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20.9.2008 |
EN |
Official Journal of the European Union |
C 241/7 |
COMMISSION OPINION
of 19 September 2008
concerning the plan for the disposal of radioactive waste from the Flamanville EPR reactor (unit 3), located in France, in accordance with Article 37 of the Euratom Treaty
(Only the French text is authentic)
(2008/C 241/02)
On 11 February 2008, the European Commission received from the Government of France, in accordance with Article 37 of the Euratom Treaty, General Data relating to the plan for the disposal of radioactive waste from the Flamanville EPR reactor (unit 3).
On the basis of these data and the complementary information provided by French Government representatives at the meeting of the Group of Experts on 28 and 29 May 2008, the Commission has drawn up the following opinion:
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1. |
the distance between the plant and the nearest point of a neighbouring country, in this case the Channel Islands (British Crown Dependencies), is 30 km. The distance to the nearest Member States is 120 km for the United Kingdom and 360 km for Belgium; |
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2. |
under normal operating conditions, the discharges of liquid and gaseous effluents are unlikely to cause an exposure liable to affect the health of the population in another Member State or in a neighbouring country; |
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3. |
solid radioactive waste will be temporarily stored on site before being transferred to disposal facilities authorised by the French Government. Spent fuel elements will be temporarily stored on site before being transported to the reprocessing plant at La Hague; |
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4. |
in the event of unplanned releases of radioactive effluents, which may follow an accident of the type and magnitude considered in the General Data, the doses received in another Member State or in a neighbouring country will not be liable to affect the health of the population. |
In conclusion, the Commission is of the opinion that, both in normal operation and in the event of an accident of the type and magnitude considered in the General Data, the implementation of the plan for the disposal of radioactive waste from the EPR reactor on the site of the Flamanville nuclear power plant in France is not liable to result in radioactive contamination of the water, soil or airspace of another Member State or a neighbouring country.