Fukushima’s events : consequences in terms of communication for au nuclear operator

The events of Fukushima:consequences in terms of communication for a nuclear operator. The example of EDF

Pierre-Franck Thomé-Jassaud

Head of communication - EDF Nuclear Operation

Email : pierre-franck.thome-jassaud@edf.fr

Vienna

June 21th, 2012

Fukushima’s events : consequences in terms of communication for au nuclear operator

OUTLINE

1. The events of Fukushima : EDF’s communication strategy

2. Importance of working during calm periods3. Perception of nuclear power in France 4. Conclusion

Fukushima’s events : consequences in terms of communication for au nuclear operator

Fukushima events :EDF’s communication strategy

Fukushima’s events : consequences in terms of communication for au nuclear operator

- 58 nuclear reactors which had to continue to operate to produce electricityKeeping the trust of local communities to maintain the acceptance of French nuclear plants

- Considerable investment in the nuclear industry in France and abroad

(EPR construction in Flamanville, construction of 2 EPRs in China, projects in England, etc.)

- Pre-electoral period with a high risk of entrenched positions on nuclear energy being adopted Trying to protect the energy model in France and our projects abroad

- Employees whose professions have been challenged by the events in Japan Renewing confidence and, in particular, re-motivating nuclear power plant personnel

- Personnel who are asked questions by their families and friends and communicated to the public for EDF

Giving personnel input and arguments to workers to help them understand so that they could answer questions which were bound to be asked off site

Off-site challenges

On-site challenges

EDF’s challenges after the disaster of Fukushima

Fukushima’s events : consequences in terms of communication for au nuclear operator

A dedicated web site:Developments on the situation in Japan

Educational information on how nuclear power plants operate

A forum where internet users could ask questions

Policy of openness towards the press: All media enquiries (around 500 the first week) were accepted,

Enquiries dealt with locally, welcoming journalists to our nuclear power plants,

Reassured and shown humility whenever speaking in public

Information by e-mail was sent to all EDF personnel, (twice a day)

Information meetings were held locally, in each of the EDF divisions to:

Give a briefing on the situation in Japan

Answer employees’ questions

Give the group’s position on these events to EDF staff

Pages dedicated to the situation in Japan were created on the EDF intranet, where personnel found:

Developments on the situation in Japan

Input on the risk prevention in French nuclear power plants

Off-site communication and relations with the press

On-site communication

Communication strategy rolled out

Fukushima’s events : consequences in terms of communication for au nuclear operator

Proactive communication conducted on this topic;

Response to media’s requests on the subject : through local managers on nuclear power plants, or through a national spokesperson for all national or general questions;

Some members of local information committees were invited to monitor Nuclear Safety Authority’s inspections during further safety evaluations.

Once the reports were completed and returned to the Nuclear Safety Authority :

publication of all reports on the website edf.com

Information about each plant provided the same day to the medias as well as local information committees, to discuss the first results of the stress-tests and proposals put forward by EDF

Pursued a strategy of openness when conducting stress-tests

Strategy of communication around stress-tests

Fukushima’s events : consequences in terms of communication for au nuclear operator

Importance of working during calm periods

Anticipation means continuous contactWhenever is possible, we give information about nuclear operating to local and national officials, media, medical professionnals, teachers, schoolchildren, students, NGO…

Examples of actions :- Visit of NPP by public- Presentations in schools

Fukushima’s events : consequences in terms of communication for au nuclear operator

Anticipation is the key for success

- Work with and contribution to Local Information Commitees, created especially for each NPP

- Have regular relations with regional and national media to give information about NPP results, on-site publicity events or on technical events. At least, we organized press conferences to comment results and programms

The aim is to present nuclear and mix energy policies

Select and train local and national spokesmen (mediatraining)

Select and set up communication crisis teams on call at local and national level

Prepare tools to give information very quickly : Q/A, computer graphics, crisis press kit for each NPP, a meeting room for the press….

Crisis plan Teams Coordination between EDF’s team and Public Authorities CommunicationFor instance :- 7 or 8 exercises are organized every year with Public Authorities, including 3

national exercises with media simulated pressure

- Each NPP have to organize every week or every month safety, security, radioprotection or fire exercises. The aim is to train all staff.

Fukushima’s events : consequences in terms of communication for au nuclear operator

Anticipation is the key for success

Prepare people to speak

Train and test

Fukushima’s events : consequences in terms of communication for au nuclear operator

Perception of nuclear power in France : - results of EDF’s communication

-Fukushima’s consequences

Fukushima’s events : consequences in terms of communication for au nuclear operator

- Press relations : 850 enquiries from the media in 1 month Þ Consequences in the press essentially negative in terms of the French energy model, moderate as regards the operation of nuclear power plants by EDF.

- Monitoring of social networks:

- Institutional relations: ÞApart from anti-nuclear groups, no radical positioning (v. Germany)- Martine Aubry (PS): in favour of phasing out all nuclear power” (22/03)- François Fillon (UMP): asked for an inspection of all French nuclear power plants (24/03)- Nicolas Hulot (EELV): “in favour of phasing out nuclear power in the next few decades”(25/04)- Nicolas Sarkozy: “There is no question of France phasing out nuclear power” (3/05)

-

Twitter Facebook

“Stop nuclear” page“Nuclear”

EDF’s communication results during the events of Fukushima

Þ Declining interest in the event from the 2nd week

Fukushima’s events : consequences in terms of communication for au nuclear operator

Against nuclear power For nuclear power

French people’s position for or against nuclear power

Fukushima’s events : consequences in terms of communication for au nuclear operator

Rank/Company % of good image Evolution since 2011, september

11 / EDF 45

Others energy’s companies21 / GDF SUEZ 2626 / AREVA 1330 / TOTAL -27

+19

+12

-1

+5

Image survey of French companies(Ipsos)

Fukushima’s events : consequences in terms of communication for au nuclear operator

68%

3%4%

10% 15%

Question : Do you have a very good image, rather good, airly bad or very bad image of EDF ?

Fairly good

Rather good

Very bad

Very good

No decision

Average nuclear power plants %

GOOD IMAGE83 %

BAD IMAGE13 %

18

21

68

67

9

6

3

33

2

BAD IMAGE

%

GOOD IMAGE

%

11

9

Reminder 2010

Reminder

2009

86

88

Image among residents near EDF nuclear power plants (Ipsos)

Fukushima’s events : consequences in terms of communication for au nuclear operator

Our challenges in the future

Fukushima’s events : consequences in terms of communication for au nuclear operator

What we are going to do after Fukushima: to get long term contamination of territories IMPOSSIBLE:

To increase ROBUSTNESS of our plants inside original design frame: by protecting the key safety functions preventing core melting

To develop ROBUSTNESS of our plants far beyond the original design through the design of a « hardened safety core », a set of systems, structures and components designed to prevent large radioactive releases to environment in extreme conditions

To be able to foresee the unforeseable: through the strengthening of the RESILIENCE of our organisations: Nuclear Rapid Response Force (FARN)

-

Lessons learnt after FUKUSHIMA about Industrial model and nuclear acceptance

Fukushima’s events : consequences in terms of communication for au nuclear operator

Conclusion

Fukushima’s events : consequences in terms of communication for au nuclear operator

Before FukushimaA high confidence in EDF communication

A high overall picture of EDF : positive for 84% of French people. 70% of French trusted the company.

Equal confidence for those leaving near nuclear power plants

Since 2011 : a double effectFukushima

No breach of trust: the image of EDF remains strong.

For 86%, EDF is competent and efficient but there is a growing concern about :Ability to limit the impact of a potential accident on the environment : 45% (62% in 2010, 72% in 2008)

Ability to control the risks associated with nuclear power : 65% (80% in 2005)

Presidential electionsNuclear power was not a major topic of concern for 6% of French people (rank 13 concerns, the first was employement )

But opinion has an opinion about the debateSupports nuclear power has gone down : 29% (53% in 2009)

Decreasing of nuclear production is accepted : 58 % (54% of them supports right wings parties )

58% of French people think that we can replace nuclear energy with renewable energy (supporters of right wings parties = 54%)

Our challenge : Demonstrate and explain our capability to prevent long term contamination of territories

To conclude …