Nuclear and radioactive emergency exercise at Cattenom nuclear power station

On 17 October 2017, the French authorities and EDF organised a nuclear and radioactive emergency exercise at Cattenom nuclear power station. Cross-border exercises of this kind are organised regularly, with the aim of improving cooperation among the crisis management centres of the four countries concerned.

The aims of the exercise consisted mainly of testing on the on hand commmunication and operational concertation between the French services concerned, and on the other communication between the French crisis cell and those of the neighbouring regions (the Grand Duchy, Belgium and Germany).

The Grand Duchy's Crisis Cell, as povided for in the "nuclear emergency" ERP, met in its limited form:

• High Commission for National Protection (Haut-Commissariat à la Protection Nationale - HCPN);
• Crisis Communication Department (Service de la Communication de Crise - SCC);
• Department for Radiation Protection at the National Health Directorate (Division de la Radioprotection - DRP);
• Rescue Services Agency (Administration des Services de Secours - ASS)

The HCPN sent a liaison officer to the Préfecture in Metz.

The DRP sent a liaison officer to the Nuclear Safety Authority (Autorité de sécurité nucléaire, ASN) in Paris.