Enhancing nuclear safety

ANNUAL REPORT

2 11Head office31, avenue de la Division Leclerc
92260 Fontenay-aux-Roses
RCS Nanterre B 440 546 018
Telephone+33 (0)1 58 35 88 88
Mailing address
BP 17
92262 Fontenay-aux-Roses Cedex
Websitewww.irsn.fr

ENHANCING NUCLEAR SAFETYIN FRANCE AND AROUND THE WORLDIRSN, a public authority with industrial and commercial activities, was set up under Article 5
of French Act No. 2001-398 of May 9, 2001, enacted through Order No. 2002-254 of February
22, 2002. This Order was amended on April 7, 2007 . The Institute is placed under the joint
authority of the Ministries of Defense, the Environment, Industry, Research, and Health.
It is the nation’s public service expert in nuclear and radiation risks, and its activities cover all
the related scientific and technical issues. Its areas of specialization include the environmentand radiological emergency response, human radiation protection in both a medical and professional capacity, and in both normal and post-accident situations, the prevention of major
accidents, nuclear reactor safety, as well as safety in plants and laboratories, transport andwaste treatment, and nuclear defense expertise.
IRSN interacts with all parties concerned by these risks (public authorities, in particular nuclear
safety and security authorities, local authorities, companies, research organizations, stakeholders’ associations, etc.) to contribute to public policy issues relating to nuclear safety, human andenvironmental protection against ionizing radiation, and the protection of nuclear materials,
facilities, and transport against the risk of malicious acts.

HUMAN RESOURCESBUDGET

1,718 (1)282 €M

employees, including many
specialists, such as engineers,
doctors, agronomists, veterinarians,
technicians, experts and researchers,with 36 doctors or persons qualified
to direct research. IRSN is also
the place of work of:spent by IRSN in 2011:

■

■

■

■

40.2% of budget devoted toresearch,
50.2% of budget allocated totechnical support and public
service missions.

71 (2) doctorate students,
21 (2) post-doctorate students.

(1) This workforce consists of 1,614 persons on permanent contracts and 104 on fixed-term contracts (including 56 persons assigned
to other organizations, but excluding 25 temporary assignments).
(2) Expressed in full-time equivalent terms.

IRSN ANNUAL REPORT 2011

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CONTENTS

1/ ORGANIZATION/ Foreword
Agnès Buzyn
Jacques Repussard
Michel Brière/ Key events/ Major reports published/ Activity: key figures/ IRSN organization chart/ Board of Directors/ Steering Committee for the
Nuclear Defense Expertise Division/ Scientific Council/ Ethics Commission/ Nuclear Safety and Radiation Protection
Research Policy Committee

P. 06
P. 07
P. 09
P. 10
P. 13
P. 14
P. 16
P. 18
P. 19
P. 20
P. 20
P. 21

2/SUMMARY AND STRATEGY/ Progress and main activities in 2011
/ Transparency and communications policy/ Promoting a safety and radiation protection culture2

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P. 24
P. 32
P. 34

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3/ACTIVITIESSAFETY

P. 36

Safety of existing facilities

P. 38
P. 38
P. 44
P. 45
P. 47
P. 48
P. 49
P. 52
P. 55
P. 55
P. 56

/ Monitoring reactors/ Monitoring fuel cycle facilities and experimental reactors/ Containment and fire
/ Natural hazards/ Fuels/ Accidents/ About defense
Conducting assessments of future facilities/ Future waste repositories/ Reactors of the future

SECURITY AND NON-PROLIFERATION

P. 58/ Protection against malicious act/ Activities of the advisory committees/ Assessment and inspection activities/ Transport of nuclear materials/ Emergency exercises/ Security of radioactive sources/ International activities/ International non-proliferation inspections

P. 58
P. 59
P. 59
P. 60
P. 60
P. 60
P. 61
P. 62

RADIATION PROTECTION – ENVIRONMENT AND HUMAN HEALTH

P.64/ Environmental and population exposure/ Environmental monitoring/ Metrology/ Polluted sites and soils/ Radioecology/ Radiation protection in the workplace/ Effects of chronic exposure/ Protection in healthcare

P. 64
P. 64
P. 64
P. 65
P. 67
P. 68
P. 71
P. 73

EMERGENCY AND POST-ACCIDENT SITUATIONS

P. 76/ Radiological accidents and incidents/ Tools and resources

P. 76
P. 77

Nuclear accident at Fukushima-Daiichi
Timeline of IRSN actions

P. 40

4/ EFFICIENCY/ Control and operation/ Health, safety, environmental protection, and quality/ Human resources

P. 82
P. 83
P. 84

/ GLOSSARY/ FINANCIAL REPORT AT THE END OF THE ANNUAL REPORT/ IRSN SITE DETAILS ON FLAPP. 86

IRSN ANNUAL REPORT 2011

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01 / ORGANIZATIONO1/PARIS – FRANCE (November 7-8)
IRSN, WITH THE SUPPORT OF ITS GERMAN
AND BELGIAN COUNTERPARTS, ORGANIZEDTHE EUROSAFE 2011 FORUM, ENTITLED“NUCLEAR SAFETY, NEW CHALLENGES,GAINED EXPERIENCE AND PUBLICEXPECTATIONS”. ONE OF THE KEY ISSUESADDRESSED BY THE FORUM WAS THE NEEDTO UPDATE SAFETY METHODS BASED ON
LESSONS LEARNED FROM THE FUKUSHIMAACCIDENT.

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FOREWORDAGNÈS BUZYNJACQUES REPUSSARDMICHEL BRIÈRE

P. 06
P. 07
P. 09

KEY EVENTS

P. 10

MAJOR REPORTS PUBLISHED

P. 13

ACTIVITY: KEY FIGURES

P. 14

IRSN ORGANIZATION CHART

P. 16

BOARD OF DIRECTORSP. 18

STEERING COMMITTEE FOR
THE NUCLEAR DEFENSE EXPERTISE DIVISION

P. 19

SCIENTIFIC COUNCIL

P. 20

ETHICS COMMISSION

P. 20

NUCLEAR SAFETY AND RADIATION PROTECTIONRESEARCH POLICY COMMITTEE

P. 21

ORGANIZATIONIRSN ANNUAL REPORT 2011

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01 / ORGANIZATION / FOREWORD

organization with interdisciplinary expertise in the fields of safety,
radiation protection and the environment, could be more effective
in responding to an accident situation and answering the generalpublic’s concerns. IRSN’s unique interdisciplinary expertise wasrecognized as a major asset all over the world, including in Japan.
At the end of 2011, the Institute made some organizational changes
to reinforce this interdisciplinary approach at the operational level.

2011 – IRSN COMES OF AGE.
AGNÈS BUZYN,CHAIRPERSONIn less than ten years, IRSN has built up an audience andgained genuine recognition among the general public andauthorities alike.
The accident at Japan’s Fukushima nuclear power plant made 2011a year in which IRSN had to capitalize on the many resources of
all its divisions to report on developments in the situation on the
ground (under considerable media pressure), perform complementary safety assessments within tight deadlines, and start thinking
ahead to the “post-Fukushima” period. This sustained effort in 2011
was rewarded by recognition from our supervisory authorities andsupport in terms of concrete resources. Despite its close involvement in responding to this emergency, the Institute remained
determined to fulfill all its “traditional” obligations as effectively as
always, and consolidated its position as a major institutional playeron the national and international nuclear safety scene. The range
and scale of the actions carried out and described in this annual
report are ample proof of this.
The quality of its experts’ work during the nuclear emergency in Japan also enabled IRSN to gain credibility with thegeneral public. The Institute put all its scientific expertise to work,
adopting an educational and transparent approach. The dramatic
events at Fukushima thus helped to reinforce the dynamic strategy
of opening up to society that IRSN had already been following forseveral years.
While its expertise was clearly demonstrated during the Fukushima
accident, it was also important for the Institute to learn some lessons from events in the past year concerning both its assessment
activities and its research work.

The complementary safety assessments (or “stress tests”)
performed in the wake of Fukushima were a concrete example of how a risk assessment organization could set standards
and provide technical support to meet the need for continuous
improvement in the field of nuclear safety and radiation protection
through tangible changes. It was within this context that the “hardened safety core” concept emerged from discussions between
nuclear operators and IRSN. The material effect of this will bestronger defense in depth in France, and I know that the Institutewill be keen to defend the need for this with its counterpartsaround the world.
As soon as feedback from the accident began to arrive, IRSN
set to work to determine how it should adjust its research
programs. Research is a major component of assessment in its
own right, helping to bring about sustainable improvements insafety. The next few years should see IRSN’s scientific objectives
and research projects begin to take a new direction, particularly
concerning mitigation, reactor lifetime extension and low-dose
ionizing radiation. In order for this work to meet with success, theresearch requirements identified by the Institute based on feedback from Fukushima must be brought to the fore. This will mean
entering into partnerships with national research organizations
and, more importantly, pooling international resources. In retrospect, this justifies all the effort the Institute has devoted to international activities in recent years, in particular, the involvement of
its research teams in European research programs in these areas.
Lastly, during the dramatic events of last year, IRSN’s
experts and researchers were able to measure their individual responsibility and the impact of their day-to-day workin the Institute’s public service activities aimed at driving progressin nuclear safety and protecting the population. I am sure that all
IRSN’s employees will find a lasting source of motivation in theirpersonal share of responsibility in the Institute’s research andassessment work.
The recognition of IRSN as one of the world’s foremost players innuclear safety was thus confirmed in 2011, and the Institute wasable to demonstrate its maturity as an assessment and researchorganization. This year’s annual report provides an account of
the full range of the Institute’s achievements in this area, in all its
divisions.

This major nuclear emergency and its impact on humanhealth and the environment highlighted the fact that a single

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safety and radiation protection, in order to draw lessons fromthe accident.
I would like to take this opportunity to pay tribute to all
those at the Institute who played a part in this outstanding
effort, both in France and Japan. IRSN’s response to events at
Fukushima and its role as one of the world’s leading analysts of
the accident and its radiological impact demonstrate that theInstitute’s strategy, which it has been developing for nearly ten
years now, has taken it in the right direction.

ENHANCING NUCLEAR
SAFETY: A NEEDHIGHLIGHTED BY THE
FUKUSHIMA DISASTER
JACQUES REPUSSARD, DIRECTOR GENERALThe year 2011 will remain overshadowed by the tragedy
that struck Japan when a powerful tsunami hit the coast of
Honshu, destroying three of the six reactors at the FukushimaDaiichi nuclear power plant, and leading to the long-term evacuation of tens of thousands of people from a radiologicallycontaminated region covering hundreds of square miles.
Fukushima was the third major incident involving nuclear
safety on a global scale, after the Three Mile Island accident
in the USA in 1979, and the Chernobyl disaster in the Soviet
Union in 1986. It came as a tragic reminder that we must neverdrop our guard when it comes to risk control, whether in nuclear
safety or other areas.
All through the weeks and months following the accident,
IRSN’s teams worked hard to monitor developments in realtime, to understand what was happening and forecast probableconsequences as accurately as possible, in order to provide theFrench authorities and all other parties concerned with regularly
updated information and practical guidance where necessary. At
the height of the emergency and in the midst of great concern,
this work involved performing the most accurate analyses possible for the French community in Japan, to assess uncertainties
as to whether more major quakes could lead to further severe
consequences, and to assess the exact situation at nuclear sitesthat had been damaged by the tsunami. This annual reportsets out to provide an exact account of events at Fukushima,
together with a summary of IRSN’s analyses of the situation. In
the last months of 2011, the Institute started working with the
JAEA to assess environmental contamination in some parts of
the Fukushima Prefecture. IRSN was also involved in developing international scientific partnerships in the field of nuclear

IRSN ANNUAL REPORT 2011

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IRSN follows a policy of scientific and technical excellencein the fields of safety and radiation protection. Its research
work is aimed at learning more about major accident phenomena and their possible radiological impact on human health, theenvironment and its ecosystems, as well as on agricultural produce, and modelling these impacts through the use of increasingly effective tools, suitable for use in emergency conditions.
Other activities in this field include assisting the safety authorities by performing assessments of facilities currently in service
and implementing state-of-the-art systems and methods formonitoring radioactivity in France and assessing population
exposure to ionizing radiation.
Ever since its creation, one of IRSN’s major commitments
has been to open up to society. This has gradually enabled
it to develop a genuine capacity to listen and respond effectively to the demand for information, as well as the desire forstakeholders in society to become actively involved in manyof the Institute’s areas of activity. In this area, IRSN’s experts
spontaneously addressed the many issues emanating from the
Fukushima accident, as each phase unfolded, over and beyond
the missions assigned by the public authorities. This entailed
working closely with the French ambassador and his teams toanswer questions raised by the French community in Japan,
then dealing with questions in France, communicating throughthe media, the IRSN website, which reached a record audience
over that period, and a special telephone service set up to provide a personal interface between those concerned about risks
and IRSN’s experts.
Lastly, thanks to its active and, now, long-standing involvement in international scientific cooperation networks, IRSN
was able to gain extremely fast access to reliable and essential
data for accident appraisal, including plans of the affected reactors (BWR’s are not operated in France), and exchange technicalinformation with its counterparts in the other countries in a spiritof mutual confidence.
Over the coming years, the events at Fukushima, like all
major accidents, will raise further questions and, no doubt,
lead to a renewed focus on the need for innovation in the fields
of nuclear safety and radiation protection. By the second half of2011, IRSN had already begun work on implementing European“stress tests”, also known as “complementary safety assessments” in France. Following analysis of the reports submitted
in this connection by nuclear operators, and its own work ■ ■ ■7

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01 / ORGANIZATION / FOREWORD■ ■ ■ on the subject, the Institute has proposed an innovative
concept referred to as the “hardened safety core”. This is aimed
at guaranteeing that all the vital safety functions of a nuclear
reactor would remain available, whatever the circumstances,and that emergency response teams on site are protected as
effectively as possible.

Work on modernizing IRSN’s radiological alert network
across the country is also continuing, while operational tools
are being developed to assess onsite radiological situations following a radioactive release. These tools will make it possible toanticipate changes in the situation more effectively and adjust
forecasts to in situ measurement results. In this way, they will
be able to guide the action of the public authorities and onsite
response teams and, at the same time, provide information forthe public, which will help to create and maintain greater trust.
IRSN also contributes to efforts to develop scientific andtechnical cooperation within Europe. The aim is to shareresearch costs in certain areas and promote the necessary
standardization of safety and radiation protection practices.
In this respect, the Institute is closely involved in a number of
specialized networks and associations, principally ETSON (theEuropean TSO Network), MELODI (the European association forresearch on the effects of low-dose ionizing radiation), SNETP(a European nuclear research platform for research on nuclear
reactors, including safety aspects), and ENSTTI (the European
Nuclear Safety Training and Tutoring Institute, which provides
occupational training for experts in security, safety and radiation
protection). Cooperation of this type is also giving rise to a growing number of TSO consortiums, set up to meet the demand

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for technical support and assessments by countries wishing toinvest in nuclear power plants. IRSN has succeeded in gaining
a foothold in this highly competitive market to develop its business in the sector.
Last but not least, in addition to the work mentioned above,
the Institute pursued throughout the year its traditionalcore activities, which are aimed at enhancing nuclear safety
and security, and protection against ionizing radiation. These
are all described in a number of periodic reports, most of which
can be consulted on the Institute’s website. Similarly, many continuous improvement initiatives have been undertaken at theInstitute, focusing on strategic management, communication,
administration, and the management of human resources, one
of IRSN’s most vital assets.
I hope you enjoy reading this annual report, which provides
a faithful account of all the above mentioned activities.

IRSN ANNUAL REPORT 201115/06/12 13:36

IRSN AND ITS VITAL ROLE
IN THE APPLICATION OF
THE FRENCH DEFENSE CODE.
MICHEL BRIÈRE, DEPUTY DIRECTOR GENERALIN CHARGE OF DEFENSE-RELATED MISSIONS

IRSN, the French Institute for Radiological Protection and
Nuclear Safety, was created ten years ago. Since then, it has
become an essential part of the country’s institutional scene, andpoliticians, those working in government departments and the
media, as well as other stakeholders are all familiar with its main
responsibilities and types of action, namely:– conducting research and building up scientific and technicalknowledge,– fulfilling two public service missions: radiological monitoringof the environment in France and monitoring the exposure ofworkers, patients and the general public to ionizing radiation,– providing the public authorities with technical support, including during emergencies,– providing a range of scientific and technical services.

developed by IRSN. Around 250 facilities and shipments areinspected every year;– similarly, IRSN’s Deputy Director General is responsible for
examining and approving nuclear transport agreements inFrance on behalf of the French Government, under the same
regulations. DEND Transport Operations experts assist the
Ministry of Ecology, Sustainable Development, Transport andHousing by monitoring most of these shipments (around 1600
per year) in real time, and implementing the related communication and warning systems;– in order to verify that the Chemical Weapons Convention is correctly applied in France, the relevant authorities have empowered a number of DEND experts to represent the French
Government on the ten or so international verifications conducted by OPCW inspectors at French chemical plants every
year. Their technical skills and strict methodology guarantees
that these international inspections of the French chemicalindustry are performed correctly.
These assistance operations are, for the most part, technicalin nature and call for the use of measurement systems andsophisticated assessment methods. This is why they havebeen entrusted to IRSN, which already provides the relevant
authorities with assessment support in other closely-relatedareas. Together, these operations form a coherent and, more
importantly, effective whole. They motivate our experts by setting them high standards and consolidating their skills. They
also forge closer links between the Institute and the authorities.

When it comes to application of the French Defense Code,however, one of IRSN’s activities, “technical assistance to public authorities”, as set out in the Decree enacted to create theInstitute, deserves a closer look. This technical assistance goesbeyond the technical support activity mentioned above. It entails
playing a direct role in the State’s sovereign activities wheneverthese call for specialized methodological expertise or scientificor technical systems (such as for metrology, analysis, or data
management). Listed below are some noteworthy examples ofthis type of action carried out by DEND, IRSN’s Nuclear Defense
Expertise Division:– some fifty DEND experts are trained and authorized to carryout “control officer” functions, defined under Articles L1333-4
and 5 of the French Defense Code, in connection with theprotection and control of nuclear materials, and the related
facilities and transport. This involves performing technical verifications of facilities and shipments, using measuring devices

IRSN ANNUAL REPORT 2011

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01 / ORGANIZATIONHIGHLIGHTSJANUARY 10-14

IRSN, CEA and the University of Pisa in
Italy jointly organized a course on thephenomenology of core meltdown accidents
in Generation II and III nuclear reactors. The
course was attended by a hundred people
from various organizations, including young
researchers, doctorate students, nuclear
operators, people in industry, TSOs, andsafety authorities. Twenty countries wererepresented, including Korea, Russia, andthe United Arab Emirates, in addition toEuropean countries.

.

JANUARY 21-22

FEBRUARY 3-4

MARCH 11

A delegation from the Norwegian Radiation
Protection Authority (NRPA) visited IRSN.
The purpose of the visit was to strengthen
collaboration between the two organizations
and renew the 2005 framework agreement.
Talks focused in particular on theorganizations’ involvement in the STAR
network of excellence. STAR signed acontract with the European Commission in
January to pool skills in the radioecology fieldin Europe.

.

APRIL 11.
MARCH 9IRSN was at the ORAMED internationalseminar organized at UPC in Barcelona,
Spain. The seminar provided an opportunity
to present the main outcomes of ORAMED,an EC-funded project aimed at developing
methods for precisely estimating theexposure of medical workers.

An 8.9-magnitude earthquake occurred 80 km
off the coast of Japan, causing a 14 m hightsunami that swept over the protective wallsof the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant.
The emergency generators were flooded andthe water intakes used for cooling the reactor
were damaged. IRSN mobilized its emergency
response center and set its experts to work.

Four European technical safety organizations- IRSN, GRS (Germany), UJV (Czech
Republic) and LEI (Lithuania) set up ENSTTI,
the European Nuclear Safety Training andTutoring Institute. In creating ENSTTI,
the founding organizations, in association
with the European Union and the IAEA,
aim to meet requirements for assessment
and research skills in the nuclear safety
sector relating to civil nuclear development
programs in Europe and the world as awhole.

.

IRSN’s supervisory ministries and Agnès Buzyn,
IRSN Chairperson and Jacques Repussard,
its Director General, signed the Government/
IRSN Contract of Objectives 2010-2013. The
contract testifies to the Government’s approvalof IRSN’s strategic areas of action, identifies the
key operational issues to be addressed, andseeks to optimize the Institute’s governanceand efficiency.

.

APRIL 20-22
IRSN attended the commemorative
conference on the Chernobyl accident, which
was held in the Ukrainian capital, Kiev, in thepresence of Nathalie Kosciusko-Morizet, theFrench Minister of Ecology, and Éric Besson,.

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the Minister of Energy. IRSN’s contribution wasa speech by Jacques Repussard on nuclear
safety in the 21st century.

.

to validate water vapor condensation models
under thermal-hydraulic conditions that are
representative of a severe accident.

MAY 30JUNE 20-24
IRSN was joint organizer of ICRER 2011, theInternational Conference on Radioecology
and Environmental Radioactivity, in Hamilton,
Canada. Items on the agenda put forward
by the Institute included the impact of
low-dose ionizing radiation on health andthe environment.

.
.
JUNE 9-10
IRSN took part in the public hearing on
nuclear security and the future of the nuclear
sector organized by the French Parliamentary
Office for the Evaluation of Scientific andTechnological Choices (OPECST). IRSN’scontribution concerned the protection of
nuclear reactors, while Jacques Repussard
spoke on the topic of nuclear safety
organization.

.

The Committee for the Safety of Nuclear
Installations (CSNI) held its 49th meeting in
Paris. The meeting, organized by the OECD
Nuclear Energy Agency, was chaired by
Jacques Repussard.

.

JUNE 14-17
IRSN attended the 22nd meeting of TRANSSC,
the Transport Safety Standards Committee.
The meeting was held in Vienna, Austria, andmarks the end of the IAEA safety regulations
review cycle, which began in 2009.

.

JUNE 1First IRSN visiting committee (scientificassessments of study and research
programs).

.

AUGUST 29-SEPTEMBER 2
IRSN took part in the ETSON JSP Summer
Workshop in the Czech capital, Prague.

.

AUGUST 31
Jean-Yves Grall, Director General for Healthat the Ministry of Labor, Employment and
Health came on a visit to IRSN.

.

IRSN and the Canadian researchorganization, AECL, signed a collaborationagreement. Under the agreement, the twoorganizations are to carry out a joint research
program to learn more about the possible
health impact of chronic exposure to low
doses of tritium.

The Charter for Openness to Society,signed in October 2008 by ANSES, theFrench agency for food, environmental andoccupational health and safety, INERIS, theFrench national institute for the study ofindustrial environments and risks and IRSN,
was signed by two other public institutions
on September 9, namely IRSTEA, theFrench research institute for agriculturaland environmental engineering, andIFSTTAR, the French institute of scienceand technology for transport, development
and networks. In signing the charter, theinstitutions reaffirm their commitment todialogue with stakeholders in civil society
within the context of their assessment andresearch activities.

.

.

IRSN ANNUAL REPORT 2011

Chapitre1_UK_V3.indd 11.

SEPTEMBER 9

IRSN took part in a symposium organized by
EAMEA, the School of Military Applications
for Atomic Energy, on the theme of nuclear
risk control.

Jacques Repussard took part in theinternational ministerial seminar on nuclear
safety, chaired by Nathalie KosciuskoMorizet, the French Minister of Ecology.
The Minister also took the opportunity tovisit the TOSQAN facility. Located at IRSN’s
Saclay center near Paris, the facility is used

ENSTTI organized a training session in
Munich, Germany, entitled “Introduction
to Nuclear Safety”, intended for people
from European and international safety
organizations and from industry.

JUNE 23

JUNE 6-8

JUNE 7

JUNE 27-JULY 22.

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01 / ORGANIZATION / HIGHLIGHTSSEPTEMBER 14
IRSN and ANCCLI organized a seminar on key
nuclear safety issues following the accident
at Japan’s Fukushima-Daiichi nuclear power
plant. The technical topics addressed at theseminar give local information commissions afuller grasp of the documentation submitted
to ASN by nuclear operators as part of thecomplementary safety assessments madeavailable to the public.

.
SEPTEMBER 14-16
IRSN and the Health, Safety andEnvironment Department of the Universityof Bordeaux organized the 46th Frenchlanguage ergonomics society congress inParis.The congress addressed the questionof “how ergonomics can contribute tointegrated industrial and professional risk
management”.

the IAEA Board of Governors to attend theconference as an observer, ETSON took
part in the event held to mark the launch of
the Forum. This demonstrates the fact thatETSON is now institutionally-recognized
as an intermediary of a major international
agency.

.

NOVEMBER 14-18
IRSN attended the international conference
organized by the IAEA in the Moroccan
capital, Rabat, entitled “International
Conference on Research Reactors: Safe
Management and Effective Utilization”.

.

SEPTEMBER 20
An interdisciplinary group on the radon risk
was set up in the Franche-Comté region
in eastern France. IRSN, the Metropolitan
Community of Montbéliard, and theassociation Atmo Franche-Comté, launched
an interdisciplinary initiative on radon risk
prevention in the region. The group sets out
to define the resources and tools required
to address this important public health issue
through various housing policies and, more
specifically, those aimed at improving thequality of air inside homes and buildings.

.

NOVEMBER 2-4
The third international MELODI workshop,
held in Rome, Italy, was chaired by IRSN’s
Director General. This year’s workshop
focused on the progress made in research
into the health impact of exposure to lowdose ionizing radiation.

NOVEMBER 30-DECEMBER 1
A delegation from Rosatom, the RussianState Atomic Energy Corporation, visited
IRSN during a seminar on safety, security
and radiation protection during the transportof nuclear materials. Experts from bothorganizations had very constructive talks onsafety assessment, regulations governing thetransport of nuclear materials, radioactive
sources, and spent fuel, as well as emergency
response organization in the event oftransport accidents. They agreed to meetagain for further talks on these topics in
2012.

.
.
SEPTEMBER 19-23
The European Technical Safety
Organizations Network, ETSON, was involved
in setting up an IAEA forum that wasannounced during the Agency’s 55th General
Conference in Vienna, Austria. Invited by

12

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MAIN REPORTS
All IRSN reports and scientific and technical publications can be consulted on the Institute’s website on
www.irsn.fr

RADIATION PROTECTION
AND HUMAN HEALTH■ Regional radiological report - “Val de Loire”

prototype survey
Publication date: January 2011

■ 2010 Report on occupational exposure toionizing radiation: lower collective dose inspite of the increased number of workers
monitored
Publication date: October 2011
■ Radiation therapists and the need for safer

treatment
Publication date: August 2011
■ Doses to CT scan and conventional radi-

ology patients - Results of a public sector
multicenter study
Publication date: May 2011

NUCLEAR SAFETY■ IRSN’s viewpoint on safety and radiation

protection issues relative to French nuclear
power plants in 2010
Publication date: February 2012
■ Organizational and Human Factors in risk

management: generally accepted ideas
generally lead to disappointment
Publication date: December 2011

■ Reference document collection: “Consider-ation of BORAX-type reactivity accidents
applied to research reactors”. Rapporteur
J. Couturier, August 8, 2011 edition
Publication date: September 2011
■ HDR series: “Variability of atmospheric de-position and transfer of artificial radioelements in soils”, by Laurent Pourcelot
Publication date: September 2011
■ Guideline series: “ICRP Publication 105, Ra-diological Protection in Medicine”.
Publication date: December 2011

■ Lessons learned from incidents reported

between 2009 and 2010 at nuclear laboratories and plants, and at nuclear facilities in
the process of being dismantled
Publication date: December 2011

ENVIRONMENTAL
MONITORING

OTHERS■ IRSN barometer 2011: Risks and safety as

perceived by the French.
Publication date: June 2011
■ Risks as perceived by opinion leaders.

■ Approach to the assessment of fire risks at■ 2010 management report of the national

network of environmental radioactivity
measurements
Publication date: October 2011
■ Assessing radiological and dosimetric im-

pact in a nuclear post-accident situation
Publication date: February 2011

Publication date: June 2011

nuclear facilities
Publication date: July 2011
■ IRSN’s viewpoint on safety and radiation

protection issues relative to French nuclear
power plants in 2009
Publication date: November 2011

■ Good practices guide for laboratories mea-suring radioactivity in a post-accident situation
Publication date: February 2011
■ Contextual data and assumptions for car-rying out predictive assessments of radiological and dosimetric impact at the startof the post-accident transition phase
Publication date: February 2011
■ IRSN 2009 report on environmental ra-

diological monitoring in France: working
towards a change in monitoring strategy
Publication date: February 2011

IRSN ANNUAL REPORT 2011

Chapitre1_UK_V3.indd 13

SUMMARIES OF ASSESSMENTREPORTS SUBMITTED TO THE
ADVISORY COMMITTEES AND
PUBLISHED IN 2011 CAN BE
DOWNLOADED FROM:
WWW.IRSN.FR/RUBRIQUE
NOTICES AND REPORTS

13

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01 / ORGANIZATIONACTIVITY: KEY FIGURESINTERNATIONAL
187 in 2009
182 in 2010
287 in 2011
Number of bilateral agreements
signed with research andassessment organizations.

38

countries involvedin these agreements. (34 in 2010)

RESEARCH

40.2%
of IRSN’s budget (1)devoted to research.
(43.3% in 2010)

international projects
in progress. (84 in 2010)

50.2%

215

publications
in Journal Citation Reports.

of IRSN’s budget (1)devoted to technicalsupport and activities
in the general interest.

(158 in 2010)(47.9% in 2010)

21

593

dissertations defended.

(25 in 2010)

74

TECHNICAL SUPPORTFOR PUBLIC
AUTHORITIES

320(658 in 2010)

125 in 2009
87 in 2010

23 in 2011software applications
and databases placed with thesoftware protection agency, APP.

(2 in 2010)

SERVICE CONTRACTS

39 in 2011
Number of employees recruitedon permanent contracts

TRAINING

1,810

participantsin IRSN training courses over
the year. (2,153 in 2010)

43.4
for men.

(2,406 in 2010)

Proportion of managerial/non-managerial staff

Proportionof women/men

1,400Nonmanagerialstaff(39.2 in 2010)(1,372 in 2010 – 143 training sessions)25,557850

customers.

hours of training given
in 28 nuclear training sessions.

(24,304 in 2010)(735 in 2010 – 29 training sessions)

Chapitre1_UK_V3.indd 14

Average age

for women.

hours of teaching
given outside the Institute(universities, engineering schools,
INSTN, etc.).

revenue.

14

41,412hours of training given to maintain theskill levels of the Institute’s employees. (60,471 in 2010)

41.8

2,580

hours of teaching
given in 140 training sessions onradiation protection.

36.2 €M(386 in 2010)

HUMAN RESOURCES

Number of French
patents in force.

16

409

technical
notices to the security
authority.

technical
notices to ASN.

23 in 2009
21 in 2010

patents
in force abroad. (63 in 2010)(84 in 2010)

scientific lectures atconferences. (329 in 2010)

INTELLECTUAL
PROPERTY

50

95

technical notices
to ASND.

26.5%

Women

Managerial
staff

Men

45.6%

54.4%

73.5%

Distribution of employees on permanent contracts
Northern Region: 1,292 employees.
Southeast Region: 322 employees.

IRSN ANNUAL REPORT 201115/06/12 13:36

€M

293
282

revenue. (316 €M in 2010)

DISSEMINATIONOF KNOWLEDGE€M

13,495,176

278,992

visits to the IRSN website.

consulted in the “Research”
section (formerly the “scientificsite”) of the IRSN website.

(1,631,014 in 2010)

27(204,000 in 2010)(41 in 2010)

requests for IRSN action
received from local informationcommissions.

notices and reports
published on the IRSN website.

30

IRSN operations at local
information commissions.
(12 in 2010)

expenditure including 18 M€ forequipment investment.
(313 €M including 25 €M in 2010)

51

Operating and investment
expenditure(25 in 2010)

3

IRSN publications. (1 in 2010)

7.94% Investment
92.06%
Operating expenses

Total funding

LOCATIONS as of December 31, 201172.16% Budget Act
190 grant

15.19% Other French

Le Vésinet
Saclayor foreign funds(aside from Budget Act)11.43% French andforeign operators’
contributions (aside
from Budget Act)
1.22% Budget Act
212 grant

Fontenay-aux-Roses

Octeville-Cherbourg

Agen

Pierrelatte
Cadarache

Les AnglesAvignon
La Seynesur-Mer
Tournemire

BUDGET BREAKDOWN

Orsay

French funds (aside from Budget Act)
Other 59.44%
EDF 14.67%
State 11.84%
Areva 8.48%
CEA 5.57%

Foreign funds
Riskaudit 48.09%
EU 20.72%
Other 18.14%
Stuk 6.16%
GDF SUEZ Belgium

3.68%
Batelle energy Alliance

3.22%

Vairao (Tahiti)

IRSN ANNUAL REPORT 2011

Chapitre1_UK_V3.indd 15

15

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01 / ORGANIZATIONORGANIZATION CHARTEXECUTIVE COMMITTEE (as for 30 mars 2012)
The IRSN Executive Committee is chaired by the Director General and made up of 24 members representing theInstitute’s operational and functional divisions. It meets twice monthly to examine matters of strategy, development,
operation, and the positions adopted by the Institute on various topics.

1

2

7

8

13

14

19

3

9

15

20

21

4

5

10

11

16

17

6

12

18

23

22

> Executive committee : 1/Jean-Bernard Chérié 2/ Didier Champion 3/Alain Cernès 4/ Michel Brière 5/ Thierry Charles 6/ Didier Demeillers
7/ Patricia de la Morlais 8/ Jocelyne Aigueperse 9/ Giovanni Bruna 10/ Jean-Marc Péres 11/ Sylvie Cadet-Mercier 12/ Christian Duretz
13/ Bruno Dufer 14/ Jean-Claude Micaelli 15/ François Besnus 16/Jérôme Joly 17/ Matthieu Schuler 18/ Marc-Gérard Albert 19/ Marie-Pierre Bigot
20/ Jean-Christophe Gariel 21/ Daniel Quéniart 22/ Jacques Repussard 23/ Martial Jorel

BOARD OF DIRECTORS■ Agnès BUZYN, Chairperson

SENIOR MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE■ Jacques REPUSSARD, Director General■ Michel BRIÈRE, Deputy Director Generalin charge of defense-related missions■ Jean-Bernard CHÉRIÉ, Deputy Director Generalin charge of administrative affairs■ Thierry CHARLES, Deputy Director Generalin charge of nuclear safety

16

Chapitre1_UK_V3.indd 16■ Jérôme JOLY, Deputy Director General in charge of radiation protection■ Giovanni BRUNA, Scientific Director■ Martial JOREL, Director of Knowledge Management■ Matthieu SCHULER, Director of Strategy , Development andPartnerships■ Marie-Pierre BIGOT, Director of Communications■ Marc-Gérard ALBERT, Director of International Affairs■ Patricia de la MORLAIS, Director of Human Resources■ Didier DEMEILLERS, Director of Financial, Businessand Legal Affairs■ Alain CERNÈS, Inspector General and Quality Director

IRSN ANNUAL REPORT 201115/06/12 13:36

OPERATIONAL DIVISIONSDEFENSE, SECURITY AND NON-PROLIFERATION■ Michel BRIÈRE, Deputy Director Generalin charge of defense-related missions
NUCLEAR DEFENSE EXPERTISE

SYSTEMS, NEW REACTORS AND SAFETY
INITIATIVES■ Sylvie CADET-MERCIER, Director> Systems and risks> Development of skills and operating experience feedback> Organizational and economic factors in risk management■ Jean-Marc PÉRES, Director> Safety and radiation protection of defense-related nuclear
activities and facilities> Security of nuclear materials, transport and facilities> Implementation of international inspections> Technical support and studies

RADIATION PROTECTION, ENVIRONMENT, WASTE
AND EMERGENCY RESPONSE■ Jérôme JOLY, Deputy Director Generalin charge of radiation protection
PROTECTION OF HUMAN HEALTH■ Jocelyne AIGUEPERSE, Director> Radiation protection studies and assessments> Radiobiology and epidemiology> External dosimetry> Internal dosimetry
ENVIRONMENT■ Jean-Christophe GARIEL, Director> Environmental risk research and assessment> Study and monitoring of radioactivity in the environment> Environmental sample processing and metrology
WASTE AND GEOSPHERE■ François BESNUS, Director> Characterization of sites and natural hazards> Geosphere transfer research> Radioactive waste and natural radioactivity assessment
EMERGENCY RESPONSE■ Didier CHAMPION, Director
Radiation protection response and support
Emergency situations and response organization
NUCLEAR FACILITY AND SYSTEM SECURITY■ Thierry CHARLES, Deputy Director General in charge of nuclear safety
SAFETY RESEARCH■ Jean-Claude MICAELLI, Director> Incidents and accidents> Severe accidents> Confinement and air dispersion of pollutants> Internal hazards and industrial risks> Experimental studies and research
NUCLEAR SAFETY EXPERTISE■ Christian DURETZ, Director> Pressurized water reactors> Transportation and fuel cycle facilities> Research facilities and reactor decommissioning> Assessment of equipment and structures> Neutronics and criticality risks

IRSN ANNUAL REPORT 2011

Chapitre1_UK_V3.indd 17

FUNCTIONAL DIVISIONSSTRATEGY, DEVELOPMENT AND PARTNERSHIPS■ Matthieu SCHULER, Director> General strategy and scientific and technical programming> Partnership and contracting policy> Relations with supervisory authorities, partners and customers> Openness to society> Promotion and development of the Institute> Strategic technology watch and exploiting knowledge> Teaching and training in radiation protection
INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS■ Marc-Gérard ALBERT, Director> International relations> International Business Development
COMMUNICATIONS■ Marie-Pierre BIGOT, Director> Public relations> Websites> Information and media relations> In-house communications

SUPPORT DIVISIONSHUMAN RESOURCES■ Patricia DE LA MORLAIS, Director> Social policy> Human resource management> Staff administration and pay
FINANCIAL, BUSINESS AND LEGAL AFFAIRS■ Didier DEMEILLERS, Director> Budget monitoring> Administration of expenditure and revenue> Application of tax and customs regulations> Cost accounting and management control> Commercial and legal support
SECURITY, ASSETS AND INFORMATION SYSTEMS■ Bruno DUFER, Director and IRSN Security Officer> Security of assets and sites> Buildings and logistics> Health, safety, and environmental protection> Sustainable development> Information systems
ACCOUNTING OFFICE■ Stéphane ROCHARD, Accounting Officer

17

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01 / ORGANIZATIONBOARD OF DIRECTORSCOMPOSITION (as of february 2012)MISSIONS
Deliberations by the Board of Directors rule on IRSN activities.
More specifically, the Board deliberates on general conditions
governing the Institute’s organization and operation, its strategy and program, and its annual activity report. It also approves
the budget, decisions involving changes, year-end financial
statements and income appropriation.

TEN GOVERNMENT REPRESENTATIVES

24
5
MEMBERSMEETINGS
IN 20115-YEAR
MANDATE

Patrick RENVOISÉ, Nuclear Safety Inspector for DGA, theFrench Defense Procurement Agency, representing the Ministerof Defense. Régine BRÉHIER, Director of Research and Innovation, representing the Minister of the Environment. Françoise
TUCHMAN, Deputy Director of Environmental and Food Risk
Prevention at the French Directorate General for Health, representing the Minister of Health. Charles-Antoine LOÜET, Deputy
Director for the Nuclear Industry, Directorate General for Energy
and Climate, representing the Minister of Industry. Maria FAURY,
Scientific Director of the Energy, Sustainable Development,
Chemistry and Process Department of the Directorate Generalfor Research and Innovation, representing the Minister of Research. Guillaume DEDEREN, Head of the Major Risks Office atthe Directorate for Defense and Civil Protection, representing the
Minister of Civil Protection. Jean-Denis COMBREXELLE, Director of Labor Relations, representing the Minister of Employment.
Marine CAMIADE, Head of the Energy, Profit-sharing, Industry
and Innovation Office at the Budget Directorate, representing
the Minister of the Budget. Bernard DUPRAZ, Representative incharge of Nuclear Safety and Radiation Protection for Defenserelated Activities and Facilities. Nicolas CHANTRENNE, Head of
the Nuclear Safety and Radiation Protection Mission.

DUCAMP, CGT. Thierry FLEURY, CFDT. François JEFFROY,
CFDT. Yves BRISSET, CFE-CGC. Christophe SERRES, CFDT.
Carine STRUP-PERROT, CGT.

EX OFFICIO OR ASSOCIATE MEMBERS
Laurent MICHEL, Director General of Risk Prevention and
Government Commissioner. Bernard ABATE, Auditor General.
Jacques REPUSSARD, Director General. Michel BRIÈRE, Deputy
Director General in charge of defense-related missions. Stéphane
ROCHARD, Accounting Officer. Philippe BOURACHOT, Works
Committee Secretary. André-Claude LACOSTE, Chairman of theFrench Nuclear Safety Authority.

MAIN ACCOMPLISHMENTS 2011
> Approval of the Government/IRSN Contract of Objectives for
2010-2013.
> Definition of the framework and rules for the completion of
the Cabri water loop project.
> Launch of the property restructuring project at the Le Vésinet
and Fontenay-aux-Roses sites.
> Settlement of the dispute concerning the radiological incident
at the Feursmétal site.
> Review of IRSN’s general organizational structure including
the creation of operational divisions.

SIX ADVISORY MEMBERS
Serge AUBERT, Air Force Major General, nominated by the
Minister of Defense. Jean-Claude DELALONDE, Chairman of
the National Association of Local Information Commissions andCommittees, nominated by the Minister of the Environment.
Patrick LEDERMANN, Vice-President of the Nuclear Division at
Alstom Power, nominated by the Minister of Industry. Jean-Marc
CAVEDON, Director of the Division for Research into Nuclear
Energy and Safety at the Paul Scherrer Institute in Switzerland,
nominated by the Minister of Research. Agnès BUZYN, Chairperson, Board of Directors, physician and professor of hematology, nominated by the Minister of Health. Claude BIRRAUX,
Vice-President of the Parliamentary Office for the Evaluation of
Scientific and Technological Choices.

EIGHT STAFF REPRESENTATIVES
Yves BRISSET, CFE-CGC. Nicolas BRISSON, CGT. François

18

Chapitre1_UK_V3.indd 18

IRSN ANNUAL REPORT 201115/06/12 13:37

STEERING COMMITTEE FOR THE NUCLEAR
DEFENSE EXPERTISE DIVISION (CODEND)COMPOSITION (as of february 2012)MISSIONS
The committee examines the activity program prepared by the
Nuclear Defense Expertise Division before it is submitted to theInstitute’s Board of Directors. It is consulted when the Board of
Directors is called upon to make decisions relating specificallyto the organization or running of this Division and advises theBoard of Directors on matters related to division activities.

Bernard DUPRAZ, Chairman of CODEND, Representative incharge of Nuclear Safety and Radiation Protection for Defenserelated Activities and Facilities. Édouard GUILLAUD, Admiral,
Armed Forces Chief of Staff. Laurent COLLET-BILLON, Engineer
General for Armaments, representing the DGA, the French defense procurement agency. Jean-Paul BODIN, Inspector Generalof the Armed Forces, Administrative Secretary General of the
Ministry of Defense. Éric CHAPLET, Vice-Admiral, Nuclear Weapons Inspector. Julien DUBERTRET, Budget Director, Ministry of
the Budget. Patrick MAISONNAVE, representing the Director ofStrategic Affairs, Security and Disarmament at the Ministry of

IRSN ANNUAL REPORT 2011

Chapitre1_UK_V3.indd 19

Foreign and European Affairs. Dominique LAMIOT, Secretary
General, Ministry of the Economy, Finance, and Industry, Senior
Defense and Security Official of the Ministry of the Economy, Finance, and Industry. Jean-François MONTEILS, Secretary General, Ministry of Ecology, Sustainable Development, Transport,
and Housing, Senior Defense and Security Official of the Ministryof Ecology, Sustainable Development, Transport, and Housing.
Jean-Baptiste FLEUTOT, Chief Medical Officer of the French
Armed Forces, advisory member appointed by the Minister ofDefense. Serge POULARD, advisory member appointed by the
Minister of Industry.

11
3

MEMBERSMEETINGS
IN 2011

MAIN ACCOMPLISHMENTS 2011
> “Defense and security” examination of:– of the DEND 2010 Activity Report and the IRSN 2010
Annual Report;– DEND research and studies in the security field;– the DEND 2012 activity program.

5-YEAR MANDATE
FOR BOTHADVISORYMEMBERS19

15/06/12 13:37

01 / ORGANIZATIONSCIENTIFIC COUNCILCOMPOSITION (as of February 2012)

12
2

MEMBERSMEETINGS
IN 20115-YEAR
MANDATESMISSIONSThe Scientific Council examines and gives its opinion on IRSN
activity programs and ensures that its research programs are
scientifically relevant and of the highest quality. It examines
program results in order to prepare recommendations on Institute strategy. It may be consulted by the Board’s Chairpersonor by the supervisory ministers on any subject that comes under the Institute’s authority.

Michel QUINTARD, Scientific Council Chairman, CNRS Research
Director at the Toulouse Institute of Fluid Mechanics, nominatedby the Minister of Research. Philippe ACKERER, Deputy Directorof the Institute of Fluid and Solid Mechanics in Strasbourg, nominated by the Minister of the Environment. Jean-Claude ANDRÉ,
Emeritus Research Director, Scientific Advisor at the CNRS Institute for Engineering and Systems Science, nominated by the Minister of Labor. Dietrich AVERBECK, CNRS Emeritus Research Director at the Curie Institute, nominated by the Minister of Health.
Bernard BONIN, Deputy Scientific Director of the CEA Nuclear
Energy Division nominated by the Minister for Research. YvesSébastien CORDOLIANI, medical practitioner, human radiation
protection expert, nominated by the Minister of Health. Denis
GAMBINI, medical practitioner, researcher at the Occupational
Health Department at the Hôtel-Dieu hospital in Paris, nominatedby the Minister of Labor. Pierre LAROCHE, Chief Medical Officerof the French Armed Forces, Head of the Medical Division of theArmed Forces’ Radiation Protection Department, nominated by
the Minister of Defense. André PINEAU, Professor at the Paris
School of Mine Engineering, nominated by the Minister of Industry. Bernard SEVESTRE, Head of the Radioactive Sources Teamat the CEA Nuclear Energy Division nominated by the Ministerof Research. Patsy-Ann THOMPSON, Director of Environmental Assessments and Protection at the Canadian Nuclear Safety
Commission, nominated by the Minister of the Environment.
George YADIGAROGLU, Emeritus Professor of Nuclear Engineering at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, nominatedby the Minister of Industry.

MAIN ACCOMPLISHMENTS 2011
The Scientific Council is responsible for assessing IRSN’s scientificactivities and sets up ad hoc commissions for this purpose. In 2011,
its examinations focused on:– critical software assessment methods;– severe accident research strategy.
During its meeting on May 18, 2011, the Scientific Council decided
to test another investigation method by organizing days of scientific discussions and think tanks, with the option of inviting experts
from outside. The first of these discussions took place on December 7, 2011 to examine methods for taking into account events
which, though unlikely to occur, could have serious consequences.

ETHICS COMMISSIONCOMPOSITION (as of February 2012)MISSIONS
Included as part of the order organizing the IRSN, the Ethics
Commission reports to the Board of Directors and is responsible for advising it on preparing ethical charters that are applicable to the Institute’s activities and for monitoring theirapplication, including conditions at the Institute for distinguishing between assessment missions performed on behalfof government departments and those performed for public or
private operators. It also serves as a mediator when problemsof an ethical nature arise.
Jean-Pierre DUPUY, Chairman of the Commission, Corps desMines Engineer General, philosopher, professor at the École

20

Chapitre1_UK_V3.indd 20

Polytechnique and Stanford University, California, and memberof the French Academy of Technology. Jean-Claude AMEISEN,
biologist, immunologist, professor of medicine at University ofParis Diderot and Bichat Hospital, – member of the French National Ethics Advisory Committee, Chairman of INSERM’s Ethics
Committee. Jacques ARRIGHI de CASANOVA, Member of theCouncil of State (Conseil d’Etat), Vice-President of the Litigation
Section of the Conseil d’Etat since 2010. Associate Professor at
Paris 2 - Assas University. Eric VINDIMIAN, Engineer General
specializing in agricultural engineering, water and forests, Regional Director of IRSTEA (French research institute for agricultural and environmental engineering), specialist in the impact of
toxic substances on the environment and health and in assessing government environmental policies.

4
2

MEMBERSMEETINGS
IN 20114-YEAR
MANDATEIRSN ANNUAL REPORT 201115/06/12 13:37

NUCLEAR SAFETY AND RADIATIONPROTECTION RESEARCH POLICY COMMITTEE – COR
COMPOSITION (as of February 2012)MISSIONSThe Nuclear Safety and Radiation Protection Research Policy
Committee is an advisory body to the IRSN Board of Directors,
giving opinions on research objectives and priorities in thefields of nuclear safety and radiation protection. It adopts a
global approach that takes into consideration the requirementsof society and the public authorities. It thus complements theactivity of IRSN’s Scientific Council, which focuses on the quality and relevance of the Institute’s research programs and outcomes from a scientific perspective.

Monique SENÉ, Vice-President of ANCCLI.
Representatives of towns with a nuclear facility, proposed by
the Association of French Mayors: Yves LE BELLEC, Mayor of
Pierrelatte. Bertrand RINGOT, Mayor of Gravelines.

ASSOCIATIONSDavid BOILLEY, President of ACRO. Jacky BONNEMAINS, President of Robin des bois. Élise CHAMPEAU, President of MANES,an association that supports victims of industrial diseases andaccidents in the nuclear and chemical sectors and their friends
and families. Maryse ARDITI, France nature environnement.
Simon SCHRAUB, Administrator of the Ligue nationale contre
le cancer.

PUBLIC AUTHORITIESSupervisory ministry representatives: Maria FAURY, ScientificDirector of the Energy, Sustainable Development, Chemistry andProcess Department of the Directorate General for Researchand Innovation, representing the Minister of Research. MarieChristine FAVROT, Health, Strategy and Research Task Officer
to the Director General for Health, representing the Ministryof Health. Claire HUBERT, Head of Research – Directorate for
Health and Innovation, representing the Ministry of Ecology.
Pascal QUENTEL, Head of Nuclear Security and Assessment Division – French Defense Procurement Agency, representing the
Ministry of Defense Thierry LIEVEN, Subdirectorate for Nuclear
Industry, Directorate General for Energy and Climate, representing the Ministry of Industry.
Representative of the Directorate General for Labor: Thierry
LAHAYE, in charge of matters relating to the protection of workers against physical hazards – Directorate General for Labor, representing the Ministry of Labor.
ASN representative: Jean-Christophe NIEL, Director General.

ADVISORY MEMBERS
Jean-Claude DELALONDE, President of ANCCLI. Henri REVOL,
President of the High Committee for Transparency and Information on Nuclear Safety. Agnès BUZYN, Chairperson, IRSN Boardof Directors, ex officio Chairperson of the Nuclear Safety and Radiation Protection Research Policy Committee.

RESEARCH ORGANIZATIONSMAIN
ACCOMPLISHMENTS
2011> A working group was
set up to coordinate
feedback from COR
stakeholders to
prepare the strategic
agenda of STAR, theEuropean network of
excellence.
> The summary reporton the EDEX working
group’s appraisal of
IRSN research on NPP
service life extension
was validated.
> Work began on
guidelines for postFukushima research.

Christophe BEHAR, Director of Nuclear Energy – CEA. Thierry
DAMERVAL, Director General for Strategy – Inserm. Paristech (tobe appointed). Farid OUABDESSELAM, President of Grenoble 1– Joseph Fourier University, representative of the French Conference of University Presidents (CPU). Cyril THIEFFRY, Task
Officer for Radiation Protection and Nuclear Affairs – IN2P3,
CNRS representative.

FOREIGN MEMBERS
COMPANIES AND PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATIONS
Philippe GARDERET, Scientific Vice-President – Areva. NoëlCAMARCAT, Nuclear Research and Development Officer – Generation and Engineering Branch – EDF. Fabrice BOISSIER, Director of Risk Control – Andra. Dietrich AVERBECK, Curie Institute,
SFRP representative. Jean- Marc COSSET, Head of Radiotherapy
at the Curie Institute, SFRO representative.

Jean-Jacques VAN BINNEBEEK, Director General – AVN –Belgium. Ted LAZO, NEA (Nuclear Energy Agency) – OECD.
Christophe BADIE, Environmental Assessments Department– Health Protection Agency (HPA ) – United Kingdom. George
YADIGAROGLU, Professor Emeritus of Nuclear Engineering at
the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology.

EX OFFICIO MEMBERSEMPLOYEES IN THE NUCLEAR SECTOR
Representatives of national labor unions: Jean-Paul CRESSY,FCE-CFDT. Jean-François DOZOL, FO. Claire ETINEAU, CFTC.
CFE-CGC (to be appointed). Alain VASSAUX, CGT.

ELECTED REPRESENTATIVESOPECST representatives: Claude LETEURTRE, Member of Parliament for Calvados. Other representative to be appointed.
Representative of the Local Information Commissions (CLI):IRSN ANNUAL REPORT 2011

Chapitre1_UK_V3.indd 21

Catherine CEZARSKY, Atomic Energy High Commissioner.
Laurent MICHEL, Government Commissioner and Director
General of Risk Prevention at the Ministry of Ecology, Energy,
Sustainable Development and the Sea. Michel QUINTARD, IRSN
Scientific Council Chairman, CNRS Research Director at the
Toulouse Institute of Fluid Mechanics. Jacques REPUSSARD,
Director General.

43
2
MEMBERSPLENARY
MEETINGS
IN 201121

15/06/12 13:37

02 / SUMMARY & STRATEGYO2/LEVICE – SLOVAKIA (December 14)
THE VIKTORIA LOOP EXPERIMENTAL FACILITYWAS OFFICIALLY OPENED BY HIS EXCELLENCY
JEAN-MARIE BRUNO, FRENCH AMBASSADORTO SLOVAKIA, MILOS ZACHAR, DIRECTOR
OF VUEZ, AND JACQUES REPUSSARD,DIRECTOR GENERAL OF IRSN AT A CEREMONYATTENDED BY A HUNDRED REPRESENTATIVESFROM 25 NUCLEAR SAFETY ORGANIZATIONS.

22

IRSN_RA11_Chap2BilanStrat_UK_CA_13-6.indd 22

IRSN ANNUAL REPORT 201115/06/12 13:39

SUMMARYPROGRESS AND MAIN ACTIVITIES IN 2010 . . P. 24
TRANSPARENCY AND COMMUNICATIONS POLICY ..................................................................P. 32
PROMOTING A SAFETY AND RADIATION PROTECTION CULTURE ...............P. 34& STRATEGYIRSN ANNUAL REPORT 2011

IRSN_RA11_Chap2BilanStrat_UK_CA_13-6.indd 23

23

15/06/12 13:39

02 / SUMMARY & STRATEGYPROGRESS AND MAIN ACTIVITIES IN 2011

IRSN’S ADAPTABILITY PUTTO THE TEST IN A YEAR OF
CONTRASTING EVENTSIRSN’s ability to respond rapidly to events was certainly put to the testin 2011, a year full of contrasts which began with signs of renewedinterest in restarting nuclear power programs around the world, only
to see nuclear energy called into question after the accident at Japan’s
Fukushima-Daiichi nuclear power plant. The event had political repercussions, with countries such as Germany and Belgium deciding to
opt out of nuclear electricity within the next fifteen years, and Italy
abandoning its nuclear power ambitions. The year 2011 was also one
where IRSN worked particularly closely with its foreign counterparts,
the French public authorities and the national community to address
new fundamental questions raised regarding uncertainties in thesafety and security of nuclear facilities, as well as nuclear emergency
response capabilities. The answers to these questions will provide
guidance during the debate on France’s future nuclear policy. Within
this new context, IRSN demonstrated - and must continue to demonstrate - its ability to adapt to the search for even higher standardsof nuclear safety and human and environmental protection against
ionizing radiation.

98

PERSON.YEARS DEVOTEDTO INTERNATIONAL
ACTIVITIES.
(90 IN 2010)24

IRSN_RA11_Chap2BilanStrat_UK_CA_13-6.indd 24O

ne of the key events of the year at
the institutional level was the signingof the Government/IRSN Contract of
Objectives 2010-2013 by the Institute’s
supervisory ministers, Chairperson and
Director General. The new contract is the result of
several months of discussions and testifies to theGovernment’s approval of IRSN’s four strategic areasof action: research, support for the public authorities
and other customers, promoting transparency andopenness to civil society, and developing its international profile. This second Contract of Objectives setsout operational targets in four areas - safety, security,
radiation protection, and emergency response andputting risks into pespective. It consolidates IRSN’soperating procedures and improves the managementof programs and human and financial resources.
The main event of the year 2011 from the operational
point of view was, without doubt, the nuclear accident
that occurred following the earthquake and tsunamithat struck the Fukushima-Daiichi nuclear power
plant and the Tohuko coast in Japan on March 11. The
accident had a far-reaching impact around the world,
raising questions on approaches to nuclear safety
emergency response and putting risks into perspective. As well as providing the French authorities withsupport within the national emergency response
teams mobilized for the accident, IRSN experts foundthemselves having to deal with situations that had
been considered highly unlikely before the disaster, and calling into question a number of methods
and ways of working. In light of these events, theInstitute can rely on two “allies” in its efforts to findcredible and transparent solutions to the questions
raised: a) the reaffirmation in the Government-IRSN
Contract of Objectives 2010-2013 of the need for new
scientific knowledge and independent assessments
to allow the Institute to move forward with its efforts
to enhance nuclear safety; b) the creation of a fixed
grant, as of 2011, providing the Institute with funds

IRSN ANNUAL REPORT 201115/06/12 13:39

IRSN’s Director General, Jacques Repussard, addressed the 450 experts gathered at the EUROSAFE 2011 forum in Paris.

that keep pace with responses while guaranteeing
its total independence.
■ International activities: helping
to boost the role of TSOs
As part of the initiative to develop its international
activities, which was stepped up through increased
collaboration among nuclear technical safety organizations (TSOs) following the Fukushima-Daiichi accident, IRSN worked to give TSOs greater influence anda higher profile in Europe and the rest of the world.
To this end, the Institute was a key contributor in
the drafting of a document stating the position of
the TSOs in ETSON (the European TSO Network)on research requirements regarding the safety ofGeneration II and III nuclear reactors. This position paper is the TSO contribution to ensuring that
nuclear safety objectives are given the highest priority in sustainable nuclear energy technology platform(SNETP) and European Union FP7 programs.
IRSN also joined the French authorities at the IAEA
Ministerial Conference on Nuclear Safety held in
Vienna in June 2011. The conference was called to
improve the global nuclear safety framework, witha particular focus on independence, transparency
and emergency preparedness and response, stronger
safety standards, draw lessons from the FukushimaDaiichi accident in order to strengthen systematic
periodic safety reviews in all countries, international
critical peer reviews, and reinforced cooperation andprocedures for exchanging information during crisis
situations. The IAEA’s plan will subsequently allow

IRSN ANNUAL REPORT 2011

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153

2009

167

2010

184

2011

IRSN PARTICIPANTS IN INTERNATIONAL
EXPERT GROUPS.

IRSN to develop cooperation and support activities
in many fields to enhance nuclear safety around theworld. At the same time, the Institute continued towork with many foreign partners, especially in countries interested in setting up nuclear power programs,
helping them to develop their projects by providingthem with safety assessments and assistance, in mostcases in collaboration with other TSOs.
On July 6, IRSN jointly organized a workshop in
Cologne, Germany to discuss nuclear emergency
response issues in light of the Fukushima accident
and, more particularly, to define a joint organizationalframework for information sharing and analysis inorder to provide improved information to government authorities and the public. The workshop,

25

15/06/12 13:39

02 / SUMMARY & STRATEGY

Existing nuclear
safety and security
networks

ETSON
European TSO
Network

ANSN
Asian Nuclear
Safety Network
Arab Network of
Nuclear Regulators

FORO

FNRBA

Foro
iberoamericanode organismos
reguladoresradiológicos
y nucleares

Forum of Nuclear
Regulatory Bodies
in Africa

A round table
was organized at
the IAEA General
Conference in 2011
to allow international
nuclear safety networks
to present theiractivities and share
the knowledge andexperience acquiredaround the world.

which brought together TSOs from ETSON, was also
attended by JNES, Japan’s TSO, which is an associate
member of the network. A genuine need for dialogue
between TSOs regarding emergency response is oneof the lessons learned from the Fukushima accident,
and the JNES-European TSO workshop provided an
opportunity to compare approaches in different countries and define priority measures. These included
defining more clearly ways in which information on
nuclear facilities could be networked, and developing the necessary skills and resources in countries
that lack adequate emergency response capabilities.
With this in mind, the proposals put forward include
the development of a harmonized range of training
courses, assistance with emergency response centerengineering, and possible twinning of such centers
during emergencies. Organizing regular international
exercises involving the various TSOs would facilitate
networking during emergencies and help keep the
public authorities of each country, the European
Commission, and the public better informed.
Another way in which IRSN contributes to increasing
the role of TSOs in Europe and the rest of the worldis through its strong support for the IAEA’s decision
to organize networking among TSOs. Following the26

IRSN_RA11_Chap2BilanStrat_UK_CA_13-6.indd 26

Source: Hervé Bouilly – IRSN 2011

ANNUR

recommendations made at various international conferences on nuclear safety technical support, suchas the one held in Tokyo in 2010, and chaired by
IRSN’s Director General, the IAEA decided to set up
a global TSO forum. The decision was announced at
the Agency’s 55th General Conference in Vienna in
September 2011. A round table organized during theconference provided an opportunity for international
nuclear safety networks to present their activities andfor ETSON to stress the approach to safety analysis
shared by its members (including IRSN), an approachbased on state-of-the-art scientific knowledge andindependent assessments. It confirmed a unanimous
desire for nuclear safety experts to step up efforts togather and share their knowledge and experience
more effectively and on a global level.
■ Research: continued investment
in efforts to enhance nuclear safety
The vital contribution of research activities to thedevelopment of methods and tools used by TSOs
like IRSN to cope with major emergencies was clearly
demonstrated in 2011. Such methods and tools allow
IRSN to estimate radioactive release from damaged
reactors, model the trajectory of contaminated air

IRSN ANNUAL REPORT 201115/06/12 13:39

masses, and take extreme accident scenarios into
account. And it was this sustained effort to expand
its scientific and technical knowledge that enabled
it to respond effectively to various issues following
the accident at the Fukushima-Daiichi nuclear power
plant. For example, results from two international
programs headed by the Institute, PHEBUS PF and
ISTP, proved useful during the events at Fukushima.
These programs are designed to evaluate radioactive
release from a pressurized water reactor in the eventof a core meltdown accident. A number of computing
tools were also used to evaluate radioactive releasefrom damaged reactors and predict its trajectory andthe radioactive doses to which the public could be
exposed.
The Institute’s research policy was also validated
by AERES, the French agency for the evaluation ofresearch and higher education, which audited IRSN’s
research units. In the summary report it handed overto IRSN in 2011, AERES highlighted the degree ofmaturity the Institute had reached in the field ofradiation protection and nuclear safety assessments
and research in less than ten years of existence. The
Agency also made a particular note of IRSN’s research
excellence in the main fields of its core scientific activity, namely: the effects of exposure to low-dose ionizing radiation, radiopathology, radioecology, nuclear
fuel behavior in accident situations, nuclear reactor
core meltdown, prevention of criticality risks, and theeffectiveness of containment systems in preventing
the spread of radioactive materials. Another pointstressed by AERES was the strategic need for significant, unrivaled and high-performance experimental resources. In its recommendations, the Agency
encouraged IRSN to: strengthen its research management strategy, while ensuring that research and

12%

OF RESEARCH PROGRAM FUNDING COMESFROM EXTERNAL REVENUE.
(12% IN 2010)

assessment activities continue to interact closely;
increase the number of researchers with accreditation to supervise research; improve the organizationof partnerships with universities; and intensify efforts
regarding scientific publications. IRSN responded to
one of these recommendations by setting up theStrategy, Development and Partnerships Division(DSDP), which brings together strategy and programs, particularly in the research field.
The IRSN-coordinated Safety Assessment for
Reactors of Generation IV - or SARGEN IV - project was approved by the European Commission
for the Euratom 7th Framework Programme (FP7)in 2011, reflecting the Institute’s active involvementin projects aimed at organizing research. The goalof SARGEN IV is to standardize safety assessment
methods used for Generation IV fast neutron reactors currently studied in Europe. The project brings
together 22 European partners, including the sevensafety organizations belonging to ETSON, research
centers, universities and reactor designers.

Results from experimental programs such as PHEBUS PF were used by IRSN during the emergency situation following the Fukushima-Daiichi accident.

IRSN ANNUAL REPORT 2011

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27

15/06/12 13:39

02 / SUMMARY & STRATEGYETSON held its general assembly in Paris on November 9,
2011. The event was attended by representatives of member
organizations - Bel V, GRS, IRSN, LEI, UJV, VTT, VUJE – andassociate members JNES, SEC-NRS and SSTC.

Another example is the Institute’s commitment to the
DoReMi network of excellence, in which 22 European
and Japanese technical safety organizations, universities and government agencies work on joint
research projects to learn more about the effects ofchronic exposure to low-dose ionizing radiation onhuman health. In the field of radioecology, STAR, aEuropean network of excellence, launched its firstcollaborative project, a sign of IRSN’s involvementin European interdisciplinary and decisive research
projects. The systematic organization of these collaborative research projects is part of a strategy torationalize the research resources used by IRSN inorder to drive progress in nuclear safety and radiation protection.
Lastly, a special Atomic Energy Committee was organized last July to examine, in particular, the impact of
the Fukushima-Daiichi accident on research activities
in the safety and radiation protection fields. A callfor projects for an amount of €50 million was issued
as part of the future investments initiative, via the
French national research agency, ANR, to lend impetus to a number of priority actions. Priority concerns
are accident-initiating events, accident prevention,and emergency response.
■ Assessments: the dual challenge of rapid
response and adaptability
The Fukushima-Daiichi accident spurred an increasein IRSN’s assessment activity in 2011, testing its ability to respond and adapt to a situation where close

IRSN organized two scientific seminars in 2011 in connection with the DoReMi European network of excellence. Their aim was to shed light on the effects
of exposure to low-dose ionizing radiation.

28

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IRSN ANNUAL REPORT 201115/06/12 13:39

IRSN was actively involved in the safety audit carried out at nuclear facilities following the Fukushima-Daiichi accident.

monitoring of French facilities currently in operation
remains a priority.
As a result of the Prime Minister’s decision in 2011 tohave a safety audit performed at French nuclear facilities in response to the Fukushima-Daiichi accident,
IRSN set to work closely with ASN to define the specifications for the complementary safety assessments
required, and examine the documentation submitted by the operators of the facilities concerned. The
assessments focused first on the 58 power reactors in

50.2

%

OF IRSN’S BUDGET WAS ALLOCATEDTO TECHNICAL SUPPORT AND PUBLICSERVICE MISSIONS. (47.9% EN 2010)

IRSN ANNUAL REPORT 2011

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service today, the Flamanville 3 EPR currently underconstruction, experimental reactors, and nuclear fuelcycle facilities. Prior to the assessments, the operability of equipment and systems already planned atnuclear facilities had to be examined. IRSN submitted its report on complementary safety assessment
packages to ASN and advisory committee members
on November 4, 2011. The report was published on
November 17 the same year.
IRSN examined the robustness of the safety systems
in place at French nuclear facilities by reviewing existing safety studies and examining documents submitted by operators in September 2001. It also assessed
how these systems performed during a series ofbeyond design-basis stress tests.
These highly complex technical tasks had to be completed within a limited time period, and without compromising the continuous monitoring of operating
facilities.
Examining the safety options proposed for the Atmea
1 reactor, a 1100 MWe pressurized water reactor
designed by Atmea, a joint subsidiary of Areva and
Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, was another task that
put the Institute’s responsiveness and adaptability

29

15/06/12 13:39

02 / SUMMARY & STRATEGYOn September 14, 2011, more than 80 people, mostly from local information commissions, attended the seminar organized by IRSN and ANCCLI on nuclear safetyissues following the Fukushima-Daiichi accident.

to the test. This work deserves a special mention
as it involved assessing the design principles of aGeneration III reactor, during which the Institute had
to incorporate, in mid-examination, the first lessons
learned from the Fukushima-Daiichi accident.
In a completely different area, the Mediator crisis,
which broke out in 2011, led the French authorities
to reconsider assessment principles and procedures
for all public health issues. The Minister of Healththerefore entrusted the French general inspectorate of social affairs (IGAS) with the task of assessing the existing public health assessment system to

102

STUDENTS FROM 10 FRENCH AND FOREIGNSCHOOLS TOOK PART IN THE RADIATIONPROTECTION WORKSHOPS IN SCHOOLSINITIATIVE ORGANIZED IN GRENOBLE.
(197 IN 2010)30

IRSN_RA11_Chap2BilanStrat_UK_CA_13-6.indd 30

determine whether it meets its objectives in termsof independence, quality, and legitimacy. As it carries out a number of missions relevant to the publichealth system, IRSN was asked by IGAS to discussa range of assessment-related issues, such as therole of assessment in the health system, assessment requests and how assessments are carried out,
the independence of experts, stakeholder involvement in the assessment process, and how results are
exploited. The hearing gave the Institute an opportunity to compare its assessment policy in theseareas with expectations. IGAS made some generalobservations: each player’s role should be clarified;procedures and assessments should be transparent;
relations between public health agencies and theirsupervisory authorities (which initiate the assessment) should be formalized. These observations confirm the principles and procedures already adopted
by IRSN in its assessment activities.
■ Openness to society:a transparency policy consolidated
by the Fukushima accident
The relevance of IRSN’s initiative to open up its activities to society was highlighted by the Fukushima accident, which has led to stricter requirements for both
existing and planned nuclear facilities. In particular,

IRSN ANNUAL REPORT 201115/06/12 13:39

On September 9, 2011, the Charter for Openness to Society was signed by five public institutions for research, analysis, and evaluation of health and environmental
risks, namely ANSES, ISTREA, IFSTTAR, INERIS and IRSN.

the event has put the spotlight on two new aspectsof the Institute’s policy in this area: firstly, the desire to
move closer to stakeholders on technical matters byinitiating dialogue at the same time as safety analysis work, and, secondly, the desire to move closer ingeographical terms through partnerships with local
authorities. The first point was illustrated in 2011 during talks between IRSN experts and stakeholders,in particular local information commissions, prior tothe complementary safety assessments carried out
on French nuclear facilities. The second point wasreflected in a joint initiative with the Metropolitan
Community of Montbéliard, which aimed at alerting
the public to the radon risk in homes to improve prevention measures, and supporting local stakeholders.
In the same way, the Institute stepped up efforts toincrease skills among representatives of civil society, particularly in local information commissions andcommittees. In April, it joined the Dampierre CLI inorganizing a public meeting in Orleans to discuss
the findings of the environmental radiological reportthat it had prepared in 2010 for the Val-de-Loire area.
The report was the first of a series aimed at obtaining
an environmental reference state for French nuclear
sites, to be used for assessing radiological anomalies
and the impact of any accidental radioactive release.
IRSN also worked with INERIS, the French national

IRSN ANNUAL REPORT 2011

IRSN_RA11_Chap2BilanStrat_UK_CA_13-6.indd 31

institute for the study of industrial environments
and risks, and ANSES, the French agency for food,environmental and occupational health and safety,
at a joint seminar at the end of March to review theinter-institute Charter on Openness to Society, twoyears after it came into effect. Two new organizations
signed the charter in September, namely IFSTTAR(French institute of science and technology fortransport, development and networks) and IRSTEA(French research institute for agricultural and environmental engineering). In addition, IRSN published
an inventory of its activities over the past two years
relating to its initiative to open up to society. It also
produced a report on the monitoring committee thatwas set up to help implement test cases on opening up the Institute’s activities, as recommended by
Georges Mercadal.

31

15/06/12 13:39

02 / SUMMARY & STRATEGYTRANSPARENCY AND COMMUNICATIONS POLICY

2011 - A BIG MEDIAYEAR FOR IRSN
The accident at the Fukushima-Daiichi plant put the IRSN’s communication and information teams to work as no other single event had
before. The Institute spared no effort to keep the authorities andgeneral public regularly updated through its website and media action
on the situation in Japan and its possible impact on French citizens
living there, in the overseas territories or in metropolitan France. The
considerable media coverage given to the Institute as a result of these
events provided the public with a chance to discover the importantrole played by a TSO and the extent of its scientific and operational
capabilities.

A press conference was organized on March 17, 2011 with the French Ministersof the Environment and Industry and Agnès Buzyn, Chair of IRSN’s Board of Directors,
when the ministers in question visited the IRSN emergency response center.

single figure reflects how great public demand for information was in the
weeks that followed the FukushimaDaiichi accident: more than two
million visitors connected to thewww.irsn.fr website during the week March 20-26,
2011, nearly five times more than the total numberof connections recorded for the whole of 2010. To
meet the demand from the authorities and private
citizens as effectively as possible, IRSN posted dailybulletins on its website giving the latest news on thedamaged reactors, maps showing the trajectory of
the contaminated air masses, and summaries of data
gathered by the “network” of radioactivity monitors
in France and Japan, etc.
At the same time, IRSN responded to more than
1400 requests for the press. All this media coverage
revealed to the public the role played by France’s
technical safety organization in the nuclear safety
and radiation protection fields, along with its scientific and operational capabilities. The sharp increasein the number of contacts from the foreign press in2011 shows that the French were not the only ones
to learn more about IRSN.

A■ Complementary safety assessments:
IRSN publishes its analysis report
The report on nuclear operator complementary
safety assessments reports that IRSN submitted to
ASN and advisory committee members was releasedon November 17, 2011. Following the press conference organized for the event, IRSN put an information notice online entitled “IRSN analysis andconclusions of its examination of the complementary safety assessment reports submitted to ASN by
nuclear operators following the Fukushima accident”,
together with its full report entitled “Post-Fukushimacomplementary safety assessments: the performanceof French nuclear facilities in extreme situations, andrelevance of the proposed improvements”. In thisreport, IRSN sets out its assessment method andthe grounds for its recommendations that additional

32

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IRSN ANNUAL REPORT 201115/06/12 13:39

safety requirements be imposed to guarantee thatvital functions at nuclear facilities continue to operate in the event of extreme situations which, though
exceptional, remain possible. In addition to these specific activities, the Institute continued to put online
reports on reactor safety, environmental monitoring,
and worker monitoring.
www.irsn.fr■ Repères: mission accomplished
IRSN continued to publish its quarterly magazine
Repères, drawing on the results of a readership survey carried out at the end of 2010, in which readers
expressed the opinion that the publication provided
useful information for professionals in the healthcare
and nuclear safety sectors. The four issues publishedin 2011 respectively focused on: radon exposure,ETSON’s contribution to progress in safety and radiation protection, pediatric radiation protection, and the
preparation of French radiation protection standards
based on current international recommendations.
During the year, IRSN worked on several improvements to the magazine, to be introduced as of 2012.
■ Events: an ideal opportunity for dialogue
with the public and professionals
Encouraged by the success of the events it organizes, IRSN continued its various traveling exhibitions. These included Nuclear Power and Society,an event organized in partnership with ASN, which
moved to Chambéry at the beginning of 2011, La
robe et le nuage (The Gown and the Cloud), whichdrew more than 1,000 visitors to Nantes between
June and September, and Gafforisk, an exhibition
designed to increase awareness, particularly among
young people, of the nuclear risk, within the context
of emergency drills carried out in 2011.
The Institute also took part in the Science Fair
jointly organized with CEA on September 19 on the
Saclay site near Paris, and opened the doors of its
Tournemire experimental station in southern France
to the public on June 19, answering questions from
more than 800 visitors.
The EUROSAFE forum held in Paris on November
8-9, 2011 was one of the major professional eventsof the year, with a record attendance of nearly 500
persons from 43 countries taking part in discussions
around “Nuclear safety: new challenges, gained experience and public expectations”. During the forum,an inventory of technical knowledge concerning theaccident that occurred at the Fukushima-Daiichi
plant on March 11, 2011 was presented during a special seminar.
Lessons learned for emergency response and future
research programs for ETSON were also discussed.
Lastly, IRSN organized a number of conferences andsymposiums, such as the event jointly organized withIRSN ANNUAL REPORT 2011

IRSN_RA11_Chap2BilanStrat_UK_CA_13-6.indd 33

SELF, the French-language ergonomics society, on
the theme “Ergonomics, an integrated approach torisks”, and the symposium organized for the official
opening of the Viktoria loop experimental facility in
Levice, Slovakia. The Institute also took part in trade
exhibitions such as Nuclear 2011 in Shenzhen, China.

IRSN BAROMETERTHE ECONOMIC CRISIS AND
THE FUKUSHIMA ACCIDENT: MAJOR
CONCERNS FOR THE FRENCH PUBLIC
Every year since 1988, the IRSN Barometer on risks and safety has kept
close track of how the French public perceives nuclear and radiological risks,
compared with other types of risks and concerns. The survey conducted forthis purpose includes a number of questions recurring every year, plus othermore topical questions.
Results from the survey carried out last October show how the FukushimaDaiichi accident has impacted the French population’s confidence in the
country’s nuclear safety system. In light of the current economic crisis, itcomes as no surprise that the IRSN Barometer confirms that socio-economic
risks are the chief concerns of the French public. Their environmental concerns
therefore appear to rank lower, even though the survey shows that theseconcerns clearly remain. Looking more specifically at the nuclear sector, andin spite of the French Government’s order for a general safety audit on the
country’s nuclear facilities, fears concerning nuclear risks rose, as expected,
some months after the Fukushima-Daiichi accident, the results of whichwere not yet known at the time of the survey. Ninety percent of respondents
considered that nuclear site operators should protect their facilities against“all risks, even events considered highly unlikely”. Another trend observed isa greater public demand for transparency and the need for assessments bymultiple expert sources. In the event of a crisis, 90% of respondents said it
was important to have access to detailed information, as the crisis unfolded,
while more than 80% thought that stakeholders and international experts
should take part in safety assessments of French nuclear facilities. Along thesame lines, they asked for greater access to expert reports and opinions. The
decision made (at the Government’s request) to release to the public IRSN’s
report on complementary safety assessments as soon as it is submitted to
ASN seems particularly in line with these expectations, and helps to lend
credibility to Government action to enhance nuclear safety.

33

15/06/12 13:40

02 / SUMMARY & STRATEGYPROMOTING A SAFETY AND RADIATION PROTECTION CULTURE

CONTRASTING TRENDS
IN THE DEMAND FOR TRAINING
While the demand for training courses in radiation protection regulations and in certain occupational categories in the healthcare sector
and industry continued on its downward trend in 2011, the number ofapplicants for the aptitude certificate for operating industrial radiology
equipment (CAMARI) continued to rise. These contrasting trends canbe explained on the one hand (at least in part) by budget restrictions
brought about by the current economic crisis, and on the other hand,apparently, by stricter radiological inspections and the developmentof nondestructive testing methods, including industrial radiology. The
year also saw an increase in nuclear safety training activities at ENSTTI.

1,810
34

IRSN_RA11_Chap2BilanStrat_UK_CA_13-6.indd 34

PEOPLE ATTENDED
IRSN TRAINING COURSES.
(2,153 IN 2010)

elping to protect individuals who areoccupationally exposed to ionizing
radiation is one of IRSN’s responsibilities. Within this context, the Institutecontinues to organize training courses
in radiation protection for those working in healthcare, industry, and research. It also offers training
in nuclear safety and the monitoring and control of
nuclear materials. While the numbers of healthcare
personnel applying for training in patient radiation
protection have seen a downturn, radiation protection training for those working in industry (excluding nuclear facilities) saw a significant increase. The
number of persons attending IRSN training courses
in this area rose from 13% to 30% of the annual total(2010 trainees for the year 2011).
Training courses in patient radiation protection
mainly concerned personnel using radiologicalequipment in operating rooms in hospitals and clinics, as a large number of those working in imaging
and radiotherapy centers were already trained asof 2010.
Whatever the case, IRSN observes that budget
restrictions have led some organizations and companies to cut back on staff training investment. In
view of this situation, IRSN made every effort tomaintain its training activities for the medical sector through mailing initiatives and involvement in arange of professional events to promote its training
offer in a highly competitive market.
One exception to this generally dull picture is training
for radiation protection specialists, where demandremains very high. This is no doubt because thelabor code imposes the presence of a radiation protection specialist wherever personnel runs the riskof exposure to radioactivity owing to the presence
or use of ionizing radiation sources. The year 2011
saw the resumption of five-yearly training courses
for those wishing to renew their accreditation inthis area, as well as initial training courses, where an
extra session had to be programmed in mid-year tomeet the demand.

H

IRSN ANNUAL REPORT 201115/06/12 13:40

■ Progress in CAMARI-related activities
confirmed
The year 2011 also saw a rise in the number of candidates for the aptitude certificate for operating
industrial radiology equipment (CAMARI), whichreached 714, compared with 664 the previous year.
Of this number, 401 took the written exam in 2011,
compared with 375 in 2010, and 313 took the oral
exam, as against 289 in 2010. In view of these rising numbers, IRSN had to increase the number of
examination sessions, with two sessions for the
written exam and four for the oral every month.
In December, IRSN organized a new session of
CAMARI oral exams in Morocco for five candidates
who had passed the written examination in 2010.
This initiative was organized under the partnershipagreement with AMS-AP, the Moroccan association for welding and pressure vessels. The partnership avoids the need for Moroccan candidates tocome to France to take the CAMARI examination,
and allows CNESTEN, Morocco’s national center for
nuclear energy, science and technology, AMS-AP,
and the Moroccan authorities concerned to benefit
from IRSN’s expertise with a view to setting up aradiation protection system for industrial radiography purposes.
■ New nuclear safety training session
organized by ENSTTI
Following an initial session in Germany and France
between July and September 2010, the European
Nuclear Safety Training and Tutoring Institute(ENSTTI) organized a training session in Munich

IRSN organized more regulatory training courses for radiation protection specialists.

ENSTTI provides
training courses
aimed at passing on
European know-how
in the field of nuclear
safety and radiation
protection.

351

CAMARI CERTIFICATES ISSUED.
(341 IN 2010)

during the summer 2011. The event, a great success, was attended by 15 participants from European
and international nuclear safety radiation protection
organizations as well as from industry. Participants inthe second four-week session of specialized classes– and especially trainees from industry – found thetechnical visits and the high standard of teachingparticularly valuable. The originality of ENSTTI’s
approach is that it draws on all the expertise andresources of the member and partner TSOs to provide short applied training sessions and long tutoring periods aimed at sharing European know-how innuclear safety and radiation protection research andassessment. Since March 2011, this joint European
initiative has had the status of a European Economic
Interest Grouping (EEIG) formed by IRSN and twoother European TSOs – GRS (Germany) and LEI(Lithuania) – and is supported by ETSON, theEuropean TSO network.

IRSN ANNUAL REPORT 2011

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35

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03 / ACTIVITIESO3/FONTENAY-AUX-ROSES – HAUTS-DE-SEINE(December 18)
THE SOFIA SIMULATOR WAS OFFICIALLY
OPENED BY THE FRENCH PRIME MINISTERFRANÇOIS FILLON, IN PRESENCE OF
NATHALIE KOSCIUSKO-MORIZET, MINISTER
OF ECOLOGY, ERIC BESSON, MINISTER OFENERGY. THE PRIME MINISTER HAS ALSO
VISITED THE IRSN’S EMERGENCY RESPONSE
CENTER.

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IRSN ANNUAL REPORT 201115/06/12 13:49

SAFETY .............................................................................................................................................. P. 38
ABOUT DEFENSE ........................................................................................................................ P. 52
SECURITY AND NON-PROLIFERATION ....................................................................... P. 58
RADIATION PROTECTION-ENVIRONMENT AND HUMAN HEALTH ......... P. 64
EMERGENCY AND POST-ACCIDENT SITUATIONS ............................................... P. 76

ACTIVITIESIRSN ANNUAL REPORT 2011

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37

15/06/12 13:49

03 / ACTIVITIESSAFETYMANAGING BOTH EMERGENCIESAND EVERYDAY ACTIVITIES
Although more than one hundred IRSN experts were mobilized during the second half of 2011 to analyze the reports of complementary
safety assessments conducted by French operators of nuclear facilities,
the Institute continued to carry out its routine activities of assessing
the safety of nuclear power plants, fuel cycle and research facilities.
In order to base these assessments of existing and future facilities– such as Generation IV reactors – on state-of-the-art scientific andtechnical knowledge, IRSN has continued its research works on fire
prevention, major accident phenomenology and other areas that arevital to the safety of nuclear facilities. It has also responsed many
requests from around the world for safety assessments, particularly
from countries with nuclear power programs, such as the United ArabEmirates. Lastly, it continued to provide technical support in the fieldof safety for defense-related activities.

11

TECHNICAL INSTRUCTIONS PREPARED FOR
MEETINGS OF STANDING ADVISORY GROUPS OR
COMMITTEES FOR REACTORS, PLANTS, AND WASTE.
(12 IN 2010)38

IRSN_RA11_Chap3Sureté01_UK_CA.indd 38

SAFETY OF EXISTING FACILITIESMONITORING REACTORSIRSN supports ASN, the French nuclear safety authority, by assessing the safety of reactors in operationand during construction and dismantling work.
■ Incidents of clogging agents accumulating
in pressurized water reactors
A number of significant events occurred at facilities
in 2009 in France prompted IRSN to inquire on themassive influx of vegetable debris and other clogging agents upstream of the filters placed on thecooling water supply lines of nuclear reactors. The
consultation of the feedback drawn over significant
safety-related events related to massive influxes ofclogging agents reported by EDF between 1979 and2009, the Institute found that the clogging agentsin question varied greatly, the frequency of occurrence varied from site to site, and the impact onequipment depended on the type of clogging agent.
IRSN concluded that the problem should be handledusing an approach similar to that currently in use forexternal hazards.
■ Operating reactors feedback
between 2006 and 2008
IRSN submitted its feedback analysis on operating PWR operation between 2006 and 2008 to theadvisory committee for nuclear reactors in January
2011. This analysis is conducted by IRSN every three
years as part of a continual safety improvement
approach. IRSN issued recommendations on a variety of topics, including the devices’ management
then temporary changes in facilities, checking ofequipment performance following maintenance
operations, maintenance requiring the shutdownof safety-related equipment, and steam generator
degradation.
In the run-up to this advisory committee meeting,
IRSN conducted assessments of feedback on safety,

IRSN ANNUAL REPORT 201115/06/12 13:49

IRSN carried out studies to assess the effectiveness of thickening the existing reactor foundation raft at the Fessenheim NPP in Alsace.

radiation protection, environment impact and theapproaches adopted by EDF to ensure that its facilities set a high standard and to reduce the number ofreactor trips. These assessments were also accompanied by recommendations.
■ Project to reinforce the foundation raft of
the Fessenheim reactor
In 2011 IRSN conducted a series of studies for the
purposes of determining, in 2012, the effectiveness of measures proposed by EDF to reinforce thefoundation raft at the level of the pits of reactors
1 and 2 at the Fessenheim power plant in easternFrance. The measures call for adding an extra layerof concrete under each reactor vessel further tothe decision issued by ASN on July 4, 2011 requiring reinforcing the foundation raft of reactor 1 at
Fessenheim before June 30, 2013, “in order to significantly increase its corium strength in the event of
a severe accident involving ex-vessel progression.”
IRSN’s civil engineering and radiation protection
experts contributed to this assessment.
The Institute reviewed the value of options otherthan those proposed by EDF (concrete type, coolingmethod, etc.) using the MEDICIS corium-concreteinteraction software developed by the Institute andvalidated using lessons learned from national andinternational experimental programs.
■ Generic anomalies affecting
900 MWe reactors
In 2011 IRSN reviewed proposals put forward by EDF
to correct two generic anomalies affecting 900 MWe
reactors. The first, reported by EDF in February 2011,
related to premature wear of connecting rod bear-

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IN THE WORDS OF…

YANN RICHET,
Researcher at IRSN’s Criticality Analysis Department“At IRSN, we have been making increasing use of applied mathematics to supplement conventional safety approaches, particularly in the areas of safety assessments and emergency responsemanagement.
The numerical tools and models used in situations such as the
Fukushima Daiichi accident bring additional data to the decisionmaking process by including uncertainties about the available data.
Statistical models are useful for quantifying risks of failure andmargins of safety when assessing the safety of facilities.
The mathematical tools developed by IRSN help experts to findanswers to interrelated and complex scientific problems and thus
gain a comprehensive understanding of safety issues that are usually dealt with individually. Applied mathematics are also used todevelop consistent and cross-functional safety approaches. The
Institute works actively with its partners in the academic world andindustry to master these tools that are vital to IRSN’s missions.”

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03 / ACTIVITIES / SAFETY
MANAGING BOTH EMERGENCIES AND EVERYDAY ACTIVITIESIRSN was involved in monitoring progress in construction work on the Flamanville 3 reactor in Normandy.

ings on 26 emergency and station blackout diesel
generators installed at these reactors. IRSN provided ASN with its assessment on the issue and,over the course of 2011, continued to evaluate thegeneral safety problem posed by the loss of reliability of the generators using the results of measurestaken on the sites. The second anomaly, reported by
EDF in early 2011, concerned measurement uncertainties related to the adjustment of the high-headsafety injection system (HHSI) flow rate to the threemain pipes of the reactor coolant system.
It was found that the instrumentation used was notaccurate enough for this adjustment and did not guarantee that safety criteria would be met in the eventof a LOCA. In its July 2011 assessment, IRSN recommended checking the balance of the HHSI flow rateduring subsequent outages of all 900 MWe reactors.
www.irsn.fr■ A big year for EPR assessments
In 2011, IRSN continued to assess the detailed
design of the Flamanville 3 EPR in Normandy and

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its operating principles, while helping to monitor the
progress of construction work on the new reactor.
IRSN accepted EDF’s demonstration of compliancewith the initial specifications for the automatedsafety system used to operate the reactor following
the initial phases of an accident. The presentationof these findings before the advisory committee
on reactors ended several years of inquiry into thearchitecture of the EPR’s I&C system and the platforms used.
IRSN also reviewed all the systems designed toensure the containment of radioactive substances.
The Institute recommended looking into the possibilities of controlling and filtering potential releases
in the event of an accident in the buildings closed
to the reactor building.
After reviewing a working draft of the Flamanville 3
safety analysis report submitted by EDF in late 2010,
IRSN considered that a fuller demonstration of thereactor’s safety was necessary.
In addition to assessing the detailed design, IRSN
will investigate whether the Flamanville 3 reactor

IRSN ANNUAL REPORT 201115/06/12 13:49

complies with state-of-the-art safety and building
standards. In 2011 the Institute continued to participate extensively in the inspection program set
up by ASN. A great deal of attention was focusedon the concreting of the internal containment andthe walls of the pools in the reactor and fuel storage
buildings, as well as welding on the safety-related
the tanks. Lastly, IRSN issued its findings on theimpact study and the preliminary safety analysis
submitted by EDF to ASN as part of its construction license application for an EPR on the Penly site
in Normandy. In both cases, IRSN’s assessments
revealed many weaknesses.
www.irsn.fr■ Supporting safety in Ukraine
In June 2011 IRSN’s experts presented the State
Nuclear Regulatory Inspectorate of Ukraine (SNRIU)
with the findings of their safety analysis reviews
and their assessment of safety improvements
to Ukrainian VVER reactors currently in operation in Ukraine. Begun in 2007 and funded by theEuropean Commission as part of its support programs, this work was carried out in collaboration
with GRS experts from the Riskaudit EEIG.
The Institute was also appointed to carry out threesignificant tasks:• define the regulatory requirements concerning
the development of a project to build a research
reactor;• make a final assessment on the updating of thecomprehensive program to modernize Ukraine’s
VVER reactors, taking into account IAEA recommendations and post-Fukushima measuresplanned by the operator;• advise the SNRIU as to the best safety options fora future power reactor.
■ Assessment of EDF’s strategy for nuclear
power plant dismantling
In order to meet the requests made by ASN in
2004, EDF sent, in 2009, an updated version of its
application setting out its strategy for the dismantling of Generation I nuclear plants. IRSN’s assessment found that, although the strategy presented
was adequate, the schedules for the dismantlingof EDF’s gas-cooled reactors (GCRs) had sufferedmajor postponements due to the failure to find a siteon which to build a graphite waste disposal facility.
As the exact completion date of this facility is not
yet known, IRSN recommended that EDF send an
updated version of its application, presenting theoptions guaranteeing that the facilities would bedismantled as scheduled. This updated application
will also have to include information demonstrating
the acceptability of the deadlines set in view of thesafety of facilities awaiting dismantlement.

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TECHNICAL NOTICES WERE SUBMITTED
TO ASN (EXCLUDING DEFENSE-RELATEDACTIVITIES). (658 IN 2010)■ Complementary post-Fukushimasafety assessments
Twelve days after the triple disaster that hit Japanon March 11, French Prime Minister François Fillon
requested an “audit” of all nuclear facilities in France.
Just two days after Mr. Fillon’s request, the European
Council issued a declaration requiring the perfor-

IN THE WORDS OF…

JOËL GARRON,
Specialist in Organizational and Human Factors, Department
for the Study of Human Factors, IRSN
“The Finnish operator Fortum contacted IRSN as part of its project
to modernize the control room at its Loviisa nuclear power plant.
We worked with GRS on this project.
Our job consisted in analyzing the thoroughness and relevanceof the international standards listed as references in the design
document drawn up by Fortum. In particular, IRSN reviewed thestandards on the layout of spaces, work stations and MMIs, the consideration of users in the design process and even model validation.
It also entailed supplementing the standards used with feedback
from assessments conducted by IRSN on France’s reactors, particularly its 1450 MWe series and EPR. This service for a foreign
operator was a first for us in the field of human factors and will
surely be followed by a second phase designed to ensure consistency
between the standards used and design choices.”

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03 / ACTIVITIES / SAFETY
MANAGING BOTH EMERGENCIES AND EVERYDAY ACTIVITIESIN THE WORDS OF…

VÉRONIQUE ROUYER,
Assistant Director for Scientific and Technical Projects, Strategy,
Development and Partnerships Sector, IRSN
“2011 was marked by the completion of the main renovation workof the CABRI reactor and particularly by the resolution of complex
technical problems raised by the reactor’s earthquake resistance,
and work on the overhead crane to bring it in line with requirements.
The facility is now in the pre-commissioning test phase, a decisive
moment in the renovation project. 2011 also saw discussions with
CEA, the owner of the project, to more clearly define each party’s
responsibilities and commitments in the proper completion of
the work. As CEA operates the reactor and IRSN supervises theresearch programs conducted in it to study the behavior of nuclear
fuel during accident situations, IRSN and CEA signed, on October
7, 2011, a new contract governing the end of the renovation work.
Among other things, this contract sets a cost limit and a maximum
period of 24 months between the time when the reactor core may
be loaded and the sending of the application for authorization to
conduct the experimental tests planned under the international
CABRI-CIP project. Once ASN grants this authorization, the facility
will be fully operational.”mance of stress tests on all nuclear plants throughout Europe (see box). IRSN was heavily involved on
both fronts throughout 2011.
Although the months of March and April 2011 wereprimarily spent dealing with the emergency andinforming the public authorities and the media,
IRSN was quickly contacted by ASN to participate
in drafting the EU stress test specifications. These
specifications also provided a framework for Frenchcomplementary safety assessments (CSAs), which
evaluate the behavior of facilities under extreme
situations caused by natural hazards, or following
a complete loss of coolant or a prolonged loss of42

IRSN_RA11_Chap3Sureté01_UK_CA.indd 42electrical power at more than one facility on a single
site. Their purpose is also to assess the availability
and organization of the means used to respond to
emergencies in these situations.
To carry out these assessments, in early April IRSN
brought its operational directions together under asingle organization to obtain a cross-functional viewof areas as varied as the characterization and impactof hazards, the management of loss-of-safety-function situations and the management of severe accidents and emergencies.
This organization had two overriding objectives:• organize IRSN’s work associated with the CSAs
and stress tests;• set up a suitable structure to learn more about
what caused the accident and how it unfolded and,
where necessary, amend the safety approach used
in France.
A post-Fukushima working group was created alongwith six subgroups, each in charge of issues relating
directly to feedback from the accident.
The approach required by the CSAs consists inconsidering that severe accident situations may becaused by natural external hazards or that, independent of any hazard, their characteristics (duration,
number of facilities affected, etc.) may exceed therequirements of the current basement.
The CSAs must therefore make it possible to identify the safety functions to be ensured in these accident situations (earthquake, flood, loss of coolant,
loss of electrical power, severe accidents) in orderto prevent the occurrence of undesirable situations(core meltdown, uncovery of fuel stored in a pool,significant releases, etc.). The aim is to avoid theserious consequences of a beyond-basement hazard or accident for the environment and the public.
In May the working group determined which information operators should include in their reports.
This made it possible to prepare the first phaseof the audit – the analysis of the approach usedby the operators to meet ASN specifications –prior to receiving the documents describing theseapproaches, due on June 1. This analysis was presented to the advisory committees for reactors, labs
and plants on July 6, 2011.
In the period between this analysis and receipt of
the operators’ documents, a number of studies wereconducted to prepare the analysis of the documents
in question. These included assessing the likelihoodof earthquakes on each site, identifying flooding
protection systems, identifying significant compliance gaps on PWR reactors, identifying materials
and systems used in situations of total loss of coolant and power supplies, information on how a severe
accident occurs, and the risks posed by the industrial environment.
After receiving the operators’ documents on

IRSN ANNUAL REPORT 201115/06/12 13:49

PRIORITY ONE
FACILITIES2011

La Hague 7

2012

Flamanville

Penly

2

Paluel4

6 Gravelines
2 1 Chooz

3

4 Cattenom

Nuclear power plant
Saclay 1

Nuclear power plantunder dismantling

St-Laurent-des-Eaux 2
Chinon 4

3

Civaux 2

Research reactor

23

2 Nogent-sur-Seine
4 Dampierre-en-Burly
2 Belleville-sur-Loire
Bugey 4St-Alban 2

BlayaisRomans 1

Nuclear facility
As part of thecomplementary safetyassessment initiative,
79 civil facilities were
examined in 2011.
The operators of the
24 other facilities must
submit their report
by January 15, 2012.

1

1
2 Creys-Malville
1 Grenoble

Cruas-Meysse 4

SISMIC HAZARD
Very low
Low
Moderate
MediumMORE ABOUTEU STRESS TESTSOn March 24 and 25, the European Council requested that EU Member
States conduct stress tests of their nuclear facilities. Stress tests aredefined as “a targeted reassessment of the safety margins of nuclear
power plants in light of the events which occurred at Fukushima.”
The scenarios considered include accident situations that could occur,
possibly simultaneously, in a site’s reactors and spent-fuel pools. It is
up to nuclear power plant operators to perform these reassessments,
and up to safety authorities to accept or reject them. On September 15, all the countries submitted progress reports to the European
Commission. These reports primarily described the methods used byoperators to conduct these stress tests. A summary progress report
was presented to the Council on December 9. Final national reports,
drawn up by each country’s safety authorities on the basis of the operator reports and the related reviews, were submitted to ENSREG(European Nuclear Safety Regulators Group) on December 31. These
reports were examined during European peer reviews held between
January and April 2012, following which an ENSREG report was published. This report will guide decision-making at the European Council scheduled for June 2012. The European Commission has nevertheless requested that further investigations be carried out by the end of
November 2012. In addition, ENSREG will set up an action plan aimed
at ensuring that peer review recommendations are followed up andthat a number of additional actions are implemented.

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2 Fessenheim

Golfech 2

Tricastin 4

5

Marcoule 1

1 1

3 7

Source : IRSN 2011

1 Brennilis

1 Cadarache

September 15, IRSN reviewed them by looking at cross-cutting issues, such as fire analyses, explosions, accident management, andthe mechanical strength of equipment andstructures. It drafted a report and submitted thefindings to the advisory committees on November
8-10. The three main findings are as follows:• A few nuclear facilities do not fully comply withapplicable safety requirements. Corrective actions
are therefore underway and will be accelerated;• New knowledge must lead to a proactive review ofcertain requirements, especially in the case of earthquakes, as our understanding of this phenomenon
has increased considerably in recent years;• The question of how nuclear facilities react under
extreme natural conditions must be examined.
To confront these exceptional, but nonetheless conceivable, scenarios, IRSN recommended the adoption of a hardened safety core. Consisting of a certain
number of structures, systems and components, thishardened safety core would meet more stringent
safety requirements and guarantee that the vital
basic functions of nuclear facilities are maintained
until off-site resources are able to take over.
This extensive analysis work was completed withina very short time by the operators of the nuclear
facilities (including EDF, CEA and Areva) and IRSN,
which enlisted the assistance of more than one hundred experts over a period of several months..
www.irsn.fr

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03 / ACTIVITIES / SAFETY
MANAGING BOTH EMERGENCIES AND
EVERYDAY ACTIVITIESMONITORING FUEL CYCLE FACILITIESAND EXPERIMENTAL REACTORSThe aim of the assessment conducted by IRSN is toevaluate the safety of fuel cycle facilities and experimental reactors.
■ Safety of the ÉOLE and MINERVE research
reactors
In 2011 IRSN presented the advisory committee fornuclear reactors with its assessment of the safetyof the ÉOLE and MINERVE experimental reactors
operated by CEA at the Cadarache Center northeastof Marseille. Conducted on the basis of the safety
review application for both reactors, the assessment confirmed that, in light of their characteristics
and the operating technical specifications in force– particularly regarding the verifications to be madebefore every experiment – both reactors could continue operating.
IRSN also reviewed the control of criticality risks instorage facilities and during transfers of fissile materials used in both reactors. The observations madeby IRSN during its review prompted CEA to redefine its criticality baseline and make a commitment
to increase the reliability of the overhead cranes
used to transfer fissile materials at the facility. Lastly,
IRSN’s review of the facility’s earthquake resistancerevealed the need for structural reinforcement. This
work is expected to be carried out by CEA in 2012.
■ Commissioning of the Magenta facility
IRSN reviewed the safety analysis report, the general operating rules, the decommissioning plan andthe safety-related tests presented by CEA for the
purposes of commissioning the Magenta facility
located on the site of the Cadarache Center.
Designed for the purposes of storing and characterizing non-irradiated fissile materials, the reactor isequipped with storage facilities as well as various
types of equipment (including glove boxes) used
to recondition and characterize materials. IRSN’sreview found that, in light of the commitments madeby CEA during the review, the safety and radiation
protection measures presented in the documents
provided for the commissioning of the Magenta
reactor were appropriate, subject to a few recommendations concerning, in particular, the commissioning of the glove boxes mentioned above, andthe risk of rainwater accumulating on roofs in theevent of drain clogging.
www.irsn.fr■ Project to build a research reactor
in the Netherlands
In 2011 IRSN lent its technical expertise to the
Dutch Ministry of Economic Affairs, Agriculture andInnovation by proposing a list of safety requirements

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The EOLE reactor (like MINERVE) is mainly used for neutronic studies in thermal fuelnetworks.

IN THE WORDS OF…

ÉLODIE CAHEN,
Engineer in charge of assessing the Jules Horowitz research
reactor, IRSN
“When completed, the Jules Horowitz reactor on CEA’s Cadarachesite will be used to study the behavior of fuels and materials andproduce radioisotopes for use in nuclear medicine. The reactor’ssafety is assessed by reviewing its detailed design and monitoring
construction quality. In addition to participating in three inspections led by ASN, in 2011 the Institute reviewed the conceptual andstructural design packages for the containment building and thereactor pool. Its assessment and the commitments made by CEA
during the assessment made it possible to lift ASN’s hold points forboth structures and allow CEA to begin work on their construction.
More specifically, IRSN’s reservations about the representativenessof the load created by a borax explosion accident used to design thereactor pool prompted CEA to modify the design of the reactivity
control mechanisms and consider the possibility of installing shock
absorbers around the edge of the pool.”

IRSN ANNUAL REPORT 201115/06/12 13:49

for the research reactor that the Dutch operator
NRG is planning to build in Petten, a town north of
Amsterdam, and which will have a thermal output ofseveral dozen megawatts. The Institute based thislist on the requirements of competent internationalorganizations (such as IAEA) and design choices
adopted for the latest research reactors that havebeen built or are still under construction around theworld. This work will feed the public debate on theconstruction of the new research reactor.

CONTAINMENT AND FIRE
Containment is a major safety function in the control of radioactive release to the environment. IRSN
also conducts research on this issue to gain a better
understanding of how fires start in confined spaces
and to evaluate the risks of containment failure.
■ Publication of IRSN’s fire hazard assessment
baseline
In 2011 IRSN finished and published its fire hazard assessment baseline. Containing the Institute’s
feedback and explaining state-of-the-art practices
in fire hazard assessment, the baseline’s purpose
is to set out and disseminate the principles theInstitute considers should be followed when analyzing fire hazards. Among other things, it specifies the methodology to be used and the evidenceof nuclear safety to be provided. The baseline,
which was widely disseminated, was presented to
ASN and ASND (French Nuclear Safety Authority
for defense-related facilities and activities) and anumber of foreign counterparts, for example during
a meeting held by the OECD in Toronto, Canada.
The assessment baseline is accompanied by two
documents. The first sets out requirements for thevalidation and verification of the numerical methods and tools used to estimate the effects of fire insafety demonstrations. The second specifies capability and response time requirements.
www.irsn.fr

services, the Institute puts its expertise and knowledge to work for companies, especially those in theregion around the Cadarache site, and enhances the
skills of its research and development teams.
www.irsn.fr■ Lessons of the common-interest
program on fire2011 saw the end of the common-interest program
led with Areva to study the behavior of radiation
containment equipment in nuclear facilities in theevent of fire in electrical cabinets. This research
program resulted in the development and qualification, at various scales, of a model for predicting theclogging of HEPA filters by combustion aerosols.
This model includes parameters that directly influence clogging (weight of the aerosols deposited,size of the aerosols released, condensate content

Cable fire test facility (ITER).

■ Increase in the number of fire protection
services
IRSN provided yet more fire protection services in2011. For several years the Institute’s teams on the
Cadarache site have been providing technical services (fire and thermal stress studies) and scientificservices (data analysis) as part of the regional partnership platform known as COPERNIC and which
has been officially recognized by the region’s risk
management cluster.
These services include testing CEA-patented valves
under fire conditions; analyzing experimental data
for DGA, the French defense procurement agency;
testing helicopter components for Eurocopter; andtesting electrical cables for ITER. In providing these

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03 / ACTIVITIES / SAFETY
MANAGING BOTH EMERGENCIES AND EVERYDAY ACTIVITIESMany wind tunnel tests were performed on a mockup of a building representing reference facilities equipped with a ventilation network. The purpose of thesetests was to measure leak rates.

and filtration velocity). A method was developed
to access model parameters that vary with the sizeof the aerosols and their condensate content. This
common-interest program also made it easier tomodel industrial ventilation systems used to study
ventilation performance during a fire. It reduces, by
as much as a factor of forty, the amount of aeromechanical data required, without impairing the qualityof results in terms of their relevance.
■ Initial version of the BADIANE database
IRSN developed and released to its assessment
units an initial version of BADIANE, its new database on the behavior of equipment used to containradiation and isolate areas in the event of fire.
BADIANE contains the results of research conducted in three areas: work stations, fire compartmentalization equipment and filtration devices forventilation systems. In just a few clicks, it provides
all the information needed to determine a characteristic feature of the behavior of a piece of equipment

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MORE ABOUTMETROLOGY OF NANOPARTICLES
Because emerging technologies have safety issues that must be investigated
immediately, IRSN and CEA signed, in 2011, a partnership agreement on
nanoparticles and the risks associated with carbon nanotubes in particular.
CEA sought IRSN’s expertise to help it develop an analysis technique capableof detecting nanotubes in the form of airborne aerosols in the industries inwhich they are used. This highly sensitive technique is able to determine
the composition of particles suspended in the air. IRSN’s contribution tothis project consisted in developing a safe, design-basis system to produce
aerosols by means of controlled suspension of powdery materials (aluminumoxide, carbon, etc.) and, ultimately, carbon nanotubes. In exchange, IRSN
may use the analysis technique to identify, virtually in real time, therelease phases of a specific contaminant within soot created by the thermal
degradation of materials used in the nuclear industry.

IRSN ANNUAL REPORT 201115/06/12 13:49

when tested under normal, degraded and accident
conditions..
■ Effects of wind on radiation containment
in nuclear facilities
Following the completion of a first phase to characterize the range of pressures exerted by winds on
nuclear facilities, a major second step in the TIVANO
research program was achieved in 2011 thanks toprogress made on a thesis project carried out with
the French scientific and technical center for building(CSTB). This project concerned a similarity study ofthe influence of the wind on airflows inside a facility
during normal and degraded operation of the facility’s
ventilation system. A long series of wind tunnel tests
was conducted on two ventilation system models to
study their behavior under various steady-state ortransient conditions, isothermic situations, and forseveral wind angles of incidence and velocities. These
tests also revealed that, in some accident situations,
the wind’s effects might lead to a partial loss of containment. In other words, they would reverse airflows
between the inside and outside of the facility.
www.irsn.fr

NATURAL HAZARDSIn order to gain a better understanding of the risks
and consequences of natural hazards for nuclear
facilities, IRSN is conducting research on earthquakes, heat waves, storms and floods.
■ Baseline for assessing seismic hazards
In 2011, IRSN took another step forward towards creating a comprehensive reference database for use inassessing seismic hazards, based on the method currently used around basic nuclear installations (INB).
The result of several years of R&D work, this reference
base now comprises revised seismotectonic maps of
metropolitan France, a catalog of seismic parameters(magnitude and depths) based on over a thousand
years of history, and a database of potentially active
faults. The database version produced in 2011 only
covers the southeastern quarter of France. Additional
work is in progress to cover all areas located aroundbasic nuclear installations. This master data will lead
to better assessments of seismic hazards throughthe estimation of the seismogenic potential of the
Earth’s crust at the scale of metropolitan France.
These assessments are accompanied by estimationsof the uncertainties of the results obtained, without
which the assessment would be of little use.
■ Assessment conducted in the United ArabEmirates
In 2011 IRSN began assessing the characteristics ofBraka, the site on which the first nuclear power plant

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IN THE WORDS OF…

DAVIDE GUERRA,
Design Engineer, Airborne Pollutants and Containment
Study and Research Department, IRSN“With more than twenty years of experience in modeling ventilation systems, IRSN possesses the expertise needed to study the
behavior of these systems under incident or degraded conditions
to ensure the containment of radioactive materials and thus eliminate any risk of release to the environment. We put our expertise
to work for plant operators and design offices and provide services
for facilities that are in operation or are being built or dismantled.
CEA and Areva are among the organizations and companies that
contact us to analyze the ventilation systems in laboratories andplants, at both the front and back ends of the nuclear fuel cycle.
We have been using SYLVIA, a software program developed by
IRSN to model complex ventilation systems, for nearly two years
now. In the case of existing facilities, we base our work on indoor
flow rate and pressure measurements. We always compare oursimulations against the results of measurements taken in anotheroperating state. In the case of projects for new facilities, we work
using theoretical values and design drawings.”

www.irsn.fr

in the United Arab Emirates will be built. Working with
GRS as part of a consortium led by the Riskaudit EEIG,
the Institute was selected by the UAE’s safety authority, following an international RFP, to review a portionof the safety analysis report to be filed with the plant
construction license application.
More specifically, IRSN is responsible for reviewing all assumptions on extreme weather conditions,from seismic hazards to the availability of coolant andthe geotechnical conditions on which the design offuture reactors is based. This review is scheduled tobe completed in the first quarter of 2012, but may be
extended in order to apply the lessons learned fromthe Fukushima Daiichi accident.

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03 / ACTIVITIES / SAFETY
MANAGING BOTH EMERGENCIES AND EVERYDAY ACTIVITIESFUELSNominal distribution of hydrides

20

IRSN conducts research on nuclear fuels in order tobetter understand the safety limits to be consideredwith new methods of managing PWR fuel.

18
16■ Study of spent fuel embrittlement following
transportation
Fuel rod cladding is the first of three barriers thatprevent radioactive release to the environment. It
can, however, undergo gradual oxidization while thefuel is inside the reactor, with the result that when
the spent fuel is shipped to reprocessing facilities, the cladding can weaken, rupture and allow thenuclear materials it contains to spill out.
Broadly speaking, this weakening process can be
described as follows: the hydrogen absorbed by the
cladding while the fuel is in use inside the reactor
exists as a solid solution while the rods are being
shipped to the reprocessing facility. When immersedin the spent-fuel pool, the temperature of the water
causes the hydrogen to precipitate into hydride
platelets that run parallel to the cladding walls.
Beyond a certain level of thermomechanical stress,
however, these hydrides precipitate in an orthogonal
direction in relation to the cladding walls, which are
only a few millimeters thick. These “radial” hydrides
weaken the cladding, especially if orthogonal cracks
begin to form. To characterize the conditions for
applying a wide range of stresses to change theorientation of these hydrides in fuel cladding, IRSN
developed an original mechanical experimental pro-48

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14Linear force (N/mm)

Material damage

12
10
8

Reoriented at 450°C, 230 MPa

6
4
2
0
0

0.2

0.4

0.6

0.8

1

1.2

1.4

1.6

1.8

2

Diameter reduction (mm)

Effect ofthermomechanicalstress on
hydrideorientation.

Source : IRSN 2011

■ Analysis of the behavior and managementof fuels between 2003 and 2009
On June 23, 2011, IRSN presented to the advisorycommittee for nuclear reactors its analysis of the
feedback on PWR fuel behavior between 2003 and2009.
The analysis revealed a number of points that callfor particular vigilance:• extensive oxidation of the Zircaloy-4 cladding
makes it impossible to guarantee that the cladding
will not burst under certain accident situations.
Furthermore, manufacturing problems with theM5 alloy cladding resulted in loss of fuel integrityin the reactors;• presence of fuel assemblies from different suppliers in the same reactor makes demonstrating
safety complicated, particularly due to the different head losses;• extensive deformations that delayed, and evenprevented, lowering of the rods were reported on
the 1450 MWe reactors;• variability in the composition of refueled cores
calls for a change in the scope of fuel management studies.
www.irsn.fr

tocol in 2011 for studying the acceptable stress limits for the strength of spent-fuel cladding subjected
to internal pressure from rods during immersion.
■ Mechanical behavior of cladding during aloss of coolant accident
During a loss of coolant accident (LOCA), fuel cladding can be exposed to high temperatures (up to
1200°C) in a water vapor atmosphere and potentially rupture. The effects of such exposure are generally evaluated using the results of tests conducted
on new cladding.
However, in order to determine the role played by
the layer of corrosion that forms under normal reactor operating conditions, IRSN conducted thermomechanical tests in 2011 on cladding that had been
precoated with an oxide layer in order to simulate
reactor conditions. The layer was found to form aprotective barrier that slowed down high-temperature oxidation in water vapor.
However, the results showed that the layer promoted the introduction of hydrogen into the metal
under the oxide layer, reducing the mechanicalstrength of the material. The existence of thesetwo concurrent phenomena confirms the need forresults from experiments that simulate real operating conditions.
■ Nitrogen identified as a culprit in
the degradation of air-exposed fuel cladding
IRSN performed experiments involving microRaman spectroscopy techniques in collaboration with the Laboratory of Electrochemistry and

IRSN ANNUAL REPORT 201115/06/12 13:49

Physical Chemistry of Materials and Interfaces(LEPMI) in Grenoble, which is specialized in microRaman spectroscopy. These experiments confirmed
the presence of nitrogen and identified its various
physicochemical phases in oxide layers that form athigh temperatures on Zircaloy-4 cladding exposed
to air when fuel assemblies are accidentally uncovered. These findings are especially significant as
nitrogen accelerates cladding degradation during
such accidents.

ACCIDENTS
In 2011 IRSN completed several research programs
aimed at characterizing PWR core meltdowns tolearn more about the potential consequences of thistype of accident on people and the environment.
It also shares its work with its European and international partners as part of a general approach to
information sharing.
■ Close of ASAMPSA2 project
The conference closing the ASAMPSA2 project(Advanced Safety Assessment Methodologies:
Level 2 Probabilistic Safety Assessments) marked
the end of the external review of the best practices
guide for level 2 Probabilistic Safety Assessment.
The conference was held from March 7 to 9, 2011,
in Espoo, Finland.
Launched in 2008 under the European Commission’s
Seventh Framework Program for Research andDevelopment (FP7), the ASAMPSA2 project brought
together 21 partners (operators, designers, safety
authorities and their technical support networks)
under the coordination of IRSN.
The project culminated in the creation of a European
guide, released in early 2012, on the development
and use of PSA2 for Generation II and III nuclear

reactors and future Generation IV reactors. Topics ofinterest for future international projects in the fieldof probabilistic assessments were also identified at
the conference.
www.asampsa2.eu■ Final report of the PHEBUS FP program
Launched 20 years ago, the PHEBUS FP international experimental program ended in 2011 with the
publication of the final report on the last test known
as PHEBUS FPT3. The complex experiments conducted under the program brought into play theentire range of phenomena that occur during a PWR
core meltdown prior to a vessel breach, and generated a vast amount of data of significant scientificvalue.
Since then, this data has been supplemented by the
results of separate-effect tests conducted undercompletely representative conditions in order togain a deeper understanding of certain phenomena. These data and results are used to validate
and improve computer models for assessing
radioactive releases into the environment during
such an accident.
One of the lessons learned from the program isthat the amount of gaseous iodine released into
the confinement can be actually greater than that
forecasted by the models and may exacerbate theconsequences of a radioactive release into the environment. These experimental results are shared by
the international community by means of crossinterpretation.
www.irsn.fr■ Gaseous iodine measured
in core meltdown accident situations
In 2011 IRSN measured gaseous iodine in experimental systems that simulate LOCAs leading to

RAMAN imaging. (a) Optical microscope image of an oxide
layer, formed when exposed to air at 800 °C on Zircaloy-4, andmaps obtained using micro-Raman spectroscopy, showing thelocation of phases containing nitrogen – (b) Cubic zirconia– (c) Zirconium oxynitride – (d) Zirconium nitride. These phases
are never alone, monoclinic zirconia predominates in all areas.

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03 / ACTIVITIES / SAFETY
MANAGING BOTH EMERGENCIES AND EVERYDAY ACTIVITIES

radioactive releases inside the containment building. These tests showed that the formation of gaseous iodine was limited in the presence of cesium,
iodine, oxygen and hydrogen, and high in the presence of molybdenum (another chemical element
released during this type of accident).
These results, used to develop and validate thechemical kinetics models in the ASTEC software
used to simulate core meltdown accidents, are theproduct of six years spent developing a complex
experimental loop known as CHIP-LP (phenomenological test line) and its associated experimental
facilities.
The final phase included developing means of separating gaseous iodine from particulate iodine. These
tests, which were set up to understand the highfraction of gaseous iodine measured in the containment during the PHEBUS FP tests, will be continued
in order to assess the influence of elements suchas boron.
■ Assessment of DOE and NRC work
In 2011 the DOE and the NRC contacted IRSN toreview their recent work on updating the reference
source term. By assessing the amount of radioactive
substances that could be released into the environment during an accident, it is possible to estimate
the impact of this release on human health and theenvironment.
IRSN assessed the NRC’s work to update the reference source term for light water reactors (LWR) andevaluate, within the scope of the State-of-the-Art
Reactor Consequence Analyses (SOARCA) project,
the consequences of reactor meltdown accidents. In
the case of the DOE, IRSN assessed the main phenomena likely to occur during accidental releases
from sodium-cooled fast reactors.
IRSN emphasized the need to systematically take
into account the uncertainties involved and consider such things as steam generator tube defects inorder to correctly assess the risks of direct releases
to the atmosphere. IRSN’s recommendations were
included in the final reports released to the public
and will be the subject of further work.
www.nrc.gov■ Experimental feasibility of debris bed
reflooding
In 2011 IRSN conducted preliminary tests (the first of
their kind in the world) to demonstrate the feasibilityof the PEARL experimental program on large-scale
reflooding of debris beds that the Institute will belaunching in 2012. When a LOCA occurs in a nuclear
reactor, the lead-up to a core meltdown can be
slowed down – and even halted – by injecting waterusing any system that may be available repaired.
IRSN develops debris bed reflooding experiments

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IN THE WORDS OF…

MICKAEL DUBREUIL,
Head of the Office on the Analysis of Severe Accidents
and Radioactive Releases, IRSN“In 2011 we organized four training sessions for the engineers of
the China Nuclear Power Engineering Co., Ltd. (CGNPC) as part ofa cooperation framework agreement signed by IRSN and CGNPC
in October 2010. The sessions covered two topics: the guides andmeans for managing core meltdown accidents, and level 1 and 2
PSAs. Three main points emerged from this experience: the Chinese
engineers participated actively, they asked many pertinent questions, and the discussions held were very interesting. Despite thecultural differences and the differences in approach to the topics
covered, we all share a common objective of improving safety.
In addition to transmitting the Institute’s knowledge and expertise, these training sessions provided the opportunity to promote
IRSN’s approach to safety and its proprietary tools and methods.
As a result, we are more than satisfied with this experience. And
we are not alone: CGNPC plans to hold other sessions in the up
coming years.”in order to better assess the effectiveness of injecting water into various damaged core configurations.
The main technical challenges of these experiments
are: a) achieving uniform high temperatures within
the particle bed used to simulate debris and; b)maintaining the level of heat that would be produced inside it by radioactive decay during therepeated injections of water. At its small-scale
facility for the preliminary testing of experimental
reflooding of debris beds (PRÉLUDE), the Institutehas developed an induction heating technique that
achieves conditions representative of a core meltdown accident: a temperature of nearly 900°C and
300 W/kg of heat in the particles, representing
decay heat that must be removed by the coolant
for successful flooding to take place.
The results obtained will be used to validate the

IRSN ANNUAL REPORT 201115/06/12 13:49

debris bed reflooding model developed by IRSN.
Other tests conducted in 2011 made it possible toheat a large debris bed (500 mm in height by 500
mm in diameter) to a temperature of 900°C with aheat release rate of 220 W/kg.
www.irsn.fr■ EPR configuration in the SOFIA simulator
Developed with Areva starting in 2005, the SOFIA
abnormal and emergency operation simulator
provides IRSN with a configuration that is representative of the Flamanville-3 EPR. This new config-

uration joins those already in place (900, 1300 and
1450 MWe) that are representative of the various
types of nuclear power plants in operation in France.
SOFIA’s broad scope of thermal-hydraulic simulation will make it possible to conduct tests under all
operating conditions and in all power states, including maintenance outages where the reactor vessel
is opened for refueling. In a similar field, an EPR
configuration incorporating the CATHARE thermalhydraulics model – the reference in France – is currently under development.
www.irsn.fr

The SOFIA simulator is used to anticipate and improve the safety of pressurized water reactors.

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03 / ACTIVITIESACTIVITÉS //SÛRETÉ
SAFETYÀ PROPOS
ABOUT
DEFENSEDE LA DÉFENSEABOUT DEFENSEASSESSING THE SAFETY OF MILITARY NUCLEAR
SYSTEMS, BASIC NUCLEAR INSTALLATIONSAND DEFENSE-RELATED TRANSPORTIRSN’s activities in this area come under a technical support agreement with the French Representative in charge of
Nuclear Safety and Radiation Protection for Defense-related Activities and Facilities (DSND), operating under the aegis
of the Ministry of Defense and the Ministry of Industry.

In 2011, IRSN examined the safety review documentation for the CEA’s MAR 400 decladdiing unit in Marcoule in southern France.

SAFETY OF SUBMARINES, AIRCRAFT CARRIERSAND DEFENSE-RELATED MILITARY OR CIVIL
FACILITIESIRSN’s safety assessment of facilities operated by the Ministryof Defense, the CEA, Areva or EADS covers their entire life
cycle, from design and operation to decommissioning and dismantling. It also concerns any major modifications to thesefacilities brought about by changes in their activity.

DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION
In the area of naval propulsion, IRSN examined:• the application for a provisional operating license for the fuelstorage pool at the Ile Longue naval base in Brittany, following
the completion of extension work;

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IRSN_RA2011_Chap3Sureté2_UK_CA_12-6.indd 52• the safety report and preliminary safety studies on the refurbishment of the waste treatment plant at the Ile Longue base;• studies concerning the power supply system, centralized
monitoring, seismic behavior of facilities, monitoring of civilengineering structures and the qualification program associated with the application for a provisional operating license
for Dock 8 at the naval port of Brest, using fuel;• the study of fire risks in the Cachin facilities at the port of
Cherbourg in northern France in the context of modifications
resulting from the Barracuda program.
IRSN also continued its examination of the application for aprovisional operating license for the test reactor (RES) at the
Cadarache secret basic nuclear installation (INBS) in southern
France.
It also assessed the safety of several new facilities planned at

IRSN ANNUAL REPORT 201115/06/12 14:09

the CEA/DAM center in Valduc in eastern France:• the planned plutonium recycling facility, with a view to obtaining a construction permit;• the planned storage building for alpha-contaminated waste,with a view to obtaining an industrial operating license;• two planned storage buildings, one designed to accommodate nuclear materials currently stored in the “plutonium”
dedicated facility, and the other designed to take tritiatedheavy water.
The Institute examined an addendum to the preliminary safety
analysis report on the future nuclear materials storage facilityof the nuclear propulsion fuel manufacturing plant at the CEA
Cadarache center. It also analyzed the prospective study on
nuclear waste management at the CEA Marcoule center, also
in southern France.

the area intended for the storage of uranium-bearing materials(P35), as well as the operating modifications made to this facility. It also examined the new water intake and discharge permit
application (DARPE) for the CEA Marcoule center, as well as
the acceptability of the documents submitted in support of the
future DARPE at the CEA/DAM center in Valduc. Lastly, as partof its facility monitoring activities, IRSN examined the circumstances and handling of a number of incidents that occurred

IN THE WORDS
OF…

OPERATION
Regarding the new programs to manufacture nuclear weapon
components and fuel for nuclear-powered vessels, IRSN
assessed the safety of new or renovated equipment in the“tritium” and “plutonium” dedicated facilities at the CEA/DAM
center in Valduc, in the nuclear propulsion fuel manufacturing
plant at the CEA center in Cadarache, and in the EADS neutron
generator R&D facility.
IRSN also assessed the documentation requested from operators following safety reviews of the “tritium” dedicated facility at the CEA/DAM center in Valduc, the long-term storage
areas for uranium-bearing materials at the Areva NC plant in
Pierrelatte in southern France and the Marcoule Vitrification
Facility, performed between 2006 and 2009.
Regarding the CEA Marcoule center, the Institute examined
the following in 2011:• the safety review documents for the liquid effluent treatment
plant to decide on its continued operation, and the preliminary safety report on the discharge and cementation units,
which will supplement the treatment plant’s existing units;• the safety review documents for the MAR 400 decladding
unit.
Moreover, IRSN examined the safety baselines of several facilities designed for the treatment and storage of waste contaminated with tritium or alpha-emitting radioelements at the
CEA/DAM center in Valduc, with a view to defining the scopeof the next safety review. Regarding the Areva NC plant in
Pierrelatte, IRSN examined the operator’s responses to thequestions raised in the construction permit for the extension of

6

IRSN REPORTS FOR MEETINGS OF“DEFENSE-RELATED” TECHNICAL SAFETYCOMMISSIONS. (7 IN 2010)

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BERNARD DUPRAZ,
Representative in charge of Nuclear Safety
and Radiation Protection for Defense-related
Activities and Facilities (DSND)“The ASND is the French nuclear safety authority
responsible for monitoring defense-related nuclear
activities and facilities, specifically nuclear propulsion
facilities (nuclear steam-supply systems for submarines, aircraft carriers and their land-based support
infrastructures), as well as CEA and Areva facilities
that produce nuclear materials and manufacture
weapon components and nuclear propulsion fuel.
In 2011, these facilities embarked on a program of complementary safety assessments, similar to that undertakenin the civil sector. IRSN provided the ASND with technicalsupport for this exercise and will continue to do so in 2012.
IRSN’s contribution mainly lies in its ability to combine the skills of nuclear defense specialists (within
the Nuclear Defense Expertise Division) with thoseof other Institute experts involved in analyzing thecomplementary safety assessments of civil facilities, for example by drawing on the ‘hard core’
approach to safety advocated for nuclear power
plants, or in order to adapt the ‘rapid response force’envisaged by EDF to the needs of the French Navy.
IRSN is thus helping to prevent the risk of a ‘nuclear
ghetto’, while tailoring nuclear safety requirements tothe specific features of the defense sector.”

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03 / ACTIVITIES / SAFETYABOUT DEFENSEIRSN performed a safety review on Rubis-class nuclear attack submarines.

in facilities at the CEA Cadarache center, and in nuclear buildings at the CEA/DAM center in Valduc, the Areva NC plant in
Pierrelatte and the CEA Marcoule center.
In the area of naval propulsion, IRSN focused on completing thesafety review of the “Rubis” class nuclear attack submarines,
particularly with regard to:• internal hazards in the reactor room;• reliability of safety-related instrumentation and control;• the study of fire risks.

DISMANTLING
Regarding the CEA Marcoule center, IRSN examined thefollowing:• the preparatory documents for the dismantling of the
Marcoule prototype facility;• the documents relating to dismantling old transport casks(Cendrillon).

RADIOACTIVE MATERIAL TRANSPORT
Documentation examined by IRSN in 2011 relating to the transport of defense-related radioactive materials included:• the new FS 110 package, designed for on-site transportationof new fuel elements for naval propulsion;• safety options for new packages designed to transport weapon
components and startup sources for naval propulsion;• the mechanical behavior of fuel elements for naval propulsion if dropped.
IRSN also examined several requests for extension of approvals
for transport on the public highway, as well as applications forthe authorization of on-site transport.
Furthermore, IRSN attended meetings organized by the IAEA

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on changes to the regulations for the transport of radioactive
materials.

ON-SITE EMERGENCY PLANS AND DRILLSIRSN personnel were involved in developing scenarios for emergency drills at the Saint Dizier airbase and the CEA Valduc site,both located in eastern France, and the Ile Longue naval basein Brittany. The Institute also took an active part in these drills
and was invited to participate in two internal French Navy drills.
IRSN issued technical notices to the DSND relating to:• joint service training on the organization of the Ministryof Defense and action to be taken during a radiologicalemergency;• the results of the examination of the operational aspects of
the on-site emergency plans at Dock 8 and the Brest site in
Brittany;• the results of the examination of the operational aspects of
the on-site emergency plan at the CEA’s Valduc center ineastern France;• updating of the on-site emergency plan at the CEA’s Marcoulecenter in southern France.

95

TECHNICAL NOTICES WERE SUBMITTED TO ASND
(84 IN 2010).

IRSN ANNUAL REPORT 201115/06/12 14:09

03 / ACTIVITIES / SAFETY
MANAGING BOTH EMERGENCIES AND EVERYDAY ACTIVITIESWork on the SEALEX project was continued in 2011, with two new tests at the Tournemire experimental station in southern France.

CONDUCTING ASSESSMENTS OF
FUTURE FACILITIESFUTURE WASTE REPOSITORIESIRSN is seeking to improve its existing knowledge
base on deep geological repositories for radioactive waste in order to develop the skills and tools
required to assess this type of disposal facility.
■ Study of radionuclide transfer and seal
integrity
Several joint projects involving teams from the
French national center for scientific research(CNRS) and IRSN were completed in 2011 as partof the work of the TRASSE national research group,
which is tasked with studying the transfer of radionuclides in soil, sub-soil and to ecosystems. The
teams conducted studies designed to characterize
the physicochemical interactions between argillite
and concrete.
This work was carried out at the IRSN experimental station in Tournemire in southern France
using systems similar to those likely to be found ina repository. The representative results, obtained
for argillite-concrete contact times of 5, 18 and 125
years (the railway tunnel used was built in the late
19th century), provides IRSN with sound validation

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points for the simulation of these interactions.
The SEALEX project, set up to assess the long-term
integrity of clay seals in a repository for high- andintermediate-level long-lived waste, continued in2011, with two new in situ experiments being set up.
Once the sealing system had been validated, theclay core was forcibly saturated with water; experimental data (relative humidity, pressure) will now becollected over a period of four to five years.
The SEALEX project was opened up to international
collaborative partnerships in 2011 when a specificagreement was finalized with the Canadian Nuclear
Safety Commission.
■ Open day at the Tournemire experimental
stationOn June 19, 2011, the Tournemire experimental station opened to the public for the third time.
Teams from IRSN presented the Institute’s researchon the safety of deep geological repositories forradioactive waste. The experimental systems
installed at the station make it possible to address
the main scientific questions concerning the containment capacity of the clay host rock over a very
long timescale.
The fact that the event attracted 800 visitors, someof whom were openly opposed to nuclear power,

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03 / ACTIVITIES / SAFETY
MANAGING BOTH EMERGENCIES AND EVERYDAY ACTIVITIESThe open day at the Tournemire experimental station in southern France was a great success, demonstrating the public’s interest in the safety of geologicalrepositories for radioactive waste.

clearly demonstrates public interest in the safety of
deep geological disposal of radioactive waste and in
the quality of the technical information provided by
the Institute based on its R&D.

REACTORS OF THE FUTURE
IRSN is researching several advanced reactors types
to be able to assess the future safety nuclear reactors and their associated fuel cycle facilities.
■ Building up knowledge
on high-temperature reactors
In 2011, IRSN continued to build up knowledge about
specific safety aspects of the Generation IV hightemperature reactor (HTR) concept, mainly by participating in R&D projects funded by the European

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Commission. For instance, it studied the feasibility,
in terms of safety, of nuclear co-generation systems(combined heat and power). This work, together
with other research conducted for the EUROPAIRS
project, opens the way for a European platform
devoted to the development of a prototype HTR.
As part of the ARCHER project, IRSN is studying
various aspects relating to assessment of accidental
radioactive releases from an HTR.
The Institute is also involved in an OECD project
aimed at assessing the ability of numerical existing simulation software to reproduce the behaviorof an HTR reactor in the event of a loss-of-coolant
accident. A full-scale experiment has been carriedout with the Japanese high-temperature test reactor (HTTR).
www.europairs.eu

IRSN ANNUAL REPORT 201115/06/12 14:09

■ Safety options on the new ATMEA reactor
ATMEA is a Generation III 1,000 MWe pressurizedwater reactor developed by ATMEA, a joint subsidiary of Areva and Mitsubishi. IRSN has assessedsafety options on this reactor with a view to its possible export. In July 2010, ATMEA and a joint ASNIRSN task force signed a contract undertaking tocomplete the assessment of safety options by theend of 2011. With a view to the possible export of thisreactor, the safety option assessment comprised
two distinct phases:• a preliminary assessment;• followed by a detailed assessment, which led to fivemeetings of the Advisory Committee for Reactors
and one meeting of the Advisory Committee for
Nuclear Pressure Equipment, both of which reported
their findings to the French nuclear safety authority(ASN) in November 2011.
The Institute also assessed the impact on safety
options of the initial lessons learned from the
Fukushima-Daiichi accident.
■ Reference document on BORAX-type
reactivity accidents in pool-type reactors
In 2011, IRSN completed a “reference document” on
the subject of taking into consideration BORAXtype reactivity accidents in designing containment
systems for pool-type research reactors that use
aluminum- and uranium-based fuel.
The accident that occurred in the American SL-1
research reactor on January 3, 1961, together withtests carried out in the U.S. in the BORAX-1 and
SPERT-1 reactors, showed that a sudden substantial
addition of reactivity in the core of this type of reactor could cause a steam explosion and possibly leadto the partial or total destruction of the reactor core.
The IRSN’s reference document reviews the importance of various technical parameters in controlling
this risk, including the thermal energy depositedin the fuel, the thermal energy transferred to thepool water, the triggering of a steam explosion, themechanical effects on structures and equipment
induced by shock waves, and the collapse of thesteam bubbles formed.
www.irsn.fr■ Launch of the JASMIN projectIn 2011, as part of FP7, the Seventh Framework
Programme for Research and Technological
Development, the European Commission accepted
the JASMIN project to use the ASTEC software system, developed jointly by IRSN and GRS, for severe
core meltdown accidents in Generation IV sodiumcooled fast neutron reactors.
The ultimate aim of this four-year project is todevelop an ASTEC-Na version, which will contributeto safety studies on this type of reactor. In addition

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IN THE WORDS OF…

DANIEL BLANC,
in charge of the SARGEN IV project, IRSN“In June 2011, the European Commission approved the SARGEN IV
project, proposed by IRSN as part of the Seventh Framework Programme for Research and Technological Development (FP7). The
aim of this project is to draw up a roadmap for necessary safety
research on sodium-cooled, gas-cooled or lead-cooled fast reactors,
which are currently being studied in Europe as part of collaborative
efforts to develop Generation IV reactors. The ultimate objective
is to define a joint safety assessment procedure for all the reactors in question. This requires close liaison with other projects
supported by the European Commission that are specific to eachtype of reactor.
IRSN is managing the project, which brings together 22 participants
representing technical safety organizations, reactor designers,
research centers and universities. Work got underway early in 2012
and will continue over the next two years.
With the SARGEN IV project, IRSN is seeking to improve its understanding of fast reactors other than those cooled with sodium andof different safety assessment approaches; this will enable it toengage in a technical dialogue with manufacturers with a view tobuilding a reactor of this type.”

to IRSN, there are a further eight European partners
involved Karlsruher Institut Für Technologie – KIT,GRS and Stuttgart University – Germany, EDF andAreva NP – France, Ente per le Nuove tecnologie,
l’Energia e l’Ambiente – ENEA – Italy, Centro deInvestigaciones Energéticas, Medioambientales y
Tecnológicas – CIEMAT – Spain, and the European
Commission’s Joint Research Centre, all of whom willcontribute to validating the software by benchmarking against test results and other software.

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03 / ACTIVITIESSECURITY AND NON-PROLIFERATIONSTRENGTHENING PREVENTIONIN FRANCE AND DEVELOPING
INTERNATIONAL COOPERATIONIRSN’s Nuclear Defense Expertise Division (DEND) actively contributes to national and international efforts to protect and control
nuclear and sensitive materials and to ensure protection against
malicious acts. Besides providing assistance and support to thenational authorities responsible for nuclear security and non-proliferation in France, the Institute has undertaken – under the auspicesof the IAEA and in the context of bilateral relations – cooperation
activities aimed at protecting nuclear facilities and materials against
malicious acts. It also contributed to a peer review conducted by the
IAEA in France at the end of November on how nuclear security isorganized in the country, and continued to take part in reviewing
regulatory texts in this area.

184
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INSPECTIONS RELATIVE TO NATIONAL
NUCLEAR MATERIAL CONTROL UNDER
THE “DECLARATION” REGIME.
(152 IN 2010)PROTECTION AGAINSTMALICIOUS ACTS
■ Regulatory text reviews
In terms of regulations, 2011 saw the publication of
the new regulatory framework for the protection
and control of nuclear materials. The Institute wasinvolved throughout the drafting process. The previous regulations dated back to the 1980s regarding
the protection of nuclear materials against theft, andto a 1958 order regarding the protection of facilities
against sabotage.
The first step in the update process was the 2005
introduction, in the French Defense Code, of legislative (article L. 1333-1 et seq.) and regulatory (article
R. 1333-1 et seq.) sections on the protection andcontrol of nuclear materials.
This was followed by the publication, on September
17, 2009, of Decree No. 2009-1120 on the protection and control of nuclear materials, facilities andtransport.
The third and final step, which has just been completed, was the preparation of ten orders implementing this Decree, nine of which were publishedin 2011 and one in 2010: one order applies to holders of nuclear materials required by environmental
regulations to file a declaration on their activities,
one concerns the activities of advisory committees,
one specifies the license application procedures
required by the Defense Code, three are specifically aimed at nuclear material holders that comeunder the licensing regime (physical protection offacilities, physical monitoring and accountancy of
nuclear materials, security studies), and four concern nuclear material carriers.
These texts form a coherent raft of measures ensuring the protection and control of nuclear materials
that are not related to nuclear deterrence. Many

IRSN ANNUAL REPORT 201115/06/12 13:47

aspects of the previous regulations have beenreviewed, for example the remit of the advisorycommittees for facilities and transport has been
extended, security studies now cover the field ofphysical monitoring and accountancy of nuclear
materials, and the risk of sabotage of nuclear facilities and shipments has been explicitly regulated.

ACTIVITIES OF THE ADVISORYCOMMITTEESThe order on the composition and working procedures of advisory committees for the protectionof plants and facilities containing nuclear materials and for the transport of nuclear materials was
signed on April 28, 2011.
IRSN’s Nuclear Defense Expertise Division provides
secretariat services to these groups and presents
them with the results of its analyses.

ASSESSMENT AND MONITORING
OF FACILITIES■ Assessment
In 2011, IRSN processed 274 requests for technicalnotices on the protection of nuclear materials andfacilities against malicious acts.
This involved examining license applications to hold
nuclear materials, analyzing any incidents or malfunctions notified by plant operators and evaluating
the relevant feedback.
These assessment activities prompted IRSN to organize technical meetings with operators and consult
its own safety experts, as and when necessary.
■ Inspections
Furthermore, Institute employees, sworn and officially appointed as “nuclear materials inspectors”,
are mandated by the Senior Defense and Security
Official of the Ministry of Ecology, Sustainable
Development, Transport and Housing to conduct
inspections at facilities holding nuclear materials, at
the Official’s request.
They responded to 84 notifications by making 145
facility or site inspections, four of these initiatedin response to security-related events. During theinspections, several exercises were carried out, someat night, to observe how local security forces implement the procedures and emergency instructions
prepared by plant operators.
Some inspections are arranged with the operator inadvance, while others are unannounced or initiatedby the authority in response to specific situations,such as incidents or malfunctions.

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6

NATIONAL INSPECTIONS RELATIVE TO
NUCLEAR MATERIAL CONTROL IN FACILITIESUNDER THE “DECLARATION” REGIME.
(8 IN 2010)■ Nuclear material accountancy
The control of nuclear materials relies partly on
the national accounting system, which centralizes
all records of movements. In this context, 2011 saw
the intensive final acceptance phase for the new Ar

IN THE WORDS OF…

LAURENT DEMOLINS,
Brigadier-General, Deputy Senior Defense and Security
Official, Head of the Department of Defense, Security andEconomic Intelligence – Ministry of Ecology, Sustainable
Development, Transport and Housing“The implementation of the ten nuclear security orders publishedbetween September 2010 and November 2011 in application of
the Decree of September 17, 2009 on the protection and control
of nuclear materials, facilities and transport, the success of the
IAEA’s International Physical Protection Advisory Service (IPPAS)
mission in November 2011, and the measures taken against some
civil nuclear sites in December 2011 all have a significant impact on
nuclear security in France. This has prompted the nuclear security
authority to step up its efforts and to ask IRSN, its technical safety
organization, to help it in its task by considering ways to enhance
performance.
IRSN’s level of expertise, its experience and the acknowledged
quality of its workforce will contribute to strengthening nuclear
security, in line with the expectations of the highest State authorities and the general public.”

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exercises for nuclear material at a facility. The purpose of the exercises is to test decision-making
chains as well as the coordination of those involved(operators, public authorities and so on). The exercises entail carrying out a nuclear material inventory at one or more facilities within a few hours to
confirm or rule out the existence of any malicious
acts, such as theft or misuse of nuclear materials, or
acts of sabotage.
During 2011, the Institute organized and carriedout two exercises involving the MELOX plant at
Marcoule in the south of France and the FBFC facility at Romans in southeast France. Sixteen exercisesof this type, usually scheduled on an almost annual
basis, have already been performed. They enable
the emergency procedures used by the main French
nuclear operators to be tested.

Men control software and the early stages of theimplementation of the new computer equipmentused, ahead of the forthcoming rollout of this software. After the public authorities expressed a wishin 2010 to separate accounting for nuclear materials
used for the deterrent policy from accounting forother nuclear materials, the Institute set up agreements with different partners in 2011 to ensure that
responsibility for these materials was transferredwithout any loss of control.
Activities associated with the national accounting system also made it possible to identify anddeal with nuclear security-related events, such asa gamma ray source stolen more than 35 years ago
and found by a metal waste treatment company.
These events were managed jointly by ASN, theSenior Defense and Security Official and IRSN.
■ Nuclear materials management training
The Institute also contributed to training courses
for Areva personnel on physical monitoring andaccountancy of nuclear materials. These provide
an opportunity to clarify security issues with theindividuals most closely involved on the sites, aswell as their managers, and thus help to inculcate asecurity culture. .

SECURITY OF RADIOACTIVE
SOURCESTRANSPORT OF NUCLEAR
MATERIALS
In 2011, IRSN processed 42 requests for technicalnotices on the physical protection of nuclear materials during transport. This involved analyzing transport plans, applications for transport permits andapplications for approval of transport methods, aswell as evaluating feedback from shipments, inspections and checks.
In 2011, IRSN processed 1,722 transport requests andmonitored around 1,598 domestic shipments, during which no significant incidents were reported. It
also monitored international shipments, which weresometimes sensitive from a public relations perspective, such as the return of vitrified waste toGermany that had been conditioned at La Hague
in Normandy, or the arrival of spent fuel from theNetherlands or Italy.
Lastly, the Institute carried out 100 technical checks
on approved equipment for transportation of
nuclear materials and for inspections during transport. These inspections covered all means of transport – road, rail, sea and air – but with a special focus
on road vehicles.

IRSN monitored
the shipment back toGermany of vitrified
waste conditioned
at La Hague.

Activities in 2011 relating to security of radioactive sources mainly centered on the launch of the
ASTRA project (Assessing Tracking Systems forHigh-Risk Radiological Sources), set up under a contract between IRSN and the European Commission.
Similarly, IRSN signed a contract with the French
Ministry of Defense in 2011 to study the hazards
posed by radioactive sources of French origin held
abroad.
The Institute also took part in an exercise to recoverradioactive sources in Morocco as part of the Global
Initiative to Combat Nuclear Terrorism (GICNT).
Lastly, at the request of the IAEA, IRSN was involved

EMERGENCY EXERCISES
At the request of the authorities, IRSN regularlyorganizes emergency situation inventory control

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IN THE WORDS OF…

in training courses in Islamabad (Pakistan) andObninsk (Russian Federation) for future radioactive source security instructors.

INTERNATIONAL ACTIVITIES“Under the Decree establishing IRSN, the Institute is responsible
for the national inventory of radioactive sources, working on thebasis of various documents provided by holders and suppliers ofradioactive sources, such as movement forms, annual inventories,
radioactive source recovery certificates and suppliers’ reports. The
latter consist of a quarterly statement of deliveries or receipts ofsources. In response to a request from ASN, which gives priority tothese reports, we took steps to encourage the transmission of these
documents and the systematic use of the information they containto improve the reliability of the national inventory of radioactive
sources. This long-term process involved defining a standard reportformat and encouraging suppliers to use it to facilitate the inputof data into SIGIS, the French information system used to manage
this inventory. A practical guide for radioactive source suppliers
is also available on the IRSN website. The tool is currently being
improved to optimize the processing of these documents in termsof speed and quality. In 2011, on at least one occasion, 64% of suppliers sent us data that could be directly fed into SIGIS, comparedwith 57% in 2010.”■ Relations with the IAEA
In November 2011, France welcomed a team from the
IAEA’s International Physical Protection Advisory
Service (IPPAS) and IRSN was actively involved in
the preparatory work and follow-up. IRSN experts
also took part in IPPAS missions to Sweden in May
and the UK in October.
Furthermore, at the request of the IAEA, the Institute
was involved in courses organized in Belarus andNiger in 2011 on the principle of determining adesign basis threat, in the Netherlands on potential
acts of sabotage, and in China on internal threats.
Two missions were carried out as part of the IAEA’s
working group aiming to develop a methodology
for self-assessment of nuclear security regimes. The
Institute was represented on the program committee for the International Conference on the Safe andSecure Transport of Radioactive Material, organizedby the IAEA in Vienna (Austria) from October 17-21,
2011.
This conference, the first to address transport safety
and security, laid the foundations for the IAEA’s workin this field over the next fifty years. The Institutecontributed to the French support program for IAEA
safeguards, specifically concerning software used
to determine the isotopic composition of plutonium
and enriched uranium. It was also involved in a new
initiative to remotely identify nuclear materials anddefine the requirements for a monitoring system forthese materials.

47■ Bilateral and multilateral relations
Under a cooperation agreement between the U.S.
Department of Energy and IRSN on protection andcontrol of nuclear materials, several new activities
were proposed and discussed in 2011, specificallythe identification of nuclear materials using portabledetectors, a comparison of nuclear security regulations applicable in France and the United States,
the definition of software design specifications forprotection against internal threats, and a survey ofthe types of security exercises conducted in France
and the United States, the results of which could
be used as the basis for a publication in the IAEA’s
Nuclear Security Series.

YANN BILLARAND,
Head of IRSN’s Source Assessment Unit

MISSIONS TO ESCORT INSPECTIONSINVOLVING INTERNATIONAL NUCLEAR
MATERIAL CONTROL.
(52 IN 2010)

IRSN ANNUAL REPORT 2011

IRSN_RA11_Chap3Securité_UK_CA_12-6.indd 61■ Relations with the European Commission
IRSN provides technical support to the Frenchauthorities involved in the Ad Hoc Group on Nuclear
Security (AHGNS), created in July 2011 by the61

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BRUNO QUAGLIA,
Head of the Euratom Technical Committee“In its role as technical support to the Euratom Technical Committee, specifically for monitoring international nuclear material
control activities, IRSN is called upon to escort a large number ofinspections conducted by the IAEA or the European Commission.
In doing so, the Institute fulfills a very important function in thatit communicates the stance of the French authorities and supports
the operators on site. This proximity at operational level is crucial,
as it enables national interests to be protected and, at the sametime, ensures compliance with international obligations. IRSN also
makes an essential contribution to ensuring that the declarations
required by the international authorities are submitted within thestatutory time limits. Besides these regular activities, the Euratom Technical Committee also calls on experts from the Institutefor ad hoc analysis. The responsiveness and commitment of the
IRSN teams is truly impressive right across the board, as is theirexpertise in a field as complex as international nuclear control. Our
effective and consistent collaboration will be extended in 2012 toinclude monitoring of the 24 bilateral agreements that France hassigned with third countries on the peaceful uses of nuclear power.”

European Commission. The tasks of this Group are
to identify and share good nuclear security practices within the Member States of the European
Union and, if necessary, to suggest possible areas
for improvement.
Under a contract with the European Commission,
the Institute organized a seminar in May 2011 as partof the “State response to a severe attack” (STAR)
project. The aim was to exchange information with
its European peers about nuclear facility security
and to present a simulation tool for managing malicious acts that incorporates the safety and security
aspects of such incidents.

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IRSN_RA11_Chap3Securité_UK_CA_12-6.indd 62■ International inspectionsin the chemical field
In 2011, on behalf of the Minister of Industry, Energy
and the Digital Economy under the Minister of the
Economy, Finance and Industry, IRSN supported six
inspections conducted by the Organization for theProhibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) on Frenchindustrial sites. This level of inspection is comparable with that in 2010. During one of these missions,
the OPCW took samples that were analyzed onsite in IRSN’s mobile laboratory unit. None of these
inspections gave rise to any recommendations.
IRSN produced the French declaration of activities carried out in 2010 by the 119 French industrial
plants subject to the Chemical Weapons Convention(CWC). In the second half of 2011, the Institute andthe OPCW Technical Secretariat negotiated anagreement empowering the Organization to carryout sequential inspections on French territory, starting in the latter half of 2012. “Sequential inspections”
are defined as two inspections that take place consecutively during the same week at two different
facilities.
Furthermore, IRSN worked on the national legal
framework for challenge inspections by collaborating with the Ministry of the Economy, Finance andIndustry to draw up a standard court referral form. A
challenge inspection is a very powerful and intrusive
verification tool that can be employed, anywhere
within a country’s sovereign territory, at the requestof another State Party to the Convention. IRSN provided technical support to the Ministry in preparing
several regulatory changes to challenge inspections and the above-mentioned French declaration.
Regarding challenge inspections, a draft decree thatwill simplify certain procedures was revised and adraft interministerial circular was finalized. With
regard to the activity declarations of the industries
that come under the CWC, IRSN suggested to the
Ministry that several articles of the French Defense

6

INTERNATIONAL MISSIONS TO ESCORTINSPECTIONS INVOLVING THE CHEMICALWEAPONS BAN. (7 IN 2010)

IRSN ANNUAL REPORT 201115/06/12 13:47

Code should be revised to incorporate OPCW decisions. The main aim of these changes is to adjust, oreven eliminate, some declaration thresholds.
IRSN organized training for companies affected by
the implementation of the CWC, describing the regulatory context, detailing their obligations and rights
under this Convention and explaining the verification system for French industrial sites based on
the annual declarations and the response to unannounced inspections conducted by OPCW officials.
The first session, held in June 2011, was attended bynine participants.
■ International inspections in the nuclear field
In 2011, IRSN supported 47 Euratom and IAEA
inspections on behalf of the Euratom TechnicalCommittee, roughly the same number as in 2010.
It also devoted considerable effort to analyzing
documents and agreements in preparation for discussions between the French authorities and theEuropean Commission. In this respect, it is worthhighlighting the negotiations on the content oflists of items in stock, during which the Euratom
Technical Committee put forward a number of legal
arguments at Euratom’s request; the creation andscope of the joint Euratom-France working group on
the transmission of safeguards data to Luxembourg;and the exchanges on the Euratom-recommended
implementation of unannounced inspections of EDF
reactors.
At the request of the Euratom Technical Committee,
IRSN performed multiple analyses of the operations
involved in transferring nuclear materials from anactivity subject to Euratom safeguards to one notsubject to these safeguards, and vice versa, inorder to inform the discussions on the draft decree
concerning the stewardship of nuclear materials
required for defense purposes, which was publishedon November 18, 2011.
At the request of the Directorate General for Energy
and Climate (DGEC), IRSN also helped to update
the fuel cycle report by the French high committee
for transparency and information on nuclear safety
by checking data submitted by operators regarding
imports and exports of nuclear materials in 2010.
As a result of the changes to the French regulations
on governmental control, IRSN initiated negotiations with the CEA/DAM and the Euratom TechnicalCommittee during the second half of 2011 for a
protocol on the transmission of information relating to the implementation of Euratom and IAEA
safeguards at relevant facilities. Computer applications used to produce IRSN declarations were also
optimized this year. Another notable event was thelaunch of the PIMENT Internet portal for declaring
nuclear material movements at EDF nuclear power
plants.

IRSN ANNUAL REPORT 2011

IRSN_RA11_Chap3Securité_UK_CA_12-6.indd 63

The George-Besse II plant in Pierrelatte in southern France passed its first LFUA inspectionin August 2011.

On the inspection front, the George Besse II plantat Pierrelatte in the south of France completed
its first LFUA-type inspection (Low Frequency
Unannounced Access) in August 2011, conductedjointly by the International Atomic Energy Agency
and the European Commission. This type of inspection is a key aspect of the safeguards strategy of gas
centrifuge enrichment plants. This LFUA inspection,
the first of an expected ten a year, involved significant preparatory work on the part of IRSN and theoperator, including carrying out an exercise

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RADIATION PROTECTION – ENVIRONMENT AND HUMAN HEALTHGREATER KNOWLEDGE
FOR GREATER PROTECTION
Radiation protection – protecting people and the environment fromthe harmful effects of ionizing radiation – is a vast area of researchand expertise requiring the deployment of significant human andtechnical resources within IRSN. To give some examples of progress
made in 2011, the Institute rolled out a new generation of Telerayenvironmental monitoring probes; as part of a survey of uranium
mining sites or radioactively contaminated sites, it conducted fieldwork such as MIMAUSA or the radium operation; and in the area ofradioecology, it launched the first joint European experiment to study
the effects of chronic exposure to gamma radiation on non-humanspecies. Similarly, IRSN began or continued work on various research
programs to assess the health effects of chronic exposure to low
doses of ionizing radiation, an area that remains largely unknown.
In this context, the Institute runs the European MELODI platform(Multidisciplinary European Low Dose Initiative), which aims to shareresearch resources in this field, and contributes to national programs
such as the French Birth Cohort Study (ELFE) involving 20,000
children. It also made progress with its research programs aimed at
finding out more about the causes of complications in radiotherapy
patients and at protecting medical staff, for example those working
in interventional radiology.

ENVIRONMENTAL AND
POPULATION EXPOSURE
IRSN is responsible for general monitoring of environmental exposure to ionizing radiation and, tothis end, is constantly improving its measuring
equipment.

ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING■ Rollout of new Teleray probes
In 2011, IRSN began upgrading and redeploying theTeleray radiological alert network (see glossary) toensure better coverage across France.
Nine new-generation probes were installed aroundthe EDF Fessenheim power plant, and eleven aroundthe Cattenom plant, both in northeastern France.
A further 33 existing probes were replaced with
new-generation probes in the Paris region and in
the south east of the country.
The rollout also included the installation of new-generation probes in France’s overseas départements
and territories in response to the Fukushima-Daiichi
accident; this was possible due to the active cooperation of the National Gendarmerie.

METROLOGYIRSN is conducting research to improve the measurement of different radioactive substances in theenvironment.

226
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MONITORS (INCLUDING 219 TELERAY)
IN THE NATIONAL REMOTE
MONITORING NETWORK.
(171 IN 2010 INCLUDING 164 TELERAY)■ New tritium measurement technique
In terms of activity, tritium is the main radionuclide discharged into the continental and marine
environment.
Current environmental radioactivity monitoring
strategy and ongoing radioecological studies haveto take into account an increase in very low-level tritium analyses, associated with the commissioning of
new reactors and the startup, in the medium term, of

IRSN ANNUAL REPORT 201115/06/12 13:45

The deployment of new Teleray probes began in overseas France. Illustrated above is the beacon installed in Saint-Claude in Guadeloupe to monitor atmosphericgamma radioactivity.

the ITER fusion facility. To meet this demand, IRSN
began developing a new, more effective measurement technique, using mass spectrometry; organically bound tritium is determined by measuring its
decay product, helium-3.
The corresponding equipment, set up in an IRSN laboratory at the Orsay campus of Paris-Sud University,
was developed in 2011 in collaboration with theLaboratory of Climatological and Environmental
Sciences (CEA/CNRS/Versailles Saint-Quentin-enYvelines University).
■ Analysis of water supply samples
In 2011, in collaboration with the regional healthagencies, IRSN conducted a water potability study,
funded by the Directorate General for Health. The
radiological analysis method for drinking water
involves measuring total alpha and beta activities,
which must be less than 0.1 and 1 Bq/l respectively
to comply with regulatory requirements.
An analysis of 168 water samples, selected fortheir potentially high concentration of natural radionuclides (lead-210, radon-222, uranium),found that 22% had significant lead-210 activity.
The study thus confirmed that the measurement
techniques generally used to analyze total beta
activity do not detect the presence of lead-210, withthe resulting risk of underestimating the integrated
dose received from drinking this water. According
to the study’s findings, this risk concerned less than
2% of the water analyzed.

IRSN ANNUAL REPORT 2011

IRSN_RA11_Chap3Environ_UK_CA_12-6.indd 65■ Radon: transposition of French standards
into international standards
The process of transposing French standards(AFNOR) into international standards on measuring
radon and its decay products in air was successfully
concluded in 2011. IRSN set the ball rolling in 2007
during a meeting of the Nuclear Energy Committeeof the International Standardization Organization(ISO). The ISO members voted to approve the eight
French texts as a new working topic; they were subsequently discussed over a four-year period by aworking group comprising experts from Europe (theUK, Germany, Spain, Switzerland, the Netherlands,
Norway and France), North America (the UnitedStates and Canada) and Asia (Japan and Korea). The
consensus reached makes it likely that the ISO standards will be officially published in early 2012. IRSN
has initiated a similar process for the transposition of
AFNOR standards on radon measurement in water.

POLLUTED SITES AND SOILSAt the request of plant operators and the authorities, IRSN conducts studies to assess the impact ofindustrial activities, both past and present, on theenvironment and the general population.
■ Consolidation of data on former
uranium mines
As part of the MIMAUSA program, conducted at
the request of the public authorities with the aim of

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compiling, updating and publicizing detailed information about former uranium mines, IRSN carriedout “second-level” inspections in 2011 at former
uranium mining sites in central, south-central andeast-central France.
The purpose of this exercise is to compare theinformation in the MIMAUSA database with newmeasurements and observations in the field, andto check the results and the information in environmental reports produced by Areva NC in implementation of a circular of July 23, 2009. In addition
to visual observations, gamma dose rates are measured on the sites and in the surrounding area, andsamples of water and sediment that may have been
affected by mining operations are analyzed.
■ Preliminary results of the radium operation
IRSN continued to play an active part in the national“radium diagnostics” operation, launched in the Îlede-France region around Paris in October 2010. The
aim is to identify and, where necessary, rehabilitate
any radium-contaminated sites formerly accommodating medical or craftwork activities (e.g. watch
making) in the first half of the 20th century. Under
the auspices of the State, IRSN is carrying out its
diagnostic campaign on sites now used for resi-

dential or business purposes. In 2011, the Instituteinvestigated ten buildings in Paris, i.e. more than
100 premises ranging from apartments, shops andbasements to two houses in the suburbs. Six places
were found to be contaminated with radium, usually restricted to just one or two rooms in a building.
IRSN has drawn up and implemented a protocol forcarrying out final tests after cleanup to ensure thatthe contamination has been completely removed.
The Institute has also proposed radiation reference
levels for residential areas in Île-de-France, which
will be useful for defining cleanup objectives.
■ Decontamination of partof the Feursmétal site
On May 26, 2010, during an operation carried out
by IRSN and Cegelec on the Feursmétal site in central France to retrieve a radioactive source that wastrapped in the guide tube of a gamma ray source, aworkshop and six people involved in the operation
were slightly contaminated.
Following the incident, at the request of Feursmétal,the Court of First Instance of Paris ordered an expert
assessment to determine the respective responsibilities of each of the three parties and the harmcaused by the incident.

The first STAR experiment to understand the effects of chronic exposure to gamma radiation on the nematode C. elegans was performed in 2011.

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To settle the dispute and to commence cleanup of
the contaminated site as soon as possible, the threeparties negotiated an agreement in 2011, under theaegis of the Directorate General for Risk Prevention
and the Interministerial Committee for Industrial
Restructuring, and signed it on September 27, 2011.
Under this agreement, the part of the Feursmétal
industrial site that has been radioactively contaminated will be transferred to IRSN for decontamination, scheduled to start in 2012. Once the cleanup
operation has been completed, ownership of the site
will revert to Feursmétal.

900

AMBIENT DOSE RATE MEASUREMENTPOINTS. (900 IN 2010)

RADIOECOLOGYIRSN is conducting research to improve understanding of radionuclide behavior and radionuclidetransfer mechanisms in ecosystems.
■ First experiment for STARThe partners in the STAR network, which comprises
eight European organizations jointly engaged inradioecology research, conducted their first pilot
experiment in 2011 to understand the effects ofchronic gamma irradiation on the nematode C. elegans. The aim is to determine whether irradiation
alters the distribution of energy required for thebasic metabolism, growth or reproduction of theseorganisms.
During the study, which was conducted in IRSN’slaboratories, the partners in the STAR networkpooled their expertise, protocols and test results,
demonstrating the willingness of European researchteams to integrate and share resources.
■ Report on the Red Forest site:
radionuclide migration after 25 years
In 2011, in collaboration with its Ukrainian (IGS,
UIAR) and French (CNRS, universities) partners,
IRSN reviewed the research conducted since 1999
on the experimental Red Forest site, located within
the Chernobyl exclusion zone (Ukraine). This work
studies the influence of bio-physico-chemical conditions and the key role of vegetation on the mobilization and environmental fate of radionuclides
buried in waste trenches, focusing on a trench containing fuel particles, contaminated soil, irradiatedtree trunks, etc. Researchers have identified thedevelopment, between 1999 and 2008, of a trail ofstrontium-90 stretching about ten meters from thistrench, in the direction of groundwater flow, indicating migration of this radionuclide.
Twenty-five years after the accident, this trench nolonger contains any UO2+x-type soluble particles(complex uranium oxides), as they have been dissolved and have released most of the radionuclides
they contain, particularly strontium and plutonium

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IN THE WORDS OF…

PER STRAND,
Head of the Department for Emergency Preparedness
and Environmental Radioactivity,
Norwegian Radiation Protection Authority (NRPA)“A few years ago, eight organizations involved in radioecology
research – including the Norwegian Radiation Protection Authority – decided to create the European Radioecology Alliance withthe aim of coordinating their research efforts more effectively andensuring that their discipline enjoys greater visibility. The changing global environment, marked by the major nuclear accident inJapan and the potential threat of terrorist attacks using radioactive materials, prompted the Alliance partners to integrate theiractivities and resources to an even greater extent, within a researchplatform called STAR. Its first task was to define a strategic agenda
based on new approaches such as the study of multistressors,i.e. the effects of chronic low-dose exposure combining nuclear
and chemical stressors. Last year saw the first experiments onnematodes and the development of radioecology courses intended
for young Master’s-level scientists. We cannot afford to wait foranother major accident in order to maintain and expand our radioecology expertise. This is why STAR plays a vital role in ensuringthat the scientific organizations involved have a sound scientificknowledge base to help them in their task of supporting the teams
responsible for defining the regulations to protect human healthand the environment.”

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03 / ACTIVITIES / RADIATION PROTECTION – ENVIRONMENT AND HUMAN HEALTHGREATER KNOWLEDGE FOR GREATER PROTECTION■ Monitoring of the contaminatedSt-Maur-des-Fossés site
Since November 5, 2010, IRSN has been measuringtritium concentration in water, air and vegetation
samples taken in the vicinity of a building belonging
to the company 2M Process in St-Maur-des-Fossés,near Paris, which was accidentally contaminatedfollowing the use of a molecular sieve provided by
the CEA and subsequently found to contain tritium. With more than 350 results obtained during
21 sampling campaigns, the Institute has detailed
knowledge about the variation in tritium concentration around this site over space and time. The
general downward trend observed throughout
2011 is related to the decontamination operations
conducted by the CEA, which in turn have led to asustained reduction in the need for monitoring. By
the end of 2011, tritium was no longer quantifiable,
except in the immediate vicinity of the contaminated building. The Institute also analyzed urine
samples for tritium to identify individuals exposed
during this accidental contamination, and assessed
the radiation dose received by anyone who tested
positive. A total of 134 people were tested: 55 workers at 2M Process or neighboring companies and 79
local residents (including pupils and teachers at the
nearby Pissarro high school). A dose assessment
was required for 44 workers and 7 local residents.
The latest tests, conducted in June 2011, revealed
that contamination was below detection limits.
www.irsn.fr■ Improving quantification of chronic lowdose exposure
IRSN is conducting epidemiological studies that willcontribute to the assessment of the health risks
associated with chronic exposure to ionizing radiation. A PhD thesis, defended in 2011, concerned thecohort of nearly 37,000 CEA and Areva NC workers
Work carried out in trench 22 of the “Red Forest” experimental site in Ukraine showed
the development of a strontium-90 plume covering ten meters between 1999 and 2008.

(isotopes 239, 240 and 241), into the soil water solution. All that remains are particles of UO2 (simple
uranium oxide) and ZrUyOx (complex zirconium),
which dissolve very slowly.
Several articles on the subject have been publishedin peer-reviewed international journals.

RADIATION PROTECTION
IN THE WORKPLACEIRSN carries out research and analysis to prevent
and assess the exposure of workers to ionizing
radiation.

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600

635

2009

2010

702

2011

SAMPLING POINTS FOR RADIOACTIVITYMONITORING THROUGHOUT FRANCEIRSN ANNUAL REPORT 201115/06/12 13:46

monitored between 1950 and 2004, specifically thereconstruction for their cumulative external exposure. The mortality rate of these workers was foundto be lower, on the whole, than that of the general
population; this result classical in occupational studies, is denominated as the “healthy worker effect”.
Conversely, excess incidence of lung and skin cancer
was observed, unrelated to the doses received by
the workers in question.
No significant link with dose was revealed for deaths
from solid cancers or cardiovascular disease. On theother hand, a link was established with the dose
received in the case of deaths from leukemia. An
extended study combining the cohort studied withother cohorts of nuclear workers will enable moreaccurate quantification of the risks associated withchronic low doses.
www.irsn.fr■ Cataract risk amonginterventional cardiologists
In 2011, IRSN published the results of its epidemiological study, O’CLOC, the purpose of which is toassess the risk of radiation-induced eye lens opacities among interventional cardiologists exposed to
X-rays. About a hundred interventional cardiologists
and a control group (not exposed) of IRSN employees volunteered to take part in the study between
October 2009 and April 2011.
The results show that posterior subcapsular lens
opacities occurs nearly four times more often
among interventional cardiologists than in the control group. This excess risk gives cause for concern,even though the information collected in the professional questionnaire indicates that the people
examined for the purposes of the study did not
make optimum use of radiation protective equipment. These initial findings are consistent withthose of other studies conducted in the medical
community and form the basis for strongly recommending systematic use of the X-ray protective gear
made available to interventional cardiologists, e.g.
lead eye glasses, to reduce this risk.
■ Radiation protection of medical staff:
learning more about doses
Between 2008 and 2011, IRSN participated in thecollaborative European project ORAMED, whichaims to develop methods for better assessing exposure of medical staff to ionizing radiation. In theprocess, an enormous amount of data concerning
doses received at in the extremities and at lens eyesof operators has been collected from several interventional radiology and nuclear medicine units in
Europe. This database provides information on dose
distribution as a function of practices and on therelevance of protection equipment.

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18,806ENVIRONMENTAL SAMPLES TAKEN FOR
RADIOLOGICAL MEASUREMENTS.
(20,414 IN 2010)

IN THE WORDS OF…

ISABELLE FITTON,
radiology physicist and radiation protection specialist at
Georges Pompidou European Hospital in Paris“Being involved in the working group to improve the structure andpresentation of the annual report on worker radiation protection
has been a valuable experience. It has given us the opportunity
to exchange information with other professionals on our practices
and expectations, which vary depending on the field considered.
Even though the version of the report sent to us in 2011 is not in
its final form, we have been able to clarify the presentation of the
document and simplify access to the information of interest to us.
A more structured format and more practical information, such asworkstation studies, have made the report easier to use, for instancein the training courses we give to professionals.
The frequent exchanges with IRSN have also led to our involvement in radiation protection workshops organized by the Instituteto inform high school seniors about the subject. These events
have provided an opportunity to meet with motivated, interested
young people.”69

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Furthermore, a new dosimeter for monitoring exposure of the eye lens has been developed and successfully tested in the workplace.
Lastly, the performance of nine operational dosimeters was studied under real-life conditions used ininterventional radiology (pulsed field) to improvetheir use in this area. All the findings and analysis
results were presented at a conference organized

MORE ABOUTINTERCOMPARISON OF EDF WHOLEBODY, LUNG AND THYROID COUNTERS

IGOR, the anthropomorphic phantom used for testing whole body counters usedat EDF facilities.

Under the Order of December 6, 2003, IRSN is required to organize
intercomparison exercises for radiation dose measurements in the three
configurations usually tested: whole body, lungs and thyroid. In 2011, at
the request of EDF, the Institute launched an intercomparison campaign
for “whole body” and “thyroid” measurements covering all radiation dosecounters at EDF power plants.
These intercomparison exercises enable the participating laboratories toassess their performance against the criteria defined in the NF ISO 12790-1
standard. Failure to meet these criteria leads to corrective actions, e.g. a
review of measurement calibrations or protocols. All EDF equipment tested
under these conditions complied with regulations.

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by IRSN in Barcelona (Spain) from January 20-22,
2011, and an article was published in November 2011in a special issue of the scientific journal Radiation
Measurements.
www.upc.edu/inte/oramed/■ More realistic radiation dosimetry
for women
In 2011, research work carried out at IRSN as part ofa doctoral dissertation, jointly funded by Areva, led
to improvements in radiation dosimetry.
While whole body counting radiation dosimetry is
still considered the ideal method for identifying andrapidly quantifying X and gamma radionuclides inthe body, it had, until now, one significant drawback
for women working in the nuclear industry, namely
the use of anthropomorphic phantoms based on themale anatomy.
In order to improve radiation monitoring of female
workers, IRSN researchers set out by developing
a library of numerical models of the female thorax, reproducing the most common sizes and morphologies. This library was then used for numericalcalibration on the counting system of the medical
analysis laboratory at the Areva NC La Hague plant.
In addition, a series of look-up tables defining counting efficiency variations according to energy andmorphology was proposed and validated. Thesetables can be directly applied by Areva NC occupational health teams.
■ Neutron metrology intercomparison
As an associate laboratory of the French National
Metrology Institute, IRSN holds the national references for fluence and dosimetric quantities in neutron fields. These references are regularly tested
during international comparisons between national
metrology institutes. In 2011, a new ten-yearly comparison (CCRI-K11) relating to the neutron fluence
for four energies, involved Germany, the UK, France,
the European Commission, Russia, China and theUnited States. It was carried out at IRSN’s AMANDE
facility from September 5, 2011 to January 27, 2012,
with IRSN managing the exercise and also acting as
participating host laboratory. The measurements
and their uncertainties were determined independently by each participant. The overall deviationfrom the mean value gives the degree of equivalence of the national references.
■ Radiation protection events and incidents:
an essential survey
After creating a database in 2010 to centralize information on radiation protection events and incidents,
IRSN developed in 2011 a method to analyze these
data. The results of this analysis and consequentstatistics provide an assessment of the quality of

IRSN ANNUAL REPORT 201115/06/12 13:46

Statistical separation of animals

12
8

Contaminated group40-4■ Consensus conference on the non-cancerous
effects of ionizing radiation
Within the framework of the European network of
excellence on low-dose research, DoReMi, IRSN
organized a consensus conference (September
19-23, 2011) on crystalline lens opacity potentiallycaused by professional exposure to ionizing radiation. Based on state-of-the-art knowledge, 28
experts from 11 countries identified the most promising avenues for research.
This conference will therefore contribute to updating the Strategic Research Agenda on low doses.
It followed a previous conference organized in
December 2010 on radiation-induced vasculareffects and precedes another that will examine
the effects on the central nervous system, which isplanned for the second half of 2012.

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P554
P560
P555

P605
P612
P608
P607
P609
P610
P604
P613
P606

EFFECTS OF CHRONIC EXPOSURE■ Contribution to the French Birth Cohort
Study (ELFE)IRSN contributes to the French Birth Cohort Study(ELFE), which is coordinated by a joint INSERM/
INED unit (see glossary) and aims to identify andanalyze the effects of environmental (air pollution,water pollution, UV, chemicals, ionizing radiation,etc.) and social factors on children’s development,
health and socialization.
This is the first general study on such a scale inFrance. The Institute is examining exposure to ionizing radiation to determine more accurately thedoses received by children. Following a pilot phasein 2007, the ELFE study was extended in 2011 to acohort of 20,000 children, who are being tracked
from birth to the age of 18.
A questionnaire compiled by the Institute was sent
to parents to identify the various radiological examinations their children have undergone during their
lifetime. A cancer risk assessment will be carriedout for this cohort of children, recruited between
April and December 2011 from all over metropolitan France.
www.elfe-france.fr

Control group

-8

P558
P559
P556
P563
P562
P557
© Laurent Stefano.

radiation protection measures implemented in thevarious fields where ionizing radiations are used.
The aim is to prioritize radiation protection actions
in light of feedback.
The method of analysis was tested on 60% of the
400 events known by the institute in 2010 and wasfound to be robust, taking into account the quantity and quality of the information available. This
first analysis highlights the potential advantagesof a more systematic contribution to this databaseby the organizations responsible for collecting
information.

P561

P611

-16 -12

-8

-4

0

4

8

12

16

Discrimination between the 2 groups(contaminated/uncontaminated)
A metabolomic approach was tested as a new analytical tool in the field of radiotoxicology.
In this case, statistical analysis is used to discriminate between animals that have been
contaminated by cesium and those that have not.

ENVIRHOM PROGRAM■ Metabolomic fingerprint of cesium-137
contamination
Metabolomics is a comprehensive analytical
approach used in biology to identify all metabolites (carbohydrates, lipids, proteins, vitamins,etc.) produced by a living organism when subjected to a given stimulus. Within the frameworkof the ENVIRHOM program, IRSN has undertaken
a metabolomic study of rats, enlisting the specificskills of an INRA/INSERM unit at the University of
the Mediterranean.
The aim of the study is to detect the presence ofspecific markers in blood and urine, associated withchronic ingestion of cesium-137.
The findings were published in 2011 and are very
promising, since they show that it is possible toidentify animals contaminated with low doses ofcesium-137 based on “metabolomic fingerprints”
measured in their urine. Under the same contamination conditions, measuring blood levels of biochemical markers used in human clinical medicine
does not enable this distinction to be made between
contaminated and uncontaminated animals.
Compared with more traditional biochemical methods, this kind of approach opens up new avenues
in radiotoxology by making it easier to detect theeffects of cesium contamination on living organisms.

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MORE ABOUTADOPTION OF THE STRATEGICRESEARCH AGENDA ON LOW DOSESThe MELODI association is a European platform dedicated to studying thehealth effects of chronic exposure to low doses of ionizing radiation. During its third international workshop, held in Rome (Italy) in November 2011,
the association adopted its Strategic Research Agenda on low doses, which
was prepared by an IRSN-led working group and is aimed at integrating international R&D efforts in this field. The agenda will be submitted to thewider scientific community for discussion and comments. The main research
priorities will be the study of non-cancerous pathologies (cardiovascular disease, cataracts and neurological disorders), work relating to individual radiosensitivity and advanced epidemiological studies integrating monitoring ofcancer biomarkers.

www.melodi-online.eu■ Chemical toxicity of uranium
Sources of drinking water naturally contain avariable concentration of uranium. To study thechemical toxicity of uranium, IRSN conducted anexperimental study on rodents chronically contaminated with uranium added to their drinking water, as
part of its ENVIRHOM program. The results of thisresearch, completed in 2011, describe the effects on
several organs (liver, kidneys, brain, etc.) of a wide
range of uranium concentrations in drinking water(0.2 to 120 mg/l).
The study did not reveal any deleterious – either
structural or functional – in any of the organs examined including, at a uranium concentration of 120
mg/l. In view of the equivalence coefficients appliedin pharmacology, it can be estimated that there will
be no effect in humans at concentrations below 1.25
mg/l in drinking water.
This new experimental data supplements the epidemiological data in the literature, and suggeststhat the chemical toxicity of uranium in the kidneys

The chemical toxicity of uranium is studied as part of the ENVIRHOM program at IRSN.

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IRSN ANNUAL REPORT 201115/06/12 13:46

would only have a adverse effect at values at least
10 times higher than the WHO recommendation of
30 μg/l.
■ Effects of tritium
Besides the effects on human health, it is important
to study the impact of radioelements on the different compartments of the environment. Within thiscontext, IRSN embarked on several studies in 2011
to acquire new data on the effects of tritium in nonhuman organisms.
The focus was on DNA damage and its consequences on the embryonic development of a fish
chosen as a vertebrate model. This research provedthat internal exposure of fish to tritiated thymidine(organic tritium) would lead to DNA damage, vertebral malformations and delayed hatching at dose
rates above 100 mGy per day.

PROTECTION IN HEALTHCARE■ Overexposure during radiotherapy
at Angers University HospitalAn accident involving overexposure of a patient at
Angers University Hospital in western France during
an interventional radiology procedure was declared
to ASN in January 2011.
At ASN’s request, IRSN experts visited the hospitaland rapidly determined that the patient had suffereda severe skin lesion. IRSN then carried out physicalmeasurements on the radiology equipment usedand estimated, by reconstruction, that the patient’s
skin had received a dose of approximately 25 Gy. It
made recommendations for the health monitoringof the patient in question.
Lastly, to prevent recurrence of such an accident,
the Institute also formulated recommendations concerning equipment and practices in interventional
radiology used for therapeutic purposes.
■ Initial results of the ROSIRIS
research program
IRSN’s experimental ROSIRIS research programaims to discover more about the side effects ofradiotherapy with a view to reducing patient risk
and optimizing treatment protocols.
One of the areas the program focuses on is establishing a link between early biophysical events at cellular level and their later consequences at cellular or
tissue level. The experiments done in 2011 indicateda cause-and-effect relationship between the topology of energy depositions in the cell nucleus and
DNA damage. Energy depositions were evaluatedby numerical simulation using transport codes forparticles in matter and DNA damage was revealed
by DNA double-strand break markers.

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IN THE WORD OF…

PROF. ÉRIC LARTIGAU,
Head of the Radiotherapy Department at the Oscar-LambretCenter in Lille and President of the French Society ofRadiation Oncology“The IRSN report on radiation therapists facing the challenge ofimproving treatment safety is a highly relevant analysis of the situation we have been dealing with for the past few years in responseto governmental measures designed to improve the safety of cancer
treatment. The various exchanges with the Institute have been
particularly constructive and have culminated in a document thatindicates a significant improvement in treatment, assuming a correct
diagnosis, albeit at the cost of greater constraints being placed on
professionals and institutions.
We hope that this report will be the starting point for a collaborative venture with our main contacts, i.e. the French Nuclear Safety
Authority, the French National Authority for Health and the French
National Cancer Institute. IRSN will continue to provide methodological support for the implementation of its recommendations.”

580 (1)
352
301

2009

2010

2011

WHOLE-BODY RADIATION COUNTSFOR WORKER MONITORING.
(1) 104 using mobile equipment.

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03 / ACTIVITIES / RADIATION PROTECTION – ENVIRONMENT AND HUMAN HEALTHGREATER KNOWLEDGE FOR GREATER PROTECTION

DNA
Local
energydeposition

Ionizing
radiationpath

DNAlesions

3.4 nm© Laurent Stefano.

Double-strand breaks
in the DNA of an
irradiated cell
observed using an
immunofluorescence
technique

The ROSIRIS program is based on the working assumption of a causal relation between
early radiation-induced effects and their consequences in tissue.

IN THE WORDS OF…

VINCENT PLAGNOL,
Radiation physicist and radiation protection specialist at
SCM Coradix“At the beginning of the year, IRSN launched a new online application for
direct registration of data linked with the DRLs (diagnostic reference levels)
for the procedures we carry out.
I signed up fairly quickly to be able to access this web-based DRL database.
As with any new application, I had a few problems initially and passed themon to IRSN. I was impressed with how responsive their technical people were:
they quickly addressed my comments and modified the application accordingly. I still think there’s room for improvement, for instance in the accuracyof the information in the e-mail confirming registration of our data.
This kind of application enables IRSN to compile statistics more easily and ona large scale. From the users’ point of view, it would be useful, in the medium
term, to have a local version, showing doses over time, of the national DRL
analysis that IRSN performs.”

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Another line of research aims to determine the biological mechanisms underlying the toxicity of radiotherapy treatments to healthy tissue. Conducted inpartnership with teams from the University of ÉvryVal-d’Essonne near Paris, this work has clarified
the role of the vascular system. Using new broadspectrum biological techniques (proteomic studies),
IRSN’s research has made it possible to describe an
initial network of molecular interactions, specific tothe early response of some vascular components
to irradiation.
■ Progress of research on radiological burns
For the past three years, with financial assistancefrom EDF, IRSN has been pursuing research aimed
at better predicting the development of radiologicalburns and improving treatment of these lesions bycellular therapy.
Radiological burns, sustained by accident or during
radiotherapy treatment, are a cause of great concern
in the field of radiopathology. Over the past few
years, thanks to the efforts of the Institute, diagnosis
has become easier, mainly due to the use of dosimetric reconstruction tools and improved recognition of clinical symptoms. The extent and severityof the damage likely to develop in the long term arestill difficult to predict, however.
The results of IRSN’s research were published in
2011. Using a preclinical model of radiological burns,
a large-scale proteomic analysis of mouse proteins
has made it possible to predict the severity of radiation-induced damage before the initial lesion evenappears.
IRSN also demonstrated the effectiveness of endothelial progenitor stem cells (EPCs) in the treatmentof radiation-induced lesions. These stem cells concentrate in the area of the skin lesion and accelerate the healing process after irradiation. The results
show that the use of EPCs for therapeutic purposes
is promising for the treatment of radiological burns,
as are mesenchymal stem cells.
■ Collaboration with the World HealthOrganization
In July 2010, IRSN was designated as a World HealthOrganization (WHO) Collaborating Center for radiation protection, for a period of three years.
In this context, WHO calls upon the Institute for technical support in various fields of human radiation
protection, particularly management of radiologicalaccidents, biological dosimetry, risk assessment andmedical radiation protection. Furthermore, the organization relies on IRSN to promote and disseminate
a radiation protection culture in the medical andscientific community.
In this area, IRSN took major action in three areas
in 2011:IRSN ANNUAL REPORT 201115/06/12 13:46

• in the aftermath of the Fukushima accident, WHOcalled on experts from the Institute to define thedose assessment method required to set up an epidemiological study for the purpose of evaluating
the health impact of the accident on the Japanese
population;• IRSN participated in the conference of the WHO/REMPAN network (Radiation Emergency Medical
Preparedness and Assistance Network), organized in Nagasaki (Japan) from February 16-18,
during which an IRSN radiopathology expert wasappointed president of the International Associationof Radiopathology (IAR);• participation in the international WHO BioDoseNet
project, which aims to set up a global network of

biological and physical dosimetry laboratories thatwill be fully operational in cases of large radiation
emergency events.
IRSN’s involvement as collaborating center is proofof its international reputation in the field of radiation protection.

Proteomics contributes to the search for biomarkers for predicting the severity of radiological burns. Shown below, irradiated mouse serum proteins viewed
on a 2D electrophoresis gel.

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03 / ACTIVITIESEMERGENCY AND POST-ACCIDENT SITUATIONSSPEED, ACCURACY AND
INFORMATIONAs in most accident situations, the action taken during the first few
hours following a nuclear or radiological accident is crucial in terms ofmanaging the emergency and its potential consequences for humanhealth and the environment. For this action to be effective, the natureof the accident and its radiological impact must be identified rapidly
and accurately, in order to provide the relevant public authorities
with reliable decision support. IRSN demonstrated the validity of thisapproach during two incidents in 2011: an irradiation accident that
occurred in a Bulgarian industrial plant and the accidental explosionof a furnace at the Marcoule Centraco facility in southern France. The
Institute also continued to prepare for radiological emergencies, specifically by validating a semi-automated biological dosimetry method
to enable rapid triage of exposed and unexposed individuals during
a large-scale radiological event.
Another key aspect of emergency and post-accident management is
information. The accident at the Fukushima-Daiichi power plant led,
for example, to IRSN implementing its CRITER tool, which centralizes
the results of continuous measurements from radiation monitors in the
remote environmental monitoring networks in the event of an emergency; the results are available in real time on the Institute’s website.

3

ACTIONS TAKEN BY THE EMERGENCY RESPONSE
CENTER:– MARCH 11: FUKUSHIMA-DAIICHI ACCIDENT,– SEPTEMBER 12: EXPLOSION AT THE CENTRACOFACILITY IN SOUTHERN FRANCE,– DECEMBER 16: ONSITE SAFETY PLAN ACTIVATED
AND FLOOD AT THE BLAYAIS PLANT IN SOUTHWEST
FRANCE.
(3 IN 2010)76

IRSN_RA11_Chap3Crise_UK_CA.indd 76

RADIOLOGICAL INCIDENTS
AND ACCIDENTS
In the event of a radiological accident or incident,
IRSN is called upon to assess the consequences
for irradiated individuals and the environment, andto help decide on the most appropriate course ofaction.
■ Radiological accident in Bulgaria
An irradiation accident occurred on June 14, 2011 in
Bulgaria when employees of a company mistakenly
handled hight activity cobalt-60 sources used forsterilization purposes.
At the request of the IAEA, IRSN immediately sent
two experts to Bulgaria, a medical doctor and aradiopathologist, to carry out an initial assessmentof the medical consequences. The five victims werethen swiftly transferred to the hemotology department of the Percy Military Hospital near Paris. The
Institute assisted the medical team, in particular inassessing the doses received by the victims. The following analyses were performed: biological dosimetry by counting chromosome aberrations in the
blood; dosimetric reconstruction by simulation witha Monte Carlo code, which enabled the victims to
be modeled in their environment; and retrospective dosimetry on tooth enamel samples, taken specifically and analyzed using electron paramagnetic
resonance.
The dosimetric data obtained were crucial in determining the right treatment for each of the victims.
The most severely irradiated among them weresuccessfully treated by injecting growth factors, inaccordance with the European medical consensus
reached at the Les Vaux-de-Cernay conference
near Paris.
■ Explosion in a metal waste furnace
at Marcoule
On September 12, 2011, an explosion occurred in a
furnace used to melt down very low-level radioac-

IRSN ANNUAL REPORT 201115/06/12 13:42

The cobalt source storage container at the sterilization facility was the cause of the accident in Bulgaria.

tive metal waste at the SOCODEI plant in Marcoulein southern France. IRSN quickly intervened toassess the potential impact on the environment
and the local population. The Institute’s Emergency
Response Center was set to work and soon reached
the initial conclusion that there was unlikely to be
any risk to the public.
A team from Cadarache sought to corroborate thisview by means of direct environmental measurements and to quantify the environmental impact of
this event by sampling and analyzing vegetation.
The samples were taken to the metrology laboratories, where they were subjected to more extensive
analysis the same day. By the next day, the Institute
was able to confirm that the radioactivity released
was not quantifiable, even using the most advanced
metrological equipment.
■ Release of iodine-131 in Hungary
Early in November 2011, IRSN learned that airborne
traces of iodine-131 had been detected in several
countries in Central Europe. The Institute rapidly
undertook the analysis of samples of aerosols andgaseous iodine to check whether this radionuclide
could be detected in France. The analysis revealed thepresence of iodine-131, mainly between November
5 and 10, at concentrations of no more than a few
μBq/m³, a value very close to the detection limits ofthe measuring equipment, and which presents no

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risk to public health. Since the origin of this radioactive pollution was a release to the atmospherefrom the Isotope Institute in Budapest (Hungary),
IRSN also estimated the radiological impact within a
20 km radius of the site of the institute, which pointed
to very low doses, even for “unprotected one-yearold children”. According to the Hungarian authorities, the release occurred between September 8 andNovember 16; the cause has yet to be determined.

TOOLS AND RESOURCES
To be able to suggest the most appropriate courseof action in an emergency, IRSN is working on waysof improving its dosimetry equipment and developing tools to centralize and provide access to environmental data.

9

NATIONAL NUCLEAR EMERGENCY
EXERCISES EXCLUDING DEFENSE-RELATEDACTIVITIES. (5 IN 2010)77

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03 / ACTIVITIES / EMERGENCY AND POST-ACCIDENT SITUATIONSSPEED, ACCURACY AND INFORMATIONThe CRITER system
is designed, in theevent of emergency,
to rapidly provide
decision-makers
with an overview ofthe environmental
measurement results
obtained by all theorganizations on
the site. Opposite
is an illustration of
measurements taken
as part of the Cruas
exercise.

■ Taking dietary habits into account in
dosimetric assessments
In 2011, IRSN conducted a dietary survey in the areasurrounding the Gravelines nuclear power plantin northern France, with the support of the local
information commission and in collaboration with
the French environment and energy management
agency. The Institute would like to have data on the
dietary habits of local residents in order to refine

12
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2
2009

2010

2011

IONIZING RADIATION DOSE ASSESSMENTS
BY BIOLOGICAL DOSIMETRY.

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IRSN_RA11_Chap3Crise_UK_CA.indd 78

its dosimetric assessments around industrial sites.
Data currently available at national level could be
modified based on knowledge of specific local conditions. Furthermore, recent national surveys do notconsider locally grown food, a key factor in ensuring accurate dosimetric assessments, as this produce may be the most contaminated. After Tricastin(2004-2005), Chinon (2008) and Marcoule (2010),
the 2011 survey focused on a seaside site for the
first time.
■ Faster analysis for biological dosimetry
In 2011, IRSN validated a semi-automated dosimetric method to enable rapid triage of irradiated andunirradiated people in the event of a radiologicalaccident likely to have affected a large number ofindividuals. The method optimizes the use of thecurrent biological dosimetry reference technique,which is based on counting chromosome aberrations, thereby reducing sample analysis time bya third, while guaranteeing the same accuracy of
results. It is now possible to retrospectively estimate
the irradiation dose received by an individual andassess the heterogeneity of exposure more quickly.
The operational capability of this new method will

IRSN ANNUAL REPORT 201115/06/12 13:42

shortly be tested on a sample of 50 people during
an emergency exercise.
■ Assessment of the CRITER tool
The concept and functionalities of the CRITER tool
were assessed during exercises organized throughout 2011. Designed to deliver information to the various stakeholders in the event of an emergency, thistool will be used to centralize and provide access to
the results of environmental measurements. Using
CRITER, the results of measurements carried out
using IRSN probes in the Teleray network, as wellas EDF measurements, can be disseminated inreal time; dose rate measurements from systems
belonging to the French Navy, the CEA, the INTRA
Group (focusing on the use of remote-controlled
equipment in accident situations) or Areva havemade it possible to gradually refine the tool oversuccessive emergency exercises.
Development of the tool also enabled IRSN to givereal-time online access to the results of measurements from remote environmental monitoring networks just as contaminated air masses from the
Fukushima-Daiichi power plant in Japan were passing over France.
■ New decision support toolin the event of pollution in the Mediterranean
In 2011, IRSN completed the multi-partner CLARA 2
project, co-funded by the French national research

3

NATIONAL NUCLEAR EMERGENCY
EXERCISES INVOLVING
DEFENSE-RELATED FACILITIES.
(6 IN 2010)

agency (ANR) with the aim of developing a decision support tool for use during marine pollution
incidents. One of the Institute’s tasks was to map
the sensitivity of the French Mediterranean coastfrom an ecological point of view (in particular, protected areas or species) and from a socio-economic
perspective (tourism, aquaculture, fishing and otheractivities directly or indirectly linked with water
quality).
In the event of an incident, the operational tool
developed as part of this project would be used
to cross-reference this information against dispersion forecasting of hazardous substances to rapidly
determine the most vulnerable areas, which should
be dealt with first.

CLARA2 is a decision-making aid in the event of marine pollution. Below, an illustration of the Mediterranean coastline.

N
Nice

30
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28

10
15
8

16

18

19
20

7

27

Marseille
Toulon
21

26
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24
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23
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2
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Illustration : Laurent Stefano.

47

OVERALL SUMMER SENSITIVITY

1
2
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5

50
32

Least sensitive
46
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Most sensitive

Ajaccio

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200 kilometers

39
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40

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04 / EFFICIENCYO4/SACLAY – ESSONNE (September 19)
THE INSTITUTE TOOK PART IN THE SCIENCE
FAIR BY OPENING UP ITS LABORATORIESAT SACLAY, IN COOPERATION WITH CEA.

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IRSN ANNUAL REPORT 201115/06/12 13:52

CONTROL AND OPERATION ........................................................................................................................................... P. 82
HEALTH, SAFETY, ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AND QUALITY ............. P. 83
HUMAN RESOURCES ................................................................................................................................................................... P. 84

EFFICIENCYIRSN ANNUAL REPORT 2011

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04 / EFFICIENCYCONTROL AND OPERATIONRESOURCES SUPPORTING
THE WORK
OF THE INSTITUTE
2011 was a year of decisions taken by IRSN’s supervisory ministries to enable it to carry out its tasks even more efficiently. The Institute can thus continue its efforts to improve safety and radiation protection in the face of ongoingchanges in the nuclear industry and take into account the lessons learned from the Fukushima-Daiichi accident.

■ Operators’ annual contribution
To meet the growing demand for expert assessment
services, particularly in new nuclear projects, theFrench parliament voted to introduce a fixed annual
contribution payable by operators of nuclear facilities to IRSN. This decision reflects the commitmentof the Institute and its supervisory ministries to tailor IRSN resources more closely to these changing needs, as part of the Contract of Objectives for
2006-2009.
Estimated to be worth €30 million when it was
introduced, this contribution replaced part of the
grant allocated to IRSN in 2011. This will ensure that
the Institute has access to flexible funding based

MORE ABOUTA NEW STRATEGY, DEVELOPMENT
AND PARTNERSHIPS DIVISIONThe Strategy, Development and Partnerships Division was created in January
2011 as a result of a merger between the Science Division and the Strategy,
Development and External Relations Division. This new division has been set
the task of strengthening the scientific base of IRSN’s strategy, stepping up
its strategic planning and improving coordination of assessment or research
projects, without losing sight of budget realities.
It is also responsible for developing more structured relations with IRSN’spartners, specifically those involved in research and higher education, as wellas continuing to promote the Institute’s skills and strengthen dialogue withall stakeholders. Within the Institute’s restructured functional organization,
the Scientific Director now reports to the Director General, with responsibility for scientific assessment, coordination of the college of experts andexploratory research.

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on demand for expert assessment, while guaranteeing that it remains totally independent in all its
operations.
■ Increase in number of full-time equivalents
For the past few years IRSN has had to cope withthe growing expectations of the public authorities
in matters relating to expert assessment. In this context, and to meet new needs identified in additionalsafety assessments carried out in the wake of the
March 2011 accident at Japan’s Fukushima power
plant, the public authorities decided in June 2011
to create 44 extra IRSN jobs, 22 of which for staff
on assignment to the French nuclear safety authority, ASN.
■ Interministerial arbitration on IRSN’s
property project
By prohibiting “other government bodies” (ODAC)
from taking out a credit institution loan for longer
than 12 months, the Public Finance Programme Act
for 2011-2014 called into question the principle of
IRSN borrowing to finance its property project. Afterseveral months of discussions, an interministerial
meeting reached a decision on June 16, 2011 regarding a new legal and financial arrangement: demolition and reconstruction of buildings 02 and 44-23
at the Fontenay-aux-Roses site near Paris using athird-party investor (temporary occupation permit
in return for lease arrangement); reconstruction ofbuilding A on the nearby Le Vésinet site within thecontext of the Public Project Contracting Act; andallocation of the proceeds from the transfer of theState’s stake in the Le Vésinet site to finance part ofthe project. At the same time, the State land tenurearrangements for the Fontenay-aux-Roses and Le
Vésinet sites were settled at the end of 2011 undera utilization agreement between the State and IRSN.

IRSN ANNUAL REPORT 201115/06/12 13:53

HEALTH, SAFETY, ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AND QUALITYA STRONG COMMITMENT
TO SUSTAINABLE
DEVELOPMENTThe year 2011 saw the launch of a number of significant environment-related activities such as thesigning of the Sustainable Development Charter, the decontamination of the Le Vésinet site, andthe removal of radioactive sources.

■ Signing of the Sustainable Development
CharterOn April 8, 2011, Agnès Buzyn, Chair of the IRSN Boardof Directors, signed the Sustainable Development
Charter together with 20 other public corporations
and institutions, thereby demonstrating the Institute’s
willingness to go beyond its statutory obligations andresponsibilities to society. Specifically, IRSN undertakes to hold strategic discussions on sustainable
development, translate the findings into policies, projects and management practices, draw up a strategic
document on sustainable development, prepare anaction plan, and report annually on the social andenvironmental impact of its activities. It thus becomes
one of 40 organizations in the sustainable development “club” of Charter signatories.
■ Decontamination of Le Vésinet site
IRSN undertook the substantial task of soil decontamination at its Le Vésinet site near Paris in 2011.
Contamination occurred in 2003 when some 7,000 l offuel oil was accidentally spilled while the boiler tank was
being filled. After an initial cleanup operation in 2005, asecond was required because of the depth of the contamination (13 m) and its proximity to a drinking-water
catchment area. The work carried out in 2011 involved
demolishing and replacing the boiler then using complex shoring techniques in order to excavate 4,500 t ofcontaminated earth. Analyses performed during andafter the work confirmed that the soil had been thoroughly decontaminated. This analysis work will continue
during 2012.
■ Removal of NUMEC sources
In 2011, IRSN removed eight plutonium-beryllium neutron sources stored in its laboratories at Fontenayaux-Roses near Paris and Cadarache in southern
France. NUMEC, an American company that has since

IRSN ANNUAL REPORT 2011

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MORE ABOUTWORKING TOWARDS A SINGLEQUALITY, SAFETY ANDENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENTSYSTEM
In order to meet its sustainable development objectives while honoring its
safety and quality commitments, IRSN decided, in 2011, to develop a single
quality, safety and environmental management system, certified according
to ISO 9001, ISO 14001 and OHSAS 18001 standards. This will eventually result in a better understanding of the risks to human health and the environment arising from the Institute’s activities, enabling it to pursue its quest forcontinuous improvement even more effectively.

gone into liquidation, had supplied these sources to
the CEA in the 1960s and they were subsequently
transferred to IRSN when it was set up. Once the U.S.
government had agreed to take them back, IRSN
started removal operations as part of a joint projectwith the CEA. The work proceeded in two stages: thesources were first placed in American transport casks
by personnel from Los Alamos National Laboratory(LANL) before being transported by road and sea.
They left France in June 2011.

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04 / EFFICIENCYHUMAN RESOURCESANTICIPATING NEEDSAND ENSURING SKILLSDEVELOPMENT
In the area of human resource management, 2011 saw an analysis of internal systems and HRM tools with a view to
updating them by tailoring them to IRSN’s current needs. The action plan on quality of life at work and prevention of
psychosocial risks was also implemented.

WOMEN MEN

150

100

50

0

ÂGE
> 60
56 > 60
51 > 55
46 > 5041 > 45
36 > 4031 > 35
25 > 30
< 25
50

100

150

AGE PYRAMID (AS % BY GENDER).

1.34
84

IRSN_RA11_Chap4Efficience_UK_CA_12-6.indd 84€M

MILLION SPENTON TRAINING.
(1.67 EN 2010)■ Internal mobility system
Having introduced skills and professional specifications in 2010, which have been brought to employees’ attention and explained more fully during
annual appraisal interviews, the Institute decided itneeded to incorporate them into its internal mobility
system more effectively.
First of all, employees seeking alternative employment within IRSN are invited to the HR department
to identify the kind of assistance they need to progress in their career. Depending on how well articulated their own goals are, they are offered either acounseling and mobility interview to guide and support them in their dealings with the various units, ora more in-depth career interview for the purpose of
mapping out a new career path. In 2011, 110 counseling and mobility assessments were made, and20 career assessments.
Secondly, the internal mobility procedure has beenreviewed and now functions in the same way as
the external recruitment procedure, i.e. the mostsuitable candidate for a vacancy is selected basedon the applicants’ profiles. The HR department istherefore involved in all kinds of recruitment: assessing candidates’ suitability, advising the units in theevent of several applicants for the same vacancy
and guiding employees towards available positions
that best match their skills and requirements.
■ Feedback on the implementationof collectively agreed wage structures
In 2011, IRSN assessed the implementation of thewage structure for managerial staff during the previous three years, as provided for in the relevant
agreement, signed in 2008. This involved examining
the situation of the different managerial categories: novices, i.e. individuals with less than two years’
professional experience, and seasoned managers.

IRSN ANNUAL REPORT 201115/06/12 13:53

The assessment compared career developmentwith how it used to be under the pre-2008 systemand found that, overall, the new system is conducive
to more regular pay progression. This progression
is of course slower for people in the early stages of
their career, but is offset by a higher starting salary
based on reassessment of qualifications in monetary terms, as set down in the agreement. Moreover,ten-year projections show that early-career employees will earn slightly more than under the former
system.
The situation will need to be reviewed, however,to improve continuity in the range of individualsalary increases proposed for each pay band, toexamine the pace of progression within the range
and to rethink the terms used to assess employee
performance. The wage structure assessment waspresented during an extraordinary meeting of the
Career Committee.
The social partners agreed, in principle, to negotiations in 2012 with a view to improving the system.
The Institute has also carried out an initial analysisof the collectively agreed wage structure for nonmanagerial staff, one year after it was put in place.
This assessment, which found the system to be satisfactory overall, highlights greater flexibility in calculating the individual measures for all employees
on a yearly basis.
■ Assessment of the agreement on assisting
the disabled to secure employment
Signed in February 2009, the first agreement insupport of helping disabled people to find employment set a number of specific objectives, i.e. topromote employability, to keep the target groupin employment and to increase staff awareness.
Three years on, the assessment of this agreement
is positive in several respects. First, six information
sessions were organized during the period 20092011 to promote greater employee awareness; thisexercise is linked with 12 employees being declareddisabled workers.
At the same time, the Institute largely achieved
its subcontracting objectives with the shelteredemployment sector. The aim was to have five beneficiary units by the time the agreement expires,and the first survey of contracts awarded to this
sector, as at December 31, 2011, indicates that thisfigure has been exceeded (6.5 beneficiary units).
These encouraging results are primarily due to thesigning of two service contracts, one for a telephone
helpline and the other for printing work.
On the other hand, some progress can be made in
the area of recruitment, since the ambitious objectives have not yet been achieved, mainly due to alack of suitable candidates. During the period of
application of the agreement, IRSN:

IRSN ANNUAL REPORT 2011

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MORE ABOUTACTION PLAN ON QUALITY OF LIFEAT WORK AND PREVENTION OF
PSYCHOSOCIAL RISKS
Following the signing of the second agreement on stress prevention andquality of life at work in December 2010, and the implementation of an action plan to prevent psychosocial risks in the summer of 2010, IRSN launcheda number of initiatives. Specifically, these included training organized on theInstitute’s main sites to promote greater staff awareness, with the content finalized by an interdisciplinary working group. Five awareness sessions were
held at the Fontenay-aux-Roses and Le Vésinet sites near Paris and at the
Cadarache site in southern France, involving more than 250 employees. The
working group also helped prepare training material on the same topic, specifically targeting management, HR and medico-social personnel, employee
representatives and members of the health, safety and working conditionscommittees. Two pilot sessions were organized in 2011. At the same time,
IRSN’s Occupational Health Department devised a questionnaire specificallyfocused on these risks, which the occupational health physician uses during
medical examinations. This anonymous questionnaire is routinely offered to
employees and all replies are confidential. The data obtained is used for statistical analyses on the quality of life at work. A psychosocial risk unit has
also been set up. In the event of a critical individual or collective situation,
and at the request of the IRSN Inspector General, this unit conducts a diagnostic analysis and submits its findings to the Director General, who decides
on a plan of action that is then monitored by the HR department. Lastly, theHR department contributed to driving change by taking part in discussions
on the Institute’s operational reorganization. It also helped prepare for thismajor undertaking by ensuring that all staff were kept properly informed
and by being available to employees who wished to express their views on
the subject in strict confidence.

• recruited one disabled person in 2009 on a fixedterm contract for a period of 13 months;• employed two disabled temporary staff in 2009
and 2010 for a period of 13 and 15 months for the
purpose of data capture and archiving;• recruited one disabled person in 2011 on a oneyear work experience contract.
As part of efforts to retain disabled workers in
employment during the 2009-2011 period, 12 meetings were convened with the Occupational Health
Department and the social services department
responsible for preventing disabled people being
declared unfit for work. The participants took partin nine workstation studies, four with the help of
an ergonomics specialist, contributed to adapting
seven workstations, and helped seven disabled
employees to improve their working conditions.

85

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GLOSSARYAAERES French Evaluation Agency for
Research and Higher Education.
AFNOR French standards association.
ALPHA RADIATION (SYMBOLIZEDAS “␣”) A highly ionizing form of particle
radiation with low penetration consisting ofhelium-4 nuclei. A simple sheet of paper can
prevent its propagation.
AMANDE Accelerator for dosimetry
metrology and neutron applications(Cadarache).
ANCCLI French national association of local
information commissions and committees.
ANDRA French national radioactive waste
management agency.
ANR French national research agency.
ANSES French agency for food, environmental
and occupational health and safety.
ASAMPSA2 Advanced Safety Assessment
Methodologies: Level 2 Probabilistic Safety
Assessment.
ASN French nuclear safety authority.
ASND French nuclear safety authority for
defense-related facilities and activities.

B
BECQUEREL (Bq) Official international unit ofmeasure used for radioactivity. The becquerel
is equal to one transformation per second.
BEL V Technical safety organization of theBelgian Nuclear Safety Authority.
BETA (SYMBOLIZED AS “␤”) Radiationconsisting of electrons with a positive or
negative charge. Propagation can be stopped
by leaving a space of a few meters around thesource or providing a barrier using a simple
sheet of aluminum foil.

C
CABRI CEA test reactor used by IRSN to
study nuclear fuel safety.
CAMARI Aptitude certificate for operating
industrial radiology equipment.
CHROMOSOME ABERRATION An
irregularity in the number or structureof chromosomes.
CLI Local information commission.

86

IRSN_RA11_Chap4Efficience_UK_CA_12-6.indd 86

CONTROL ROD ASSEMBLY A set of mobileinterconnected rods containing neutronabsorbing material, which is inserted into the coreof a nuclear reactor. It increases or decreases
core reactivity depending on its position.
CPW Chemical Weapons Convention.
CRITICALITY (RISKS) Risks associated withuncontrolled fission phenomena in fissile
materials.
CSA Complementary Safety Assessment.
CTE Euratom technical committee.

D
DOE/NNSA Department of Energy (USA).
DOSIMETRY Assessment or measurement of
the dose of radiation (radioactivity) absorbed
by a substance or an individual.
DRL Diagnostic reference level.
DSND Representative in charge of Nuclear
Safety and Radiation Protection for Defenserelated Activities and Facilities.

E
EEIG European Economic Interest Grouping.
EFFECTIVE DOSE A physical variable usedin the field of radiation protection, where it
serves to assess the impact of exposure toionizing radiation on biological tissue. It takes
into account the sensitivity of the affected
tissues and the type of radiation. The sievert(Sv) is the unit of effective dose.
ENSREG European Nuclear Safety RegulatorsGroup
ENSTTI European Nuclear Safety Training
and Tutoring Institute.
ENVIRHOM Research program that studies
the processes involved in radionuclide
accumulation and the biological effects
induced by this accumulation in flora, fauna
and humans in a chronic exposure situation.
EOLE CEA research reactor used for exploring
the physical properties of light-water nuclear
reactor cores. It is designed in particular forstudying new reactor core designs.
EPR European Pressurized-water Reactor.
ETSON European Technical Safety
Organisations Network.
EURATOM European Atomic Energy
Community.

F
FLUENCE Number of particles intercepted bya detector per unit area (particles/cm²).
FNR Fast neutron reactor.
FOUNDATION RAFT Thick, reinforced
concrete foundation providing stable support.
FP European Union Framework Programme
for research and technological development.
FUEL ASSEMBLY Bundle of fuel rods
assembled in a metal structure, used innuclear reactors.

G
GAMMA RADIATION (SYMBOLIZED AS“␥”) Electromagnetic radiation with highpenetration but low ionization, emitted during
the transformation of radionuclides. Protection
is provided by concrete or lead screens.
GRS Gesellschaft für Anlagen- undReaktorsicherheit (German technical safety
organization).
GWJ/T Fuel burnup unit. Gigawatt-hours per
metric ton of fuel. Commonly used unit ofmeasure giving the level of irradiation of fuelassemblies, expressed as energy output by theassembly in the reactor per ton of initial uranium.

H
HCTISN French high committee fortransparency and information on nuclear
safety.
HDR Accreditation to supervise research.
HFDS Ministry of Energy Senior Defense
and Security Official, the authority in chargeof nuclear material protection and control inFrance.
HILW-LL High level and intermediate levellong-lived waste.
HTTR A Japanese high temperature test
reactor.

I
IAEA International Atomic Energy Agency.
ICRP International Commission on
Radiological Protection.
IFSTTAR French institute of science and

IRSN ANNUAL REPORT 201115/06/12 13:53

technology for transport, development andnetworks.
IGS Institute of Geological Sciences (Ukraine).
INB Basic nuclear installation.
INBS Secret basic nuclear installation.
INED French national institute for
demographic studies.
INERIS French national institute for the studyof industrial environments and risks.
INRA French national institute for agriculturalresearch.
INSERM French national institute of medical
health and research.
InVS French national institute for healthsurveillance.
ISOTOPES Elements whose atoms have thesame number of electrons and protons, but adifferent number of neutrons. Designated by
the same name, they display the same chemical
properties. There are currently 325 known
natural isotopes and 1,200 artificial isotopes.
IRSTEA French research institute for
agricultural and environmental engineering.
ISTP International Source Term Program.
ITER International Thermonuclear
Experimental Reactor – an international
program set up to demonstrate the viability of
nuclear fusion as a new source of energy.

J
JAEA Japan Atomic Energy Agency.
JNES Japan Nuclear Energy Safety
Organization.

MINERVE Experimental reactor used forneutronics studies on fuel networks in various
nuclear reactor series. The main purpose ofthis research is to improve knowledge of basic
nuclear data.
MOX Fuel made from (natural or depleted)uranium and plutonium oxide.
MSV Millisievert – Unit of effective dose usedin the international system.
MWE Megawatt electric, unit of electric power
produced. In a pressurized water reactor, thethermal power released is about three times
greater.

N
NPP Nuclear power plant.
NRC United States Nuclear Regulatory
Commission.
NRG Nuclear Research and Consultancy
Group – a nuclear service provider in the
Netherlands.

O
OECD Organisation for Economic
Co-operation and Development.
OPCW Organisation for the Prohibition ofChemical Weapons.
ORAMED Optimization of Radiation
Protection of Medical Staff.

P
PCR Radiation protection specialists.
PSA Probabilistic Safety Assessment. Level 2
probabilistic safety assessments (PSA2) serve
to quantify the probability of fission productrelease in the event of a severe accident.
PUI On-site emergency plan.

K
KV kiloVolt.

L
LOCA Loss Of Coolant Accident.

M
M5 Type of PWR fuel cladding.
MEDDTL French Ministry of Ecology,
Sustainable Development, Transport, andHousing.
MELODI Multidisciplinary European Low Dose
Initiative, a European governance instrument
set up to organize research into risks relating
to low-dose radiation exposure.
MGY Milligray – Unit of radiation absorbed
dose used in the international system.
MIMAUSA Program on the heritage andimpact of obsolete uranium mines in France,
created for analysis and archival purposes..
MINEFI French Ministry of Economy, Financeand Industry.

R
RADIOELEMENT Natural or artificial
radioactive element.
RADIONUCLIDE Radioactive isotope of anelement.

S
SARNET Severe Accident Research NETworkof excellence, a European research projectto study core meltdown accidents in water
reactors.
SGDSN French General Secretariat for
Defense and National Security.
SIGIS Information and management system
for the French national inventory of sources ofionizing radiation.
SNA Nuclear attack submarine.
SNETP Sustainable Nuclear Energy

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Technology Platform.
SNRIU State Nuclear Regulatory Inspectorateof Ukraine.
SOFIA Emergency operation observation
simulator.
SOURCE TERM Radioactive release to theenvironment in the event of a core meltdown
accident in a water reactor.
STAR Strategy for Allied Radioecology – aEuropean network of excellence set up to poolits partners’ knowledge, infrastructure andresearch activities in the field of radioecology.
SYLVIA Name of a fire and ventilation
computer code coupling system developedby IRSN.

T
TELERAY French national automatic gamma
air monitoring network. It also emits a warningin the event of unusually high ambient dose
rates.
TTRASSE French national research grouping(IRSN-CNRS) focusing on the subject ofradionuclide transfer to the ground, subsoil
and ecosystems.
TSN French act relative to Transparency andSecurity in the Nuclear Field.
TSO Technical Safety Organisation.

U
UIAR Ukrainian Institute of Agricultural
Radiology.

V
VVER (OR WWER) Vodo-Vodianoy
Energetichesky Reactor or Water-Water
Energetic Reactor. Russian-designed reactorsthat operate in a similar way to westernpressurized-water reactors.

W
WENRA Western European Nuclear
Regulators’ Association.
WHO World Health Organization.

Z
ZIRCALOY-4 A zirconium alloy used formaking fuel tubes for uranium oxide fuelpellets.

For further information, consult
the glossary on the IRSN website atwww.irsn.fr

87

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EDITORIAL AND PRODUCTION COORDINATION
Strategy, Development and Partnerships Division

STEERING COMMITTEE
Valérie CHAMBRETTE
Valérie MARCHAL
Frédéric MÉNAGE
Emmanuelle MUR
Matthieu SCHULER
Sylvie SUPERVILEDITORIAL COMMITTEESupervision and coordination: Valérie MARCHAL
Marc-Gérard ALBERT
Michel BAUDRYMarie-Pierre BIGOT
Stéphanie CLAVELLE
Patrick COUSINOU
Patrice DESCHAMPS
Aleth DELATTRE
Didier DEMEILLERS
Agnès DUMAS
Dominique FRANQUARD

Bernard GOUDALJean JALOUNEIX
Patrick LALOIPascale MONTI
François ROLLINGER
Véronique ROUYERNathalie RUTSCHKOVSKY
Édouard SCOTT de MARTINVILLE
Christine THARAUD
Jean-Luc VERPEAUXWRITTEN BY
IRSN, with support from Camille Jaunet (La Cle des mots) and Jean-Christophe Hedouin (HIME).
This Annual Report was approved by the IRSN Board of Directors on March 27, 2012.
GRAPHIC DESIGN AND PRODUCTION

TRANSLATION
Provence traduction
PRINTED BY
FotPHOTO CREDITS
Areva/Yves Meyssirel : p. 60 – Areva/Nicolas Petitot : p. 63 – Antoine Devouard/IRSN : p. 4, 25, 28 – Hervé Brouilly/IRSN : p. 26 – Luc
Benevello : p. 6, 7, 9, 16 – IRSN : p. 10, 11, 12, 35, 45, 46, 47, 49, 50, 55, 70, 75, 77, 78 – Noak/Le bar Floréal/IRSN : p. 10, 12, 28, 39, 51 – JeanMarc Bonzom/IRSN : p. 10, 66 – Grégoire Maisonneuve/IRSN : p. 10, 80 – Michel Choua/IRSN : p. 10 – Assemblée nationale : p. 11 – CEA :p. 11 – Olivier Seignette/Mikaël Lafontan/IRSN : p. 12, 30, 31, 39, 41, 42, 44, 56, 57, 61 – Gendarmerie nationale : p. 65 – Laurent Stefano :p. 43, 48, 71, 74, 79 – T. Foulon/CEA : p. 44 – Bruno Valach/ IRSN : p. 22 – P. Dumas/CEA : p. 27, 52 – Grégoire Maisonneuve/IRSN : p. 29,
32 – Jean-Pierre Copitet/IRSN : p. 35 – Yves Malenfer/Matignon : p. 36 – EDF/Alexis Morin : p. 40 – Marine nationale/Romain Veyrié : p. 54 –Caroline Simonucci/IRSN : p. 68 – Xavier Bellanger : p. 72 – Supplement Fukushima Luc Benevello : p. 2, 3 – Grégoire Maisonneuve/IRSN : p.
2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 – DigitalGlobe : p. 3 , 4, 5 – Gettyimages/The Asahi Shimbun : p. 5, 7 – Assemblée nationale : p. 6, 9 – Huma Rosentalski/IRSN :p. 8, 10 – IRSN : p. 8 – Magali Delporte/IRSN : p. 8 – Gettyimages/Ippei Naoi : p. 9 – Emma Foster/epa/Corbis : p. 9 – Guerre-Chaley JeanFrançois/IRSN : p. 10 – Antoine Devouard/IRSN : p. 10© IRSNN° ISSN : 2104-8843

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Enhancing nuclear safety

ANNUAL REPORT

2 11Head office31, avenue de la Division Leclerc
92260 Fontenay-aux-Roses
RCS Nanterre B 440 546 018
Telephone+33 (0)1 58 35 88 88
Mailing address
BP 17
92262 Fontenay-aux-Roses Cedex
Websitewww.irsn.fr

CAHIER FINANCIER

Enhancing nuclear safety

FINANCIAL REPORT

2 11Head office31, avenue de la Division Leclerc
92260 Fontenay-aux-Roses
RCS Nanterre B 440 546 018
Telephone+33 (0)1 58 35 88 88
Mailing address
BP 17
92262 Fontenay-aux-Roses Cedex
Websitewww.irsn.fr

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IRSN_RA2011_CahierFina_FR_V3_SR3_CA.indd 2

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Management Report ....................................................................................................................................... P. 05
Balance sheet ........................................................................................................................................................................... P. 10
Income statement ..................................................................................................................................................... P. 12
Income statement subtotals................................................................................................. P. 13
Budget versus actual report ................................................................................................ P. 14

CONTENTSIRSN_RA2011_CahierFina_FR_V3_SR3_CA.indd 3

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IRSN_RA2011_CahierFina_FR_V3_SR3_CA.indd 4

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FINANCIAL REPORTMANAGEMENT REPORTGENERAL OUTLOOK
Significant events in 2011:■ the Fukushima accident was the reason for a release of €5.5
million in reserves from Budget Program 190 to support theInstitute’s action to deal with the crisis and to contribute to thefunding of complementary safety assessments of all nuclear
power reactor units in France;■ the work begun in 2010 on Le Vésinet site, following an envi-■ a cost-saving measure was applied at the end of the fiscal
year, which reduced the level of the grant from €1.4 million to€210.8 million;

Budget execution in 2011 involved a vast investment program
totaling €36 million after incorporation of operations carried overfrom the previous year, including the Institute’s property project. This amount was increased during the year by a transferof €2.8 million from the operating budget, due to a change in
the nature of the expenditure relating to refurbishment of therestaurant belonging to CEA.

■ the Institute’s self-generated revenue from the co-funding ofresearch and from industrial and commercial operations suffered as a result of teams being allocated as a priority to actions
undertaken in the wake of the Fukushima accident;■ the 2010 full-employment situation deteriorated during

the year, slipping back by 37 employees (full-time equivalent
worked);■ the dispute that followed the incident at the Feursmétal industrial site was resolved with the signature of a settlement agreement, the financial consequences of which are reflected in theaccounts for 2011 as a provision of €11.1 million and a paymentof €7.9 million;

IRSN ANNUAL REPORT 2011

IRSN_RA2011_CahierFina_FR_V3_SR3_CA.indd 5

ronmental accident, was completed;■ €2.9 million was paid out from the special dismantling fund tocover the cost of works carried out in 2010.

Not all of these investments were completed during the fiscal
year, and a proposal to carry over €21.7 million for operationsin progress will be put forward in the first revision (DM1) of the
projected revenue and expenditure statement for 2012.
Furthermore, not as much work financed out of the operating
budget (CABRI) was done as originally planned and so a proposal to carry over €8.2 million of this expenditure will also be made.

5

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FINANCIAL REPORTBUDGET BALANCE
Execution(in €M)

2011

2010

Difference
2011/2010

Total
resources

292.1

316.3

– 7.7%

Total
expenditure

282.0

312.8

– 9.9%BALANCE+ 10.1+ 3.5+ 188.6%

Budget execution in 2011, as in previous years, shows a budget balancethat appears to be amplified by the€19.7 million in investments carried over.
Appropriate recalculations give the following results:
Recalculated
execution (in €M)

2011

Actual balance+ 10.1+ 3.5

2009 carryover–+ 14.52010 carryover+ 19.2– 19.2

2011 carryover– 29.9RECALCULATEDBALANCE

– 0.6

2010

– 1.2

The year 2011 can be characterized asfollows:■ results match the balance figures givenin the projected revenue and expenditure statement approved by the Boardof Directors;■ a budget execution rate of 87.2% (compared with 93.4% in 2010), i.e. a differenceof €41.4 million, of which €29.9 million
corresponds to delays in the execution ofcertain investments or specific expenditure. If these delayed items were excluded,
the budget execution rate would be 96.4%
compared with 99.2% in 2010. The remainder is split between a reduction in revenue (€6.3 million) and a contribution to
the working capital (€5.2 million).

INCOME STATEMENT ANALYSISREVENUE■ €3.4 million from the agreement signed

Execution(in €M)

2011

2010

Difference
2011/2010

Sales

36.2

39.2

– 7.6%

Operating
grant

198.9

230.6

– 13.7%

Other income

48.0

8.1

493.0%

Operatingincome subtotal

283.1

277.9

1.9%

Investment
income0.8

0.3

131.5%

Extraordinary
revenue

11.6

11.2

+ 22.1%

TOTAL

295.5

289.4

2.1%

Operating revenue rose by €5.2 million(1.9%) compared with the previous fiscal
year, reaching €283.1 million, with:■ €194.0 million from the public service
grant paid by the Ministry of Ecology,
Sustainable Development, Transportand Housing. The total in government
grants received under Budget Program
190 amounted to €210.8 million of which€16.8 million was recorded as a capital grant. The reduction in this grant iscompensated for by the creation of theoperators’ contribution;

6

IRSN_RA2011_CahierFina_FR_V3_SR3_CA.indd 6

with the Ministry of Defense as part of
Budget Program 212, which is stable compared with the previous year;■ €1.5 million in other grants, includingfrom local government authorities, whichis stable compared with 2010;■ €36.2 million of self-generated revenue
from consultancy services, co-funding ofresearch programs, or other services,
representing a 7.6% reduction on theprevious year.

Revenue (in €M)

2011

2010

Catalog services

12.4

11.7

R&D and co-funded research

9.6

11.7

Services and non co-funded
research

9.1

10.0

Other services

5.1

5.8

TOTAL

36.2

39.2

toxicology analyses and €0.9 million was
generated by training;■ co-funding of research, amounting to€9.6 million, the main partners in which
are EDF (€4 million), Areva (€2.3 million) and the European Commission(€1 million);■ services and non co-funded research,amounting to €9.1 million, €2 million ofwhich is from services performed for
Riskaudit, €0.9 million for Areva, €1 million
for CEA and €0.7 million for EDF;
■ other services, amounting to €5.1 million, 96% (€4.9 million) of which is forinvoicing for seconded personnel.
€48.0 million in other operating income,compared with €8.1 million in 2010. This
amount mainly includes income fromcontributions paid by nuclear operators(€33.4 million), fees paid for industrial
property (€1.1 million, up on 2010), andwrite-backs on depreciation and provisions (€13.1 million, up on 2010).

Self-generated revenue scan be broken
down into four main categories:■ catalog services, amounting to€12.4 million, of which €10 million wasfrom the activity of IRSN’s Dosimetry
Laboratory, €0.9 million came from radio-

IRSN ANNUAL REPORT 201115/06/12 13:57

FINANCIAL REPORT

Investment income, which amounted to€0.8 million, was up compared with 2010(by €0.5 million).
Extraordinary revenue was stable at€11.6 million, compared with €11.2 million in 2010. Capital grants of €10.2 million, recorded in the income statement,
accounted for most of this amount.
Revenue grew by 2.1% (€6.1 million)
overall.

EXPENDITURE
Execution(in €M)

2011

2010

Difference
2011/2010

Purchases

112.9

136.6

– 17.3%

Personnel

125.9

124.2

1.4%

Taxes

7.1

13.3

– 46.4%

Depreciation& provisions

42.1

29.4

43.3%

Other expenses

4.4

2.2

100.3%

Operatingexpenses
subtotal

292.5

305.6

– 4.3%

Financialcharges

0.9

1.2– 25.0%Extraordinary
charges

8.4

0.5

1,606.0%

301.7

307.3

– 1.8%TOTAL

Operating expenses for the year
amounted to €292.5 million, a fall of€13.1 million or 4.3%. This variation wasconcentrated mainly in purchases andtaxes, and breaks down as follows:■ Personnel expenses rose by 1.4% to€125.9 million. The average number of
employees over the year 2011 was 1647
(full-time equivalent worked) for a budgetof 1684. At the end of 2010, there were1677 employees (full-time equivalent);■ Taxes amounted to €7.1 million, downby €6.2 million, due to mainly to the alignment of the method of calculating
employment tax with the method of calculating VAT;
■ Depreciation and provisions rose to€42.1 million (up by €12.7 million on 2010),
mainly due to a provision of €11.1 million
being set aside for forthcoming remediation costs as a result of the agreement
signed in connection with the radiological incident at the Feursmétal site.
A provision of €6.6 million was also set
aside to cover the risk associated with the
Individual Right to Training scheme;■ Purchases of goods and services fellby €23.7 million (or 17.3%) to €112.9 million, due mainly to a reduction of €15.3
million in core activity subcontracting (ofwhich €14.6 million was in respect of CEA)
and a reduction of €3.1 million in general subcontracting. The drop in activity
connected with CEA is partly explainedby the delay in doing some of the workon the CABRI experimental reactor (€8.2
million) but also to a drop in the projected budgets (down €3.5 million between
2010 and 2011).

€1.4 million) and travel costs (down by€0.9 million) also had an impact.
Other expenses represented €4.4 million,
compared with €2.2 million in 2010. Fees(€2.7 million) accounted for much of thisamount.
Financial charges fell by 25% to €0.9 million. They were mainly for interest paid on
loans to finance the head office, the new
dosimetry technology and the current
property project.
Extraordinary charges rose by €7.9 million. They represent the payments madeunder the agreement settling the disputewith Feursmétal.

The limitation of servicing/maintenanceexpenditure (down by €1.6 million), theuse of temporary workers (down by

RESULTS AND FINANCING
Results andfinancing(in €M)

2011

2010

Difference
2011/2010

Profit (+) /loss (–)– 6.2– 17.9

11.7

Cash provided byoperations (+) / (–)

12.5

– 5.6

18.1

Variation in
working capital

10.1

3.5

6.6

The net balance for the year 2011 showeda deficit of €6.2 million, compared with aloss of €17.9 million in 2010 and a lossof €20.8 million in 2009. The difference
between the revised forecast in thesecond budget amendment, predicting a
deficit of €14.8 million, and the accounts
at closing on December 31, 2011 is €8.6
million, which is explained by a combination of:■ An increase of €2.1 million in the estimated income;■ A decrease of €6.5 million in the estimated charges;

IRSN ANNUAL REPORT 2011

IRSN_RA2011_CahierFina_FR_V3_SR3_CA.indd 7

including a reduction of €23.4 million in
disbursable costs (purchases, staff costs,etc.);
and an increase of €16.9 million in nondisbursable costs (depreciation andprovisions).
Cash provided by operations, budgeted at -€5.3 million in the second budget
amendment, reached +€12.5 million, a
positive difference of €17.8 million.
This difference in relation to the second
budget amendment is explained by the7

15/06/12 13:57

FINANCIAL REPORT

reduction of €23.4 million in disbursable
costs, partially compensated for by areduction by €5.5 million in collectible
income.

Transport and Housing allocated to capital grants (€16.8 million) and a belowforecast reimbursement by the special
dismantling fund of €2.9 million.

This cash provided by operations wascompleted by the portion of the public
service grant paid by the Ministry of
Ecology, Sustainable Development,

The resulting total resources paid forjobs and a €10.1 million contribution to
the working capital against a planned
withdrawal of €25.1 million in the second

budget amendment. This variation was
mostly due to a sum of €21.7 million carried over as part of the investment program and by the delay in work on the
CABRI project, amounting to €8.2 million..

MANAGEMENT BALANCES
The following table shows the variation in working capital, cash, and working capitalrequirements:
In €M

Difference 2011/2010

2011 level2010 level

10.1

35.4

25.3

Working capital requirement

6.1– 53.6– 59.7

Cash

3.9

88.9

85.0

Working capital

VARIATION
IN WORKING CAPITAL
The projected variation in working capitalin the second budget amendment of 2011
was due to a withdrawal of €25.1 million,
broken down as follows:– Write-back on Feursmétal disputeprovision ..................................................................................................3.5 €M– Write-back on fuel oil dispute provision...................................................................................................................... 0.8 €M– Investments carried over from2010.............................................................. 19.2 €M– Write-back on profit-sharing provision
2010........................................................................................................................ 1.1 €M– Write-back on sources........................................0.5 €M
The contribution to working capital at theend of 2011 amounted to €10.1 million, an
increase of €35.2 million compared withthe figure in the second budget amendment. The difference can be broken down
as follows:– investments not completed
in 2011, proposed to be carried over to2012 ......................................................................................................... +21.7 €M– CABRI work not done in 2011, proposed
to be carried over to 2012................ + 8.2 €M– provision for profit-sharing plan2011 ............................................................................................................ – 0.6 €M– difference in funding via special
fund ........................................................................................................... – 0.6 €M– other operating savings........................ + 6.5 €M

8IRSN_RA2011_CahierFina_FR_V3_SR3_CA.indd 8

Expenditure relating to investments
and specific projects not completed in2011 is the subject of a carryover proposal in the first budget amendment forthe 2012 budget. The payment of dismantling expenses via the special fundis delayed because of the way the fundworks (expenditure is reimbursed after
the event on presentation of documentary evidence).
In view of the above, the level of working
capital at December 31, 2011, estimated at€0.2 million according to the second budget amendment, is actually €35.4 million.

tions via the special fund. Expenditure of€5.2 million for the PHEBUS dismantlingcosts was executed and will be reimbursed via the special fund on presentationof documentary evidence, when the 2012budget is executed. Because of the way
in which the special remediation anddismantling fund works, the cost of prefinancing dismantling operations is met
from cash and working capital.

VARIATION IN WORKINGCAPITAL REQUIREMENTS
Working capital requirements stood at-€53.6 million at the end of 2011, compared with a projection of -€58.3 million
in the second budget amendment. The€6.1 million decrease in working capitalrequirements compared with 2010 isbecause fewer operations were being
carried over at the end of 2011. This isreflected in a reduction of €13.2 million
in trade notes and accounts payable of€61.9 million.

CASH VARIATIONThe cash level stood at €88.9 million at
the end of 2011, compared with the projected €58.5 million in the second budget
amendment.
It was stable compared with the yearend level for 2010 (€85.0 million), due tothe combined effects of the increase inworking capital (by €10.1 million) and theincrease in the working capital requirements (by €6.1 million).
Like the working capital, cash was affected by the delay in reimbursing the costof remediation and dismantling opera-

IRSN ANNUAL REPORT 201115/06/12 13:57

FINANCIAL REPORTBALANCE SHEET ANALYSISLIABILITIES■ Debt fell to €123.7 million compared■ With a recorded loss of €6.2 million,

with €135.4 million in 2010. This wasdue to the combined effect of the fall in
long- and medium-term debts (down by€4.0 million) and especially to the fallin short-term trade payables (down by€13.2 million).

the net position dropped to €31.3 million,
compared with €37.5 million in 2010. The
capital grant saw a €6.6 million increase,rising from €75.5 million to €82.1 million.
Furthermore, contingency and loss provisions rose by €6.6 million, reaching thefigure of €77.6 million on December 31,
2011. This significant increase was theresult of an allowance of €19.7 million
being set aside in particular as provisions for the remediation of the polluted Feursmétal site and for employees’right to training on the one hand, andthe use of €13.0 million on the other. The
Institute's long-term capital rose, reaching€191.0 million compared with €184.1 million in 2010.

accounts receivable (down by €1.9 million)
benefiting cash, which rose to €88.9 million at December 31, 2011 compared with
€84.9 million at December 31, 2010.

ASSETS■ Fixed assets fell to €175.9 million (downby -€7.0 million) due to depreciation
expenses (up by €22.1 million) progressing faster in 2011 than fixed asset acquisitions (up by €15.1 million).
■ Current

assets remained almost
stable at €138.9 million compared with
€136.6 million in 2010, with a reduction in

OVERALL CONCLUSION
The 2011 budget was executed within theforecast budget balance presented to theBoard of Directors.
A €10.1 million contribution was paid
into the working capital, which stoodat €35.4 million at year-end 2011. The
amount withdrawn from working capitalfor 2012 was €33.9 millions. This was tocover the profit-sharing plan, the carryover of investment projects in progress,
the carryover of expenditure related to

IRSN ANNUAL REPORT 2011

IRSN_RA2011_CahierFina_FR_V3_SR3_CA.indd 9

CABRI and an adjustment to the special
dismantling fund.
The available working capital balance is€1.5 million.

9

15/06/12 13:57

FINANCIAL REPORTBALANCE SHEETASSETSIn €Fiscal year 2011

Fiscal year 2010

Fiscal year 2009

Gross

Depreciation andprovisions (to be
deducted)

Net

Net

Net

Intangible assets

22,134,261

16,523,524

5,610,738

5,402,088

5,152,255

Tangible assets

315,577,347

151,706,343

163,871,004

168,230,969

166,660,722

Financial assets

6,394,644–

6,394,644

9,273,133

12,264,531

Fixed assets

344,106,251

168,229,867

175,876,385

182,906,190

184,077,508

–

–

–

–

–

Inventory and work in progress
Prepayments and advances on orders

179,280–

179,280

128,585

626,92249,800,117

51,99649,748,121

51,477,077

43,650,600

customer receivables

34,938,185

51,99634,886,189

34,803,062

28,411,055

related receivables

14,861,932–

14,861,932

16,674,015

15,239,544

–

–

–

–

3,690

Investment securities

77,416,860–

77,416,860

76,706,174

77,925,874

Cash

11,506,485–

11,506,485

8,244,314

7,403,786

Accounts receivable

Other receivables

–

–

–

–

–

Current assets

Prepaid expenses

138,902,743

51,996

138,850,747

136,556,151

129,610,872

GRAND TOTAL

483,008,994

168,281,862

314,727,132

319,462,340

313,688,380

AssetsCurrent assets

25%
44%

56%

64%
11%

Fixed assets 175.9 M€
Current assets 138.9 M€

10

IRSN_RA2011_CahierFina_FR_V3_SR3_CA.indd 10

Cash 88.9 M€
Customer receivables 34.9 M€
Other receivables 15.1 M€

IRSN ANNUAL REPORT 201115/06/12 13:57

FINANCIAL REPORT

LIABILITIESIn €Fiscal year 2011

Fiscal year 2010

Fiscal year 2009

4,183,946

4,183,946

4,183,946

Allowances
Reserves

90,783,098

90,783,098

90,783,098

Retained earnings– 57,454,515– 39,524,210– 18,724,288

Fiscal year profit or loss

– 6,237,293– 17,930,305– 20,799,922

Net position

31,275,237

37,512,529

55,442,834

Capital grants

82,111,360

75,534,368

67,282,861

113,386,596

113,046,898

122,725,695–

6,052,934

2,666,100

EquityContingency provision

95,000––Loss provision

Provision for taxes due

77,552,646

64,951,818

69,321,702

Contingency and loss provision

77,647,646

71,004,752

71,987,802

Bank borrowings

20,143,157

24,101,128

11,056,526

Various debts and liabilities

–

–

191

Prepayments and advances on orders

–

–

–

Trade notes and accounts payable

61,930,294

75,129,357

71,948,637

Tax and social liabilities

30,180,005

27,383,714

26,111,320

Other operating liabilities

105,393––

Trade notes and accounts payable

5,556,600

4,650,730

6,045,394

Other liabilities

5,777,440

4,145,763

3,812,816

Prepaid expenses

–

–

–

Liabilities

123,692,889

135,410,691

118,974,883

GRAND TOTAL

314,727,132

319,462,340

313,688,380

Long-term capital

Liabilities

41%

26%
43%

16%

50%

24%

Capital grant 82.1 M€
Provisions 77.6 M€
Net position 31.3 M€

IRSN ANNUAL REPORT 2011

IRSN_RA2011_CahierFina_FR_V3_SR3_CA.indd 11

Trade payables 61.9 M€
Tax and social liabilities 30.2 M€
Other liabilities 31.6 M€

11

15/06/12 13:57

FINANCIAL REPORTINCOME STATEMENTIn €Fiscal year 2011

Fiscal year 2010

Fiscal year 2009

Research work

9,648,996

11,743,489

13,569,471

Service contracts

21,503,291

21,667,148

18,145,983

Other services provided

5,080,365

5,797,320

5,996,864

Net revenue

36,232,652

39,207,957

37,712,318

Operating grants

198,903,976

230,576,638

216,500,738

Operators' contribution

33,375,000––

Write-backs on depreciation and provisions

13,065,756

7,326,896

6,835,490

Capital grants recorded in income statement

10,249,909

9,748,492

7,928,750

Expense transfer

204,125

98,756

147,682

Other income

1,336,405

665,373

596,142

Operating income

257,135,170

248,416,156

232,008,803

Outside expenses for the fiscal year

112,890,120

136,551,173

132,765,002

Taxes, duties, and similar payments

7,110,599

13,264,085

12,795,271

Personnel expenses

125,945,952

124,213,013

119,962,166

Depreciation and provisions

42,097,667

29,385,527

25,143,506

Other expenses

4,421,370

2,205,995

1,582,253

Operating expenses

292,465,707

305,619,793

292,248,199

OPERATING INCOME

902,115– 17,995,680– 30,455,829

From controlled entities

–

–

–

Other interest income

19,157

21,154

26,886

Foreign exchange gains

17,554

95,672

92,326

Gains on sales of short-term investments

717,159

208,779

1,243,942

Investment income

753,870

325,605

1,363,154

Interest expense

861,160

882,065

471,602

Foreign exchange losses

23,828298,457

17,845Losses on sales of short-term investments

–

–

–

Financial charges

884,988

1,180,522

489,447

FINANCIAL INCOME– 131,118– 854,917

873,706

INCOME BEFORE EXCEPTIONAL ITEMS

770,997– 18,850,597– 29,582,122

12,78873,041–

Gains on sales of assets

6,598

–

–

In operations

Capital grants strictly for the period

1,304,183

1,339,208

1,211,821

Extraordinary revenue

1,384,569

1,412,249

1,211,821

In operations

8,392,859

372,640

316,224

Book value of assets sold and other capital losses–

119,316

42,147Extraordinary charges

8,392,859

491,956

358,370

EXTRAORDINARY INCOME– 7,008,289

920,292

8,782,200–––– 6,237,293– 17,930,305– 20,799,922

Income tax
FISCAL YEAR INCOME

12IRSN_RA2011_CahierFina_FR_V3_SR3_CA.indd 12

IRSN ANNUAL REPORT 201115/06/12 13:57

FINANCIAL REPORTINCOME STATEMENT SUBTOTALSIn €Fiscal year 2011%

Fiscal year 2010

Fiscal year 2009

Sales

36,232,652

13.49

39,207,957

37,712,318+ Operating grants

198,903,976

74.08

230,576,638

216,500,738+ Operators' contribution

33,375,000

12.43

–

–

FISCAL YEAR PRODUCTION

268,511,628

100.00269,784,595

254,213,056– Outside expenses

112,890,120

42.04

136,551,173

132,765,002

ADDED VALUE

155,621,508

57.96

133,233,422

121,448,054– Taxes

7,110,599

2.65

13,264,085

12,795,271– Personnel expenses

125,945,952

46.91

124,213,013

119,962,166

OPERATING INCOME BEFORE INTEREST

22,564,957

8.40– 4,243,676– 11,309,384+ Write-backs, expense transfer

13,269,881

4.94

7,425,652

6,983,173+ Other income

1,336,405

0.50

665,373

596,142– Depreciation and provisions

42,097,667

15.68

29,385,527

25,143,506+ Write-back on capital grants

10,249,909

3.82

9,748,492

7,845,143– Other expenses

4,421,370

1.65

2,205,995

1,582,253

OPERATING INCOME

902,115

0.34– 17,995,680– 22,610,686+ Investment income

753,870

0.28

325,605

1,363,154– Financial charges

884,9880.33

1,180,522

489,447

INCOME FROM CONTINUING OPERATIONS BEFORE INCOME TAXES

770,9970.29– 18,850,597– 21,736,979+ Extraordinary revenue

1,384,569

0.52

1,412,249

1,295,428– Extraordinary charges
EXTRAORDINARY INCOME

8,392,859

3.13

491,956

358,370– 6,237,293– 2.32– 17,930,305– 20,799,922– Income tax
FISCAL YEAR RESULT

Income in detail (In €M)

–

–

–

–

– 6,237,293– 2.32– 17,930,305– 20,799,922

Operating income (In €M)
277.9
283.1

225.8

Operatingincome193.9

Ministry of
Ecology grant

0.3
0.8

Investment
income3.4
3.4

Ministry of
Defense grant

11.2
11.6

Extraordinary
revenue

1.4
1.5

Other
grants033.4

Operators'
contribution

39.2
36.2

Own
revenue

8.1
14.6
2010

2011

2010

IRSN ANNUAL REPORT 2011

IRSN_RA2011_CahierFina_FR_V3_SR3_CA.indd 13

Other

2011

13

15/06/12 13:57

FINANCIAL REPORTBUDGET
VERSUS ACTUAL REPORTINCOME STATEMENT (In €)2011 budget

2011 actual

REVENUE
Service contract sales

44,436 ,390

36,232,652

Government grants

199,393,570

198,903,976

Other operating revenue

33,875,000

37,107,584

Internal operations

15,672,070

23,262,050

TOTAL REVENUE

293,377,030

295,506,262

Personnel expenses

141,795,600

125,945,952

Other operating expenses

141,231,560

133,699,935

Internal operations

25,150,000

42,097,667

TOTAL EXPENDITURE

308,177,160

301,743,554––

EXPENDITURE

RESULT (PROFIT)RESULT (LOSS)

14,800,130

6,237,293

TOTAL INCOME STATEMENT BALANCE

308,177,160

301,743,554

TRANSFER OF RESULT TO CASH PROVIDED BY OPERATIONS (In €)Budget 2011

Réel 2011

RESULT (LOSS)

14,800,130

6,237,293––

25,150,000

42,097,667–

12,788+ Loss on sale of assets+ Depreciation and provisions– Gains on sale of assets– Gains from offsetting depreciation––– Portion of grants recorded in result

3,500,000

10,249,909– Write-backs on depreciation and provisions

12,172,070

13,065,756

CASH PROVIDED BY OPERATIONS– 5,322,200

12,531,923

SUMMARY STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN FINANCIAL POSITION (In €)Budget 2011

Réel 2011

CASH PROVIDED BY OPERATIONS– 5,322,200

12,531,923

Government capital grants

16,826,900

16,826,900

Other sources (excl. internal operations)

200,000

3,013,806

Increase in long-term debt

3,513,000

105,393

TOTAL SOURCES OF CASH

20,539,900

32,478,021

Acquisition of tangible and intangible assets

36,020,270

18,213,037

Financial assets

100,000

122,529

Long-term debt paid

4,220,000

4,063,363

TOTAL USES OF CASH

45,662,470

22,398,929

CONTRIBUTION TO WORKING CAPITAL– 25,122,570

10,079,092

14

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IRSN ANNUAL REPORT 201115/06/12 13:57

IRSN_RA2011_CahierFina_FR_V3_SR3_CA.indd 15

15/06/12 13:57

CAHIER FINANCIER

Enhancing nuclear safety

FINANCIAL REPORT

2 11Head office31, avenue de la Division Leclerc
92260 Fontenay-aux-Roses
RCS Nanterre B 440 546 018
Telephone+33 (0)1 58 35 88 88
Mailing address
BP 17
92262 Fontenay-aux-Roses Cedex
Websitewww.irsn.fr

16

IRSN_RA2011_Couv+4e.indd 16-1

RAPPORT ANNUEL IRSN 201115/06/12 14:14