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HM NUCLEAR INSTALLATIONS INSPECTORATE

BRITISH NUCLEAR FUELS PLC URENCO (CAPENHURST) LTD

Quarterly report for 1 January - 31 March 2004

CONTENTS


FOREWORD

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 Capenhurst District Liaison Committee and covers activities associated with the regulation of safety at Capenhurst. These reports are distributed quarterly. Site Inspectors of HM Nuclear Installations Inspectorate normally attend DLC meetings and will be happy to respond to questions raised there or subsequently by members of the DLC. Any other person wishing to inquire about matters covered by this report should contact the HSE, Nuclear Directorate Information Centre on 0151 951 4103.


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1. INSPECTIONS

Six inspection visits were made to the UCL site during this period on 7/8 January 2004, 20 January 2004, 11 March 2004, 12 March 2004, 17 March 2004 and
22-24 March 2004.
The main themes of NII's inspection activities included:

i) joint inspection with Department for Transport to review arrangements for transport of radioactive materials;
ii) issue of a new nuclear site licence to permit a number of land transfers between UCL and BNFL;
iii) completion of handover arrangements to the new NII nominated site inspector.


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2. ROUTINE MATTERS

2.1 Compliance with Conditions Attached to the Nuclear Site Licence

A topic inspection including an NII assessment specialist was undertaken to examine Urenco's arrangements under LC36, Control of Organisational Change. UCL's arrangements were generally found to be adequate but in response to NII's observations, Urenco has agreed to review its categorisation procedures in respect of changes to company and managerial organisational change.

2.2 Decommissioning Programme

Nothing to report.

2.3 Radiation Emergency Preparedness and Public Information Regulations 2001

Nothing to report this period

2.4 Waste Disposal

Nothing to report this period.

2.5 Emergency Preparedness

Nothing to report.

2.6 Other Regulatory Compliance Issues

Nothing to report.


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3. NON-ROUTINE MATTERS

A three day joint inspection with the Department for Transport was undertaken on 22-24 March 2004 to examine UCL's arrangements for the transport of radioactive materials. Prior to our inspection, UCL had undertaken an internal review which resulted in a number of learning opportunities which have been shared with NII and DfT - this approach was welcomed by both regulators. Our inspection activities revealed strengths in Urenco's arrangements at the policy and organisational level but we expressed some concern at weaknesses in compliance with some aspects of transport regulations. The company has agreed to a programme of further improvements which will be monitored by DfT and NII. The openness and co-operation of UCL staff during this inspection is recognised and acknowledged.

A further plant visit by the French regulatory authorities DGSNR (Direction Generale de la Sûreté Nucléaire et de la Radioprotection) and
IRSN (Institut de Radioprotection et de Sûreté Nucléaire) was organised jointly by the Health and Safety Executive and Urenco (Capenhurst) Ltd. Discussions focused on technical standards for containment of plant systems and fire safety precautions. A visit to the E23 plant was also arranged.


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4. REGULATORY ACTIVITY

A new nuclear site licence No. 48C was issued by the Health and Safety Executive to Urenco (Capenhurst) Ltd on 6 February 2004. This enabled a number of land transfers between UCL and BNFL at Capenhurst to take place.

Consent No. 1 under Nuclear Site Licence 48B was issued by the Health and Safety Executive on 29 January 2004. This consented to the issuing of a lease to Enrichment Technology (UK) by UCL in respect of three buildings on the Capenhurst site for which ET(UK) is currently a tenant.


Published on the HSE web site 28 May 2004