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Nuclear bill: IRSN soon to be absorbed by ASN?

The deputies of the Economic Affairs Commission have approved the government's controversial plan to merge the Institute for Nuclear Safety (IRSN) into the Nuclear Safety Authority (ASN).

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The nuclear acceleration bill was examined in the Economic Affairs Committee of the National Assembly on Monday evening. The text provides for the merger of the Institute in charge of nuclear safety (IRSN) with the Nuclear Safety Authority (ASN), which has given rise to contrasting reactions.

The government wants to unite the two entities under a single public banner in order to strengthen nuclear safety policy and adopt the most protective status for both organizations. The Minister of Energy Transition, Agnès Pannier-Runacher, stressed that “safeguards” will be put in place to take into account the challenges.

Amendments validated in committee

Several amendments were validated by the deputies of the Economic Affairs Committee. The Macronist rapporteur, Maud Bregeon, proposed a sub-amendment that states that the ASN must separate the expertise process from the opinions and decisions deliberated by its college, a recommendation of the Parliamentary Office for Scientific Choices (Opecst). However, the left-wing opposition criticized the reform as “hasty and brutal”, while the environmentalist Julie Laernoes denounced “a destruction in four weeks of the internationally recognized dual safety system”.

IRSN employees on strike

IRSN employees are also unhappy. The latter provide independent scientific advice on the condition of nuclear power plants. They will be on strike for the third time in a month on March 13 to protest against the disappearance of their institute. Nearly 600 of the IRSN’s 1,700 employees participated in the two previous strikes organized since the government’s surprise announcement to dismantle their institute.

Former Opecst presidents warn against the project

Three former presidents of the Parliamentary Office for Scientific Choices (Opecst), including the mathematician Cédric Villani, have warned against the proposed merger between IRSN and ASN. They described this project as a “dangerous technocratic drift” that risks “paralyzing safety”.

The bill will be voted on in the House of Representatives next Monday.

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