“No reason” to close Fessenheim “from the point of view of safety,” according to ASN – The Point

The Nuclear Safety Authority (ASN) considers that “there is no reason to close” currently the Fessenheim (Haut-Rhin) “from the viewpoint of nuclear safety” and that the situation remained under control during an incident that occurred in 2014.

Fessenheim nuclear power plant, commissioned in 1977 and very close to the border with Germany and Switzerland should “be closed as soon as possible “, said Friday a spokesman of the German Environment Minister Barbara Hendricks.

” for us to ASN today the security point of view nuclear, there is no reason to close the Fessenheim plant, “he told AFP Sophie Letournel, head of the Strasbourg division of ASN.

” Then there has the energy policy decisions within the government and that can lead to different choices, “she said.

” Fessenheim is well within the average of the appreciation that ASN on French nuclear power stations – that is to say, it is generally satisfactory, “she said. “We still have things to complain about, is our watchdog role.”

German media based on the analysis of an expert, Manfred Mertins, said that an incident April 9, 2014 at Fessenheim would have been greater announced, one of the two reactors having been “momentarily more controllable.”

“the incident shows once again that our request to French government unplugging Fessenheim is justified. I have repeatedly expressed this request, referring to the legitimate concerns of the population at the French-German border, and will continue to do so, “said Barbara Hendricks in a statement released late in the day

-. “erroneous conclusions” –

Due to a water leak that damaged electrical devices, one of the two reactors at the plant had to be stopped using boron, a rarely used procedure.

the boron, which the property of absorbing the neutrons produced by the nuclear reaction, allows to gradually shut down the reactor.

For ASN, “say the reactor was no longer controllable is incorrect,” Ms. Letournel said. “The incident was well managed by EDF,” which had “the right to use boron.”

“The situation remained under control.” “The center has never been in a situation that would require an emergency stop,” said Ms. Letournel.

EDF has also told AFP that the reactor was “always remained under control of the central control teams that have followed normal procedures? exploitation “.

This is a” significant event “that was classified at level 1 of the international scale nuclear events ranging from 0 to 7, said Ms. Letournel.

“It was not normal that spray water at electrical cabinets” and ASN asked EDF to take corrective actions and “to work on internal flooding,” said Ms. Letournel.

According to her, the German expert “takes false and exaggerated conclusions” of the mail . ASN sent on 24 April to the plant manager following this incident

“Our letters have been more clear to the public” – who has access via the ASN website – , she admits. “We could have been more explicit.”

03/04/2016 6:59:54 p.m. – Paris (AFP) – AFP © 2016