Health and Safety
Executive / Commission
Nuclear
LLC reports
Inspections
Routine Matters
Non Routine Matters
Regulatory Activities
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 Bradwell Power Station's Local Community Liaison Council and covers activities associated with the regulation of safety at Bradwell Nuclear Power Station. These reports are distributed quarterly. Site Inspectors of HM Nuclear Installations Inspectorate normally attend LCLC meetings and will respond to any questions raised there or subsequently by members of the LCLC. Any other person wishing to inquire about matters covered by this report should contact the HSE, Nuclear Directorate Information Centre on 0151 - 951 - 4103.
1.2 In addition to the site inspector's planned inspection activities, a number of additional inspections were carried out, one of which involved HMNII specialist inspectors. This inspection was in connection with the station's arrangements made under Licence Condition 36: Control of Organisational Change. The site inspector, and HMNII's Superintending Inspector, attended a meeting to discuss the station's proposal to appoint a Decommissioning Project Manager. Additionally, the station's annual demonstration emergency excercise, BRAD51, was held at the station. This was also attended by HMNII specialist inspectors and HMNII's Superintending Inspector.
Bradwell was visited for site inspections on four occasions this quarter with another visit planned for later this month. These visits took place on:-
27 MarchThe 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.
The Bradwell level 1 emergency exercise 'BRAD51' was observed by HMNII in March. Although NII considered that there had been an adequate demonstration of many aspects of the site emergency arrangements, there were some areas for improvement noted, in particular, the command and control arrangements within the Access Control Point (ACP).
Specialist inspectors from HMNII's Quality Management Inspection Team carried out an inspection of the adequacy of Bradwell's arrangements made under LC 36: Control of Organisational Change. These were found to be satisfactory although HMNII offered the station three pieces of advice which were considered would improve the arrangements.
A meeting was held between HMNII and Bradwell to discuss the content of a submission the station had made under LC36. The station proposed to appoint a decommissioning Project manager to the station Lead Team. After discussion, an acceptable way forward was agreed.
Following a breach of the Maintenance Schedule, the station's arrangements made under Licence Condition 28 were inspected and found to be adequate. The breach itself had no potential to breach the nuclear safety case. The reason for the breach was investigated by the station and remedial action proposed.
Following a breakdown of the Defuelling Machine during commissioning, the station's arrangements made under Licence Condition 21 were inspected and found to be adequate. The reason for the breakdown was investigated by the station and remedial action proposed.
An inspection was carried out of the arrangements the station has made and implemented to verify that the reactors have been defuelled. This is an ongoing process which confirms that each channel has been defuelled. The station's arrangements were seen to be more than adequate and included areas of good practice. The arrangements were seen to be being implemented correctly. Further inspections will take place in this area as defuelling progresses.
4.1 Licence Instrument No. 58 was issued on 25 April 2003, under licence condition 22(1) agreeing to the commencement of the modification of the defuelling data acquisition system.
4.2 Licence Instrument No. 59 was issued on 12 May 2003, under licence condition 22(1), agreeing to the commencement of the modifications to station documentation and training requirements in readiness for defuelling.
4.4 Approval No. 17 issued on 14 March 2003 and Approves Issue 7 of the Bradwell Emergency Plan. This plan reflects the fact that there is now no need for the station to store and distribute potassium iodate tablets.
4.5 Approval No. 18 was issued on 27 May 2003 and Approves Issue 9 of Operating Rule 7.1 which controls the combustibility of radioactive waste in the Miscellaneous Active Waste Vaults.
Published on the HSE web site 22 September 2003