RHONE-ALPES TRICASTIN/PIERRELATTE Purpose: conversion and enrichment of uranium and production of electricityType: civilian and formerly also military production siteLocation:: 600-ha area on the plain of Tricastin at Pierrelatte and Saint-Paul-Trois-Châteax (Drôme) Period of operation: since 1960Materials handled: uranium, lithiumAs of 1992, the site was home to 162 installations classed for the environment (ICPE) and 9 basic nuclear installations (INB). In 1999, the main installations by operator include: Almost half of the Tricastin/Pierrelatte site is occupied by an INBS composed of all the CEA installations and the majority of the installations of Cogéma. The INBS is bordered on the west by FBFC and on the east by Comurhex. Eurodif, with EDF to its east, borders the INBS on the south. An installation for storage of chlorine trifluoride belonging to Eurodif is located within the INBS [HC 98]. The civilian installations of Cogéma are TU5, plant W, an extension of plant W, the KF unit, and a hydrogen plant. These installations form the civilian INB 155, also known under the name of "uranium chemistry INB." INB 155 is located within the physical boundaries of the military INBS. (Properly speaking, of all the parts of INB 155, only the TU5 installation is an INB. The other installations are ICPEs that are officially attached to the INB). Tricastin to become the site of a third EPR? According to an article in Le Dauphiné Libéré, GDF-Suez is studying the Tricastin area with an eye to seeking authorization to build a third European Pressurized Water Reactor (EPR) there. In January 2009 when President Sarkozy confirmed that the government had decided to entrust to EDF the construction of a second French EPR, he implied that GDF-Suez, a rival of EDF, is likely to be put in charge construction of a third, unannounced French EPR. In May 2008, before the fusion of Suez and GDF, Suez conducted geophysical and geotechnical tests around Tricastin to find out whether the site is suitable to host a large reactor. These tests proved favorable. The studies from February to November of this year are to monitor the status of the site's water, soils, flora and fauna. February 11 of this year the municipal council of Pierrelatte authorized Areva to purchase a three-hectare triangle of land to the northwest of the site, near the former installations of the CEA. Also the council has manifested its intention of constructing a third water reservoir--to furnish water for the town and for Areva which needs "'60 m3 of potable water per hour in the very near future'" [DauLib 28.v.09]. Jean-Louis Borloo, minister of ecology and energy, stated 3 June 2009 that France will not need to begin construction of a third EPR before 2020. The government may eventually have to consider a third reactor if ASN does not extend the lives of operating reactors beyond thirty or forty years [AFP 3.vi.09]. --updated 3 June 2009 copyright © by Yggdrasil 2001-2007; copyright © by EcoPerspectives 2008-2009 |