June 19, 2017

The manufacturing of nuclear reactor components: major quality review at Le Creusot site

In February 2015, within the framework of a customer verification of end-of-manufacturing records relating to forged components for the nuclear industry, AREVA NP detected methodological deficiencies in the performance of tests carried out by its laboratory at Le Creusot. AREVA NP then launched a series of audits assigned both to internal teams independent of Le Creusot and to an independent firm. In February 2016, through this audit process, AREVA NP brought to light irregularities in the transcription of documents as well as practices unacceptable from the point of view of quality assurance. After a first phase of analysis of the files referred to as "marked records" ("dossiers barrés"), in the autumn of 2016, AREVA NP set up a team to review all of the manufacturing files relating to nuclear components, identify any irregularities and deal with them in coordination with the customers and nuclear safety authorities concerned.