6. Conclusions

Thanks to the size of its nuclear fleet, France has a wealth of experience to draw on, and we can make one initial observation: there have been no significant radioactive releases in 800 reactor years, and there have been very few situations that could have led to fuel degradation.

However, this article describes or evokes a large number of incidents or anomalies and underlines the fact that, often, difficulties do not occur where they were expected, which is a call to vigilance and modesty.

An analysis of the incidents that have occurred in recent years shows that human factors play a major role in their initiation. Achieving and maintaining a sufficient level of safety imposes a demanding dynamic tension on the personnel and organizations involved.

In safety, if we don't move forward, we move backwards, and there's...