Emergency response technical centre of the IPSN

The Institute for Nuclear Safety and Protection (IPSN), the technical support of the French nuclear safety authority, provides the technical support needed for protect the surrounding population from the consequences of radioactive releases. In the event of an accident arising at a nuclear facility, the IPSN would set up an Emergency Response Technical Centre (CTC) at Fontenay-aux-Roses. The IPSN's objectives are: (a) to diagnose the state of the nuclear facility and monitor its development, (b) to prepare prognosis for the evolution of the accident and to give an estimation of the associated consequences according to the situation evolution, (c) to estimate the risk of radioactive releases and the consequences on man and on the environment, mainly on the basis of weather forecasts and on the prognosis. This diagnosis-prognosis approach is build-up with the information on the state of the installation given by: the concerned site via audio-conference system and telescope, the security panels of the nuclear plant via networks. To perform its missions, the CTC, which has to be both safe and secure, uses multiple telecommunication resources to dialogue with partners and also mapping computer systems, data bases and software tools: (a) the SESAME system, which gives, during an accident of a PWR, a calculation method for the diagnosis-prognosis aforesaid, (b) the CONRAD system, which calculates the atmospheric dispersal of radioactive substances and consequences in the environment in the early phase of an accident, (c) the ASTRAL code, which allows to cope with long lasting situations. In order to be operational, the IPSN expert regularly undergo training in emergency situation management and participate in exercises organised by the government authorities. (author)