4 May (NucNet): France’s nuclear safety authority ASN (Autorité de Sûreté Nucléaire) has asked nuclear equipment producer Areva to provide “as rapidly as possible” a list of components affected by manufacturing irregularities revealed by an audit at Areva’s Le Creusot manufacturing plant in France in late April, ASN said.
On 25 April, Areva informed ASN that an internal audit had found irregularities in the manufacturing checks on about 400 parts produced since 1965, about 50 of which are still in use at French nuclear power stations, the statement said.
Areva had said earlier that the anomalies are being characterised by a technical committee to establish any possible impact on product quality.
Areva said in April that the audit indicated the anomalies related to “actions carried out in the past” and “the organisation and procedures currently in place at Le Creusot no longer permit such actions today.”
According to ASN, the review process needs to be completed in order to assess all the anomalies which may have affected past manufacturing operations and draw any “relevant conclusions” regarding the safety of the facilities.
