2. Evolution of the French safety approach for Generation III reactors

2.1 Safety objectives

The major safety objectives adopted in France and Germany in 1993 for the possible construction of a series of new pressurized water reactors at the beginning of the 21st century are as follows:

• a reduction in the individual and collective doses received by workers, while limiting radioactive effluent discharges and reducing the quantities and activities of radioactive waste;

• a reduction in the number of significant incidents, which implies improvements to systems and equipment, with the aim of reducing the frequency of transients and incidents and limiting the possibility of accidents;

• a significant reduction in the probability of reactor core meltdown;...