Radiation protection
Bringing together a range of stakeholders enables the impetus for improving radiation protection and dose levels to be maintained, for instance through training and exercises for employees, cleanliness of facilities, improved materials for trainers, optimised installation of lead screens, enhanced supervision, etc.
As a result, for the past decade, the collective annual average dose now stands at 0.70 man sieverts per reactor, down 2% compared to the previous decade despite the mean number of hours worked increasing by 35%. In 2022, the average collective dose was 0.71 man sieverts per reactor. The average individual dose (for employees of EDF and industrial partners) remains lower than 1mSv (0.96mSv). This is well below the statutory limit of 20mSv over 12 sliding months for the entire body.
EDF is proactively pursuing its ALARA (“As Low as Reasonably Achievable”) policy to manage collective dose levels by continuing to reduce exposure to radiation by means of multiyear programmes to improve installations. In 2022, no employee of EDF or any of its industrial partners was exposed to an individual dose in excess of 14mSv.
Regulatory notice
Regulations on radiation protection
In France, nuclear activities that present a risk of exposing persons to ionising radiation are regulated by two separate sets of rules, depending on the category of persons to be protected.
Regulations on the basic protection of the population against such radiation, which are governed by the French Public Health Code, are primarily based on all nuclear activities being subject to a declaration, registration or authorisation. Authorisations granted to establish a Basic Nuclear Facility serve as the authorisation required under the French Public Health Code. Article R. 1333-11 of the French Public Health Code sets the maximum exposure level of the general public at 1mSv per year.
French regulations on the protection of workers against the dangers of ionising radiation, which are governed by the French Labour Code, lay down various obligations for employers of workers who are likely to be exposed.
1.4.1.1.2.3 The issues relating to the nuclear activity
A– Nuclear fuel cycle and related issues
The risks related to nuclear fuel cycle are described in chapter 2risk 5D“Control of the fuel cycle”.
The nuclear fuel cycle encompasses all industrial operations in France and abroad which enable the supply of the fuel to generate energy in are actor, then to unload and processit.
EDF coordinates the entirety of the operations in the cycle, which can be broken down into three stages:
- upstream, comprising the purchase by EDF of concentrates derived from uranium ore. Processing to make more sophisticated products, i.e. fluorination (or conversion), enrichment, and fuel assembly manufacturing, is entrusted to industrial players for this cycle on the basis of multiyear service contracts.
- the core cycle, corresponding to the use of fuel in the reactor: receipt, loading, operation and unloading. the fuel stays four to five years in the reactor;EDF carries out these operations.
- back-end (downstream), for the reactor fleet in France comprising interim pool storage, reprocessing of spent fuel, conditioning of radioactive waste and recycling of reusable materials, the intermediate storage of treated waste prior to storage.
EDF is the owner in most cases and is responsible for the fuel and materials it uses throughout all different stages of the cycle.
This diagram shows the nuclear fuel cycle and related issues.
Uranium is extracted from Uranium mines and then transported to processing plants. Natural Uranium is sent to the enrichment plants and then to fuel fabrication plants, then are transported to EDF's operating fleet to enable the production of electricity for customers. Long-lived radioactive waste is sent to the Spent fuel reprocessing plants and long-lived nuclear waste storage centers. For recycling purposes, the Plutonium is sent to the fuel fabrication plants and the reprocessed Uranium is sent to processing plants.