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 Chapelcross Local Liaison Committee (LLC) and covers activities associated with the regulation of safety at Chapelcross Power Station. These reports are distributed quarterly. Site Inspectors of HM Nuclear Installations Inspectorate normally attend LLC meetings and will be happy to 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.
This report will be put onto the HSE Website at http://www.hse.gov.uk/nuclear/index.htm under ‘Local Liaison Committee Reports’.
Nuclear Directorate
Health and Safety Executive
St. Peter's House
Bootle
Merseyside L20 3LZThe HMNII Site Inspector made the following planned visits during the period:
1 April; 25-29 April; 16-20 May; 27-30 June.
Other HMNII Inspectors visited the site during the quarter to: discuss the implementation of the Post Operation Safety Case (POSC); witness the Level 1 Emergency Exercise; discuss the decommissioning of the graphite handling facility; inspect the construction of the new flask handling facility.Routine inspections continued throughout the period to check compliance with the conditions attached to the Nuclear Site Licence.
Improvements have been made to the arrangements for dealing with emergencies and further improvements were in hand at the end of the quarter. A revised Emergency Plan, that covers REPPIR requirements and improvements to the emergency facilities, was Approved on 8/4/05.
MEL was taking steps to reinforce the need to follow arrangements associated with justifying changes to the site organisation. A revised baseline document, justifying the present site organistional structure, was being developed.
Enablers, to remove the large amounts of accumulated radioactive waste, were being developed, and the post of Waste Manager has been created to assist in progressing this work. The need for fire detection and suppression systems associated with the bulk storage of trace contaminated waste oil was discussed with MEL, and an enhanced programme covering this work is expected during the next quarter.The management and recording of events that occurred on the station during the period were inspected. Most of the events were relatively minor however several events were followed up in more detail with appropriate Magnox Electric limited (MEL) staff.
One event concerned the failure to put in place several routines for the maintenance and testing of safety related plant in B141 the depleted uranium oxide store. On discovering this omission, MEL placed an embargo on operations within the plant until the routines had been implemented. MEL is taking steps to prevent a recurrence.On 17/5/05 the Chapelcross Steering Group was attended. The Group agreed that, as the reactors had been shutdown for a considerable period, potassium iodate tablets would not be needed in any emergency due to the decay of radioactive iodine. It was also agreed that MEL would collect the pre-distributed tablets and inform the public accordingly.
The Chapelcross Annual Review Meeting was attended on 28/6/05. The provision of high quality documentation by MEL in a timely manner was a welcome improvement. The meeting reviewed performance over the past year and discussed the change in focus required in moving from a generating to a post operation site.A team from the Inspectorate witnessed the Level 1 Exercise “CAROLINE” on 27/4/04. The team concluded that further improvements had been made since Exercise “BYRON” on 8/9/04, and that exercise "CAROLINE" was an adequate demonstration of MEL’s emergency arrangements. MEL acknowledged that some improvements were needed to command and control, and to the station public address system.
Following re-licensing on 1/4/05, and the formation of the NDA, the NDA and the Inspectorate have worked together in line with the NDA/HSE Memorandum of Understanding. An introductory meeting was held with NDA staff on 28/4/05, and since then some meetings between the Inspectorate and MEL have been observed by NDA. A meeting was also held with SEPA, MEL and NDA on 19/5/05 as part of a stakeholder review of NDA strategy.
The Site Regulatory Schedule was issued at the end of the quarter.The Inspectorate was satisfied with the safety submission, covering modifications to improve the fuel discharge machines and associated equipment, and a Licence Instrument was issued that permitted the start of the modifications. The Inspectorate was also satisfied with the safety submission, covering modifications to the discharge routes and other parts of the fuel route to allow the use of M2 fuel transport flasks, and a Licence Instrument was issued that permitted the start of the modifications.
An inspection of the construction work, being undertaken on the new flask handling facility, was carried out and a satisfactory position was found.Assessment work continued on the POSC throughout the quarter, and queries have been raised which MEL is addressing.
One key area of work covers the provision of key operational safety documents that reflect the POSC, and includes revisions to the Operating Rules, the Plant Maintenance Schedule and the Emergency Plan. Useful discussions took place with MEL during the quarter on the Inspectorate’s expectations regarding these documents. Final versions of the documents are planned to be available during the next quarter.
A safety case, covering fire as a nuclear hazard, was being developed as part of the POSC. Details were discussed at site and no significant issues arose.
Discussions have been held with MEL on the proposed station structure. The use of relevant experts by MEL to justify the new structure is a welcome improvement, and gives the Inspectorate confidence that an adequate justification will be submitted during the next quarter.The Inspectorate requested more evidence in support of the Environmental Statement (ES) during the quarter. The additional evidence is associated with ground and groundwater contamination and also the disposal of tritium contaminated material. The Inspectorate hopes to be able to grant a Consent to decommission the site before the end of September.
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.
Agreement (Licence Instrument No 503) was issued on 12/5/05. The Agreement permits the start of modifications to the fuel discharge machines and associated equipment.
Agreement (Licence Instrument No 504) was issued on 12/5/05. The Agreement permits the start of modifications to the fuel discharge routes, to allow the loading of M2 fuel transport flasks at the reactor discharge wells, and to other parts of the route to allow the use of M2 flasks.
Approval (Licence Instrument No 502) was issued on 7/4/05. The Approval covers the revised Emergency Plan.