RHONE-ALPES

Purpose/type: plant for the fabrication of fuel with uranium

Installations: factory for the fabrication of fuel and workshop for the fabrication of pastilles

Raw materials: uranium metal and uranium oxide

Nominal capacity: production of pastilles: 100 t/yr of uranium

The establishment has two INBs: the factory for the fabrication of nuclear fuel (INB 65) put into operation in 1960 and the workshop for the fabrication of uranium pastilles (INB 90) put into operation around 1975. 

As of 2000, according to DSIN, INB 65 was composed of a workshop where interventions on irradiation devices for experimental reactors were carried out; INB 90 fabricated fuel [DSIN 99]. Veurey-Voroize also carried out non-nuclear activities.  In the past the role of Veurey- Voroize in the nuclear area was broader and more complex..  In March 2000, DSIN, SCIN and Cogéma began considering a declassification of the site. The evacuation of enriched uranium around the end of 2001 was envisaged. [DSIN 00].  

Nuclear activities had terminated by the end of 2003. In 2005, activities aimed at a definitive end to operations, particularly the removal of nuclear materials were continuing, and preparations for dismantling were underway [ASN 05]

Plant for the manufacture of nuclear fuel (INB 65)

The Veurey-Voroize site of Sicn was created to support the Sicn factory at Annecy which fabricated fuel for graphite gas reactors.  Veurey-Voroize perfected manufacturing techniques for fuel elements, manufactured special elements in small series, carried out tests on fuel elements [DauLib 24.xii.66].

zAfter a while, the fuel fabrication plant, located on a site of almost 4000 m2, took on industrial or quasi-industrial projets, including the manufacture of fuel elements or entire fuel asssemblies using pastilles produced at Veurey-Voroize in the pastilles workshop.  The projects carried out at the plant included/include:

--manufacture of control bars and assemblies for the cover of Phénix [DSIN 94];

--the cladding and the mounting of fertile assemblies for half the cover of Superphénix [CEAInf 82];

--the fabrication of small plaques of Caramel fuel. According to DSIN, the fabricalion continued in 1995, although the French reactor Osiris no longer used this fuel [Con.viii.95];

--special irradiation devices for test reactors [DSIN 96], for example, poles for fission products experiments in the reactor Phébus [Con xii.96].                

Workshop for the manufacture of uranium pastilles (INB 90) 

The 1977 decree that authorized the creation of the workshop limited enrichment to 5%, but a 1986 decree allowed the manufacture of pastilles based on UO2 enriched to more than 5% uranium 235 and intended mainly for research reactors.  At no time can the quantities of enriched uranium exceed 50 kg of uranium at greater than 5% and less than 10% enrichment and 10 kg at greater than 10% enrichment [SN ix-x.86; JO 17.x.86].  Moreover, the workshop from time to time manipulated reprocessed uranium as allowed by special authorizations [SN no. 62, 88; DSIN 91].

  Among the workshop’s products were fertile pastilles for Phénix and Superphénix and pastilles of Caramel fuel, of UO2 enriched to 7.5% for Osiris and Isis and perhaps for submarines (600 kg in 1990) [DSIN 91]. The production of Caramel pastilles for the Sfec installation at Bolléne was transferred to Veurey – Voroize in 1986 [SN ix-x.86].

 WASTES

 Authorizations

  Releases were controlled on a contractual basis, because the request that Sicn filed for an authorization in 1978 was unsuccessful [DSIN 96].  DSIN finds this situation to be “unsatisfactory.”  Following a decree dated 4 May 1995, which regulates radioactive liquid and gaseous effluents, DSIN asked Sicn to draw up a new request for an authorization [DSIN 98].  This request was also judged to be unacceptable, and in March 1999 Sicn filed a revised version. [DSIN 99]. The examination of the renewed request was suspended because of the possibility of a declassification of the site.

 Atmospheric releases

 Uranium aéosols

  Liquid effluents

  Oils, “liquid for cooling machine tools,” aqueous solutions.  En 1999 5130 l of oil and 2 t of radioactive cooling fluid were awaiting treatment.  The site has its own installations for treating oil and contaminated liquid effluents [Con x.99]. Treatment of aqueous solutions includes centrifugation and filtration [Andra 93].  We have not found additional details.

 Solid wastes

Sludge from the treatment of water (6.1 t awaiting treatment in 1999; filters); other wastes and uranium-contaminated rejects.

  It is probable that Veurey-Voroize sends rejects and wastes of natural and depleted uranium to Annecy, but other destinations would be necessary for rejects of enriched uranium.  Sicn treats at least a part at Veurey-Voroize.  In 1994, the plant was authorized to grill uranium oxide in the pastilles workshop [DSIN 94].

  From its creation to about 1995, Sicn-Veurey-Voroize dumped about 700 m3/yr of very varied industrial waste containing “traces of uranium” in the part of the controled dump of Saint-Quentin-sur-Isère (Isère) managed by the business Lely.  About 10,000 t or 30,700 m3 are stored there.  According to Andra, the activity corresponds to the minimum level of detection by measuring apparatus (several Bq/g).  Today Sicn deposits there only waste coming from the non-nuclear zones of the factory [Andra 94 and 00].

 PROBLEMS PRECEDING AN END TO ACTIVITIES

In 1998 at the initiative of DSIN, Sicn began to redo all the documents that constitute the system of reference in regard to safety for the two INBs.

  The 1999 Report of DSIN stated, “From the surveillance visits carried out by the inspectors of the Safety Authority, we retain the low general level of the safety culture. The operator has been informed that the perpetuation of that situation was such as to put into question the exercise of all activity involving the use of nuclear material that in quantity and quality exceeds the regulatory sill for INBs.  At the present time, activities authorized by DSIN are very reduced.”

Nevertheless, DISN authorized 8 October 1999 “ the manufacture of experimental rods containing UO2 enriched to less than 5% uranium 235 and the decladding of new fuel based on UO2 enriched to less than 10% U 235” [Con i.00].

                                                                              --Revised January 3, 2006

                                                    copyright © by Yggdrasil 2001-2006

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