WRITTEN QUESTION P-3631/01

by Elly Plooij-van Gorsel (ELDR) to the Commission

(8 January 2002)

Subject: Nuclear Research and Consultancy Group (NRG) in Petten

An employee of the Nuclear Research and Consultancy Group (NRG) in Petten in the Netherlands has been sacked after disclosing that the firm was flouting safety provisions (see report in the NRC Handelsblad of 10 December 2001). The nuclear physics service has since been investigating the high flux reactor operated by NRG. The firm maintains that the employee caused disquiet among staff by disclosing wrong information.

Is the Commission aware of the situation?

Is the employee involved an official of the European Commission and, if so, what are the grounds for his dismissal?

Does the Commission not share my view that shortcomings in the operation of nuclear facilities should be reported immediately to the department responsible and, if so, what action is an employee justified in taking where an appropriate response is not forthcoming?

Answer given by Mr Busquin on behalf of the Commission

(14 February 2002)

The Commission is aware of the situation at the High Flux Reactor. The person who has directly contacted the Kernfysische Dienst (KFD), the Dutch licensing authority, is not an official of the Commission but a staff member of NRG, the Dutch company which under contract with the Commission is responsible for the operation of the High Flux Reactor. The Commission is the license holder of the High Flux Reactor. The Commission has been informed that this employee has been moved by the management of NRG to another function and considers this to be an internal matter of personnel policy for NRG.

The Commission believes that all irregularities in the management of nuclear installations should be reported immediately to the competent authorities. In response to these particular allegations, the Dutch licensing authority launched an investigation into the safety and the functioning of the High Flux Reactor. The Commission as a license holder fully co-operated in this investigation. The investigation concluded that while the High Flux Reactor management had fully respected the license conditions, there had been inconsistencies between the operating instructions and the technical safety specifications applied by NRG, leading to different interpretations of how to apply some procedures. The Commission believes that this finding highlights the need for improvements to the safety culture in the operation of the High Flux Reactor.

On 1 February 2002 a local newspaper article highlighted the existence of a crack (in fact an internal welding anomaly) in the High Flux Reactor. This has existed since the current reactor vessel was installed in 1983. It has been fully documented and accepted by the regulatory authorities. The crack has been monitored and measured continually over the years during In Service Inspection. In August 2001 the results of an inspection and measurement of this internal crack led to public concern that the crack has grown. The scientific experts who carried out the tests and NRG claim that the apparent growth is explained by a change of instrument used in the measurement and that it poses no danger to the public. After discussion and review of the technical details of the measurements, the KFD allowed the reactor to continue operation but requested a further inspection in summer 2002.

The Commission is convinced that the safe operation of the High Flux Reactor in Petten, The Netherlands, is not compromised. Nevertheless, in the light of the latest developments, the Commission has recommended that the reactor be shut down to permit re-measurement of the crack (the internal welding anomaly).

This shutdown should take place as soon as possible. The shutdown period will also be used to accelerate the implementation of training and other measures to enhance the safety culture. A reasonable date for the shutdown will be on or before the 10 February 2002, subject to the views of Kernfysische Dienst (KFD), the Dutch licensing authority. On the 4 of February 2002, the acting director of NRG indicated, in the course of a press conference, that he concurred with the position of the Commission.