Overview

At end-2009 there were 59 PWR units in operation at 29 sites in France [WNA 2010]. A European Pressurised Water Reactor is under construction at the existing Flamanville site in Normandy.

In 1979 the government set up a specialised agency, ANDRA (National Agency for Radioactive Waste Management), within the Atomic Energy Commission (CEA), in 1979. This is responsible for designing, constructing and operating long-term disposal facilities as well as undertaking all necessary studies to this end. ANDRA is also responsible for promoting the application of technical specifications for waste treatment to be carried out by producers prior to storage.

In 1991 a new Waste Law established the CNE, an expert committee to monitor this research.

The Law, No. 91-1381, laid out in clear terms major areas of research, which were to be carried out by ANDRA. These were:

1. Partition and Transmutation;
2. Waste packaging and effects of long-term surface storage;
3. Development of at least 2 underground laboratories, in different geological media, after close local consultation and public involvement.

The Law specified that initial designation of a site as a candidate for a laboratory would require a public inquiry and authorisation from the Council of State. It was stipulated that ministers would present regular reports on progress to parliament, and that ANDRA would submit a final status report in 2005, to be followed by recommendations on siting a final repository in 2006. An amendment to the Law was announced in early 1998 to allow funding for a 4th research strand, concerned with the examination of long-term storage possibilities.

Following a series of public debates, as mandated by the 1991 Law, and taking them into account, a new Act was submitted to Parliament on 22nd March 2006. According to the proposals within it, phased deep geological disposal was selected as the preferred option for HLW, at a site to be selected by 2015, following conditioning and interim surface storage. Research will continue in the underground laboratory at Bure, in north-eastern France (see below). Spent fuel will continue to be reprocessed. The Act was passed by the Senate in early June, with significant amendments. These restored oversight of the decision-making process by parliament, and repeated the requirement that any facility should incorporate 'reversibility' at every stage.  

The Planning Act was approved without amendment by the National Assembly on 15th June 2006 and promulgated on 28th June 2006.

In order to monitor the progress of work in these areas, and to report to parliament, the 1991 Law established the National Evaluation Commission (CNE) and this will continue under the provisions of the 2006 law.

A Decree on Transparency and Security in the Nuclear Field (the TSN Law) was promulgated on 13th June 2006, in which regulatory responsibility was given to a new body, known as the Nuclear Safety Authority (ASN). It is supported by IRSN, with a staff of 1500 to advise and brief the ASN on issues relating to radiological risk and nuclear safety, and to carry out research.

Management of LLW
There is an active near-surface LLW disposal facility at the Centre de l'Aube and one that ceased operation in 1994 at the Centre la Manche. A facility for disposal of VLLW opened in August 2003 at Morvilliers, adjacent to Centre de de l'Aube.

Management of HLW/spent fuel
Spent nuclear fuel is currently reprocessed. HLW is vitrified and stored pending the development of a final deep repository.

Following public inquiries in a number of locations, ANDRA selected 3 of sites for further examination in 1996, initially concentrating efforts on granite and in marl at Bure in the NE of France. Government approved the site at Bure in 1999 and shaft sinking began in 2001, although it was suspended in May 2002 following a fatal accident. It only began again at the end of April 2003 following a court decision and the introduction of new safety practices and equipment.

Sinking of the main shaft began again in mid-2005 following installation of experimental equipment in a niche, at 445 metres. The niche is fully instrumented, allowing remote contact with ANDRA headquarters. Both shafts are now linked at the laboratory horizon and the facility is now fully operational.