Ukraine: consequences of the damage to the Kakhovka dam on the Zaporizhzhya nuclear power plant

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Introduction
The Kakhovka dam, located downstream of the Zaporizhzhya power plant, was severely damaged on the night of June 5-6, 2023, leading to a significant drop in the level of the Dnieper River upstream of the dam. The plant is currently cooled by water pumped into specially designed on-site basins. There is no short-term risk to the plant.

The Kakhovka dam, located downstream of the Zaporizhzhya power plant, was severely damaged on the night of June 5-6, 2023, leading to a significant drop in the level of the Dnieper River upstream of the dam. The plant is currently cooled by water pumped into specially designed on-site basins.

There is no short-term risk to the plant.

Download IRSN information report of June 7, 2023: Consequences of the damage to the Kakhovka dam on the Zaporizhzhya nuclear power plant ​(pdf)​

Thème
Crisis
Nuclear safety

The European Union launches the inception meeting of: Supporting capacity building of Radiation Protection Centre in the field of Radioactive Waste Management

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Introduction
​Since the project kick off meeting in November 2022, the project partners have worked together in order to elaborate a final roadmap covering technical visits and training activities both in Jordan and in France.
Inception meeting of the european project: Supporting capacity building of Radiation Protection Centre in the field of Radioactive Waste Management

Since the project kick off meeting in November 2022, the project partners have worked together in order to elaborate a final roadmap covering technical visits and training activities both in Jordan and in France, in order to achieve three specific objectives:

  • To improve infrastructure rules related to radioactive waste disposal facilities,
  • To strengthen the license management of disposal facilities,
  • To improve regulation and monitoring in the field of nuclear safety, namely radiation protection in the context of management, decommissioning, and clean-up of radioactive waste.

The direct recipient o​f this project is the Iraqi Regulatory Body, the Radiation Protection Centre (RPC) within the Iraqi Ministry of Environment (MoEN), beneficiary of the project.

With the participation of Dr. Jassim Abdul Aziz AL-FALAHI, Vice-Minister of Environment, Republic of Iraq, and the Ambassador of the European Union to the International Organisations in Vienna in Vienna, Mr. Stephan KLEMENT, the inception meeting was not only an opportunity to present the project implementation strategy and goals to be reached within the next three years but also to have an overview on how the project will benefit on a larger scale to the Iraqi Ministry of Environment. The Iraqi Republic is currently reshaping its legal framework with the ongoing adoption of a bill establishing an independent nuclear authority in Iraq.

The inception meeting provided also fruitful discussions between Dr. Sabah ALHUSSAINI, Head of The Iraqi Regulatory Body, the RPC, the European Commission representative, Mr. Stephan BRUMM and Mr. Xavier COUSQUER, Head of the Peace, Stability and Security Department Director, Expertise France, lead implementer of this project. These exchanges were supported by technical information from Andra and IRSN, leading organisations in their respective fields in France, which provided useful technical insight into the project.

 

Background

After the Chernobyl accident in 1986, the European Union launched the Nuclear Safety Programme within the framework of technical assistance to the​ Commonwealth of Independent States, which, between 1991 and 2006, allocated about 1.2 billion Euros to nuclear safety and security projects. From 2007 to 2013, the European Union extended its support in the field of nuclear safety to third countries under the Nuclear Safety Cooperation Instrument, with a total budget of €524 million. In June 2014, a strategy for the implementation of the second phase of the Nuclear Safety Cooperation Instrument (2014 to 2020) was agreed, with an additional €325 million allocated to nuclear safety projects. Then, in May 2021, a new program of 300 million Euros was approved for the period between 2021 and 2027.

The Iraq Nuclear Decommissioning Project (IDP) began in 2006 following a request submitted by the Government of Iraq to the International Atomic Energy Agency in December 2004, with the aim of assisting Iraq in planning and decommissioning of the nuclear facilities, management of the generated radioactive waste, treatment of contaminated sites, as well as formulation of the relevant legal and regulatory framework. In 2009, the European Union launched a coordinated effort to contribute to this programme.

 

Implementing partners

Expertise France

As the second largest agency in Europe, Expertise France designs and implements projects that sustainably strengthen public policies in developing and emerging countries. Expertise France, as a pillar-assessed national agency for cooperation and development will therefore ensure a solid and smooth implementation of the project.

IRSN

France’s National Institute for Radiological Protection and Nuclear Safety, IRSN, is a public expert with industrial and commercial activities set up in 2002. The institute is under the joint authority of the Ministry of Defense, Ministry of the Environment, Ministry of Industry, Ministry of Research and the Ministry of Health.

Andra

​Established as an independent structure in 1991, the French National Agency for Radioactive Waste Management, Andra, is responsible for identifying, developing, implementing, operating and guaranteeing safe and sustainable management solutions for all French radioactive waste, to protect present and future generations from the risks inherent in such substances.

 

For more information, please contact:

Jean-René JOURDAIN, European and International Affairs Department of IRSN.

​Julien Malleville, European and International Affairs Department of IRSN.

Thème
Institutional
Nuclear safety

Strategic autonomy of the EU and EURATOM research: Jean-Christophe Niel presents the safety issues for SMRs to the European Commission

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Introduction
Jean-Christophe Niel, Director General, spoke at the seminar on the EU's strategic autonomy and EURATOM research, organised in Brussels on 4 April 2023 and chaired by Commissioner Gabriel, in charge of research and innovation.

Jean-Christophe Niel, Director General, spoke at the seminar on the EU's strategic autonomy and EURATOM research, organised in Brussels on 4 April 2023 and chaired by Commissioner Gabriel, in charge of research and innovation.

In front of officials from the Commission, research and European industry, Jean-Christophe Niel presented the challenges in terms of nuclear safety, linked to innovation and new technologies (SMRs, ... ).

He insisted on the importance of having expertise capacities based on scientific competence, independence, feedback and research. Jean-Christophe Niel also recalled that safety must be technically justified. He illustrated his remarks with a presentation of IRSN's research project on SMRs (PASTIS).

The debate was an opportunity to recall the importance of European safety research platforms and the need to renew them in order to meet the challenges of today and tomorrow.

For her part, Commissioner Mariya Gabriel expressed the Commission's determination to support research and innovation in the field of nuclear safety through the Euratom research and training programme, in order to ensure the EU's leadership in the fields of energy and medicine. She also recalled the importance of the trust of civil society and the maintenance of skills in particular in the younger generation.

Finally, the event was marked by the signing of a joint declaration by the Commission with ENEN, ENS, Nuclear Europe and SNETP on the role in the European Union of research, innovation, education and training for the safety of SMRs.

For more information

Thème
Nuclear safety
Institutional

Statement of the ETSON board on the renewed interest and initiatives in nuclear energy

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Introduction
In view of the renewed interest and initiatives in nuclear energy in numerous countries in Europe and around the world, the members of the European Technical Safety Organisations Network (ETSON) – a grouping of 17 EU TSOs and their associated members in Japan, Ukraine and the United Kingdom – have started a network-wide reflection on its future strategy.

In view of the renewed interest and initiatives in nuclear energy in numerous countries in Europe and around the world, the members of the European Technical Safety Organisations Network (ETSON) – a grouping of 17 EU TSOs and their associated members in Japan, Ukraine and the United Kingdom – have started a network-wide reflection on its future strategy. The principles that will guide are:

  • We firmly believe that maintaining and developing the highest level of nuclear safety in current and new projects, as well as efficient, reliable and trusted nuclear safety systems and organisations is of paramount importance. To this endeavor, TSOs actively contribute to the reliability of the global system through the technical safety expertise they provide to Regulators and National Authorities.
  • As per the requirements of the IAEA, all regulatory functions should be performed based on technical and scientific work independently performed. The maintenance of expertise supporting the RB’s functions and the arrangements between the RB and its support organisations are identified as key pillars of the framework for safety and under the direct responsibility of the governement The availability of and access to dedicated safety research for maintaining and developing further technical expertise is underlined. To this end, ETSON members believe that safety research and the provision of safety-related expertise have to be strongly connected to allow for their mutual advancement.
  • Furthermore, TSOs and the independent science based expertise they provide for, can actively and efficiently contribute to the dialogue with the Public on all nuclear energy related topics, which has been highlighted as a top priority at the recent IAEA Regulatory Conference from February 13th to 15th in Abu Dhabi and will be further developed during the coming IAEA TSO Conference to take place in 2024, which will allow for in depth discussions on safety expertise and research, with all stakeholder

Download the Statement of the ETSON board (PDF)

Thème
Nuclear safety
Institutional

The European Union launches the kick-off event of a new project: Supporting capacity building of Radiation Protection Center on the field of Radioactive Waste Management

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Introduction
The European Union launches the kick-off event of a new project: Supporting capacity building of Radiation Protection Center on the field of Radioactive Waste Management.
kick-off event of the new project: Supporting capacity building of Radiation Protection Center on the field of Radioactive Waste Management

The European Union launches the kick-off event of a new project: Supporting capacity building of Radiation Protection Center on the field of Radioactive Waste Management. 

As part of the Instrument for Nuclear Safety Cooperation (INSC) implemented by the European Commission (EC), the project “Support to the Regulatory Body of Iraq on Radioactive Waste Management, Decommissioning of Nuclear Facilities and Remediation of Contaminated Sites”, was successfully implemented from February 2016 to February 2020 by a consortium led by the National French Agency for Radioactive Waste Management (Andra).

The direct recipient of the new project is the Iraqi Regulatory Body, the Radiation Protection Centre (RPC) within the Iraqi Ministry of Environment (MoEN), beneficiary of the project. The aim of the project is for the RPC to achieve a level of efficiency in line with international standards set by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and consistent with the best practices of the European Union.

Following the satisfactory results obtained, a second phase of the project is launched. The consortium is led by Expertise France and includes both Andra and the French Institute for Radiological Protection and Nuclear Safety (IRSN). The 3-year-long second phase kick- started in Tunisia on November 23rd and 24th, 2022, with participants from the beneficiary, the consortium and the EC discussing and setting the project roadmap.

With a total budget of EUR 1, 86 million, this second phase mainly consists in training activities and technical visits to achieve three specific objectives:

  • To improve infrastructure rules related to radioactive waste disposal facilities,
  • To strengthen the license management of disposal facilities,
  • To improve regulation and monitoring in the field of nuclear safety, namely radiation protection in the context of management, decommissioning, and clean-up of radioactive waste.

 

Background

After the Chernobyl accident in 1986, the European Union launched the Nuclear Safety Programme within the framework of technical assistance to the Commonwealth of Independent States, which, between 1991 and 2006, allocated about 1.2 billion Euros to nuclear safety and security projects. From 2007 to 2013, the European Union extended its support in the field of nuclear safety to third countries under the Nuclear Safety Cooperation Instrument, with a total budget of €524 million. In June 2014, a strategy for the implementation of the second phase of the Nuclear Safety Cooperation Instrument (2014 to 2020) was agreed, with an additional €325 million allocated to nuclear safety projects. Then, in May 2021, a new program of 300 million Euros was approved for the period between 2021 and 2027.

The Iraq Nuclear Decommissioning Project (IDP) began in 2006 following a request submitted by the Government of Iraq to the International Atomic Energy Agency in December 2004, with the aim of assisting Iraq in planning and decommissioning the facilities nuclear affected areas, management of the generated radioactive waste, treatment of contaminated sites, as well as formulation of the relevant legal and regulatory framework. In 2009, the European Union launched a coordinated effort to contribute to this programme.

 

Implementing partners

Expertise France

As the second largest agency in Europe, Expertise France designs and implements projects that sustainably strengthen public policies in developing and emerging countries. Expertise France, as a pillar-assessed national agency for cooperation and development will therefore ensure a solid and smooth implementation of the project.

IRSN

France’s National Institute for Radiological Protection and Nuclear Safety, IRSN, is a public expert with industrial and commercial activities set up in 2002. The institute is under the joint authority of the Ministry of Defense, Ministry of the Environment, Ministry of Industry, Ministry of Research and the Ministry of Health.

Andra

Established as an independent structure in 1991, the French National Agency for Radioactive Waste Management, Andra, is responsible for identifying, developing, implementing, operating and guaranteeing safe and sustainable management solutions for all French radioactive waste, to protect present and future generations from the risks inherent in such substances.

 

For more information, please contact:

  • Mr. Xavier Pinsolle, European Commission Project Manager - Nuclear Safety Cooperation Instrument Sector, Directorate-General for International Partnerships
  • Mrs. Aurélie Noël, Project Manager for Expertise France
  • Dr. Sabah, Iraqi Ministry of Environment, Radiation Protection Center, Director General
Thème
Institutional
Nuclear safety

Delegation from the National University of Singapore (NUS)/Singapore Nuclear Research and Safety Initiative (SNRSI) visited IRSN's safety and radiation protection research facilities

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Introduction
A delegation from the National University of Singapore (NUS)/Singapore Nuclear Research and Safety Initiative (SNRSI) visited IRSN's safety and radiation protection research facilities at Cadarache on September 19 and 20, 2022.

A delegation from the National University of Singapore (NUS)/Singapore Nuclear Research and Safety Initiative (SNRSI) led by Professor Pao Chuen LUI, Chairman of SNRSI and SNRSI Director Keng Yeow CHUNG and from the Energy Market Authority led by Director Darryl Kah Inn CHAN visited IRSN's safety and radiation protection research facilities at Cadarache on September 19 and 20, 2022.

The facilities visited were the following: 

  • AMANDE​,
  • MIRCOM, 
  • CABRI model, 
  • THEMA, 
  • CHROMIA, 
  • MAESTRO, 
  • ODE, 
  • GALAX​IE.

The dele​​gation continued this visit to IRSN Headquarters at Fontenay-aux-Roses on September 23, with a presentation of the research and expertise conducted on atmospheric dispersion models, followed by a presentation of crisis management and the technical Crisis Center.

A final debriefing meeting led by the Director General of IRSN Jean-Christophe NIEL concluded this visit.

Visit of IRSN by a delegation from the National University of Singapore (NUS)/Singapore Nuclear Research and Safety Initiative (SNRSI)
Visit of IRSN by a delegation from the National University of Singapore (NUS)/Singapore Nuclear Research and Safety Initiative (SNRSI)
Visit of IRSN by a delegation from the National University of Singapore (NUS)/Singapore Nuclear Research and Safety Initiative (SNRSI)
Visit of IRSN by a delegation from the National University of Singapore (NUS)/Singapore Nuclear Research and Safety Initiative (SNRSI)
Visit of IRSN by a delegation from the National University of Singapore (NUS)/Singapore Nuclear Research and Safety Initiative (SNRSI)
Visit of IRSN by a delegation from the National University of Singapore (NUS)/Singapore Nuclear Research and Safety Initiative (SNRSI)
Thème
Research
Nuclear safety
Institutional

Ukraine: ​Description of the Zaporizhzhya nuclear power plant and its environment as of September 6, 2022​​​​

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Introduction
The Zaporizhzya nuclear power plant, operated by the Ukrainian staff of Energoatom, has been under the control of Russian forces since March 4, 2022. It has been recently the subject of several bombings.

The Zaporizhzya nuclear power plant, operated by the Ukrainian staff of Energoatom, has been under the control of Russian forces since March 4, 2022. It has been recently the subject of several bombings, causing great concern about the possible consequences:

  • August 5, 2022: bombing of a 330 kV transformer which led to the a​utomatic shutdown of reactor no. 3 and the starting of its emergency generators.
  • August 5, 2022: bombing and damage to a nitrogen production station.
  • August 6, 2022: bombing near the spent fuel dry storage site.
  • August 11, 2022: bombings damaging fire-fighting equipment, a non-radioactive effluent pumping station and radioactivity measurement sensors.
  • August 22, 2022: bombing near the thermal power plant causing damage to the electrical interconnection line with the nuclear power plant.
  • August 23, 2022: bombing between the nuclear power plant and the neighboring town of Energodar, resulting in fires in the vegetation near the plant.
  • August 25, 2022: bombing to the north of the thermal power plant next to the nuclear power plant, resulting in vegetation fires and a temporary disconnection of the nuclear power plant from the electrical grid; emergency diesels would have started.
  • August 25, 2022: bombing of an access gallery of reactor no. 2 (link with operating building no. 1), damaging water pipes and electrical links.
  • August 28, 2022: bombing of the exploitation building n°1 leading to a perforation of the roof and damages in the present equipment.
  • September 1, 2022: bombing of the site leading to the cutting of a 750 kV power line, the shutdown of reactor no. 5 and the starting of the emergency diesels of reactor no. 2.
  • ​September 5, 2022: bombing near the thermal power plant which led the operator to cut the last power line connecting the plant to the Ukrainian power grid.

To date, none of these bombings has resulted in radioactive releases at the site. No increase in radioactivity has been detected by the environmental monitoring networks located near the plant. The site teams intervened each time to restore the situation as far as possible. 

In order to facilitate the understanding of the consequences of the recurrent events occurring at the Zaporizhzya nuclear power plant site, this note resituates the plant in its environment, describes the site and recalls the main issues related to its safety in the current context.

Download IRSN information report of September 6​, 2022 (pdf)

 

Thème
Nuclear safety
Crisis

IRSN and CNSC signed an Memorandum of Understanding for cooperation and exchange of information on nuclear safety

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Introduction
On September 1st, 2022, in Ottawa, Canada, the Director General of IRSN, Jean-Christophe Niel, met the President and Chief Executive Officer of the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission, Rumina Velshi.
IRSN and CNSC signed an Memorandum of Understanding for cooperation and exchange of information on nuclear safety

On September 1st, 2022, in Ottawa, Canada, the Director General of IRSN, Jean-Christophe Niel, and the President and Chief Executive Officer of the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission, Rumina Velshi, and their respective teams had discussions focused on safety issues, particularly in terms of regulatory harmonization and standardization, related to the development of SMRs / AMRs. This meeting was an opportunity for the CNSC and IRSN to share information and have a technical exchange discussion between the two organizations. 

Ms Velshi indicated that, in her capacity as Chair of the IAEA's Commission on Safety Standards, she was working actively to ensure that the Agency's safety standards could be applied effectively to new reactor technologies.

Finally, R. Velshi took the initiative of mentioning the role of TSOs in the harmonisation efforts currently being pursued by many actors around the world in the field of SMRs / AMRs. She hoped that TSOs could make technical contributions to these efforts. The Director General of IRSN replied that IRSN and the European TSO network, ETSON, were considering a "bottom-up" technical harmonization (sharing of a "TSO capability", adaptability of technical information, sharing of technical assessment), which could be part of the global effort to harmonize and coordinate regulations.

Finally, J-C Niel presented to the CNSC the IRSN PASTIS project for research on the safety of passive systems used by SMRs.

This meeting at the CNSC also provided an opportunity to review, with the operational teams and technical experts, all the cooperation between​​ the CNSC and IRSN: research for deep geological repositories (TENOR), modelling and simulation of radioactive substances in the environment/Ukraine, severe accidents, and health of nuclear workers.

The exchanges with the CNSC were concluded by the signing, at the French Embassy, in the presence of the Minister Counsellor, Chargé d’Affaires, the President and CEO of the CNSC  and the Director General, an Memorandum of Understanding for cooperation and exchange of information on nuclear safety between the CNSC and the IRSN.

Finally, the visit to Canada provided an opportunity to meet Ontario Power Generation, which is planning to build an SMR on the Darlington site, and Terrestrial Energy, which is developing an innovative SMR model”.

IRSN and CNSC signed an Memorandum of Understanding for cooperation and exchange of information on nuclear safety
IRSN and CNSC signed an Memorandum of Understanding for cooperation and exchange of information on nuclear safety
Thème
Nuclear safety
Institutional

Ukraine: Situation of the Zaporizhzhya nuclear power plant after the shelling of August 11, 2022

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Introduction
On Thursday, August 11, 2022, new shelling was reported in the area of the Zaporizhzhya nuclear power plant in Ukraine. According to the information available, sensitive areas regarding radiological risks were not affected. Available measurements in the environment do not show an increase of radioactivity around the site.

On Thursday, August 11, 2022, new shelling was reported in the area of the Zaporizhzhya nuclear power plant in Ukraine. According to the information available, sensitive areas regarding radiological risks were not affected. 

According to Energoatom, the plant's operator, fire-fighting equipment, a non-radioactive effluent pumping station and radioactivity measurement sensors were damaged.

Available measurements in the environment do not show an increase of radioactivity around the site. 

Sensitive areas with regard to radiological risks, particularly in the event of a shelling, are primarily the nuclear reactors and their associated fuel storage pools, the cooling systems used during normal operation or in accident situations and, more generally, areas containing radioactive materials, such as dry storage containers for spent fuel and radioactive effluent storage capacities. 

In this matter, in addition to the equipment and buildings that house them, the external electrical network (330 kV and 750 kV), as well as the supply of water to the plant from the river, are essential for maintaining safety. This is also the case for the fire-fighting equipment. It should be noted that the 330 kV power supply, damaged by a previous shelling on August 5 and 6, 2022, has reportedly been restored. 

In addition, the difficult conditions under which the site is operated (supply capacity for fuel, equipment maintenance, availability of emergency response teams...) (cf. IRSN inform​ation report of March 22, 2022​) may affect the effective status of emergency systems.

 

Download IRSN information report of August 12​, 2022 (pdf)

 

Thème
Nuclear safety
Crisis

Ukraine: Situation of the Zaporizhzhya nuclear power plant in Ukraine after the shelling of August 5 and 6, 2022

Submitted by WebmasterCG on
Introduction
On Friday, August 5, 2022, at 2:30 pm, the Zaporizhzhya nuclear power plant in Ukraine was subjected to shelling around a high-voltage 330 kV power line transformer. At that time, 3 reactors were in operation and 3 were shut down. The destruction led to the automatic shutdown of reactor n°3 and the start of its emergency power generators. 

On Friday, August 5, 2022, at 2:30 pm, the Zaporizhzhya nuclear power plant in Ukraine was subjected to shelling around a high-voltage 330 kV power line transformer. At that time, 3 reactors were in operation and 3 were shut down. The destruction led to the automatic shutdown of reactor n°3 and the start of its emergency power generators. 

These generators provide power to the reactor's cooling systems in the event of the loss of the plant's external power supply (cf. IRSN information report March 22, 2022​​​). The shelling also caused power outages in the town of Enerhodar, which is close to the plant. 

A little later, on August 5, a second shelling damaged one of the nitrogen-oxygen stations near the radioactive effluent storage buildings. In normal operation, effluents from reactor circuits are treated and stored in liquid or gaseous form to allow their radioactive decay before release into the environment. On the reactors of this plant, nitrogen is used in particular by the gaseous effluent treatment system to inert tanks presenting a risk of hydrogen explosion [1]. In the short term, the supply of nitrogen to the gaseous effluent treatment systems is assured by reserve tanks.

On the evening of Saturday, August 6, 2022, a third shelling took place near the dry spent fuel storage facility, damaging walls, windows, and the roof of the facility, as well as three radiological monitoring sensors. The containers containing spent nuclear fuel assemblies were not damaged.

No radioactive release was observed by the operator on the site following these shelling. The available networks of measurements of radi​oactivity in the environment also showed no increase in radioactivity.

Actions to repair damaged equipment are necessary to restore the plant's lines of defense, especially at its external electrical sources.

Download IRSN information report of August 8​, 2022 (pdf)

 

[1] Inerting consists in replacing the oxygen in the air with nitrogen.​

Thème
Nuclear safety
Crisis
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