In Belgium, nuclear facilities are governed by the law of 15 April 1994, and the implementing royal decree of 20 July 2001, on General Regulations for the protection of the population, workers and the environment against the danger of ionizing radiation (RGPRI).
The operator is responsible for the safety of his facilities because he is the only one who can take specific action that will have a direct influence on safety. Safety is a priority for operators. Safe operation guarantees not only the protection of personnel, the general population and the environment, but also the correct functioning of the facilities in the long term.
Electrabel has set out a nuclear safety policy that is sustained and approved at the company's highest operational level (the chief executive officer). This policy is given shape in an Internal Nuclear Safety Code, which establishes a continuous improvement system for nuclear safety by defining the responsibilities of the different people involved and structuring the safety organization by ensuring the systematic and formal management of all aspects relating to nuclear safety and radiation protection.
An internal prevention and control department, called the Physical Control Service, is entrusted by the regulations with organizing and monitoring the measures necessary to ensure compliance with the RGPRI. In order to achieve optimal efficiency, internal evaluation of safety is organized into different and independent control levels. These are Quality Control level 1 (operational self-control by power station operators), Quality Control level 2 (independent control at operational level conducted by the operator's experts) and the NICo (Nuclear Independent Control). This latter control, which is directly supervised by Electrabel's CEO, ensures that Electrabel's safety policy is adhered to and applied by all the people involved.
Control of Belgium's nuclear facilities is the responsibility of the Agence Fédérale de Contrôle Nucléaire (AFCN, http://www.fanc.fgov.be/), supervised by the Interior Minister, the aim of which is to ensure that the population and the environment are effectively protected against the danger of ionizing radiation. It has broad independence, which is essential for fulfilling its responsibilities to society in an impartial fashion.
When conducting ongoing controls on the sites, the AFCN calls on a specialized body approved by the Belgian authorities, the Association Vinçotte Nucléaire (http://www.avn.be/), which handles operational control. AVN, like the AFCN, has ongoing and unfettered access to the Doel and Tihange facilities.
