The National Assembly opened the way on Tuesday evening for the controversial merger between the ASN, the nuclear watchdog, and the IRSN, the technical expert, by voting on the central article of the nuclear safety bill.
Under protests from the left, the deputies reinstated by 206 votes to 117 this key article, which opposition deputies had managed to delete in committee a week ago.
The vote took place in an electric atmosphere, after a suspension of the session and a series of points of order.
The presidential camp received the support of the National Rally and part of the Republicans.
Already adopted in the Senate, the text plans to create a new entity on January 1, 2025,
“
the Nuclear Safety and Radiation Protection Authority
”
(ASNR).
In the context of a vast atomic recovery plan, the executive wishes to put an end to the current dual system, by bringing together the Institute for Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety (IRSN), responsible for technical expertise, and the The Nuclear Safety Authority (ASN), the watchdog of power plants.
The stated objective is to
“fluidify”
the sector and reduce delays in the expertise, authorization and control processes.
The two entities
“already work together.
The only difference is that we will operate more efficiently
,” said Minister of Industry Roland Lescure.
Also read: Nuclear safety: dosimeters, collateral victims of the ASN-IRSN merger?
Anger of the unions
This reform, however, arouses the ire of the IRSN and ASN unions but also of environmental associations.
Its detractors warn in particular of the risk of disorganization of the system, loss of independence of experts and transparency with regard to the public.
“The future of the governance of nuclear and radiological risks is in your hands
,” the IRSN inter-union warned on Monday in an open letter to deputies, urging them not to speak out for or against the relaunch of nuclear power, but rather on
“the safety of nuclear installations and the protection of populations”
.
“It is deplorable that the Assembly voted against the commission”
to
“dismantle”
the IRSN, also denounced the environmentalist deputy Delphine Batho.
On the same line, Benjamin Saint-Huile (independent group Liot) castigated the
“rare stunt number”
of the RN,
“looping professionals”
, who were
“against the merger”
a year ago and supported it this time.
This ASN/IRSN merger is a sea serpent for the government.
It was rejected by a coalition of oppositions in March 2023 during the examination of a previous text to revive the sector.