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 Hunterston B Local Liaison Committee and covers activities associated with the regulation of safety at Hunterston B Nuclear Power Station. These reports are distributed quarterly. Site Inspectors of HM Nuclear Installations Inspectorate normally attend LLC meetings and will respond to any questions raised there or subsequently by members of the LLC. Any other person wishing to inquire about matters covered by this report should contact the HSE, Nuclear Directorate Information Centre on 0151 - 951 - 4103.
1.1 HMNII's policy is for site inspectors to remain on a particular site for a period of about three years. The handover of inspection responsibility to a new site inspector was completed during this quarter, with several planned visits being carried out by both inspectors as part of the handover arrangements. The previous site inspector was joined by the Superintending Inspector and other inspectors to observe the annual emergency demonstration exercise.
1.2 A significant number of additional inspections were carried out, some involving HMNII specialist inspectors and inspectors from SEPA. These inspections were in connection with a number of issues including British Energy's proposal to implement its Work Management Project at Hunterston B, the storage of radioactive wastes on the site, the adequacy of the station's arrangements to meet the requirements of its Fire Certificate and the follow-up to an improvement notice.
The routine inspections for this quarter, covering a range of aspects of plant operation, maintenance, and management were completed. Reactive inspection has also been carried out, with the more significant items reported below. In areas where opportunities for improvement were identified, remedial work has been agreed with station management, with the intention of achieving improvements to current station arrangements in those areas. A team from the NII observed the annual level 1 demonstration exercise. In many areas the exercise provided a satisfactory demonstration of the site emergency arrangements, but it was agreed that the station would provide a further demonstration of the working of the ECC at a date to be agreed with the NII.
A radioactive waste inspection was undertaken to follow up an earlier inspection. Some of the findings from the earlier inspection had been satisfactorily completed; however, others required further work to be undertaken by the licensee. British Energy has responded formally to a number of the issues raised by HMNII
Site inspection visits were made to ascertain British Energy's readiness to implement the Work Management Project (WMP). The final implementation of WMP will be subject to further detailed inspection and the formal agreement of HMNII.
HMNII's conventional safety specialist inspector visited site to inspect progress to address the improvement notice reported in the last quarterly report. Our specialist inspector concluded that the site had complied with the requirements of the notice as required by 1 November 2002.
Inspectors from HMNII and SEPA, and British Energy representatives carried out an inspection of the gas circulator workshop waste oil facility. The inspection revealed the need for the station to undertake work to improve the safety and environmental adequacy of plant and equipment within this plant area as soon as reasonably practicable.
Hunterston B's formal response to this joint inspection confirmed that some remedial work had been carried out and that further work to comply with the requirements to improve the storage arrangements in this area would be carried out.
A new Fire Certificate was issued following the HSE Fire Surveyor's inspection of the improvements made to the protected routes etc. of the Hunterston B Power Station.
Discussions were held with station staff on the contingency plan put in place to deal with strike action that could affect the site. HMNII was satisfied with the adequacy of the plan.
Specifications had been issued to all of British Energy's sites requesting the licensee to submit for Approval the high level arrangements put in place to comply with licence condition 36. HMNII was satisfied with the Hunterston B arrangements and Approval number 28 was issued to the licensee on 23 December 2002. Approval means that any alteration or amendment to these arrangements will now require a further Approval by HMNII, prior to implementation.
The Government made an announcement regarding the future of British Energy on 29 November 2002.
As reported previously, British Energy's nuclear site licences, and the conditions attached to them, remain in force. The duty to comply with licence conditions therefore continues, together with the duty to comply with other health and safety legislation. HMNII inspectors are continuing to check British Energy's compliance with the licence conditions, and other relevant safety regulations, and will not hesitate to take any appropriate action to ensure nuclear safety and that the protection of the public is maintained.
4.1 Licence Instrument No. 35 was issued on 11 October 2002, specifying that the licensee should not commence, without HMNII's agreement, the implementation of the Work Management Project. This was issued to give us formal over the implementation of the project.
Published on the HSE web site 28 April 2003