Irregularities Found in French Reactor Vessel Components
Posted: 2016-5-4
Irregularities were found in about 50 Areva-made components installed in French nuclear reactors, nuclear regulator ASN said in a statement on Tuesday.
ASN made the announcement after finding indications in the reactor vessel of the EPR reactor in Flamanville, France. The plant is currently under construction. Areva had launched a review of manufacturing procedures at its Creusot steel forging plant.
The regulator said it had been informed by Areva that its investigation had found evidence of irregularities in about 400 components produced since 1965. 50 of these components are believed to be in use in French nuclear plants.
"These irregularities consist in incoherencies, modifications or omissions in manufacturing dossiers," ASN said in a statement.
The revelation came hours after Areva’s director general admitted that 400 documents assessing whether parts of nuclear plants met required standards may have been "falsified".
The British government is poised to finalize a controversial, multi-billion pound contract to build Areva-designed reactors at Hinkley Point. The doubts over the documents will adversely affect the decisions to approve the contracts for parts destined for new-generation nuclear power reactors.
Globally, AREVA is present throughout the entire nuclear cycle, from uranium mining to used fuel recycling, including nuclear reactor primary circuit design and fabrication, and operating fleet engineering and services.
ASN made the announcement after finding indications in the reactor vessel of the EPR reactor in Flamanville, France. The plant is currently under construction. Areva had launched a review of manufacturing procedures at its Creusot steel forging plant.
The regulator said it had been informed by Areva that its investigation had found evidence of irregularities in about 400 components produced since 1965. 50 of these components are believed to be in use in French nuclear plants.
"These irregularities consist in incoherencies, modifications or omissions in manufacturing dossiers," ASN said in a statement.
The revelation came hours after Areva’s director general admitted that 400 documents assessing whether parts of nuclear plants met required standards may have been "falsified".
The British government is poised to finalize a controversial, multi-billion pound contract to build Areva-designed reactors at Hinkley Point. The doubts over the documents will adversely affect the decisions to approve the contracts for parts destined for new-generation nuclear power reactors.
Globally, AREVA is present throughout the entire nuclear cycle, from uranium mining to used fuel recycling, including nuclear reactor primary circuit design and fabrication, and operating fleet engineering and services.
