EDF presents its rapid nuclear intervention force at the Civaux plant

In march 2012 EDF presented its rapid nuclear intervention force (FARN) by testing it through an exercise at the Civaux plant. The purpose of the FARN is to be able to act in less than 24 hour time in any plant concerned by a nuclear accident and in any situation (even if the ways to access the site have been strongly damaged by a natural disaster) in order to avoid massive radioactive releases or the reactor core meltdown. The FARN will be able to bring extra supply in water and in power to the damaged site. The FARN will intervene from 4 nuclear power stations dispatched all over the territory: Civaux, Paluel, Dampierre and Bugey. The FARN staff will reach 300 people and will spend 2 in every 5 weeks in training through exercises and simulations, the rest of the time they will be assigned to work on nuclear plants. The installation of the FARN requires an investment of 250 million euros while the operating costs will be between 50 and 100 millions euros per year. (A.C.)