Commission approves plan for disposal of radioactive waste from Nogent-sur-Seine nuclear power station (OJ link)

Brussels, 4 February 2005

Commission opinion of 29 December 2004 concerning the modified plan for the disposal of radioactive waste from the Nogent-sur-Seine Nuclear Power Station in France, in accordance with Article 37 of the Euratom Treaty (OJ C30/5 5.2.2005).
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On 7 June 2004, the European Commission received from the French Government, in accordance with Article 37 of the Euratom Treaty, General Data relating to the modified plan for the disposal of radioactive waste from the Nogent-sur-Seine Nuclear Power Station.

On the basis of these data and additional information requested by the Commission on 19 July 2004 and provided by the Permanent Representation of France on 21 September 2004, and following consultation with the group of experts, the Commission has drawn up the following opinion:

a) The distance between the plant and the nearest point of another Member State, in this case Belgium and Luxembourg, is approximately 200 km;

b) The planned modification will lead to a general decrease of the gaseous and liquid discharge limits except for liquid tritium for which an increase is foreseen;

c) During normal operation, the planned modification will not cause an exposure of the population in another Member State that is significant from the point of view of health;

d) In the event of unplanned releases of radioactive effluents resulting from an accident of the type and magnitude considered in the initial General Data, the planned modification to the fuel management system will not give rise to any significant effect from the point of view of health on the population of another Member State.

In conclusion, the Commission is of the opinion that the implementation of the modified plan for the disposal of radioactive waste from the Nogent-sur-Seine Nuclear Power Station, located in France, both in normal operation and in the event of an accident of the type and magnitude considered in the General Data, is not liable to result in the radioactive contamination, significant from the point of view of health, of the water, soil or airspace of another Member State.

Official Journal of the EU, No. C30/5 5.2.2005