Synthesis of benchmarking visits on the organisation and practical implementation of radiation protection in nuclear power plants

Since the beginning of the 90 s, EDF has made great efforts to improve ALARA for occupational exposures in the French nuclear power plants. This resulted in the important reduction of the individual doses (581 workers received more than 20 mSv in 1996; in 2006 no one received more than 20 mSv and only 17 received more than 16 mSv) and of the average collective dose per reactor (reduction by more than a factor two in ten years). EDF wishes to continue its efforts. One of the ways of improvement is the analysis of the feedback experience in the foreign power plants having good dosimetric results or with a recent significant improvement of the dosimetric results. Thus, between 2003 and 2006, the C.E.P.N. has organized for EDF eight benchmarking visits on the organisation and practical implementation of radiation protection in foreign nuclear power plants. For each visit, a team composed of two representatives from EDF and two representatives from C.E.P.N., goes to the site during a week and meets representatives of services implied in the implementation of the specific topic, which was selected. Several good practices of radiation protection were identified during these visits: the good integration of radiation protection in the management of the plant; the efforts in reducing the source term; the fundamental impact of the reduction of exposed volumes of work through the optimisation of the maintenance programmes and modification of the design reducing the necessity of maintenance; a close and experienced radiological protection; new tools in the service of radiological protection for the 21. century, in particular the use of remote monitoring systems. (authors)