The French Nuclear Safety Authority (ASN) has said that there is a risk of explosion at at the Nuclear Power station at Cruas-Meysse in the Ardeche.

The ASN carried out safety checks at Cruas in September and again on the 24th October and have been monitoring risks at the plant. According to the ASN lack of maintenance to pipe work carrying hydrogen at the plant has lead to corrosion. Hydrogen is used as a coolant for the reactor and is a highly explosive gas.

EDF deny that there is any risk of explosion but have said that they will repair the corroded pipe work within the next three months.

The Cruas Nuclear Power Station is situated on the banks of the Rhone River near the town of Montelimar. It contains 4 pressurized water reactors which were constructed between 1983 and 1984. The plant supplies between 4 and 5% of electricity in France and employs over a thousand workers, it uses water from the Rhone to cool its reactors.

Nuclear Power represents 80% of France's electricity production, most of it's reactors were built in the eighties and are outdated. This latest report comes after a string of leaks and safety issues this year over nuclear power plants across France including a uranium leak into local water ways at Vaucluse in southern France.

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