French Socialists call for wider nuclear audit after explosion

London (Platts)--13Sep2011/735 am EDT/1135 GMT

France's main opposition Socialist party called late Monday for audits of nuclear reactors to be extended to waste and fuel treatment sites following an explosion at the Centraco treatment facility in southern France.

Nuclear safety authority ASN said there was no contamination outside the Centraco site at Codolet after an explosion and fire Monday at a metallic waste furnace killed one employee and injured four.

Centraco manages treatment and re-conditioning of low level nuclear waste from power reactors, hospitals and research laboratories.

The Socialist party said the accident called for "transparency and the immediate assumption of responsibility" by the authorities.

"That's why we have called for all activities connected to nuclear facilities and sites at which radioactive substances are stored or treated to be submitted to the same audit procedure as power plants," the party said.

The government committed to an audit of nuclear plant safety following the Fukushima disaster in March. Initial findings are due this month.

Francois Hollande, a contender for leadership of the Socialist party, wants to reduce nuclear power in France's energy mix, while his challenger Martine Aubry wants a full exit from nuclear. An important third party, Europe Ecologie-Les Verts, is strongly opposed to nuclear. The Socialist leadership will be decided next month before a general election late April.

Following Monday's accident, anti-nuclear group Sortir du Nucleaire said it was concerned by the proximity of Centraco to the Marcoule nuclear research and waste treatment site.

"This site comprises numerous nuclear installations, stocks large quantities of radioactive waste and processes MOX [mixed oxide] and consequently plutonium," the group said. "For the moment, the authorities have not taken any measures to protect the population."

ASN said the building complex was not breached in the explosion and the accident was not radiological.

"Those injured are not contaminated and the measures carried out outside the building by the owner and the specialized fire services did not reveal any contamination," it said, declaring the incident over as of 3:50 p.m. local time (1350 GMT).

--Robin Sayles, newsdesk@platts.com

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