United States

From 8 to 11 March, the Director General of the ASN took a French delegation to participate in the annual public conference by the American Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC). The Regulatory Information Conference (RIC) was held in Rockville (near the NRC headquarters) and attracted 1400 American and foreign participants (24 countries represented). The programme of the 2005 conference comprised sessions dedicated to research and development concerning reactor safety, probabilistic safety studies, materials ageing and new reactor concepts.

On the occasion of the RIC conference, the Director General of the ASN took part in a meeting organised by the NRC Chairman concerning international regulations on fourth-generation reactor design. He in particular warned his counterparts of the risk of prematurely freezing the safety requirements for reactors which will still be in service at the beginning of the next century.

From 23 to 25 May 2005, the ASN organised technical meetings with its counterpart, the NRC, as well as a visit to La Hague to look at spent fuel handling systems safety, in the light of the possible creation of the Yucca Mountain repository.

The annual bilateral meeting with the NRC office in charge of reactor safety (Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation – NRR) was held on 16 and 17 June, for discussions on recent topical subjects and the respective nuclear safety action priorities.

Finland

In 2005, relations with the Finnish nuclear safety and radiation protection authority (Säteilyturvakeskus – STUK) were once again dominated by cooperation on the EPR project, as Finland is the first country to build a reactor of this type (see chapter 12). Relations also concerned waste management, a subject which also involves cooperation with the Swedish authorities.

India

The 5th Franco-Indian nuclear safety dialogue session was held in India from 24 to 26 October 2005, under the chairmanship of the Director General of the ASN. The meetings in Bombay concluded with renewal of the administrative arrangement signed in July 2001 between the ASN and its counterpart AERB (Atomic Energy Regulatory Board). A programme of future exchanges was defined, including meetings in 2006 on the safety of fast neutron reactors and a seminar on the safety of the EPR reactor.

The French delegation was able to visit the nuclear site at Kalpakkam, near Madras, on the eastern coast of the country, which had been affected by the December 2004 tsunami.

Ireland

On 4 August 2005, the ASN signed an administrative arrangement with the Radiological Protection Institute of Ireland (RPII). This bilateral action is confirmation of the ASN's desire to intensify its international relations in the field of radiation protection and to diversify them into countries which do not actually use nuclear energy.

Japan

2005 was marked by a sustained high level of information exchanges with Japan and there is strong demand for cooperation with France. The Japanese authorities hope to cooperate with the French nuclear safety authority, and their technical support organisations with the IRSN.

This in particular concerns the safety of the fuel cycle (MOX fuel manufacturing plant and spent fuel reprocessing facilities at Rokkasho-Mura), waste management, nuclear power plants (operator certification, maintenance, installation conformity examination, periodic safety reviews of existing facilities and implementation of new safety rules) as well as radiation protection.

The ASN, and its technical support organisation, the IRSN, took part in the international technical seminar organised in Tokyo from 10 to 12 May by the Japanese Nuclear Safety Commission (NSC) concerning the applications derived from the use of probabilistic safety assessments in the regulations (Risk-Informed Regulation). The ASN on this occasion recalled that a "risk-informed" type of regulation went far beyond simply using the results of probabilistic safety assessments, which themselves require a solid data underpinning and in particular include safety culture, human and organisational factors.

The exchanges also covered inspector training and the regulations drafting process.

United Kingdom

The annual meeting by the heads of the French and British nuclear safety authorities was held in France on 20 and 21 June 2005. In addition to reviewing the main events that occurred during the year, this meeting was an opportunity for continued discussions concerning the safety problems involved in the dismantling of nuclear installations. The meeting was accompanied by a visit to the Chinon nuclear power plant, including a PWR in operation and a dismantled UNGG (natural uranium – graphite – gas) reactor.

Switzerland

The Franco-Swiss Commission met in Berne on 31 May 2005. The discussions concerned the safety of power reactors, radiation protection and waste management. For the first time, radiation protection was accorded equal status with reactor safety.

On 8 June, the Franco-Swiss Commission's Expert Group on nuclear emergency management met in Paris. This Group exchanges information on the emergency response organisation in the two countries and helps harmonise practices, in particular through joint participation in emergency exercises.