Quality status update: Completion of first phase of analysis at Le Creusot

Following the quality department’s detection of anomalies in some manufacturing records at Le Creusot, AREVA launched, in April 2015, an audit of these records since production started at the site. The audit was carried out by an independent expert and also by group experts.

The analyses carried out were transmitted to the French Nuclear Safety Authority (Autorité de sûreté nucléaire – ASN). Eighty-seven irregularities were identified in reactors in service in the French fleet and these are being investigated by the Nuclear Safety Authority.

The processing of these irregularities undertaken by AREVA NP has concluded that the components can remain in service.

Regarding one of the steam generators on Fessenheim 2, a divergence from the forging of the lower shell of the steam generator was found. 

AREVA NP noted the Nuclear Safety Authority’s decision of July 18, 2016 - taken as a precautionary measure - to suspend the test certificate of the secondary part of the component.

AREVA NP teams, in coordination with EDF, are conducting mechanical and chemical analyses, and also additional testing on sacrificial items with similar characteristics. 

Analysis of the documentary anomalies and the detection of methodological discrepancies in the conduct of tensile testing has led AREVA NP to expand the audit and conduct a comprehensive quality analysis on its equipment manufacturing sites with the support of an independent expert.

In parallel, AREVA NP has implemented a quality improvement plan. In this way, AREVA NP has stepped up supervision and oversight of production in progress as well as launching a program to strengthen its quality culture.