radioactivity
Among the environmental disturbances most often mentioned as a possible cause for an increase in certain
pathologies, the case of radioactivity requires clear replies. This is the reason why IRSN initiated the ENVIRHOM
program, which was positively assessed in 2003 by the Scientific Council after a 2-year period intended fortesting the feasibility of the selected options.

seecover flap

MISSION

Assess the radioecological risk
The purpose of ENVIRHOM is to allow impact assessments based on validated scientific data, processing the path and effects of radionuclides from theirintroduction into the environment to human beingsand other exposed organisms in the biosphere. For
this purpose, it is necessary to establish an accessindicator, usable in situations when the radioactive
agent is largely scattered, with low concentrations,in synergy with other agents, and keeping impacts
in time. These are very clearly additional situations
to those covered by the Sievert, an indicator for which
the risk representativity is strongly established only
for medium exposures, delivered for a short time andmost often via external exposure. Furthermore, thestudy not only covers accesses resulting in cancers.
With regard to animal and vegetal populations,
impacts on reproduction or other performancesof individuals are essential, as any stress may intime result in a selective pressure and thus to a bio
diversity reduction.
In this context, the researches of the ENVIRHOM
program basically cover two topics: first the kineticsof transfers and the accumulation and inhomogeneity factors and second, actual impacts, forinstance on the evolution of animal populations oron the behaviour of affected individuals.
During the feasibility phase, the program basically40

I R S NA N N U A L

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2 0 0 3covered the case of uranium, a radioactive element
being omnipresent in the environment with sometimes noticeable concentrations.

Transfer, accumulation andinhomogeneity factors
For this first topic, rats were chronically contaminated during two years. It could be recorded thatthe uranium incorporation and elimination are clearly
differing from the admitted values for a contamination over a very short period. It could also be recordedthat the uranium distribution among organs is not
identical to the contamination resulting from a onetime contamination. Finally, within the same organ,
high deviations were recorded with regard to thehomogeneous distribution assumption, which is usedin the current models.These observations were madenot only with the rat, but also with high different
organisms like fresh water bivalves.
It can thus be stated, and this represents a first essential result of ENVIRHOM, that chronic contaminationis governed by laws being noticeably different fromthe laws applicable to acute contamination. The
confirmation of non-homogeneity justifies morein-depth analysis of the program, as noticeable
local concentrations are possible especially in an
inhomogeneity situation, even when the total
amount of contaminant is relatively low. This
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04

Assessment of
the ENVIRHOM
programµ max

PROTECTIONµ max

GB 17-51

200

3
2
1

0
4

400

[U] (

nmo

pH =
CE50

600

l.L-1)

5

= 28

7 nM

5K
10K
15K

3

[U] (
20K

pH =

2

CE50

1

= 16

nmo

l.L-1)
25K

7

800

nM

0

In November 2003,
the date ofassessment by the
Scientific Committee,
the ENVIRHOM
program had generated 16 publications
and 29 presentations
during congresses.
16 doctorate thesis
students andpostdoctorands
contributed to thisfirst phase.
36 researchers andtechnicians are
involved in thisprogram, which is
conducted in
Cadarache(Bouches-du-Rhône),
Pierrelatte (Drôme)and Fontenay-auxRoses (Hauts-deSeine) laboratories,
with in addition now
the Cherbourg(Manche) marine
radioecology
laboratory. The sameteams participate in
the FASSET and ERICA
European research
programs intended forgathering anddeveloping knowledge
being applicable tothe environmental risk
assessment.

Inhibition of the growth of theChlamydomonas reinhardtii green algae
after 120 hrs of exposure to uranium,
at pH 5 and 7.

be involved in chronic contaminations. In thisrespect, it will be necessary to determine whethera coincidence may exist between the accumulation
areas and areas being more sensitive to the presence of contaminant. With regard to transfers to
the environment, the relationship between thebioavailability and the chemical speciation wasstudied out. It was more especially established thatvariations in pH or variations in the concentrations of other elements may have a noticeable
impact on transfers.This result, which was expected,
has a high practical importance: in addition to thespecifically biological concentration mechanisms,
this is one of the reasons for environmental inhomogeneity, as any inhomogeneity for a parameter
generates cascading inhomogeneity for others.This
also means that a local radioactivity measurement can be fully usable only when other local
parameters are known.

Searchthe uranium concentration on the bivalve opening
times, on the rat sleep and on their performancesin labyrinth.
These are promising results, but they emphasise themagnitude of works to be conducted before it ispossible to conduct actual assessments of impact
on human beings and on the environment for chronic
exposure situations. It should be noted that withregard to chemical toxic materials, regulations andassessment guidelines are available at the European
level. The works of the ENVIRHOM program should
contribute to prepare the same type of documents
for radioactivity.

Actual effects
For this second topic, IRSN evidenced, for example,
the effects of uranium concentration in water withregard to the survival of microscopic seaweed
populations. An important impact was recorded, notonly for the total uranium concentration, but also
for concentrations of the various chemical forms it
may take. Other original results with regard tobehaviour were established, such as the impact of

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SearchPhysical model of the Bugey site (Ain).

Reconstitution of iso-concentrations based on ground measurements
for a release assumed to be due to direct leaks from the reactor building.

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MISSIONS

Crisis management
The missions delegated to IRSN by the decree from February 22, 2002, specify that, in case of nuclear or radiologicalaccident, this body should be capable of advising the Public Authority and propose technical, medical and healthmeasures that can best ensure the protection of populations, workers and environment, and to restore the facility
safety. In order to conduct these missions, IRSN implemented a specific organisation including a warning system,a Crisis Technical Centre (CTC) and a set of intervention and radioactivity measurement resources for human beingsand the environment.

The MIRA project
In order to improve its expertise resources, and more
especially those dedicated to the assessment of radiological consequences of accident situations, IRSN is
conducting research and development projects. For
example, the Institute initiated in 2002 a reflection
with regard to its atmospheric dispersion models
for radioactive releases and the use of data assimilation techniques to improve predictions of the modelisations.The current developments cover the emergency stage of an accident situation and its possible“short distance” effects (up to 30 km).
These works should result in the implementation, in
the CTC, of a new operational tool for assessing theatmospheric dispersion and doses in taking into accountradioactive measurements in the environment, thistool should replace the current system.This project,called MIRA, should also allow a better interpretationof the radiological measurements conducted in theenvironment during an accident situation.

Direct modelling and “inverse” modelling
During an accident situation, IRSN performs anassessment of the radioactive atmospheric releaseand the associated radiological consequences based,
first on observations and weather forecasts andsecondly, on estimated current or potential releases.

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I R S NA N N U A L

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2 0 0 3The new “direct” model will allow incorporating physical phenomena not processed with the current tools,
such as disturbances induced by buildings and reliefrelated effects.
Reciprocally, the interpretation of environmental
contamination measurements conducted during andafter a release should especially allow confirming orinvalidating the release estimates performed basedon the more or less reliable knowledge of theaccident sequence in the facility. The MIRA project
thus includes the development of an “inverse” model
which, coupled with the direct model, will allow
better assessing certain parameters of the accident
situation (release characteristics, weather data, etc.).

Physical models and validation
In order to test the new models, a series of experiments were conducted. A wind tunnel diffusion
experiment was specifically conducted on a 1/500
scale model of the Bugey (Ain) nuclear power plant;
various tests were performed in order to measure
the concentrations resulting from a release filteredby the chimney and a non-filtered release (“direct”
leaks from the containment building). A first comparison between the test results and the results
obtained with the model currently being developed
allowed observing a satisfactory compliance.

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During an exercise in the crisis management technicalcentre of Fontenay-aux-Roses (Hauts-de-Seine).

National crisis exercises during year 2003
The national crisis organisation is tested every
year through about ten exercises, in accordance witha schedule defined by the Public Authority. IRSN
is systematically involved in such exercises as
an actor and also contributes to the preparation oftechnical scenarios.
As for the previous years, the 2003 exercises basically covered the EDF plants.
The exercise in Chooz B (Ardennes), allowed more
especially testing the relationship between France

Searchand Belgium, with IRSN and its Belgian counterpart(AVN) jointly working.
IRSN also took part in two exercises concerning facilities in the Saclay (Essonne) and Romans-sur-Isère(Drôme) nuclear sites, and in an exercise concerning a transport of radioactive materials in the
Eure-et-Loir department. Finally, for the first timein 2003, IRSN took part in an exercise concerning
an air base, as a support to the “Defence” safety
authority (DSND).

Events during year 2003

The MIRA project stages■ A first feasibility stage (2002-2003) allowed selecting an inversion

method and identifying the improvement lines for the current dispersal
model.
■ Based on the prevailing physical phenomena to be retained, the direct
dispersal model is currently being developed (2004).
■ The inverse model is built as the direct model progresses. A validation
stage of the operational tool thus developed is planned (first half of2005).
■ The final stage will consist in developing an easy-to-use interface forexperts and producing guidelines with regard to the measurement
interpretation methods. The production start of the MIRA tool in the
CTC is planned by the end of 2005.
This project is conducted jointly with the Fluid mechanic and acoustics
Laboratory of the Ecole Centrale in Lyon and the Centre for education
and research in atmospheric environment of the Ecole Nationale desPonts et Chaussées.

IRSN implemented its crisis organisation during
two actual events:■ On July 19 and 20, 2003, the CTC was installed
in a restricted configuration, to monitor in live thedestruction and tilting of the chimney of facility G1in the Marcoule (Gard) COGEMA plant. It was inconnection with the “Defence” safety authority,with COGEMA via audio-conference, and with an
Institute team, which performed radiological measurement on the site.
■ On December 2 and 3, 2003, the weather conditions that affected the Rhône valley led theoperators of the Cruas (Ardèche) and Tricastin(Drôme) plants, as well as the operators of the BCOT
(Tricastin operational hot base) facility to preventively activate their internal emergency plan (PUI).
In order to provide a technical support to the safety
authorities (DGSNR and DSND), IRSN first activated the CTC during 36 hours, during which thevarious teams provided a turnover and second,
deployed on site teams that performed water
sampling and measurement downstream of thenuclear sites.

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SearchGammagraphy equipment.

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MISSIONS

Workers and public supervision
with regard to radiation protection
The regulation in radiation protection activities was deeply modified and incorporated into the public health codeand the labour code during the recent years, within the scope of the transposition to the French law of European
Directives relating to radiation protection. In 2003, IRSN actively participated in the preparation of this new
regulatory system, as a support to the relevant Ministries. Furthermore, for applying this regulation, IRSN conducts
multiple activities concerning the use of ionising radiation sources, the protection of public, workers and individuals
being exposed for medical purposes.
Use of ionising radiation sources
The modifications applied to the public health codeby decree No. 2003-462, concerning the radiation
protection of populations, generated deep changes
in the management of ionising radiation sources(1),and resulted in the creation of the Source Expertise
Unit (UES) in April 2002, within IRSN.The mission ofthis unit is to provide a technical support to theauthorities (DGSNR, DSND,AFSSAPS, DPPR, prefects)
delivering the clearances to suppliers, distributors andusers of such sources in the industrial, medical,
research and defence activities. The UES published

European Directives
Three European Directives with regard to radiation protection wereincorporated into the French regulation in 2003:■ 96/29 Euratom Council directive, from May 13, 1996, setting the basic
standards related to health protection of the population and workers
against the dangers resulting from ionising radiation;■ 97/43 Euratom Council directive, from June 30, 1997, relating to
the health protection of individuals during medical exposures;■ 98/83 Euratom Council directive, from November 3, 1998, relating
to the quality of waters intended for human consumption.

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2 0 0 350 recommendations for these authorities in 2003.
It is also in charge of the national inventory ofionising radiation sources, via a monitoring of stocks
and movements of sources through registration
procedures.

A national inventoryof ionising radiation sources
Since February 2002, IRSN centralises and maintains
all information relating to the holding clearances andregistrations of source movements.The national database, called SIGIS, allows controlling the regularmovement of sources. It also provides statistics on
stocks and flows. Beside its control function, SIGIS
basically is a monitoring and information tool withregard to the use of sources by the various actors
involved (users, authorities, etc.).

(1) Ionising radiation sources: any device, radioactive material
or facility that may generate ionising radiation or radioactive
material.
Radioactive material: any material containing one or moreradionuclides, the activity or concentration of which cannot
be ignored from the radiation protection viewpoint.

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HUMAN AND ENVIRONMENTPROTECTIONRadioactive
sourcesin France
in 2003
Device for radium 226 measurement via emanation,used for radiological control of drinkable waters.

200

Searchsuppliers

5,000
users

1,350

clearances deliveredor renewed

30,000sealed sources kept

3,800

sealed sources
distributed to users

2,700

sealed sources
returned to suppliers

5,400

movement
registration forms

Assessment of public exposure
to ionising radiation
The public health code specified the creation of anational network for environmental radioactivity
measurements to be managed by IRSN whose
mission is to contribute to the estimate of doses towhich the population is exposed due to the whole ofnuclear activities. This network gathers:■ all the results of environmental radiological analyses, contained in the regulatory programs intended
for supervising the impact of releases due to nuclear
activities subject to clearance or declaration;■ all the results of environmental radiological analyses conducted on request from territorial communities, government agencies and public bodies or
associations.
The Ministerial order from October 17, 2003, specified
the operating modes of the national network and theapproval methods for laboratories participating in
the network. The IRSN role is explained:■ The Institute performs the network management,
whose guidelines are defined by DGSNR after recommendation from the steering committee, basically

Increase in the requests for analysis
of drinkable waters
Year

Supply waters

2000
2001
2002
2003

117
97
139
312

Supply waters
after low water period

20

comprising representatives from the relevant Ministries(Health, Environment, Consumption, Agriculture,
Defence) and welfare agencies (AFSSA,AFSSE, InVs).
IRSN is in charge of technical tasks for network operation and published a yearly report on the radiologicalstatus of the environment…;■ IRSN is a member of the laboratory approval commission and implements yearly comparison programs
between laboratories.
The works required for the operational implementation of the national network continue in 2004, inorder to specify the organisation and resources to beprovided for an efficient operation of the network,
especially with regard to the availability of thecollected results to the public.

The radiological supervisionof drinkable waters
Within the scope of Directive 98/83/CE, decree
2001-1220 from December 20, 2001, specified thetype and mode of radiological measurements thatwater distributors should now conduct in drinkablewaters. This decree included a transition period for
its application, until December 24, 2003. In addition,
the radioactivity analyses were included in the parameters to be provided when preparing the filefor creation of a Drinkable Water Supply (AEP). From
now, these analyses should also be conductedperiodically on the operational pick-ups. Due to allthese dispositions, IRSN observed a high increase in
the number of drinkable water analyses requested
in 2003.
At present, IRSN is one of the few laboratories authorised to perform such measurements.The measuring
strategy applied by IRSN is as follows:■ in a first stage, measurements of the tritium
activity and of the overall activity of alpha and beta
emitting radionuclides are conducted;

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Search(1) Example of dosimeter fitted for radon detection,
consisting of a film (2) being sensitive to particles emitted
by radon, which print traces, the automatic countof these traces (3) on the film provides the measurement.

■ if the measured volume activities are less than
100 Bq/l, 0.1 Bq/l and 1 Bq/l respectively, the total
indicative dose, as defined in the above-mentioned
decree, is considered as less than 0.1 mSv per year;■ otherwise, additional analyses are conducted inorder to identify the radionuclides, whether natural(uranium, radium, etc.) or artificial, being responsible
for these excessive values;■ finally, a dose calculation is performed, based on
the results thus obtained, for an adult consumption

Dose measurements
conducted in 2003
by IRSN for supervision of workers
exposed to ionising radiation.

X and gamma external exposure
17,548 companies
214,815 supervised workers
1,872,240 photo dosimeters
External exposure to neutrons
200 companies
20,000 supervised workers
50,000 neutron dosimeters
Internal exposure: whole-body gamma measurement
214 examinations
Internal exposure: routine supervision
430 companies
4,139 supervised individuals
6,834 biological samples
20,000 analyses (urine, stools)

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2 0 0 3of 730 liters of water per year, applying for eachradionuclide the dose factors specified by the abovementioned decree. This dose is then compared with
the 0.1 mSv/year defined by the Euratom directive,
based on the WHO recommendations.

Control of radon exposure
The regulation now covers the radon exposure in
public locations (art. L. 1333-10 and R.1333-15 and
16 of the public health code) and in working places(art. L.231-7-1 and R.231-115 of the labour code),but it does not yet apply to private housing.
The order concerning the approval of bodies authorised to conduct radon measurements in public
locations was published on July 15, 2003: among thenew provisions, IRSN is a member of the approvalcommission and has implemented for 2004 a training program with regard to radon metrology, required
to obtain the approval unless a field-acquired skill
may be demonstrated.Two other orders under preparation involved IRSN in 2003: the order concerning
the management methods for radon-related risks inpublic locations and the order specifying the list of
professional activities concerned.
Furthermore, the Institute conducted in 2003 therevision of AFNOR standards with regard to the radonand its decay products measurement and initiatedthe preparation of a standard for radon in water.
In addition to these actions taken within the regulation scope, IRSN continued in 2003 works aimed
at better understanding the radon entry and removal
mechanisms into buildings: measurement campaigns
in buildings, study of the radon behaviour undervarious conditions and the contribution of building
materials, on the Kersaint (Finistère) experimental
site. The Institute also published a new series ofGB 17-51

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HUMAN AND ENVIRONMENTPROTECTIONIRSN ensures the dosimetricsupervision of workers exposed
to ionising radiation.

Whole-body gamma
measurement: detectionof external and/or internal
radionuclides in the Blayais(Gironde) plant.

description data sheets on French buildings in which
reduction techniques were applied, and defined aradon measurement protocol in spa facilities.
With regard to the improvement of knowledge on
the health effects of radon, the European project
coordinated by IRSN and concerning the modellingof radon-related risk was completed in 2003 and theresults of the epidemiologic survey conducted by
IRSN on French populations exposed to radon willsoon be published in the Epidemiology magazine.

practices. To conduct this mission, IRSN created in2003 a medical radiation protection expertise unit
(UEM), which is involved in the definition of dose
diagnostic reference levels and in the creation of astatement of patient exposures. The UEM is consulted
by the authorities and health professionals to issue
recommendations with regard to the justification andoptimisation of practices, participate in the preparation or orders or guidelines for the prescription ofacts and examinations involving an exposure toionising radiation. It is often questioned by practitioners who want a confirmation of doses received
by patients during a radiodiagnostic. This unit is alsoin charge of questions concerning the radiation
protection of workers in medical environment.
Consisting of experienced individuals, the UEM is
involved in a number of training programs for radiation protection in medical environment.

Protection of exposed workers
As for the application of decree No. 2003-296 concerning the radiation protection of workers, IRSN took
part in the preparation of five Ministerial Orders,
under the responsibility of the Work Ministry. In
particular, one order specifies the modes for accessing dosimetric information on workers, the rules fortransmitting such information and the contents of
the individual medical supervision form; its implementation will require amendments to the SISERI
system, managed by the Institute, and which centralises at a national level all the dosimetric data on
exposed workers. The same decree and the associated application orders involve IRSN in the dose
measurement, the organisation of cross-comparisons,the approval of dosimetry laboratories, the radiation
protection training, the study of workstations andsupport to industrial medical officers. IRSN also
prepares every year, for the Work relationship directorate, a statement of worker exposure to ionisingradiation in France.

SearchProtection of exposed individualin the medical environment
Decree No. 2003-270 from March 24, 2003, concerning the radiation protection of patients gives
IRSN a major role in the optimisation of medical

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Search“Workshop” - Indications for transplant of hematopoietic stem cells
and therapeutic protocols for accidental exposures.
see
cover flap

MISSION

Medical management of a large numberof accidentally exposed individuals
One of the IRSN missions is the technical support to hospitals that have to treat exposed individuals. In thisrespect, and on the Institute initiative, a consensus with regard to the medical support strategy regarding large
numbers of exposed individuals was defined by about fifty specialists in hematology, radiopathology and dosimetry, who met on May 6 and 7, 2003. The meeting was organised by the French transplant agency, the French blood
agency and the French Society of marrow transplant and cellular therapy, supported by experts from the French
Armed Forces Medical Branch.

Until now, in case of high dose global acute exposureof a large number of individuals, the therapeuticstrategy to be applied was a problem. Indeed, despite
the variety of available therapeutic methods that may
have a certain efficiency (cytokines, allotransplants,
expansion of stem cells, etc.), no real consensus was
met with regard to the definition of a consistentscheme for treating medullar aplasia (drop in the
production of blood cells) being radio-induced incase of accident situations. The scarcity of accidental exposures worldwide, and the fact that the therapeutic management of victims was often influenced
by experts with widely diverging opinions, explain
this lack of consensus, especially with regard to theindications on hematopoietic stem cell transplants.

Medical managementof accidental exposures
Hematopoiesis involves all mechanisms allowing alimited number of stem cells to generate cells of
various types existing in blood: granulocytes andlymphocytes (organism defence), red blood cells (oxygen transport) and platelets (hemorrhages control).
Hematopoiesis occurs in the bone marrow.
By destroying the bone marrow, ionising radiationinduces high risks for opportunistic infections

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2 0 0 3(destruction of white blood cells) and hemorrhages(destruction of platelets).
However, accidental exposures are heterogeneousin most cases. Considering the distribution of bonemarrow, such heterogeneity results in leaving
medullar areas more or less protected against exposure, containing hematopoietic cells capable ofrestoring the whole bone marrow of the individual.
This residual hematopoiesis after an heterogeneous
exposure especially complexifies the treatment of a
victim suffering from a medullar attack. Indeed, insuch conditions, it is highly hasardous to perform abone marrow transplant, as residual hematopoiesis
may be sufficient to reject the transplant, which may
be especially dangerous for the victim. Furthermore, exposure generates a severe aplasia stage withhigh infectious and hemorrhagic risks for the patient,requiring transfusions and a strong antibiotic therapy, with no immediate evidence for hematopoietic
restoration.

General principles of the consensus
The consensus obtained is involving an operational
medical consensus and a series of recommendations.

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CTGF* super-expression, displayed by a brown colour in the radic tissue, on the left
normal intestine and on the right radic enteritis mucosa.
*CTGF: Connective-Tissue Growth Factor (factor involved in tissue fibrosis).

The medical consensus includes two parts. The firstpart concerns the sorting criteria resulting in a simple
operational distribution of victims into three classes
according to the absence of lethal risk, the presenceof a lethal risk, or the presence of a supra-lethal risk,
depending on a set of symptoms recorded during
the first years following exposure. The second part
covers the treatment of medullar aplasia for which
the indication for bone marrow transplant is postponed by three weeks, involving in the meantime a
residual hematopoiesis stimulation treatment byinjecting a cytokine called G-CSF. An information
booklet describing the actions to be taken in caseof accident and intended for practitioners, will be
prepared based on this consensus.
Recommendations for the future, especially withregard to research, were issued. In particular, it isrecommended to continue applied researches oncytokine treatments, bio-indicators of radio-induced
damages, and treatment of the organ multiple
failure syndrome, especially through transplant ofmesenchymatous stem cells (non differentiated).
These research areas are already being studied by
IRSN.

Experimental researchin cellular therapy
Within the scope of the consensus, researches
conducted by IRSN with regard to the applicationof cellular therapy principles to the treatment ofaccidental exposures, have a major interest. For
several years, various works have allowed developing techniques with regard to expansion, transfer

Searchof marker gene for the future of reinjected cells andtransplant of mesenchymatous stem cells (CSM).
These cells are interesting, as they have a differentiation capability for muscular, cartilaginous, or
adypocytar cells, but they also have a plastic
capability, i.e. a capability to generate cells fromother lineages like neural cells, hepatic cells, or
endothelial cells. This plastic capability might allow
compensating for radio-induced cell deficits.
During a first series of works, CSM’s were sampledfrom the bone marrow of primates, then developed
ex vivo, marked with a marker gene and transplanted
to animals exposed in a mixed gamma-neutron flow.
The results demonstrated that CSM’s have a highimplantation capability, as they were detected

IRSN ethics committee
for animal experiments
During the year 2003, the ethics committee assessed nine new research
topics and 27 experimental protocols, with regard to the observanceof basic ethic principles concerning laboratory animals: replacementof animals with another study model, reduction in the number ofanimals and attention placed on the implemented procedures.
In parallel, the guidelines for the ethics committee activity, its
communication and the enrichment of its works were defined.

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SearchKidneyGlomerulus

Brain

ArteryImplantation of humanmesenchymatous stem cells in
the exposed immunotolerantmouse.

VenuleGlomerulus
gland wall

Red specific color of human cells implanted in murine tissues.

in various organs, such as muscles, skin, intestine,
stomach and bone marrow. In addition, the results
demonstrated a preferred CSM implantation into
the sites of most severe lesion, in correlation withlesions generated by the neutron component of the
exposure flow. A second study conducted within
the joint IRSN-CHU Saint-Antoine (UPRES EA 1638)
used an immunodeficient mouse model, theNOD-SCID mouse, to conduct co-transplants ofhuman CSM’s and human hematopoietic stem cells.

Co-injection of DC34+ cellswith CSM Stro-1+ or Stro-1-

Bio distribution of CSM Stro-1+
and Stro-1- into the NOD/SCID mouse tissues% of human hematopoietic cells in blood

Engraftment of human bone marrow
Transplant of human CD34+ and Stro-1+ cells in the NOD/SCID mouse
Transplant of human CD34+ and Stro-1- cells in the NOD/SCID mouse
Transplant of human CD34+ cells in the NOD/SCID mouse

Time (week after transplant)

Two sub-populations (Stro-1+ and Stro-1-) of mesenchymatous stem
cells (CSM) are injected, with hematopoietic cells (CD34+) to thehuman transplant immunotolerant mouse after exposure. The humanengraftment with the animal is followed in time. This experimentdemonstrates the increased support of the engraftment by CSM’s,
Stro-1- mature type. These cells might be used for improving bonemarrow transplants after exposure.

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This study allowed demonstrating that CSM’s are
not only capable of implanting into the mousebone marrow but that they are also capable ofperforming a physiological function supporting
hematopoiesis. Indeed, hematopoietic cells experienced a better implantation and generated twice tofour times more mature blood cells when being
co-transplanted with CSM’s. These works in fact
represent one of the first demonstrations for thefunctional capability of CSM’s after a transplant.

2 0 0 3Cells Stro-1+

Cells Stro-1-

Spleen8±5

1.5 ± 1Bone marrow

13 ± 76±3
4 ± 0.6

Tissues

Brain

4±5

Heart

1.6 ± 1.1

2±2

Liver

0.6 ± 0.4

0.4 ± 0.6

Lung

2±3

7 ± 11Kidney2.9 ± 1.9

1.9 ± 1.7

Muscle2±2

0.2 ± 0.3

Human cells per 10,000 murine cells for each tissue

Two sub-populations (Stro-1+ and Stro-1-) of CSM’s are injected tothe human transplant immunotolerant mouse after exposure.
Implantation of human cells into the tissues affected by exposure
is searched on the animal. This experiment demonstrates the capabilityof human immature CSM’s (Stro-1+) to engraft into numerous tissues.
These cells might be used for tissue restoration after exposure.

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HUMAN AND ENVIRONMENTPROTECTION

Electronic dosimeter in the Bugey plant (Ain).

Cloth contamination inspection when exiting
a controlled area.

SearchMISSIONsee
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GB 17-51

Radiation protection assessment
in EDF nuclear plants
IRSN conducted an in-depth review of radiation protection in thecurrently operated EDF nuclear plants. The purpose was to identify
the problems met by the operator with regard to radiation protection,and to assess the provisions taken to improve the situation.
This review included two parts: first, a review of thepolicy defined by EDF at national level and second,assessing its application in some nuclear plants. IRSN
reviewed the following topics: statement of inspections, incidents and dosimetric results registered
between 1999 and 2002, the organisation of theradiation protection implemented by EDF central
services, the management of radiological areas, themanagement of operations and work sites (with someassessment on actual cases of on-site work management) and finally, the management of sealed
and unsealed sources.

Results
The technical investigation allowed assessing theactions taken by EDF central services, such as
the implementation of specific exchange and decision-making places, and the creation of a radiation
protection guideline. This guideline is essential foron-site implementation of provisions appropriate to
the various topics relating to radiation protection(radiological cleanliness, dose optimisation, metrology, control of regulatory aspects). The analysis of
dosimetric results demonstrated an overall improvement since 1996, both in terms of individual doses
and collective doses. IRSN nevertheless emphasised
discrepancies: efforts should be continued, especiallyfor certain professional skills (heat insulators,
sheet-metal workers, welders and logistic support
activities such as the installation of scaffolding…).

In general, IRSN reported the implementation of aprogress dynamics (hiring, training of agents in chargeof radiation protection, management of sources, etc.),
which nevertheless remains variable from one plant
to the other. The requirement for better consistentpractices was recorded for various topics (management of radiological areas, management of work sites,
management of sources), in particular for service
providers who have to integrate the specific featuresof the various plants in which they have to work.

Possible improvements
They more specially cover:■ the distribution of tasks between contract managers and radiation protection service agents;■ the control of radiological situation developmentsin the areas (for example, changes in the facility
status that may result in a sudden increase of therisk in certain premises), the clarification and streamlining of the definition of radiological areas as wellas the related signs and finally, the incorporationof the premises contamination risk requiring, inparticular, a strengthening in defence and control
lines, in the vicinity of contamination sources;■ the management of operations and work sites,in particular within the scope of the optimisation
principle application;■ the management and holding conditions for sealed
sources, in the specific case of industrial gamma measurement operations (firing conditions in particular).
This assessment was presented on December 18,
2003, to the Standing Advisory Group for Nuclear
Reactors, which transmitted its conclusions to the
Nuclear Safety and Radiation Protection General
Director.

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Defence nuclear expertise

SearchT

he decree setting up IRSN and providing for the identificationof activity in the field of defence nuclear expertise led tothe merging of most of those actions in a single special department.
The main fields concerned are as follows:■ the prevention of malicious actions against nuclear installations

and the transportation of radioactive materials;■ the protection and control of nuclear and sensitive materials

in order to prevent their theft or diversion for the purposeof proliferation of weapons of mass destruction;■ technical support for public authorities for the implementationof international agreements on the non-proliferation of nuclear
and sensitive materials;■ the safety and radiation protection of installations and nuclear

activities concerning defence.

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SearchPaluel nuclear electricity power plant (Seine-Maritime).

Civeaux Plant (Vienne).

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MISSION

Physical protection of nuclear installations
and transportation
The physical protection of equipment, a nuclear installation or a nuclear material transport unit requires a set ofmeasures, which may be material or organisational, aimed at preventing either a malicious action which could leadto the discharge of radioactive substances into the environment, or the theft or diversion of nuclear materials.

These measures are designed to ensure adequate
defence in-depth.They include delaying components(fences, barriers, reinforced doors, etc.), detector
components (radars, infrared systems, closed circuit cameras, etc.), access control systems andresponse forces. They also include administrative ororganisational measures such as confidentiality rules
and procedures (two-agents rule, management ofkeys, etc.).
In this context, it will be noted that physical protection is an essential common point as regards theimplementation of the law of July 25, 1980 (protection and control of nuclear materials) and theimplementation of the order of December 29, 1958
(protection against malicious action). The approach
adopted is the same in both cases and the measures
implemented to protect sites have the same levelof efficiency whether the target is a sensitive nuclear
material or safety-related equipment. The assumptions adopted to define a physical protection system are based on reference threats which specify
the characteristics and the means attributed toattackers. Two categories of threats are envisaged,
one regarding the theft of nuclear materials and theother regarding malicious action. Threats of internal origin and threats of external origin are taken
into account for each of those two categories.

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2 0 0 3Operator’s responsibility
The operator has prime responsibility for the physicalprotection of its installations and of the nuclear materials it possesses. Public authorities define the required
objectives as regards protection and verify that themeasures implemented by each operator ensure compliance with those objectives. IRSN places its technical expertise at the disposal of public authorities toassess the efficiency of physical protection measures
adopted by operators and carriers. In conducting its
surveys, IRSN examines:■ the resistance capabilities of installations or transport equipment with regard to the means implemented to prevent theft or diversion;■ procedures for access to nuclear materials, theremoval of those materials from their containments and from the plant or transport cask;■ the capability of the systems set up to detect
the loss or theft of nuclear materials, in terms ofquantity and time;■ the capability of the systems set up for transportation from their point of departure to theirpoint of arrival.

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DEFENCE NUCLEAR
EXPERTISE

Transportation of liquid radioactive waste. Tanker LR56
with road tractor. Oak Ridge (United States).

Protection of installations
IRSN examines the protection of installations withrespect to malicious actions and their findings are
submitted to expert groups mandated jointly by HFD
and DGSNR. The examination of protection against
the theft of nuclear materials is essentially achievedby security studies. IRSN agents are also mandated
by HFD to carry out inspections in order to conduct
on-site assessment of the efficiency of the measures adopted by the operators. Every year, the Institute’s relevant agents conduct about a hundred
analyses and carry out about fifty inspection missions, some of them unexpected, on installations. In
addition to this continuous activity, IRSN carries
out more specific work. This included, in particular,
in 2003:■ proposing several statutory provisions aimed atproviding better legal foundations for physical protection and taking into account the lessons drawn
from the events of September 11, 2001;■ organising a large-scale exercise, on HFD’s request,
in order to test the decision-making system and coordination for the intervention of the various operator and State entities concerned in order to deal
with an attack coming within the framework of thereference threats;■ conducting a reactive inspection following the
intrusion of demonstrators claiming they werefrom Greenpeace into the Penly site (Seine-Maritime), and proposing corrective measures to avoid
any repetition of this type of event.

Blayais Plant (Gironde).

SearchInspections are conducted on carriers’ premises by
IRSN agents mandated by HFD to check the satisfactory operation and compliance of that equipment.
Furthermore, the most sensitive nuclear materialtransport operations are monitored in real time bya dedicated IRSN unit: the operational transport section (EOT). In this context, IRSN keeps a continuous
watch on the development of telecommunications
equipment and information systems so as to improve
EOT’s monitoring and communication capabilities.
In 2003, the studies conducted included, in particular, satellite based locating systems by means of
IMMARSAT beacons and on geographic locating by
mobile telephony which would allow less sensitivetransport units to be monitored at lower cost.
New armour-plating systems are being assessed by
IRSN with regard to their vulnerability to armourpiercing ammunition, by ballistic tests in particular.

Protection of transportation
The physical protection devices installed on nuclear
material transport facilities, such as trucks, are examined by IRSN, for HFD, during that equipment’s
design, manufacturing and operating phases.

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Search

A newcomputerised
accounting
systemin 2003
La Hague (Manche): containers in the solid waste storage facility (EDS).

see
cover flap

MISSION

Accounting of nuclear
materials
IRSN centralises and controls the accounting data concerning nuclear materials in France.
This technical co-operation mission is undertaken for HFD.

Centralisation of accounting data
The statutory system introduced by the law of July 25,
1980, on the “protection and control of nuclear materials” requires the holders of such materials to implement technical measures designed to prevent theft,diversion or accidental loss. These measures include
having precise knowledge of the quantity, the natureand the location of the materials held or traded, strict
accounting and an exhaustive annual inventory. Two
statutory instruments have been defined, as follows:■ the holding of large quantities of nuclear materials
requires authorisation and the daily transmission of
accounting data. This system is mainly applicable tomajor players in the nuclear industry;■ the holding of smaller quantities requires only anannual accounting declaration. Installations in thiscategory are often outside the nuclear industry.
The national accounting ensured by IRSN, which mustnot be confused with the accounting of radioactive
sources, provides the public authorities with a quasi
real-time view of the nuclear materials held in Franceby supplying consistent, relevant and reliable data
which may be checked by conducting inspections.

A source of information and a control
for public authorities
The database managed by IRSN for the national
accounting of nuclear materials contains the location

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2 0 0 3of all nuclear material stocks held within the country
and their history. It is fed with declarations received
from 250 authorised installations and 300 installations which are required to make annual declarations. As regards authorised installations,IRSN received
and processed 83,000 lines of accounting entries
reported in 35,000 nuclear material operation declaration forms (BDOMN) in 2003. These are encrypted
documents containing declarations of stock changes
and reporting on operations which have affected materials. BDOMN forms are transmitted in digital format
or on paper and are submitted to 350 computer checks

A new information
system for national
nuclear material
account management,
baptised Cicéron,was commissioned
in June 2003 without
interfering with thedaily processing ofdata. Compared withthe previous system,
Cicéron includes
enhanced functions
for accountmanagement,
consultation andautomatic or spot
data checks.
IRSN is also closely
following thedevelopment ofcomputer systems
provided by French
companies in orderto achieve theirstatutory objectives.

Definition of nuclear materials
The term “nuclear materials” refers to elements which may be used,directly or indirectly, to manufacture a nuclear weapon. In the termsof the law of July 25, 1980, nuclear materials, whose preparation,possession, utilisation, transport, import and export are subject to an
authorisation or declaration process, are, with the exception of ores,
materials containing the following elements or their compound:plutonium, uranium, thorium, deuterium, tritium and lithium 6.
Authorisation or a declaration is required depending on the quantities
of material and their state.

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EXPERTISE
Nuclear Weapons
Inspector

President of the RepublicProtagonists

Prime Minister

EURATOMInterministerial TechnicalCommittee (CTI)

Senior Defence Officialof the Ministry
for Industry

I.A.E.A.

Operators

IRSN is at the heart of the French nuclear materials
control and accounting system.

Technological waste, hull and end-fitting compacting
and volume reduction facility at the Cogema
spent fuel processing plant in La Hague (Manche).

Searchto verify their consistency and compliance with statutory requirements before they are accepted.The declarations are recorded and the stocks in the national
accounting system are updated immediately.
For small-scale holders of nuclear materials, IRSN
established 650 annual declaration requests in 2003
and, after checking, these resulted in the listing of 300
installations whose declarations were recorded in
the national accounting system. These declarations
mainly concern small quantities of deuterium or uranium held in laboratories and, also mechanical partsor radiobiological barriers containing depleted uranium which are used in some radiotherapy equipment
and in gammagraphy equipment used for non-destructive testing.The national accounting system is a secure
copy of the local accounting systems of nuclear material holders, except for the offset corresponding to thedeclaration transmission time. Statutory monthly
checks are carried out by authorised holders withreference to accounting reports transmitted by IRSN
in order to detect and correct any deviations between
local accounting data and the data recorded by IRSN.
The available data are used for the purpose of analyses and surveys conducted by IRSN or for inspections
conducted with its co-operation.
The main tasks carried out to ensure compatibility are:daily management and updating of the database;■ checking on compliance with declaration rules;■ development of analysis and inspection tools;■ performance of inspections on the Authority’srequest for the purpose of assessing the accounting
system (nine inspections in 2003);■ transmission of accounting reports to public authorities,nuclear material holders and official international
bodies;■ assistance for companies in drawing up theirdeclarations.
■

Changes in national regulations and new EURATOM regulations
IRSN is also responsible for updating the rules on accounting declarations according to the requirements of industrial
firms and the authorities, so that the former can comply with their statutory obligations and the latter can fulfil theirrole as controllers.
A large portion of France’s nuclear installations must also comply with the obligations imposed by the EURATOM treaty.
A specific feature in France is the strong link between the accounting required by the law of July 1980 and that requiredby European regulations. As a technical support centre for the public authorities, IRSN centralises French declarations
every month and ensures they are transmitted to the European Commission.
The current revision to EURATOM regulations, which will bring in new accounting reports and a modification to thewaste declaration process, will have an impact on national accounting.
Following negotiations in 2003, the main points of the regulations, scheduled for publication in 2004, have stabilised.
The changes necessary to national accounting and associated information systems will form the subject of co-operation between IRSN and all the parties concerned.
The new EURATOM regulations will be applicable in part within a limit of 120 days after its publication, and the time
limit for accounting changes will be three years.

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SearchWork on the laser integration line’s experimentchamber, prototype of the future Laser Megajoule,
Le Barp (Gironde).

see
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MISSIONS

The installation’s control room.

Assessment of the safetyof the Laser Megajoule
installation
IRSN assessed the preliminary safety report on Laser Megajoule, INBS
scheduled for commissioning in 2009/2010.
Sited at the CEA centre of scientific and technicalstudies of Aquitaine (CESTA), the Laser Megajoule(LMJ) will provide a laboratory facility for the scaleddown simulation of the operation of French thermonuclear weapons. Civilian applications are also envisaged in the fields of laser-matter interaction, fusion
by inertial confinement and astrophysics.
The main experiments planned concern the fusion
reaction between the nuclei of two hydrogen isotopes,
deuterium and tritium, contained in a “target” with adiameter of approximately 2 mm.

Laser Megajoule, diagramof the experiment chamber

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2 0 0 3

The 240 laser beams will be directed onto the wallsof the cavity containing the target in order to heatthem to high temperature and generate a large enoughstream of X-rays to compress the deuterium-tritium(D-T) mixture in about 10 nanoseconds until reaching the temperature and pressure conditions required
to trigger fusion reactions. Each reaction leads to the
production of a helium nucleus (or alpha particle) withan energy of 3.5 MeV and a neutron with an energyof 14 MeV.The fusion of the D-T mixture contained ina target produces an energy of 17.5 MJ,which is 10 times
greater than that provided by laser beams (1.8 MJ).

Preliminary safety report
On March 18, 2003, IRSN appeared before the Laboratories and Factories Safety Commission (CSLU), as
requested by DSND to present its opinion on the safetyof the Laser Megajoule on the basis of the preliminary
safety report submitted by the operator.This opinion
which takes into account the additional information
obtained during many discussions with the operator
should allow the competent authorities to reach adecision on whether to authorise the installation’sconstruction.
The main risk represented by the Laser Megajoule
installation is a risk of external exposure, firstly, tohigh-energy neutrons during the short periodsof firing and, secondly, to ionising radiations emitted
by the equipment and structures activated in thecourse of the numerous operations and tasks required(preparation of experiments,data recovery,“cleaning”,
maintenance).
The IRSN’s main recommendations concern the personnel access management systems and the layoutof the experiment hall: the equipment installed inthis hall will,indeed,constitute a major source of ambient irradiation after activation. In addition, during
construction of the LMJ, IRSN will give its advice on
the measures implemented with regard to earthquakes
and floods.

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EXPERTISE

Safetystandard
Le Vigilant, nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarine(SNLE).

Le Vigilant during construction.

MISSIONS

Searchsee
cover flap

GB 52-80

Assessment of the SNLE
Le Vigilant
Third in a series of four nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarines, SNLE,
Le Vigilant underwent a test campaign in 2003 prior to its commissioning. In thiscontext, IRSN examined the compliance of the vessel’s nuclear reactor with the SNLE
safety standard.
Some of the pre-commissioning tests, especially those
conducted at sea, can only be carried out with theboiler room in operation. For this reason, the operator – the French Ministry of Defence – must first
substantiate the compliance of the boiler room with
the SNLE safety standard. DSND asked IRSN to
examine the documents submitted by the operator
for that purpose.
Consequently, in the first half of 2003, IRSN examined the reports certifying the quality of manufacture and fitting of equipment contributing to thereactor’s safety.
After this examination, two analysis reports drawn
up by IRSN were presented to the panel of experts
appointed by the Reactor Safety Commission (CSR).
On the basis of these reports and opinions given by thecommission, DSND authorised the reactor core to beloaded and to go critical for the purpose of conducting
tests at the seaside and at sea (on the surface).
The IRSN analysis showed, however, that the operator’s processing of deviations that occurred during
manufacture and fitting should be studied further
before conducting dive tests. Furthermore, as theresults of the first nuclear tests had to be examinedby IRSN, the weapons procurement agency, Délégation Générale à l’Armement (DGA), submitted thecorresponding additional data and the IRSN analysis
was presented to CSR in December.

The commission’s decision allowed DSND to authorise the operator to conduct dive tests.The results ofthese tests will be examined by IRSN in 2004 inorder to reach a final decision on the compliance ofthe nuclear boiler room with the applicable safety
standard.

In the same way as
for any other nuclear
installation, thedesigners of the SNLE
submarine boiler rooms
must substantiate
the level of safetyof their reactors.
These substantiations
are provided in theform of documents,
including the safety
report and operating
regulations, whichconstitute theinstallation’s safety
standard. This standard,
applicable to SNLE
submarines, wasexamined by IRSN
and approved forthe launching of thefirst vessel of this type:
Le Triomphant(commissioned in1997). It remains
to be verified thatits successors,
Le Téméraire and
Le Vigilant, comply
with that standard.

Reactor Safety Commission (CSR)
The decree of July 5, 2001, regarding the safety and radiation protectionof nuclear installations and activities concerning defence assigns DSND
the role of safety authority for those installations and activities.
Article 3 of that decree prescribes that DSND should base its work ontechnical safety commissions. The Reactor Safety Commission is oneof those commissions. Its task is to provide DSND with support in
the field of on-board nuclear boiler rooms, a task which is similar tothat of DGSNR which advises the Standing Advisory Group for Nuclear
Reactors on EDF power generating reactors.

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International relations

SearchPromoting the Institute’s development in a European
and international context calls for:■ investment in the construction of Europe as the home of researchand participation in European harmonisation in the field of nuclear
safety and the definition of radiation protection standards;■ involvement in scientific networks and partnerships

on the European level and world-wide;■ contribution to the work by international bodies on the drawing upof technical standards.

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SearchEUROSAFE Tribune.

see
cover flap

MISSION

The 5th EUROSAFE European Forum,
held at Palais Brongniart, in Paris,on November 25 and 26, 2003.

IRSN’s role in European construction
In both nuclear safety and radiation protection, IRSN’s activities are conducted in an international context.
This international contact is essential to the development of the Institute’s competencies and expertise incarrying out the missions entrusted to it to achieve a high level of control over nuclear risks.

Now that the European Union has welcomed 10 new
members, that the single electric power market isbeing created and a united European approach toresearch and expertise is gradually taking shape, IRSN
is increasing its focus on European construction andthe implementation of EU policies on nuclear safety
and radiation protection.

The ambition, expressed in March 2000 at the European Council in Lisbon (Portugal),to create a European
research area took an important step forward in 2003,
moving on from the 5th Framework Programme forresearch and technological development to the implementation of the 8th Framework Programme aimed
at reinforcing integrated research in Europe.

■ the management and extension of the service lifeof nuclear power plants (SPI project) and the management of severe accidents with, in particular, themodelling and validation of design codes, such as
the integrated Franco-German ASTEC code (COLOSS,
PHEBEN2 and EVITA projects);■ fuel cycle safety with, in particular, the BENIPA
project for the assessment of performances provided
by engineered clay barriers which could be used insome projects for radioactive waste storage in deep
geological repositories;■ radiation protection and work concerning, among
other things, risk assessment as regards;– exposures at low levels and low dose rate (“UMINERS- ANIMAL DATA” and RADON EPIDEMIOLOGY projects);– professional exposure (EVIDOS and IDEA projects);– exposure of members of the public and workers,
with the BIODOS internal dosimetry project whichaims to supply models that can be used to calculate
more realistically the doses received by workers andpopulations, taking into account all the specific physiological features of individuals;■ the management of a crisis outside the installation
concerned (ASTRID project on the development of amethod and computer tool to estimate discharges
in the event of an accident affecting a PWR).

In the context of the European Union’s 5th Framework Programme for research and technologicaldevelopment, IRSN took part in nearly 40 projects in2003 concerning:

The year 2003 was also noteworthy for IRSN’s
special effort in the field of studies on transfers ofradioactive materials in the environment, featuring
the following projects in particular:

Contributing to the establishmentof the European Research Area
Although it is essential that countries operating
nuclear installations should have suitable expertiseand pursue quality research in the field of nuclear
safety and radiation protection, it is now paramountto step up international co-ordination so as to ensurethat suitable research capabilities and instruments
exist and to achieve consensus on scientific andtechnical questions.

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I N T E R N AT I O N A L
R E L AT I O N SIRSN collaborates
with safety
and radiation
protection
organisations
from 29 countries:
Seminar on the start-up tests for a research reactor in Rabat(Morocco) between April 14 and 17, 2003.

BORIS which aims to improve the understandingof the mechanisms of radionuclide transfer from soil
to plants;■ FASSET which aims to develop a framework to assess
the effects of ionising radiation on organisms and theecosystem, and to prepare reference models for internal exposure, external exposure and dosimetry.

whether for experimental or technical projects. In thisway, it will contribute to maintaining adequate
research competencies and capabilities in Europe. It
will also contribute to promoting the development
and utilisation of the ASTEC design code on severe
accident sequences (see the chapter on “Safety ofplants, transportation and waste”, page 18).

Furthermore, the setting up of the SARNET networkof excellence to cover severe accidents, as part of
the 6th Framework Programme, demonstrates thewill of some 50 European organisations to permanently channel their action in accordance with the
integration policy decided upon by the European
Union. SARNET is destined to play a major role inidentifying the most relevant research topics and in
defining the conditions for work carried out in Europe,

Towards the convergence of technicalsafety practices in Europe■

Germany, Argentina,
Belgium, Belarus, Brazil,
Bulgaria, Canada,
China, South Korea,
Croatia, Cuba, Egypt,
Spain, United States,
Finland, Hungary,
India, Italy, Japan,
Morocco, Portugal,
Czech Republic,
Slovak Republic,
United Kingdom,
Russia, Slovenia,
Sweden, Switzerland
and Ukraine.

SearchApart from technical consensus on safety issues, thereis the question of harmonisation of the practices
implemented in European countries. This harmonisation comes up against existing rules and corresponding practices. Nevertheless, the challenges that must
now be met by nuclear safety and radiation protection
make it indispensable to strive for such harmonisation.

International co-operation
Highlights of 2003 included the strengthening of co-operation with BINE, Chinese expertise organisation, on safety
analysis, with the Chinese nuclear safety authority (ANSN) on the re-examination of safety and physical protection, andwith America’s NRC in the fields of fire testing and modelling. New projects were also started with India’s BARC research
centre, on the modelling of severe accidents and with the Moroccan nuclear expertise organisation, CNESTEN, in thefield of the assessment of the installations at the Maamora centre.
2003 also saw the stepping up of co-operation with AVN, the Belgian expertise organisation, in the field of crisis
management with the signing of a bilateral agreement in February 2003. IRSN also entered negotiations with the UK’s
NRPB and Germany’s BFS for the setting up of a biological dosimetry system that could be mobilised in the event ofa radiological incident. It also continued its co-operation with the Russian research organisations, IBRAE, and the
Kourchatov Institute, in the field of severe accidents.
Furthermore, a co-operation agreement on nuclear safety and radiation protection was signed with the Japanese
research institute, JAERI, in December 2003. The first actions started as a result concern the release of fission products
and criticality safety.

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RISKAUDIT
RISKAUDIT isa European groupof economic interest
founded in 1992
by IPSN and GRS
to co-ordinate joint
international projects.
Since its founding,
RISKAUDIT has
managed about one
hundred projects
involving its twoparent establishments
and other Europeanand American technicalsafety organisationsin the context ofprogrammes to provide
assistance to Eastern
European countries
in nuclear safety,
financed by theEuropean Commission
and EBRD. RISKAUDIT
has its headquarters in
Fontenay-aux-Roses(Hauts-de-Seine) andtwo permanent offices
in Moscow (Russia)
and Kiev (Ukraine).

IRSN, GRS and RISKAUDIT delegation visiting
the Chernobyl plant in September 2003.

Franco-Chinese seminar on fire protection, in Beijing, China,
in February 2003.

In this respect, essential work is being carried out inthe context of international groups of experts,
in which IRSN is a part, by the IAEA, NEA and theEuropean commission, in the context of bilateralcollaborations such as the one which led to the development of a Franco-German safety approach for the
EPR and another established at the end of 2003
with the Finnish safety authority (STUK) for theconstruction of a reactor of that type in Finland.

and discuss important safety issues on which there
are differing approaches and views in Europe.

EUROSAFE
Tackling the question of the convergence of safety
technical practices in Europe from another direction,
the EUROSAFE approach is beginning to bear fruit.
This scheme is backed by seven European safety
and radiation protection organisations: AVN(Belgium), CSN (Spain), GRS (Germany), HSE (United
Kingdom), IRSN (France), SKI (Sweden) and VTT(Finland).
The first step was to promote debate by allowing all
the parties concerned by nuclear safety and radiation
protection, including public authorities, manufacturers, operators, research and expertise institutes,
and representatives of civilian society, to identify

International organisations
International organisations play a major role in the preparation of international scientific and technical consensus, the furthering of knowledge
in the fields of radiation protection, nuclear safety and security, andin the development of international regulations. IRSN contributes tothe work of these organisations, especially IAEA and NEA, UNSCEAR
and CIPR. In this respect, IRSN participated in particular, in 2003, inthe strengthening of measures designed to prevent the radiologicalterrorist acts defined at the G8 summit in Evian and in programmes
conducted by IAEA.

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2 0 0 3This scheme is supported by three actions which, in
2003, led to the creation of:■ the EUROSAFE Forum which drew nearly 500 persons to its 5th meeting in Paris to discuss the topic
of “Expertise and nuclear safety in the face of thechallenges of European enlargement”;■ the EUROSAFE Tribune, issues 3 and 4 of which
covered the convergence of safety practices and thedismantling of power reactors, respectively;■ a website providing an interactive medium dedicatedto the EUROSAFE approach (www.eurosafe-forum.
org).
While continuing these actions, EUROSAFE is now
aiming to make research into operational recommendations a priority matter. The first step in thisdirection, taken in 2003, concerns the managementof scientific and technical knowledge held by European research and expertise organisations. This will
form the subject of an international workshop organised in Cologne in 2004.
With regard to more precise matters of safety,
EUROSAFE’s development is based on comparative
safety studies on topics of joint interest (thermal
fatigue, database comparisons, etc.) which have been
conducted by IRSN and GRS for several years withthe aim of finding points of convergence and thenidentifying and explaining the differences that exist
in safety approaches. The aim of this co-operation
which is aimed at furthering nuclear safety in Europe
was extended to include AVN (Belgium). In thiscontext, the three organisations conducted, in 2003,
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R E L AT I O N SIRSN representatives visit the China Experimental Fast Reactor (CEFR) near Beijing, China, in October 2003.

Searchinto consideration for the analysis of safety problems
encountered so as to promote the sharing of experience, the performance of joint or complementary
work, and the sharing of the results obtained.

For an improvement in nuclear safety
in Eastern Europe
Since the beginning of the 1990s, the international
community has developed extensive co-operation
with East European countries to improve the safetylevel of their installations. From the outset, theEuropean Union has played a major part in defining
and implementing that co-operation.

The French-German Initiative
for Chernobyl (FGI)The FGI programme aims to collect the technical data available on
the consequences of the Chernobyl accident for Ukraine, Belarus andRussia to build databases with three main themes: the safety of thesarcophagus, radionuclide transfers in the environment and the healthof populations. This programme, supervised by IRSN, GRS and the
Ukrainian Chernobyl Centre, mobilises some 30 organisations in thethree countries concerned. The databases on sarcophagus safety andradioecology (REDAC: Radioecological Database of Chernobyl) havebeen completed. In 2003, work was continued on the subject of healthand especially on the development of pathologies or health indicators
in exposed populations, eating habits and their consequences, and thepsychological effects on “liquidators”, and the input of the corresponding
data into the HEDAC database (Health Database After Chernobyl).
In addition, a website (www.fgi.icc.gov.ua) was set up in 2003 toallow the public to consult the general results obtained in the threefields studied.

In the field of the competency of safety organisations, this entails, in particular, the conducting ofassessments, the introduction or development of
statutory frameworks, the transfer of design codes
and training in their utilisation.
In partnership with GRS, IRSN is playing an active
part in the implementation of the European
Commission’s PHARE and TACIS programmes and theEuropean Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD).
In the context of contracts managed by RISKAUDIT,a subsidiary of IRSN and GRS, IRSN collaborated withother European technical safety organisations in 2003
in participating in the following projects:■ the continuation of the in-depth review of the safety
report on reactor No. 1 of Russia’s Kursk power plant(RBMK type reactor);■ the conducting of studies in connection with thedecommissioning of the Chernobyl power plant(Ukraine), reactors 1 and 2 of the Kozloduy power
plant (Bulgaria), the Ignalina 1 reactor (Lithuania) andthe Aktau power plant (Kazakhstan);■ the survey conducted for the reduction of risks associated with the Chernobyl sarcophagus;■ work carried out for the modernisation of Ukrainian
nuclear power plants, the completion of the construction of reactors Khmelnitski 2 and Rovno 4 in Ukraine,and the processing of waste from the Ignalina 2 reactor and the Smolensk power plant (Russia).
IRSN has also provided assistance for the Bulgarian,
Slovakian, Slovenian and Czech safety authorities.
Furthermore, in 2003, the Institute continued toprovide support for CENS which brings together thesafety organisations of Central and Eastern Europe
with the aim of promoting expertise capabilities inthat geographical area.

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Contributing to public information and trainingA

Searchmong the missions laid down in the decree implementing
the IRSN is public information and training in radiation

protection. Through this objective, the Institute reinforces
the action previously undertaken in communications and training.
Educational information campaigns should disseminate
the knowledge the IRSN has acquired in nuclear and radiation
protection. As far as training is concerned, it is a matterof formalising, promoting and teaching the Institute’s knowledge.
This is done via internal and external training sessions, teachingin outside organisations, supervising thesis and internships.

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SearchIRSN’s travelling exhibition.

seecover flap

MISSION

Information and communication
The IRSN’s missions include developing a culture of risks and nuclear risk prevention within society throughcommunication and information. They also involve developing the Institute’s reputation as an organisation devoted
to expertise and research in nuclear safety and radiation protection.

An Institute in full working order2003 was the year of the institutional creationof the IRSN and the implementation of a new organisation. This project mobilised the communications
department on several counts:■ internal support during the main stages of theimplementation process as soon as the Director
General arrived. The organisation of meetings with
the Chairman and the department heads, then all

Scientific events
As well the information and communication initiatives, the Communications Department took part in the organisation of scientific events:■ the CABRI and TAG (Technical Advisory Group) seminars (April 2 thenApril 3-4, Aix-en-Provence) which brought together 50 of the CABRI
programme partners, to take stock of the progress of the programme
and the test table;■ the 5th International Phébus FP seminar (June 24-27, Aix-en-Provence)
which brought together nearly 170 scientists to share the results of the
programme;■ a Charter drawn up with the ASN (French Nuclear Safety Authority)
aimed at improving the efficiency of relations and practices for evaluations related to the safety of basic nuclear installations was circulated
among IRSN employees;■ an American committee in charge of improving the waste management of low-level radioactive waste was hosted and European and Asianpractices were presented (September).

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2 0 0 3the personnel. The new organisation was presented
to the managerial staff on September 25 then to all
the personnel when it was implemented on October 15.The next day, the personnel discovered a new
Intranet in keeping with the organisation. Moreover,the signing of the company-wide agreement in May
gave rise to information work. Finally, in 2003 thefuture in-house newspaper was prepared (editorialline, sections, etc.);■ in November 2003, the missions and the organisation of the IRSN were presented to all those involvedin nuclear safety and radiation protection in France;■ a new visual identity and logo were designed toreinforce the new Institute’s image.

A new organisation for communication
As part of IRSN’s new organisation, the Communications Department, set up in 2002, adapted its action
to better fulfil the Institute’s missions and contributeto its notoriety.
After careful consideration, the Department drewup three basic missions:■ public information: educational initiatives to help
develop a culture of risk;■ relations with high-priority audiences: via communication campaigns directed at professionals working
in the environment, health, nuclear safety, the media,
etc.;■ in-house communications: to help federate andinform the teams.

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Inaugurating
the Les Angles
branchOne of the eventsin 2003 was theinauguration of the
Les Angles regional
IRSN branch in May inVilleneuve-lès-Avignon(Gard). It will group
together on the samesite the teams
previously working at
the Marcoule nuclear
centre and in Avignon.

Poster of IRSN’s travelling exhibition.

Search2003 initiatives

The general public

As in previous years, the communication campaigns
outside of the Institute concerned the generalpublic, the media and professionals working in theenvironment, health and nuclear safety.

As part of its public information mission, the IRSN
has presented a travelling exhibition for more than
15 years called “Keeping a Close Watch on Nuclear
Energy”. Produced by the IRSN and the DGSNR, thisexhibition aims to inform the general public, especially school children, about nuclear risks and to
explain the means implemented to reduce the risks.
In 2003, the exhibition was shown in Givet (Ardennes),
Arles (Bouches-du-Rhône) and Uchaud (Gard). It
attracted more than 4,300 visitors, 1,300 of whomwere school children.To complement the exhibitions,a series of conferences were organised on subjectsof general or local interest: in Arles for example, theradioactivity of Camargue sand was discussed. Amongother means of information, IRSN’s Internet site
continues to present in-depth features on radiation
protection, the safety of facilities confronted withearthquakes, nuclear accidents, plutonium management, etc. In 2003, people logged onto the Institute’s Internet site, which is now in French andEnglish, nearly 400,000 times. Finally, the IRSN
provides the public with a collection of booklets
on radon, transportation of radioactive material,radioactive waste, etc.

Professionals

Theradioactivityof Camargue
sand
In June 2003, whena report on the radioactivity of Camargue
sand was shown
on Envoyé spécial,a TV programme,
the IRSN sent an
information note to
the local government
and the local representatives concerned,
describing the action
and the research carriedout by the IRSN on thisphenomenon and theresults obtained.

Presenting the new internal organisation
on September 25 at the IRSN.

By taking part, as in previous years, in the POLLUTEC
Forum (December), the IRSN established contact
with professionals working in environmental fields.
It presented IRSN expertise and described theservices it can provide industrialists and local authorities. In collaboration with the BRGM, it also took
part in the Risks Forum organised by INERIS on thetheme of environmental safety. In addition, nearly
500 professionals working in nuclear safety werebrought together at the initiative of the IRSN,
the GRS (Germany) and the European ProgrammesCommittee as part of the EUROSAFE Forum (November). The aim of this meeting was to promote
the convergence of technical practices in relation
to safety with a view to creating a European centreof expertise.
Finally, in 2003 there was an increase in initiatives
directed at professionals working in the health sector.
Indeed, the IRSN was present at the MEDEC Forum(March) with a stand devoted to the follow-up of
workers and patients, the support given to medical
teams, Chernobyl, etc. and a roundtable on “patientsand health workers exposed to ionising radiation”.
In addition, during a roundtable held at the Entretiens de Bichat (September), the IRSN presented theconsensus that had recently been reached, under
the auspices of the IRSN, on the strategy to adopt
in the event of acute irradiation of a large numberof victims.

The media
The IRSN is regularly contacted by the media andit tries to reply to journalists requests as quickly as
possible. With a view to ensuring transparency andan educational approach, the IRSN keeps the media
informed of its activities and provides them within-depth files to help them understand events.
In 2003, these files dealt with the safety of nuclear
facilities confronted with earthquakes, the Chernobyl
accident and its consequences and how people canbe protected from ionising radiation.

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PhD students training at the IRSN.

see
cover flap

MISSION

Training
Among IRSN missions, training contributes to the development of skills.Whether it is teaching, training throughresearch or further professional training in the field of radiation protection, the Institute aims to disseminate
the acquired knowledge within its teams.

It is essential for a research organisation like the IRSN
to collaborate with university research laboratories.
Although the Institute is orientated towards acquiring knowledge related to its expertise, outside experts
should be able to check this research, analyse it,
evaluate it and enrich it with new ideas. Given thevery wide scope of its missions, the Institute should
call upon outside skills to complement its own skills.
Therefore, forming relationships with universities isa good way of developing and improving the skills
that are useful and essential to the IRSN. Finally,
through these relationships, IRSN experts can takepart in the training given at these universities andGrandes Ecoles and in this way enable the Instituteto acquire notoriety, attract young people and fulfil
its training mission.

the INSTN (Saclay, Essonne). In addition, IRSN staff
make a predominant contribution to some further
training sessions offered by the INSTN concerning
the ventilation of facilities, and the filtering of gaseous
waste, the evaluation of contaminant transfer, radioecology, the probabilistic safety assessment of PWR,
criticality safety and nuclear material management.

Training through research
Every year, the IRSN receives about twenty doctorands (18 in 2003) and fifteen post-doctorand trainees
who come to its laboratories to learn about research.
They, in return, bring their youthfulness, dynamism
and thirst for knowledge and naturally create special
relationships with the world of research. Therefore,
most of the advisors for the theses undertaken at
the IRSN are researchers from outside the Institute.

Teaching
IRSN employees take part in numerous further
training and initial training courses related to theirfield of skills. Thus, the IRSN supports a certain
number of training courses including: the Nuclear
module (technologies, safety and the environment)at the Ecole des Mines in Nantes (Loire-Atlantique),the Nuclear Energy module in the Industrial Risk
Control course at the ENSI in Bourges (Cher), theRadiation Protection module of the Health and Drug
Engineering Masters at the Joseph-Fourier University(Grenoble, Isère), the post graduate degree ‘Aerosol
Science and Air Contamination Engineering’ at ParisXII University and the Atomic Engineering course at

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2 0 0 3

Agreements with Universities
and Grandes Ecoles
When studies are carried out jointly with Universities
or Grandes Ecoles, cooperation agreements concerning the joint research and the hosting of trainees are
signed. In 2003, cooperation agreements were signedwith the Université Libre de Bruxelles (Belgium), theParis XIII University, ParisTech (all the Paris Grandes
Ecoles: Ecole des Mines, Ecole Nationale des Ponts et
Chaussées - ENPC, Ecole de Chimie, etc.), the Bourges
ENSI, the Nantes and Saint-Etienne Ecoles des Mines,
the INSTN.The subjects of these agreements are veryvaried. As examples, we can cite the modelling ofGB 52-80

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Searchradionuclide atmospheric dispersion, a research
project undertaken in collaboration with the CEREA(Research and Teaching Centre in Atmospheric
Environment) an ENPC research centre, or else thebehaviour of structural elements representing
a nuclear facility subjected to a violent explosion
undertaken in collaboration with the Bourges ENSI.

Further training in radiation protection
Helping provide certain exposed professionals withtraining in radiation protection is one of the Institute’s missions: to fulfil this mission the IRSN organisation implemented in October 2003, identifies thisfunction within the Department for Scientific andTechnical Evaluation and Quality (DESTQ).
This positioning clearly shows the relationshipbetween training and expertise/research, of which it
is a natural extension and line of development.
Training is a means of spreading the principles, rules
and methods of radiation protection to the various
groups of people who should most benefit from them,especially nuclear energy professionals and those
involved in the medical application of radiation.
During the last quarter of 2003, the IRSN defined
the main strategic directions of the radiation
protection training that it will give in 2004:■ further professional training is considered a priority;■ complementary to “training through research” andthe initial training given by IRSN researchers and engineers, it aims to promote the techniques and tools
capable of guaranteeing safety, minimising exposure
and optimising the dose received by patients andthe people around them in medical environments;■ the professional training offered by the IRSN should
aim to reconcile theory and practice, so that it canbe more easily put to use by those in charge ofpromoting radiation protection in companies andhealth facilities;■ drawing on the Institute’s activities, the professional training given by the IRSN should integrate
new standards and regulations and take recent
scientific and technical knowledge into account.

Cooperation agreements with the CNRSIn 2003, the IRSN signed a national cooperation agreement with the
CNRS. It has already led to two more specific agreements being signedwith CNRS laboratories in 2003 and several other agreements are being
defined. These two agreements concern:■ a study of the phenomenon whereby cobalt sulphide inhibits the
production of radiolytic gas during the irradiation of model organic
molecules (to simulate the irradiation of bitumen which is used tocoat some radioactive waste) with the IRC;
■ the thermo-mechanical behaviour of underground cavities subjected
to an internal temperature rise (this application concerns exothermic
radioactive waste stored deep in clay) with the Ecole Nationale desTravaux Publics de l’Etat (ENTPE).

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Quality at IRSN

SearchC

ontribute to the efficacy of the company’s management
and operations and demonstrate its technical andorganisational abilities to ensure the quality of its activities.
These are the objectives of the quality management
system begun by IRSN. The Institute’s goal is to obtain
ISO 9001 certification between now and 2006.

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SearchThe introduction of a quality management
system at IRSN
In 2003, IRSN launched a new project that consisted of establishing and introducing a quality management
system consistent with its objectives and its organisation, and in accordance with ISO 9001 version 2000. The goal
is to obtain the corresponding certification for the Institute’s activities between now and 2006.
A quality management system uses quality to support the company’s management and operations.
At its core, it is based on the identification of theprocesses that structure the company’s activities
and on the creation of mechanisms to control andensure the efficacy of these processes. It is then basedon a series of overall measurable objectives that areconsistent with the company’s strategic goals, aswell as on mechanisms to measure how these goals
are achieved. It is necessary to associate appropriate indicators with these objectives for measurement purposes.

AuditsIn 2003, 20 audits were carried out at IRSN. These audits were acontinuation of the work that had been carried out in previous years.
We would also like to point out that the introduction of the new
quality management system is expected to have two main consequences
on future audits:■ a gradual acceleration of the audit schedule, which, in particular in

2006, is expected to include a “blank” overall audit of the new system,
prior to the filing of the system’ application for certification;■ changes in audit methods: we will switch from the conformity audit(the main purpose of which is to detect discrepancies) to an efficacy
audit (the purpose of which will also be to assess the extent to which
the identified objectives have been achieved).

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2 0 0 3IRSN overall approach is structured in three major
phases:■ establishment of the system bases: characterisationof the processes and definition of the overall measurable objectives (end 2003-beginning 2004);■ deployment of the system: definition of goals andindicators in the units, preparation of performanceindicators, and introduction of improvement solutions(2004-2005);■ functioning of the system and probation period
before filing the certification application (2004-2006).
The year 2003 was devoted to the overall definitionof the Institute’s approach and identification of its
macro processes. Based on IRSN missions as they aredescribed in its Articles of Association, IRSN identified 7 operational macro processes, 5 management
macro processes and 6 support macro processes.

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SearchAccreditations and certifications
IRSN currently has 6 accredited units (ISO 17025) and 2 certified
units (ISO 9001 version 2000).
In 2003, the following units are certified:■ the CTHIR (Technical Approval, Instrumentation and Radioprotection
Centre) tracking audit did not identify any nonconformities;■ the SIAR (Radioprotection Intervention and Assistance Service)obtained the renewal of the certification, version 2000 of ISO 9001
(instead of ISO 9001 version 1994, which it held previously), plus an
extension of the scope of the certified activities (this now also
includes the measurement of samples by gamma spectrometry).

Cartographic representation of the Institute’s macro management, operational and support processes
Needs and expectationsof the interested parties
Establish and monitor
the implementationof the Institute’s strategy
and programmes

Customersatisfaction
Assessand promotescientificexcellence

Developinternalsynergies

Managethrough quality

Managethe Institute’s
communication

Satisfy the need for expertise and studies expressed by companies and the society’s other players
Acquire and maintain the skills, knowledge and resources needed for expertise and for the various types of work in question
Formalise, optimise the value of and teach the Institute’s knowledge
Provide technical support for public authorities
Participate in crisis and emergency situation management
Perform radiological monitoring of people and the environment
Contribute to inform the public about radiological and nuclear risks

Managehumanresources

Economic
and financial
management

Manageinformation
systems

Managecontracts

Manage health,safety andenvironmental
protection

I R S NA N N U A LManagegeneralservices

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SearchGlossaryA
ADEME Agence De
l’Environnement et de la Maîtrisede l’Energie (Agency for theEnvironment and Energy Control).

AEP Drinking water supply.
Aerosol Dispersion, in very fineparticles (about one micron),of a liquid or solid in a gas(air or oxygen).

AFNOR French standardization
institute.

AFSSA Agence Française deSécurité Sanitaire des Aliments(French Food Safety Agency).

ASTEC (Accident Source Term

BRGM Bureau de Recherche

CIREA Commission

Evaluation Code) Systemof computer codes developedin collaboration by IRSN and GRS
to assess physical phenomena
occurring during an accident ofcore meltdown of a pressurised
water reactor.

Géologique et Minière (Office for
Geological and Mining Research).

Interministérielle
des RadioEléments Artificiels(Interministerial Commission
for Artificial Radioelements).

produced by nuclear fissions ina fuel mass unit. It is measured inmegawatts-day per ton (MWj/t).

CLAIRE Design of a logic for

AVN Association Vinçotte
Nucléaire (Vinçotte Nuclear
Association) (Belgium).

C

CLI Local information commission.

Bfuel safety used by IRSN.

CABRI Test reactor concerning
CABRI CIP CABRI international

BARC Bhabba Atomic Research

program.

Centre (India).

CABRI REP-Na Water reactor
with sodium loop.

BDOMN Bordereaux deDéclaration d’Opération surMatières Nucléaires (Accounting
document notifying any operation
on nuclear materials).

CARMELA IRSN research program

CARMELO Combustion Armoiresde Sécurité Sanitaire
Environnementale (French Agency
for Environmental Safety).

Becquerel (Bq) Official
international unit for radioactivity
measurement. The becquerel (Bq)
is equal to one disintegration
per second.

Alpha (α symbol) radiation

BENIPA BENtonite barriers

composed of helium 4 nuclei,
highly ionising but not very
penetrating. A sheet of paper issufficient to stop alpha radiation.

in Integrated Performance
Assessment.

AFSSAPS Agence Française
de Sécurité Sanitaire des Produitsde Santé (French Agency for
the Safety of Health Products).

AFSSE Agence Française

AMANDE Accelerator for
metrology and neutronics
applications for external
dosimetry.

Beta (ß symbol) Radiation
composed of electronsof negative or positive charge.
A few-millimetre air screen ora simple sheet of aluminium
can stop this type of radiation.

on fires in nuclear facilities aimed
at gaining further insight into
electrical cabinet fires.
Electriques essais glObaux (Global
Test Electric Cabinet Combustion).

CAROL Camargue-RhôneLanguedoc, project for studying
the distribution of artificial
radionuclides in the Lower-Rhône
region.

CATHARE Advanced
thermal-hydraulic code applied
to pressurised water reactors.
CEA Commissariat à l’Energie
Atomique (Atomic Energy
Commission).

ANCLI Association Nationale
des Commissions Localesd’Information (French Associationof Local Information Commissions).

organisation.

CENS Centre d’Etudes Nucléairesde Saclay (Nuclear Research
Establishment of Saclay).

ANDRA Agence Nationale pour

BIODOS European program of

Cesium (Cs, atomic number 55)

la gestion des Déchets RAdioactifs(National Agency for Radioactifs
Waste Management).

researches in internal dosimetry.

Noble, toxic metal whosecharacteristics are comparable
to those of potassium.

ANS American Nuclear Society.

BLEVE Boiling Liquid Expanding
Vapour Explosion.

ANSN Asian Nuclear Safety
Network.

BfS Bundesamt für Strahlenschutz.
BINE Chinese expertise

BIPM International bureauof weights and measures.

BNEN Standardization bureau
for nuclear equipment.

BNI Basic Nuclear Installation.
BNM Bureau National de Métrologie

I R S NA N N U A L

R E P O R T

CHSCT Comité d’Hygiène
de Sécurité et des Conditions deTravail (Health, Safety and Working
Conditions Committee)
CHU Centre HospitaloUniversitaire (French University
Hospital).

(National Metrology Bureau).

Cicéron Centralised computerised

BORIS Bioavailability

accounting related to operations
on nuclear materials.

Of Radionuclides In Soil.

76

Burnup fraction Thermal energy

2 0 0 3the analysis and interpretationof results.

CNESTEN Centre Nationalde l’Energie des sciences
et des TEchniques Nucléaires(French National Centre
for Nuclear Energy, Sciences
and Techniques).
CNRS Centre Nationalde la Recherche Scientifique(French National Centre
for Scientific Research).

COFRAC French accreditationcommittee.
COGEMA COmpagnie GEnérale
des MAtières Nucléaires(French General Company
for Nuclear Materials).

COLOSS European project
devoted to the study of coredamage during a severe accident.

Containment building
or reactor building Leaktightconcrete building housing
the reactor pressure vessel,
primary system, steam generatorsand main auxiliaries ensuring
reactor safety.

Core Area of the nuclear reactor
where nuclear reactions occur.
CRISTAL New French criticality
code package developed as part ofa joint project between IRSN, CEA
and COGEMA. It aims at assessing
the criticality risk in all nuclear
facilities and transport packages
where fissile materials are used.
Criticality Risk of uncontrolled
fission phenomena in fissile
materials.

Criticality accident Uncontrolled
chain fission reaction triggered in
an environment containing fissile
materials such as uranium-235
or plutonium-239.

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Page 77

GLOSSARY

SearchCSM Centre de Stockagede la Manche(La Manche Storage Centre).

DRIRE Regional department
for industry, research andthe environment.

EPRI Electric Power and ResearchInstitute.

G

ERICA Environmental Risk

CSN Consejo de Seguridad

DRT Department for staff relations.

from Ionising Contaminants:
Assessment and management.

Gamma (γ symbol) Highly
penetrating but not very ionizing
electromagnetic radiation,
emitted by the disintegrationof radioactive elements.
This type of radiation is stopped
by concrete or lead screens.

Nuclear (Spain).

CSNI Committee on the Safetyof Nuclear Installations.

CSR Commission de Sûreté desRéacteurs (Reactor Safety
Commission).
CTC IRSN technical crisis centre.
CTHIR Technical Centre for

DSDRE Department for strategy,
development and external
relations (IRSN).

EURADOS European Radiation

DSND Delegate for nuclear safety

EURATOM EURopean ATOMic

and radiation protection
for activities and installations
concerned by defence (IRSN).

energy community.

DSV Department for veterinary
services.

Radiological protection
instrumentation approval.

D-T Deuterium-Tritium.

D

E

DECOVALEX DEveloppement

EAS Containment spray system.

of COupled models and their
VAlidation against EXperiments.

EBRD European Bank for

DEND Department for nuclear
defence expertise (IRSN).

DESTQ Department for scientificand technical evaluation andquality (IRSN).

DIAPLU PLUtonium behaviourin the DIAgenesis of marine
sediments.

DGA Délégation Générale pourl’Armement (French General
Delegation for Armament).

Reconstruction and Development.

ECC European Community
Commission.

Dosimetry Group.

GATeL Automatic generation

EURODIF European uraniumof tests from a lustre description.

enrichment by gaseous diffusion
plant.

EURSAFE European network
for Reduction of uncertainties
in severe accident safety issues.

GEA Atomic study group.

EVIDOS (Evaluation of Individual

for nuclear reactors.

Dosimetry in mixed neutronproton fields) Research program
funded by the European
Community.

GPU Standing advisory group

EVITA European validation

GPR Standing advisory groupof experts for plants.

GRNC Nord-Cotentin
radioecology group.
GRS Gesellschaft für
Anlagen- und Reaktorsicherheit(Germany).

of the integral code ASTEC.

EDF Electricité de France(French National Electric Utility).

F

ELISA Name given

FASSET Framework forto an experimental loop.

ASSessment of Environmental
ImpacT.

ENPC Ecole Nationale des Ponts
et Chaussées (French National
School of Bridges and Roads).

G-CSF Molecule involved in
the production of blood cells.

GSIEN Groupement deScientifiques pour l’Information
sur l’Energie Nucléaire
(French Group of Scientists for
Information on Nuclear Energy).

FGI French-German Initiative.

H

FLAMMES Computer codes
describing the evolutionof carbonated product fires
developed by IRSN.

HAT Human Alimentary Tractmodel.

ENTHALPY European corium
thermodynamic database.

FLIP Liquid fuel fire interacting

HFD High civil servant forfor energy and raw materials.

ENTPE Ecole Nationale

FP Research and development

DGSNR General department

des Travaux Publics de l’Etat(French National School for State
Public Building Works).

Framework Program (European
Community).

DGAC Direction Générale
de l’Aviation Civile(French Civil Aviation Authority).

DGEMP General department

for nuclear safety and radiation
protection.

DISPRO Near-field dispersion.
Diva Device for fire, ventilation
and airborne contamination.

Dosimetry Detection,by assessment or measurement,of the dose of radiation(radioactivity) absorbed
by a substance or a person.

DPPR Department for theprevention of pollution andmajor hazards.

ENSI Ecole Nationale Supérieured’Ingénieurs (French National
Higher School of Engineers).

ENVIRHOM IRSN health andenvironment research program
to study the effects of chronic
exposures to low-doseradionuclides.

with a wall.

Defence.

HSE Health and Safety Executive(United Kingdom).

Framatome Manufacturer ofnuclear steam supply systems.

I

Fuel assembly Cluster of fuel

IAEA International Atomic Energy
Agency.

rods, connected with a metallic
structure, used in nuclear reactors.

EOT Operational transport
section (IRSN).

IARC International Agency
for Research on Cancer.
IBRAE Nuclear safety institute of
the Russian Academy of Sciences.

EPIC Public establishment of anindustrial and commercial nature.

EPR European Pressurised Reactor.

I R S NA N N U A L

R E P O R T

2 0 0 377

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SearchGlossary (continued)
ICARE Interpretation of damaged

IPSN Institut de Protection et decores for water-cooled reactors:
computer code simulating thedegradation of a PWR core during
a severe accident.

Sûreté Nucléaire (French Institutefor Protection and Nuclear Safety).

ICHEMM European iodine
chemistry project.

ICPE Listed environmental
protection facility.

ICRP International Commission
on Radiological Protection.

IEC International ElectrotechnicalCommission.

IFREMER Institut Françaisde Recherche pour l’Exploitationde la MER (French ResearchInstitute for Exploitationof the Sea).

IGR Institut Gustave-Roussy(Gustave-Roussy Institute)(France).

IGS Institute of Geological
Sciences.

ILL Institut Laue-langevin(Laue-Langeving Institute)(France).
INBS Secret basic nuclear
installation.

INDOS INternal DOSimetry.
INERIS Institut Nationalde l’Environnement industriel
et des RISques (French National
Institute of the Industrial
Environment and Hazards).

INSERM Institut Nationalde la Santé et de la Recherche
Médicale (French National Healthand Medical Research Institute).

INSTN Institut Nationalla Catalyse (French ResearchInstitute on Catalysis).

IRSN Institut de Radioprotection
et de Sûreté Nucléaire (FrenchInstitute for RadiologicalProtection and Nuclear Safety).
IRSN-CHU Saint-Antoine(UPRES EA 1638) IRSN common
laboratory – French university
hospital belonging to the research
department for higher education
1638.
ISO International Organizationfor Standardization.

ISO 9001 European standard
for quality management systems.

Isotopes Elements whose atoms
have the same number ofelectrons and protons, but
a different number of neutrons.
They have the same name andthe same chemical properties
Around 325 natural isotopes and1,200 artificially created isotopes
are currently listed.

MEDD Ministry for ecology
and sustainable development.

JAERI Japan Atomic Energy
Research Institute.

JCT Joint Central Team.

L
LOCA Loss Of Coolant Accident.

InVs Institut de Veille sanitaire

to finance acts.

(French health watch institute).

LTCRA Cellular therapy
and accidental radiation
protection laboratory.

LOLF Organic law relating

2 0 0 3O

for professionals in the healthsector.

OECD Organisation for Economic

MINEFI Ministry of Economy,
Finance and Industry.

MIRA Inverse modelling of an
atmospheric release.

MOX Fuels of mixed uranium
and plutonium oxides.

MWe MegaWatt electric.

N
NEA OECD Nuclear Energy
Agency.

NOD-SCID
Line of immunodeficient mice.

(capable of undergoing a fission
reaction) used in a reactor todevelop a nuclear chain reaction.
After being used in a nuclear
reactor, this is referred
to as irradiated fuel.

Jtaken at all levels of design,
construction, operation anddecommissioning of the nuclear
installations to prevent accidents
and limit their effects.

OAR Radiation protection
assistance office (IRSN).

Nuclear fuel Fissile material

an experimental loop.

Nuclear safety Set of measures

MEDEC French trade fair

IVANA Name given todes Sciences de l’Univers(National Institute for Sciencesof the Universe).

R E P O R T

MCCI Molten-Core Concreteinteraction.

Experimental Reactor.

LMJ Laser MegaJoule.

A N N U A L

to an experimental loop

NRPB Nuclear Radiation
Protection Board.

INSU Institut National

I R S NMANON Name given

ITER International Thermonuclear

JNC Japan Nuclear Corporation.

des Sciences et Techniques
Nucléaires (National Institute for
Nuclear Science and Technology).

78

IRC Institut de Recherche sur

M

Nuclear materials Materials
which could be used to
manufacture a nuclear explosive
device They are defined from theirfissile (for a fission device), fusible(for a thermonuclear bomb),or fertile (capacity to produce
fissile or fusible materials)
characteristics. French legislation
retains six nuclear materials:
plutonium, uranium, thorium,
tritium, deuterium and lithium 6(deuterium and lithium 6 are notradioactive).

Cooperation and Development.

OPCW Organisation for theProhibition of Chemical Weapons.

OPERA Permanent environmental
radioactivity observatory.

OPRI Office de Protection contre
les Rayonnements Ionisants(French Office for Protection
against Ionising Radiation).

P
PHARE (Poland-Hungary
Assistance for Reconstructionof the Economy)
European assistance programfor reconstruction of Polishand Hungarian economies.
PHEBEN2 European project:
Validating severe accident codes
against PHEBus FP for plant
applications.
PHEBUS Experimental reactor.
PHEBUS-FP Research program
devoted to the study of fission
product (FP) behavior.

Phénix 250 MWe fast neutron
reactor.

PIC Common interest program.
PICSEL Propagation of solid fuelfire in a laboratory and plant
environment.

Plant unit Power production
unit including a boiler anda turbo-generator set. A nuclear
plant unit is mainly defined by
its type of reactor and the powerof its turbo-generator.

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Page 79

GLOSSARY

SearchPlutonium (Pu, atomic number
94). Transuranic chemical element.
The isotope 239 has a half lifeof 24,110 years.

REMOTRANS Remobilisation,

POLLUTEC International trade
fair for environment-related
equipment, technologies andservices for industry.

RIS Safety injection system.

Primary system Reactor coolant

SARA Automated monitoring

system operating in a closed
loop, comprising a seriesof components ensuring
the coolant fluid circulation
used to extract the heat given
off by the reactor core.

of aerosol radioactivity.

long distance transport andbioavailability of radionuclides
in marine Sediments.

S
SARNET Severe Accident
SCANAIR Computer system

PSA Probabilistic Safety Analysis.
PUI In-house emergency plan.

SEQUOIA Progressive quality

R
R & D Research and Development.
Radiation protection
Set of measures intended
to ensure health protectionof the population and workers
using ionising radiation sources.

Radioactivity Property of certain
chemical elements whose nuclei
spontaneously disintegrate into
other elements emitting ionisingradiation.

Radioelement Natural
or artificial radioactive element.

Radionuclide Radioactive isotopeof an element.

RAFT (Reactivity Accident Fuel
Test) IRSN research program
developed in collaboration with
EDF and JNC (Japan) concerning
the safety of fast neutron reactors.

RBMK Graphite reactors fromthe ex-Soviet Union.

V

Technical Centre (Ukraine).

STARMANIA Station for the
study of airborne contaminationtransfer and mechanical strength
under incident and accident
conditions.

STUK Finnish safety authority.
SYMBIOSE SYstemic approach for

VTT Finnish organisation
for safety studies.

system – IRSN’s goal forthe future.

SESAME Accident situation
progression plan and assessment
methods - computer systemdeveloped by IRSN.
SIAR Radiation protection
response and assistance service(IRSN).
SID Decision-making Information
System (IRSN).

SIEVERT Information
and assessment systemof the exposure to cosmic
radiation during flights.
SIGIS Source inventory
information and management
system.

SILENE IRSN experimental reactor
used for criticality experiments.

TACIS (Technical Assistance for
Commonwealth of Independent
States) European assistanceprogram for the reconstructionof economies in the new
independent States.
Technicatome Engineering
company specialised in safetysystems and control of severe
environments.

THE Very high efficiency.
THM Thermo-hydromechanics.
TRANSAT Atmosphere watertransfer.

U
UEM Unit of expertise in medical
radiation protection.
UES Source expertise unit.
UIAR Ukrainian Instituteof Agricultural Radiology.

SIMEVENT Ventilation simulation
software developed as part ofa joint project between IRSN,
SGN and COGEMA.

UMINERS-ANIMAL DATASIP Shelter Implementation Plan.

Scientific Committee on
the Effect of Ionising Radiation.

Animal data related to uranium
miners.

UNSCEAR United Nations

UO2 Uranium dioxide.

SKI Statens Kärnkraftinspektion

US-NRC American Nuclear Safety

REDAC RadioEcological Database(Sweden).

Commission.

After Chernobyl.

SNLE Nuclear-powered ballistic
missile submarine.

remobilization in the Rhône
prodelta.

Waste.

T

rules for electrical equipment.

REMORA Radionuclide

VLLW Very-Low Level radioactive

Modelling the fate of chemicals in
BIOSphere and Ecosystems.

SISERI Ionising radiation exposure
monitoring information system.

RCC-E Design and construction

VITRA Name given to
an experimental loop.

Research NETwork.
for the analysis of IRSN injection
reactivity accidents.

PWR Pressurised Water Reactor.

SSTC State Scientific and

SPA Spent fuel disposal
performance assessment.

I R S NA N N U A L

R E P O R T

2 0 0 379

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Page 80

IRSN sites: workforces, activities

SearchBeaumont – La Hague■ Environment

Octeville – Cherbourg
Workforce: 15 employees ■ Environment

AngersWorkforce: 1 employee ■ Environment

Le Vésinet
Workforce: 156 employees ■ Environment and response■ Human radiation protection

Clamart (IRSN head office)Workforce: 191 employees – Staff departments
Fontenay-aux-Roses
Workforce: 698 employees – Operational activities■ Defence nuclear expertise ■ Environment and response■ Prevention of major accidents ■ Human radiation protection■ Reactor safety ■ Safety of plants, laboratories,
transportation and waste

Orsay
Workforce: 15 employees ■ Environment

SaclayWorkforce: 42 employees ■ Safety of plants, laboratories,
transportation and waste ■ Prevention of major accidents

La Seyne-sur-Mer
Workforce: 4 employees ■ Environment

Cadarache
Workforce: 287 employees ■ Environment■ Prevention of major accidents■ Human radiation protection ■ Defence nuclear expertise

TahitiLes Angles – Avignon
Workforce: 24 employees ■ Environment and response■ Safety of plants, laboratories, transportation and waste.

PierrelatteWorkforce: 23 employees ■ Response■ Human radiation protection

Agen
Workforce: 4 employees ■ Environment and response

Mahina (Tahiti)
Workforce: 2 employees ■ Environment

See the details of IRSN sites on the flap hereof.

80

I R S NA N N U A L

R E P O R T

2 0 0 3

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Page 1

Contents

SearchSites
Head Office: Clamart – FRANCE
77-83, avenue du Général-de-Gaulle
92140 Clamart
Tel. +33 (0)1 58 35 88 88

The institutional section

Agen
BP 27 – 47002 Agen Cedex
Tel. +33 (0)5 53 48 01 60

1 A short description of the IRSN
Editorials

Angers39, rue Joachim-du-Bellay
49000 Angers
Tel. +33 (0)2 41 87 83 21

2 • Foreword of the Chairman
and the Director General

4 • Foreword of the Assistant Director
General in charge of defence-related
missions

Beaumont – La Haguerue du Vieux Chemin – BP 224
50 442 Beaumont-Hague Cedex
Tel.: +33 (0)2 33 01 05 61
Cadarache
BP 313115 Saint-Paul-lez-Durance Cedex
Tel. +33 (0)4 42 25 70 00

Annual report

Fontenay-aux-Roses
BP 17 – 92262 Fontenay-aux-Roses
Tel. +33 (0)1 58 35 88 88

IRSN in 2003

CHAPTER 3

52 Defence nuclear expertise54 • Physical protection of nuclear
installations and transportation

56 • Accounting of nuclear materials
58 • Assessment of the safetyof the Laser Megajoule installation

59 • Assessment of the SNLE Le Vigilant
CHAPTER 4

60 International relations
62 • IRSN’s role in European construction

ANNUAL REPORT 2003

Le Vésinet
31, rue de l’Écluse – BP 35
78116 Le Vésinet
Tel. +33 (0)1 30 15 52 00
Les Angles – Avignon
550, rue de la Tramontane
BP 70295 – Les Angles
30402 Villeneuve-lès-Avignon Cedex
Tel. +33 (0)4 90 26 11 00
MahinaBP 519 Tahiti Papeete, French Polynesia
Tel. +33 (0)0 689 481 707

Orsay
Bois des Rames (bât. 501)
91400 Orsay
Tel. +33 (0)1 69 85 58 40

Challenges, strategies, organisation• IRSN missions• The challenges facing IRSN
• IRSN organisation• IRSN organisation chart• Board of Directors

13 • Activity 2003 - Key figures
14 • Main events

La Seyne-sur-Mer
zone portuaire Bregaillon – BP 330
83507 La Seyne-sur-Mer Cedex
Tel. +33 (0)4 94 30 48 29

Octeville – Cherbourg
BP 10 – rue Max-Pol-Fouchet
50130 OctevilleTel. +33 (0)2 33 01 41 00

5
6
10
11
12

CHAPTER 2
Human and Environment Protection• Chronic risks and radioactivity• Crisis management• Workers and public supervision
with regard to radiation protection48 • Medical management of a large numberof accidentally exposed individuals
51 • Radiation protection assessment
in EDF nuclear plants

38
40
42
44

Siège OfficesocialHead
77-83, avenue
avenue dudu Général-de-Gaulle
Général-de-Gaulle
77-83,
92140 CLAMART
CLAMART – FRANCE
92140
Téléphone
Telephone(33)1(0)1
58 35
+33
58 88
35 88 88

PierrelatteBP 166 – 26702 Pierrelatte Cedex
Tel. +33 (0)4 75 50 40 00

Courrier
Mail
B.P. 17 – 92262 Fontenay-aux-Roses Cedex – FRANCE

SaclayBP 68 – 91192 Gif-sur-Yvette Cedex
Tel. +33 (0)1 69 08 60 00

Site Internet
IRSN
Websitede l’IRSN
www.irsn.org

Activities in 2003
18
20
22
24
27
28
29
30
32
34
36

CHAPTER 1
Safety of civilian installations,transportation and waste• Risk of blockageof PWR containment sumps• Assessment of instrumentationand control software• Ageing of pressurised water reactors
and safety assessment for third
10-yearly outage programmes• Experimental programmes on fire
• CABRI REP-Na programme• Examination of safety options
for the ITER installation• Research on the Middle Durance fault• SARNET, European networkof excellence for severe accidents• Expertise in the field of geologicaldisposal of radioactive waste• European project on allowancefor the criticality risk in packages
transporting actinides

CHAPTER 5

66 Contributing to public informationand training

68 • Information and communication
70 • Training
CHAPTER 6

72 Quality at IRSN
74 • The introduction of a quality
management system at IRSN

76 Glossary
80 IRSN sites

Human Resources andFinance Ledger 2003
(End-of-document insert)

GB CV

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11:39

Page 2The 7 missions of IRSN*
Research and public service missions

IRSN’s fields of competence
Defence nuclear expertise
Environment and responsen Prevention of major accidentsn Human radiation protectionn Reactor safety
n Safety of plants, laboratories, transportation and wastennDefining and implementing
national and international
research programmes

Contributing to training
in radiation protection

IRSN coordination
Department for Strategy,
Development and External Relations
Communications Department

Editorial Board
DG:
D. Quéniart
SG/DAF:
D. Demeillers
DSDRE:
F. Ducamp, E. Mur
DESTQ:
F. Bretheau
DCOM:
ML. de Heaulme, H. Fabre
DEI:
N. Chaptal-Gradoz
DEND:
Y. Souchet
DPAM:
M. Adroguer
DRPH:
J. Aigueperse/J. Brenot
DSR:
A. Dumas
DSU:
P. Cousinou

Research and public service missionsn Defining and implementing national

and international research programmes
Permanent monitoringin matters of radiation
protection

Informing the publicn Contributing to training in radiation protectionn Permanent monitoring in matters of radiation protectionn Informing the public

Missions of technical support
and assistance for public authorities

Technical support
in matters of nuclear
and radiological risk

Operational support
in the event of a crisis
or radiological emergency

Contractual services of expertise,research and measurement

Collaborations:• European and International collaborations: European Commission, GRS, BfS(Germany), NRPB, HSE (England), NRC (USA), Nupec and Jaeri (Japan),
Kurtchatov Institute (Russia)• For the drawing up of technical standards: ICRP, ICRU, IEC, IAEA, Unscear,
ISO, OECD/NEA…
• In France: CEA, CNRS, universities, engineering schools, BRGM, IFREMER,
INRA, Ineris, research hospital structures, agencies (Afssaps, InVS…)

Missions of technical support and assistancefor public authoritiesn Technical support in matters of nuclear and radiological riskn Operational support in the event of a crisis or radiological emergency

for: • DGSNR • DSND • High Civil Defence Servant for Industry • DPPR
• DRT • CEA (Department for International Relations)• DGEMP • Afssaps…

Carrying out expert
appraisals, research andworks for public or privateorganisations.

Contractual services of expertise,research and measurementn Carrying out expert appraisals, research and works

for public or private organisations* These pictograms appear before articles in the section “Activities in 2003” to indicate
the missions corresponding to the activity discussed. The description of these missions
appears on page 5 of this document.

for: • Local information commissions• Industrials• European Commission

The 7 missionsof IRSN

Writing
IRSN with the cooperation of Camille Jaunet (La Clé des mots)
and Jean-Christophe Hédouin
Graphic design and coordination
Wprintel
Production assistance
LAO Conseil
Printing
OPAG
Photography credits
Cover page: Médiathèque EDF, Thomas Gogny, Cogema/Sydney
Jezequel (from top to bottom)
Pages 2-4: Vincent Leloup
Pages 18-19: COGEMA/ Jean-Marie Taillat (truck)
Page 20: IRSN
Page 21: Ph. Pauquet Claude/Framatome ANP (left), IRSN
(right)Page 22: ESA/Concorde Europe Film (left),
CNES/ESA/Arianespace (right)
Pages 23-24-25-26: Médiathèque EDF
Page 27: Illustration - Stéphane Jungers (left), IRSN (right)
Page 28: IRSN
Page 29: ITER
Page 30: IRSN
Page 31: IRSN
Pages 32-33: Illustrations - Stéphane Jungers
Page 34: Médiathèque EDF (left), IRSN (right)
Page 35: IRSN
Pages 36-37: COGEMA/ Jean-Marie Taillat

Pages 38-39: Médiathèque EDF
Page 40: IRSN (left and right), Phox Photo Provence/
M. le Senechal (centre)
Page 41: Illustration - Stéphane Jungers
Page 42: Patrick Méjean - Fluid mechanic and acoustics
Laboratory of the Ecole Centrale in Lyon, UMR 5509 (left),
IRSN (right)
Page 43: IRSN
Pages 44-45-46: Claude Cieutat
Page 47: Thomas Gogny (left), Médiathèque EDF (right)
Page 48: IRSN
Page 49: IRSN and IGR
Page 50: IRSN
Page 51: Médiathèque EDF
Pages 52-53: DCN/Marine Nationale
Page 54: Médiathèque EDF
Page 55: COGEMA/ Jean-Marie Taillat (left),
Médiathèque EDF (right)
Page 56: COGEMA/Sidney Jezequel
Page 57: IRSN (left), COGEMA/Philippe Lesage (right)
Page 58: Geney-Burdin/CEA (left), CEA/Gonin (right),
CEA (bottom)
Page 59: DCN/Marine nationale
Pages 60-61: Photononstop
Page 62: Médiathèque EDF (left), Thomas Gogny (right)
Page 63: IRSN
Page 64: Riskaudit (left), IRSN (right)
Page 65: IRSN
Pages 66-67-68: Thomas Gogny
Page 69: Médiathèque EDF/Marc Morceau (left), IRSN (right)
Pages 70-71: Thomas Gogny
Pages 72-73: Photononstop
Page 75: Stéphane Jungers
Insert page 3: IRSN
© Communication IRSN
ISSN No. and copyright in progressGB CV

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Page 1

Contents
Sites
Head Office: Clamart – FRANCE
77-83, avenue du Général-de-Gaulle
92140 Clamart
Tel. +33 (0)1 58 35 88 88

The institutional section

Agen
BP 27 – 47002 Agen Cedex
Tel. +33 (0)5 53 48 01 60

1 A short description of the IRSN
Editorials

Angers39, rue Joachim-du-Bellay
49000 Angers
Tel. +33 (0)2 41 87 83 21

2 • Foreword of the Chairman
and the Director General

4 • Foreword of the Assistant Director
General in charge of defence-related
missions

Beaumont – La Haguerue du Vieux Chemin – BP 224
50 442 Beaumont-Hague Cedex
Tel.: +33 (0)2 33 01 05 61
Cadarache
BP 313115 Saint-Paul-lez-Durance Cedex
Tel. +33 (0)4 42 25 70 00

Annual report

Fontenay-aux-Roses
BP 17 – 92262 Fontenay-aux-Roses
Tel. +33 (0)1 58 35 88 88

IRSN in 2003

CHAPTER 3

52 Defence nuclear expertise54 • Physical protection of nuclear
installations and transportation

56 • Accounting of nuclear materials
58 • Assessment of the safetyof the Laser Megajoule installation

59 • Assessment of the SNLE Le Vigilant
CHAPTER 4

60 International relations
62 • IRSN’s role in European construction

ANNUAL REPORT 2003

Le Vésinet
31, rue de l’Écluse – BP 35
78116 Le Vésinet
Tel. +33 (0)1 30 15 52 00
Les Angles – Avignon
550, rue de la Tramontane
BP 70295 – Les Angles
30402 Villeneuve-lès-Avignon Cedex
Tel. +33 (0)4 90 26 11 00
MahinaBP 519 Tahiti Papeete, French Polynesia
Tel. +33 (0)0 689 481 707

Orsay
Bois des Rames (bât. 501)
91400 Orsay
Tel. +33 (0)1 69 85 58 40

Challenges, strategies, organisation• IRSN missions• The challenges facing IRSN
• IRSN organisation• IRSN organisation chart• Board of Directors

13 • Activity 2003 - Key figures
14 • Main events

La Seyne-sur-Mer
zone portuaire Bregaillon – BP 330
83507 La Seyne-sur-Mer Cedex
Tel. +33 (0)4 94 30 48 29

Octeville – Cherbourg
BP 10 – rue Max-Pol-Fouchet
50130 OctevilleTel. +33 (0)2 33 01 41 00

5
6
10
11
12

CHAPTER 2
Human and Environment Protection• Chronic risks and radioactivity• Crisis management• Workers and public supervision
with regard to radiation protection48 • Medical management of a large numberof accidentally exposed individuals
51 • Radiation protection assessment
in EDF nuclear plants

38
40
42
44

Siège OfficesocialHead
77-83, avenue
avenue dudu Général-de-Gaulle
Général-de-Gaulle
77-83,
92140 CLAMART
CLAMART – FRANCE
92140
Téléphone
Telephone(33)1(0)1
58 35
+33
58 88
35 88 88

PierrelatteBP 166 – 26702 Pierrelatte Cedex
Tel. +33 (0)4 75 50 40 00

Courrier
Mail
B.P. 17 – 92262 Fontenay-aux-Roses Cedex – FRANCE

SaclayBP 68 – 91192 Gif-sur-Yvette Cedex
Tel. +33 (0)1 69 08 60 00

Site Internet
IRSN
Websitede l’IRSN
www.irsn.org

Activities in 2003
18
20
22
24
27
28
29
30
32
34
36

CHAPTER 1
Safety of civilian installations,transportation and waste• Risk of blockageof PWR containment sumps• Assessment of instrumentationand control software• Ageing of pressurised water reactors
and safety assessment for third
10-yearly outage programmes• Experimental programmes on fire
• CABRI REP-Na programme• Examination of safety options
for the ITER installation• Research on the Middle Durance fault• SARNET, European networkof excellence for severe accidents• Expertise in the field of geologicaldisposal of radioactive waste• European project on allowancefor the criticality risk in packages
transporting actinides

CHAPTER 5

66 Contributing to public informationand training

68 • Information and communication
70 • Training
CHAPTER 6

72 Quality at IRSN
74 • The introduction of a quality
management system at IRSN

76 Glossary
80 IRSN sites

Human Resources andFinance Ledger 2003
(End-of-document insert)