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HM NUCLEAR INSTALLATIONS INSPECTORATE

BRITISH NUCLEAR FUELS PLC URENCO (CAPENHURST) LTD

Quarterly report for 1 APRIL 2004 - 30 JUNE 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 URENCO (Capenhurst) Ltd Local 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 LLC meetings and will be happy to respond to 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.


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1. INSPECTIONS

The site was visited by NII inspectors on :-

April 27 May 27 June 9 & 22

On 1st April Mr I. Gibson replaced Dr D. Simister as the nominated NII Site Inspector for URENCO Capenhurst Ltd (UCL) Site


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2. ROUTINE MATTERS

Compliance with Conditions Attached to the Nuclear Site Licence

Each NII Site Inspector has an inspection programme to inspect compliance of operations on the site with the 36 Nuclear Site Licence Conditions (LCs). During this quarter the new site inspector has concentrated on site familiarisation and other regulatory activities. Licence condition compliance inspections will recommence in the next reporting period.

E23E & E23G Plants Projects

Various meetings have been held to progress the safety documentation relating to two projects to extend the E23 Plant. Licence instruments have been issued acknowledging receipt of the Pre-Commencement Safety Report (PCSR) and the Safety Commissioning Schedules (SCS) for the E23E extension project and the Preliminary Safety Report (PSR) for the E23G extension project. NII also issued a notification to UCL of the intent to examine the safety documentation for the E23E project prior to the commencement of active commissioning of the facility. NII indicated its intention to assess the criticality arguments within the E23 safety documentation before the issue of an agreement for the commencement of the active commissioning of the E23E plant. Further meetings have been held with UCL to discuss the Safety Commissioning Report covering the E23E inactive commissioning work which will form the basis of the UCL submission seeking permission to commence active commissioning.

Meeting with URENCO Site Safety Representative Committee

A meeting of the URENCO Site Safety Representatives Committee was attended.

E22 Plant Continued Operations Safety & Environment Report

A meeting has been held to discuss the safety report for the E22 plant. This was the first in a planned series of meetings between NII to UCL to discuss the scope of, and the methodologies utilised within, safety case documentation produced by UCL in support of the continued operation of existing facilities on site.

Local Liaison Meeting

The NII site inspector attended the UCL Local Liaison Committee meeting held on 22.6.04.

Hex Tails Deconversion Plant

UCL has announced its proposals for the building of a hex tails deconversion plant on the Capenhurst site to process the "tails" of hex material in stored cylinders into a more stable product suitable for long term storage. Initial discussions between NII and UCL have taken place regarding the UCL proposals.

Offsite District Emergency Control Centre Visit

A visit was undertaken to the current Offsite District Emergency Control Centre facility in Ellesmere Port. The centre is soon to be replaced with new facilities based at the Cheshire Police HQ at Winsford.

Capenhurst Off-Site Emergency Command Centre - Exercise "Commissioner"

Exercise "Commissioner" held at the Cheshire Police HQ at Winsford was witnessed. This exercise was primarily staged to test the working of, and the communication systems at, the new Gold Command/Off Site Emergency Command Centre at Winsford. The exercise provided an opportunity for the key responders to validate the room set up arrangements, test the communication and messaging systems and refresh themselves of the off site emergency plan procedures. Overall the participants considered that the new facilities were very good and although a number of minor improvements were suggested the exercise indicated that the systems and arrangements at the new facility were satisfactory.

Capenhurst Emergency Planning Consultative Committee (EPCC) Meeting

The Capenhurst EPCC meeting held on 29.6.04 was attended.

British Nuclear Group - UCL Site Responsibilities transfers

Initial discussions have taken place with UCL on their proposals to take over responsibility from British Nuclear Group for the site electrical distribution system, site fire brigade and the maintenance of the UCL CIDAS system. In addition discussions have taken place regarding the UCL proposal to purchase ex Sports Club Land from BNFL.


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3. NON-ROUTINE MATTERS

Nothing to report this period


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4. REGULATORY ACTIVITY

Regulatory Actions taken during the quarter -

DATE

DESCRIPTION

None

The Inspectorate has powers under the licence to issue Consents, Approvals and Directions. In addition, the Inspectorate uses Licence Instruments to issue Specifications, Acknowledgements and Agreements under either the conditions attached to the Licence, or arrangements made by UCL for complying with those conditions. The Consents/Approvals/Directions and Licence Instruments issued during the quarter were -

DATE

TYPE

No

DESCRIPTION

14.5.04

Acknowledgement& Notification

1

Pre-Commencement Safety Report for E23E Plant acknowledgement & notification of NII's intent to examine the relevant safety documentation for the project prior to the active commissioning of the plant

14.5.04

Acknowledgement

2

Preliminary Safety Report for the E23G Plant

18.6.04

Acknowledgement

3

Safety Commissioning Schedules for the E23E Plant


Published on the HSE web site 31 August 2004