France tries to calm reactor concerns

Article reports that France was trying to avert a crisis of confidence in November 2009 over its new-generation European Pressurised Reactor (EPR) nuclear reactor after regulators in France, Finland and the United Kingdom raised questions over control and safety systems.

Nuclear safety watchdogs in France, the United Kingdom and Finland had requested 'improvements' to safety systems in the design of the third-generation EPR reactors being built by French nuclear giant Areva.

Internazionale, 13.4.10: The great atomic bluff http://www.presseurop.eu/en/content/article/230651-great-atomic-bluff

ESO: Background information: Back from the brink http://www.europeansources.info/record/back-from-the-brink/

ESO: Background information: Nuclear fusion / Cracks appear in the French nuclear consensus http://www.europeansources.info/record/nuclear-fusion-cracks-appear-in-the-french-nuclear-consensus/

France24, 3.11.09: Regulators call for redesign of France’s latest reactor http://www.france24.com/en/20091103-regulators-call-redesign-france%E2%80%99-latest-reactor

Website: L’Autorité de sûreté nucléaire (ASN) http://www.asn.fr/

HSE/ASN/STUK: Joint Regulatory Position Statement on the EPR Pressurised Water Reactor http://www.asn.fr/index.php/content/download/22578/133691/file/2009-02-11-Joint+regulatory+Statement.pdf

World Nuclear Association: Country Briefings: Nuclear Power in France http://www.world-nuclear.org/info/inf40.html

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