8. Conclusion

The preceding text has described various complementary approaches used to justify or assess the safety of basic nuclear installations. These approaches all serve the same purpose, of course, and it is more essential than ever that the safety assessment of such a facility corresponds to a global view of the associated residual risks –, which cannot be zero despite the preventive or consequence-limiting measures put in place. A clear statement of the residual risks, including their uncertainties, enables well-considered decisions to be made, bearing in mind that other considerations may of course come into play at this stage; in particular, it ensures that essential efforts are properly prioritized to address the most important issues.

It is important to understand, however, that a safety analysis is carried out on the basis of existing knowledge, which may lead to...