Summary of the July 8 incident
The incident began in the evening of July 7 when a tank used to store diluted natural uranium was being emptied in preparation for shutdown of the effluent storage facility. This will be replaced shortly by a new treatment station, in which 13 million euros is being invested.
At around 11 pm, liquid was observed in the hold-up tank under the storage tank. In the hours that followed, the monitoring system set in place revealed that some liquid was spreading outside the hold-up tank.
The ensuing investigation revealed that natural uranium had found its way into a SOCATRI sewage pipe. Samples were taken in the soil and the surface waters of the La Gaffière stream.
At 6.15 am, Site Management set its on-site emergency plan in motion.
At 7.15 am, the Nuclear Safety Authority (ASN) was informed of the incident and the action being taken, and at 7.30 am, the Drôme prefecture was also alerted.
The first summary of the situation was faxed to the local authorities, the ASN, the Institute for Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety (IRSN) and the Regional Directorate for Industry, research and the Environment (DRIRE).
SOCATRI added a number of environmental measurement points and issued the analysis results as soon as they became available.
The company reiterates that according to the IRSN, the incident should have a negligible impact on the public. The radiological standards set by the WHO for drinking water are fully complied with at this time.
Nonetheless, SOCATRI understands that the local residents are concerned and inconvenienced by the ban on the use of water. SOCATRI deeply regrets this situation and as a precaution, has stepped up its environmental monitoring system. To ensure total transparency, the company invites the experts and associations concerned to participate in analyzing the results of the environmental analyses made in the wake of the incident.
The AREVA group, of which SOCATRI is a subsidiary, is not insensitive to the comments being expressed by local elected representatives and has charged Hugues Blachère, Director of the Tricastin site, with ensuring that these representatives and the stakeholders in the region receive all the explanations and support they may require.
Contact presse :
Catherine Dalverny
06 89 09 64 51
Gilles Salgas
06 77 02 15 32