Generic results and conclusions of re-evaluating the flooding protection in French Nuclear Power Plants

The partial flooding of the Blayais site, occurred on December 1999 has led to a large scale re-examination of the measures to prevent and limit the consequences associated with all contingencies or combinations of them, which could lead to external flooding of any of the 19 French sites, equipped with pressurized water reactors. An Action Program has been launched by Electricite de France and a methodology has been approved, consisting of: defining of principles for re-evaluating external flooding risks together with the relevant arrangements; applying the principles to each site and showing that the margins adopted are sufficient for achieving an acceptable safety level. The implementation of the program throughout all sites with PWR in France will extend to 2005