Nuclear Safety: ASNR, the Merger of ASN and IRSN, Begins Operations

Since 1 January 2025, ASN and IRSN have merged into a single entity: the Nuclear Safety and Radiological Protection Authority (ASNR). This new body will oversee the regulation of civil nuclear activities in France and carry out missions related to expertise, research, training, and public information.

The ASNR officially began operations on 1 January 2025. In the context of France’s nuclear energy revival (new EPR2 reactors, SMR/AMR projects, extending the lifespan of the current fleet, etc.), the government introduced an initial draft law in February 2023 proposing the merger of the Nuclear Safety Authority (ASN) and the Institute for Radiological Protection and Nuclear Safety (IRSN). Following recommendations from the Parliamentary Office for Scientific and Technological Choices (Opecst) and the submission of a revised bill, the law governing the organization of nuclear safety and radiological protection governance was enacted on 21 May 2024. Since then, organizational and financial measures have been implemented to make the new authority operational by the start of the year.

The Missions of ASNR

ASNR’s activities encompass all areas related to civil nuclear activities in France and are organized around six main missions:

• Research: ASNR will define research programs, particularly to ensure a satisfactory level of knowledge and expertise in nuclear safety and radiological protection over time.
• Expertise: ASNR will assess the safety of nuclear installations throughout their lifecycle (from design to decommissioning) and evaluate risks associated with the use of ionizing radiation for humans and the environment.
• Control: ASNR will ensure that operators of French nuclear facilities comply with safety standards. It will have the authority to issue decisions, directives, and even sanctions if necessary.
• Regulation: Supporting the government, ASNR will contribute to drafting regulations through advisory opinions. It will also oversee and grant authorizations for nuclear facilities, except for major authorizations.
• Training: ASNR will offer various training programs for professionals exposed to ionizing radiation in their activities.
• Informing, Dialoguing, and Educating: ASNR aims to enhance transparency in France’s nuclear sector. It will facilitate dialogue between stakeholders and citizens, enabling public participation in the Authority’s decision-making processes. It also seeks to build a broad culture of radiological protection to help citizens adopt appropriate behaviors in the event of accidents.

Distinguishing Expertise and Decision-Making

The law guarantees four fundamental points related to the merger of ASN and IRSN. First, ASNR retains its status as an independent administrative authority (AAI), serving as a single, independent interlocutor, separate from the government and operators. Second, the law ensures the distinction between expertise and decision-making. Third, transparency is reaffirmed, requiring ASNR to publish its expertise results simultaneously with its decisions. Fourth, the law provides scientific guarantees by establishing several expert groups.

ASNR will soon create three distinct entities:

• Permanent Expert Groups (GPE) to independently clarify decisions;
• A scientific council, composed of experts from various fields;
• An ethics and compliance commission, made up of qualified external individuals, responsible for preventing potential conflicts of interest.

The distinction between the processes of evaluation, expertise, research, and decision-making will also be clarified in ASNR’s new internal regulations. A college of five commissioners, appointed for six years, will be responsible for decision-making. Pierre-Marie Abadie, the new president of ASN since November 2023, will present the key aspects of these internal regulations to the Parliamentary Office for Scientific and Technological Choices on 16 January. Discussions are expected to continue in the coming months to refine this separation. In parallel, Abadie will also present the new roadmap to ASNR’s 2,000 employees. ■