Earthquake: SMATCH, restitution of the first phase of the benchmark
Introduction
In 2019, the Le Teil earthquake led to the shutdown of the Cruas nuclear power plant's operating reactors. At the initiative of IRSN and EDF, and under the aegis of the OECD, an international benchmark called SMATCH was launched in 2022.
In 2019, the Le Teil earthquake led to the shutdown of the Cruas nuclear power plant's operating reactors. At the initiative of IRSN and EDF, and under the aegis of the OECD, an international benchmark called SMATCH was launched in 2022.
The aim of this benchmark is to identify, in the case of the Le Teil seismic scenario, the best practices for predicting surface movement and its propagation in the reactor building - whose rafters are seismically supported - by comparison with measurements obtained during the earthquake. To date, 34 teams from 17 countries on 5 continents (Asia, Europe, North and South America, Africa) have signed up, including academics, industrialists, design offices and TSOs.
The first phase of the benchmark is devoted to determining seismic motion. A special session at the SMiRT 27 conference - International Conference on Structural Mechanics in Reactor Technology - to be held in Yokohama, Japan, from March 3 to 8, 2024, will be devoted to presenting the results of this first phase. This will provide an opportunity for wide-ranging technical and scientific exchanges not only between the participants, but also with the entire interested community, in order to draw the first lessons to be learned.
It was also announced at SMiRT 27 that the next international conference will be held in Lyon in August 2027. The next conference will be chaired by Irmela Zentner (EDF). Benjamin Richard, head of the LMAPS laboratory at IRSN, will chair the international scientific committee.
Further information
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Strengthening relations between IRSN and its Czech counterparts
Introduction
IRSN Director General Jean-Christophe Niel visited the Czech Republic from February 5 to 7, 2024 to meet with various Czech partners.
IRSN Director General Jean-Christophe Niel visited the Czech Republic from February 5 to 7, 2024 to meet with various Czech partners. The main aim of the visit, which focused on nuclear safety research and exchanges on new collaboration opportunities, was to strengthen our relations with nuclear safety organizations in the Czech Republic. The IRSN delegation was accompanied by Felix Buttin.
J.C. Niel met with the President of the Czech Safety Authority (SUJB) Dana Drabova and her safety director Stepan Kochanek, to discuss technical topics of common interest (SMR safety, fuel safety, etc.).
The Director General held a second meeting with the delegation from SURO (Czech TSO counterpart), including Mr Luboš Pelikán, Deputy Director for Nuclear Safety, and Mr Miroslav Hrehor, his predecessor. Discussions focused mainly on calculation codes, safety and radiation protection research, passive systems (PASTIS) and its activities within the ETSON network.
A meeting with Lukas Vondrovic, Director of SURAO, the state-run radioactive waste management agency, addressed the challenges of research into waste disposal safety, communication with civil society and training needs.
Finally, an exchange with the UJV Rez and CV Rez team chaired by UJV REZ Director Mr. Daniel Jiřička and CVR REZ Director Patrik Milan and a visit to their LR0 research reactor rounded off the trip to the Czech Republic. IRSN and these two Czech organizations discussed nuclear safety research issues (reactor lifetime extension, fuels, severe accidents) and in particular the use of ASTEC software.
This visit enabled the Director General of IRSN and his Czech counterparts to share their views on technical and scientific issues of common interest in nuclear safety, and to discuss new avenues for cooperation, particularly in research.
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U.S. NRC visits IRSN
Introduction
Dan Dorman, Executive Director for Operations at the U.S. NRC, visited IRSN in Cadarache on December 7, 2023, at the invitation of his counterpart Jean-Christophe Niel.
Dan Dorman, Executive Director for Operations at the U.S. NRC, visited IRSN in Cadarache on December 7, 2023, at the invitation of his counterpart Jean-Christophe Niel. He was received by Patrice Giordano Director Safety Research, and Cyril Pinel, Director European and International Affairs.
The visit provided an opportunity to review current cooperation in the field of safety research between the NRC and IRSN, particularly with regard to severe accidents, and to visit the laboratories involved in these research programs. The cooperation IRSN has had with NRC for many years is at the core of our international partnering strategy in the field of nuclear safety research.
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Interview with Mr Masanori KOGUCHI, President of JAEA
Introduction
Mr Masanori KOGUCHI, President of JAEA, paid a short visit to IRSN on Tuesday November 28, 2023, accompanied by his advisor, Mr Kiyoshi ONO, Executive Advisor to the President, and the Director of JAEA-Paris office, Mr Tsutomu IRIE. The meeting provided an opportunity for technical exchanges on JAEA-IRSN cooperation. Mr. Koguchi tells us more about this cooperation.
Mr Masanori Koguchi, President of JAEA, and Mr Jean-Christophe Niel, Director General of IRSN.
Mr Masanori KOGUCHI, President of JAEA, paid a short visit to IRSN on Tuesday November 28, 2023, accompanied by his advisor, Mr Kiyoshi ONO, Executive Advisor to the President, and the Director of JAEA-Paris office, Mr Tsutomu IRIE. The meeting provided an opportunity for technical exchanges on JAEA-IRSN cooperation.
Mr. Koguchi tells us more about this cooperation.
Q1. What is JAEA?
JAEA is a national nuclear research and development institute of Japan with a history of almost 70 years. We have conducted wide range of R&D from basic research to the development of advanced reactors and decommissioning of nuclear facilities.
Nuclear energy, along with renewable energy, is recognized as promising energy source to achieve a decarbonized society. JAEA have just started new initiatives in accordance with this major direction. In particular, we would like to work in innovative areas in the future, such as the pursuit of synergies with renewable energy and the sustainability of nuclear power itself.
Q2. How long have you been cooperating with IRSN?
IRSN and JAEA have been cooperating for 20 years with playing a role of providing technical support to the regulatory authorities respectively, and we have worked together to exchange the information and personnel in the field of safety for light water reactors, fast reactors, and the nuclear fuel cycle. In the situation nuclear power will be expected to be utilized in wider areas, I hope the relationship of both parties will be improving.
Q3. What is the major topic at the moment for cooperation between the two organizations?
We must pay attention to reduce the risks which are very unique to nuclear energy itself by taking such measures as reinforcement of accident tolerance and resistance, radiation protection, and nuclear safety and security.
I believe that the possibility of more intensive cooperation between IRSN and JAEA should be crucial. And now, we currently focus on information exchange or personnel exchange, however, in the future, we look forward to further collaboration in other forms like joint research on the reinforcement of accident tolerance and nuclear security (including safety).
Read more
- International cooperation at IRSN
- The Japan Atomic Energy Agency : https://www.jaea.go.jp/english/
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Thomas Heitz from IRSN (LMAPS) received the Prize Jacques Betbeder-Matibet from the French Association for Earthquake Engineering
Introduction
The French national congress organized by the French Association for Earthquake Engineering (#AFPS) took place from the 7th of November 2023 to the 10th of November 2023 in Guadeloupe (French Antilles). The topic of the congress was: “the seismic risk within a multi-risk context: understand, manage, prevent”.
The French national congress organized by the French Association for Earthquake Engineering (#AFPS) took place from the 7th of November 2023 to the 10th of November 2023 in Guadeloupe (French Antilles). The topic of the congress was: “the seismic risk within a multi-risk context: understand, manage, prevent”.
At this occasion, Dr Thomas Heitz from the Structural Performance Analysis and Modelling Lab (LMAPS) of the Institute for Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety (IRSN) received the Jacques Betbeder-Matibet prize from the #AFPS. This prize rewards not only innovative works but also the significant contribution in the activities of the #AFPS. Thomas Heitz has been awarded not only for its work intitled: “development of a verification and validation methodology of nonlinear models: application to the seismic assessment of existing structures” but also for his contribution to gather experience feedback following the Kahramanmaraş earthquake which occurred on the 6th of February 2023 in Türkiye.
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Annual meeting to review the cooperation between the Norwegian and Ukrainian safety authorities
Introduction
For the first time this year, IRSN was invited by the Norwegian Safety Authority (DSA) to present the activities carried out by the Institute within the framework of the contracts related to the implementation of the European Instrument for Nuclear Safety Cooperation (INSC) in Ukraine, as well as those relating to the assessment of the safety of Ukrainian nuclear facilities and the monitoring of the evolution of radioactivity in the environment.
IRSN participates in the annual meeting to review the cooperation between the Norwegian Safety Authority (DSA) and the Ukrainian authorities (SNRIU and SSTC-NRS).
For the first time this year, IRSN was invited by the DSA to present the activities carried out by the Institute within the framework of the contracts related to the implementation of the European Instrument for Nuclear Safety Cooperation (INSC) in Ukraine, as well as those relating to the assessment of the safety of Ukrainian nuclear facilities and the monitoring of the evolution of radioactivity in the environment, especially since the beginning of the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine.
The aim of this three-day seminar, which was held in Drammen, Norway (27-29 November 2023) and brought together 24 Norwegian, Ukrainian, Finnish and French participants, was to get benefit from bilateral activities between Norwegian and Ukrainian safety organizations in identifying activities to which IRSN could contribute in the future.
Further information
See the Norwegian Radiation and Nuclear Safety Authority (DSA) website
See the State Nuclear Regulatory Inspectorate of Ukraine (SNRIU) website
See the State Scientific and Technical Center for Nuclear and Radiation Safety (SSTC-NRS) website
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