AREVA components substandard: French nuclear regulator

The French nuclear regulator has confirmed that components produced at French state-controlled nuclear engineering firm AREVA's Creusot Forge have been of substandard quality. It may be recalled that AREVA is woring on the proposed Nuclear Power Corporation of India Ltd (NPCIL)'s 9,900-MW Jaitapur power plant at Madban village in Ratnagiri district of Maharashtra, following an agreement on December 6, 2010 to construct the first of two third-generation European pressurised reactors and the supply of nuclear fuel for 25 years in the presence of then French president Nicolas Sarkozy and then Indian PM Manmohan Singh.

A statement by the French nuclear regulator states that AREVA has admitted to this irregularity.

"On April 25, 2016, AREVA informed ASN of the initial results of this additional analysis. They revealed irregularities in the manufacturing checks on about 400 parts produced since 1965, about 50 of which would appear to be in service in the French NPPs (nuclear power plants). These irregularities comprise inconsistencies, modifications or omissions in the production files, concerning manufacturing parameters or test results," the statement reads.

According to the reports, critical components manufactured for oil, gas and nuclear plants as well as refineries since 1965 may have been compromised. Creusot Forge claims to have supplied 2,300 forged parts for oil and gas installations and 2,700 for nuclear primary islands throughout the world. The website particularly names Indian Oil Corporation Ltd as one its clients.

"The fact that these defects were not discovered earlier has raised questions of deliberate cover-ups. The recent announcements by the French nuclear regulator put those questions to rest by acknowledging that the component integrity certificates were indeed falsified," said Hozefa Merchant, senior campaigner, Greenpeace.

Until the French nuclear regulator's announcement, it was unclear of how these defects remained undetected during construction as well as the placement of reactor vessel at the plant. The scandal came to light last year when defects were found in AREVA's EPR reactors vessel head in Flamanville, France. The defects in Flamanville reactors are substantial defects with a possible impact on all existing EPR projects currently underway. India has signed a memorandum of understanding with AREVA/EDF to build six of these reactors in India.

"It is clear from the government's stand that energy security is not the real reason for Jaitapur deal, it is purely because of international pressure and obligation. Why else would our Govt risk our lives?" questioned Satyajit Chavan, president, Janhakka Seva Samiti.

NAAM calls for immediate investigations into parts manufactured and supplied to India by AREVA's Creusot Forge. NAAM also request that the central government reconsider its decision to build six EPR nuclear reactors in Jaitapur manufactured by AREVA.

AREVA has now been ordered to release a full list of equipment produced that may have been compromised.

Repeated attempts to get NPCIL to react drew a blank.