11 Aug (NucNet): A fuel handling incident at France’s Gravelines-1 reactor unit has been provisionally rated as level 1 on the International Nuclear Event Scale (INES), the country’s nuclear safety authority has announced.
The ASN (Autorité de Sûreté Nucléaire) said yesterday that a fuel assembly adhered to the upper reactor vessel internals when preparing defueling operations at the unit in the early hours of the morning on 9 August 2009.
The incident, which is still ongoing, has had no consequences for the staff of the facility and did not result in any releases to the environment, the ASN said. Operations were halted and the reactor building was evacuated and isolated in accordance with operating regulations.
The authority conducted an inspection at the site yesterday to monitor arrangements made by Electricité de France to eventually return the fuel assembly to its correct position.
The ASN said the fuel assembly concerned is under water in the reactor vessel and is being cooled normally.
Gravelines-1 is one of 6 operational pressurised water reactors at the plant in northern France.
>>Related reports in the NucNet database (available to subscribers)
French Safety Authority Emphasises Need For Vigilance (News in Brief No. 40, 8 April 2009)
French Nuclear Safety Authority Publishes Annual Report In English (World Nuclear Review No. 31, 31 July 2009)
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