Evolution of reactor monitoring and protection systems for PWR

This paper presents the evolution of the reactor protection systems and of the reactor monitoring systems for PWR since the initial design in the Fessenheim plant to the latest development for the EPR (European pressurized reactor). The features of both systems for the different kinds of PWR operating in France: 900 MWe, 1300 MWe and N4, are reviewed. The expected development of powerful micro-processors for computation, for data analysis and data storage will make possible in a near future the monitoring on a 3-dimensional basis and on a continuous manner, of the nuclear power released in the core. (A.C.)