Health and Safety
Executive / Commission
Nuclear
LLC reports
This report is issued as part of the Health and Safety Executive's commitment to make information about inspection and regulatory activities relating to the above site available to the public. It is for distribution to members of the Hartlepool Local Community Liaison Council and covers activities associated with the regulation of safety at Hartlepool Power Station. These reports are distributed quarterly. Site Inspectors of HM Nuclear Installations Inspectorate (part of the Health and Safety Executive's Nuclear Directorate) attend LCLC meetings and will be happy to respond there to questions raised by members of the LCLC. Any person wishing to inquire about matters covered by this report should contact the HSE, Nuclear Directorate Information Centre on 0151 951 4103.
I visited the site on five occasions during the quarter:
20th to 25th January
11th to 13th February
26th to 28th February
6 and 7th March
21st to 26th March
Specialist NII inspectors also visited the site during the period to inspect arrangements for conventional safety, aspects of the Periodic Safety Review and control of nuclear sources under the Ionising Radiation Regulations. My Superintending Inspector accompanied me at the annual safety review meeting in January.
As part of our routine work NII inspectors inspect for compliance against the requirements of the Station's Nuclear Site Licence, the Health and Safety at Work Act and other relevant safety legislation. We monitor events, plant operations, projects, modifications and safety case changes which are important to safety. Topics covered during the quarter included control and management of the Pre Stressed Concrete Pressure Vessels, operation of the fuel machine, changes to company procedures, the control of modifications, compliance with Technical Specifications, control and supervision of maintenance, control of nuclear matter on the site, and emergency arrangements.
In general the stations arrangements were found to be satisfactory, with a commitment to remedy matters where that was not the case. One aspect, related to the control and recording of sealed radioactive sources, was found not to be progressing as rapidly as promised at an earlier inspection. Station have now committed to completing all the outstanding work by July this year and I will be monitoring their progress actively.
As part of the NII's routine inspection activities there is an annual review of safety at each station. This gives the opportunity to take an overview and identify any significant strategic aspects regarding regulation of the site. This year's meeting at Hartlepool took place in January and was attended by my Superintending Inspector as well as myself and other colleagues. No issues in addition to those being followed up during routine inspection visits were identified.
I attended the Emergency Planning Consultative Committee meeting on 7th March and observed shift exercise Mojo on 26th March. The latter focussed on refresher training for managing activities and resources available to the Emergency Controller. Exercise Mojo demonstrated a significant improvement relative to the demonstration exercise in November 2001, when the need for refresher training was identified.
As part of my planned inspection I examine safety related events that have occurred and the Licensee's response to them. Generally the Licensee's internal system for following up events is robust and the appropriate actions are implemented. Two events which I consider to be more significant are summarised below.
There has been a history of slightly elevated gas circuit activity in reactor 1 throughout 2001 and into the reporting period of 2002. This is an indication that one or a small number of the many thousands of fuel "pins" in the circuit are not retaining all the fission products in line with the design intent. I have monitored this situation closely to ensure that the station have been conscientious in attempting to identify the location of the leaking fuel and that the safety case was adequately maintained. Fuel from two suspected leaking channels was discharged in February, however circuit activity did not return to normal on return to power and I am continuing to monitor the situation to ensure that the safety case limits are maintained.
During the period an operator suffered a burn injury to his leg during replenishment of liquid nitrogen stocks. The injury was reportable under the Reporting of Injuries Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations because the injured person was unable to resume work for several days. I scrutinised the Licensee's investigation process which identified poor maintenance of the equipment as the cause of the event. A significant factor was the contractual arrangement for the equipment, which is rented by the station. The station have agreed to include the rented equipment in the Plant Maintenance Policy document, used to control the maintenance of their own nuclear safety related and other plant. This should ensure that this situation does not arise again. I have also sought to ensure that there are no similar situations where routine maintenance might have become overlooked.
The Inspectorate has powers under the Nuclear Site Licence to issue Consents, Approvals and Directions. In addition, the Inspectorate uses Licence Instruments to issue Specifications and Agreements under the conditions attached to the Site Licence.
There has been no requirement to issue regulatory documents during the period covered by this report.
Published on the HSE web site 24 June 2002