Beyond design basis issues in France

Following the accident on 11 March 2011 at Fukushima Daiichi NPP, the French Nuclear Safety Authority issued a decision (on 5 May 2011) detailing the specifications of beyond design basis assessments, consistent with the work of European safety authorities (Western European Nuclear Regulators Association and European Nuclear Safety Regulators Group). The main topics for evaluation, for reactors and spent fuel storage pools, were: — External flood and flood related effects (such as hail, wind and lightning); — Beyond design basis earthquakes; — Loss of heat sink and electrical power supply at the site level; — Operational management of accident situations, including serious accidents with core meltdown (reactors and spent fuel pools)