2019 was a shining testament to the nuclear sector’s ability to successfully reach a number of industrial milestones while maintaining the highest levels of safety and keeping its activities under control. Examples that come to mind include the launch of the second EPR in Taishan, China, and the clean bill of health given to the Tricastin 1 power plant, in France, following its fourth 10-yearly inspection. In the UK, the liner section for reactor building 1 (the «basin») was craned onto the foundation raft right on schedule. 2019 also revealed a number of weaknesses and shortcomings in our sector, meaning that further efforts will be required to exercise greater control and guarantee our industry’s long-term prospects.
The underlying factor that these success stories or difficulties share in common is the nuclear sector’s ability to keep a handle on its industrial activities. As far as AFCEN is concerned, this driving force can be credited to our authors and users, and their capacity to define, understand and implement the codes and standards that elevate safety to the highest levels. Codes and standards must be written, understood and put into practice as part of the constant determination to ensure that the systems and products designed and manufactured by industry conform to specifications.
We are only too aware of our responsibility, so this year we stepped up our efforts to produce clear and explicit codes that fully incorporate all the feedback received following their implementation. We have continued focusing our attention on AFCEN’s development by launching our strategic plan, which champions our guiding values, namely expertise, collaboration and responsibility.
As with every year, I would like to pay tribute to our experts’ engagement and offer my heartfelt thanks to our members for actively participating in our endeavors. AFCEN is your association, so I would like to take this opportunity to thank you for your involvement in its development, thereby building a safe and competitive nuclear industry.

AFCEN Chairman

Philippe BORDARIER

To view the 2019 activity report