An executive from the Tricastin nuclear power plant, in the Drôme, files a complaint against EDF which he accuses of carrying out “a policy of concealment” incidents, Franceinfo learned Friday, November 12 from his lawyers William Bourdon and Vincent Brengarth, confirming information from the newspaper The world.
This executive claims the status of whistleblower. He filed his complaint with the Paris prosecutor’s office on October 5. This desire to conceal incidents concerns in particular the ten-year inspection of the Tricastin power plant in order to obtain authorization for operation beyond 40 years.
This man in his forties is now on sick leave because his position within the plant has led to a deterioration in his relations with the management of the plant.
“It is because (he) denounced what amounts to a policy of concealment and that he refused to lend his assistance to operations aimed at maintaining the opacity of certain incidents that he will do so. ‘subject to extremely brutal and unjustified eviction “, affirm to AFP his lawyers Mes William Bourdon and Vincent Brengarth in the complaint. According to them, their client suffered “reprisals”, “in a climate of very authoritarian management, linked in particular to production objectives”.
The complaint was filed for breaches of regulations relating to nuclear installations, the environmental code and labor law, endangering the lives of others and harassment.
Contacted by franceinfo, EDF did not wish to “comments on the assessment of an employee”. The company points out, however, that “in the relationship we have with ASN (Nuclear Safety Authority) at no time did ASN consider that EDF had lacked transparency in its declarations with regard to Tricastin”. “Each event detected in the field, presenting a risk or issue of safety or risk for the environment, is notified to ASN “, adds EDF. “Transparency and regulatory compliance are scrupulously applied and respected on all sites. “
The Tricastin nuclear power station, commissioned in 1980 and 1981, is one of the oldest in France. In February, ASN paved the way for the continued operation of the oldest reactors, 40 to 50 years old, including Tricastin, asking EDF to carry out work to improve their safety.