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 Site Stakeholder Group (SSG) 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 SSG meetings and will be happy to respond to any questions raised there or subsequently by members of the SSG. 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.
Nuclear Directorate
Health and Safety Executive
St. Peter's House
Bootle
Merseyside
L20 3LZ
The HMNII Site Inspector made the following planned visits during the period:
10 – 14 October; 7 – 11 November.
Other HMNII Inspectors visited the site during the quarter to undertake readiness inspections associated with the implementation of the Post Operation Safety Case (POSC), and to witness training between the Fire Brigade and Magnox Electric Limited (MEL) staff on Breathing Air Control and the use of Forward Control Points.
Routine inspections continued throughout the period to check compliance with the conditions attached to the Nuclear Site Licence.
Significant improvements were made to the arrangements for identifying conditions and limits necessary in the interests of safety (Operating Rules). These improvements, together with the reduced risks and hazards associated with the shutdown reactors, enabled the Inspectorate to reduce the regulatory burden on MEL by only requiring the Approval of one Operating Rule.
Progress continued to be made on removing radioactive waste that has accumulated on the site, and on the provision of a radioactive waste processing facility. Progress was also made on introducing a new suite of documentation covering the management of radioactive waste.
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 MEL staff.
One such event concerned the failure to test electrical equipment, required to supply reactor instrumentation, within the required time period. The cause of the event was the inadvertent amendment of computer software utilised in the routine planning of work. MEL has since introduced more rigorous controls to prevent a recurrence.
On 11/10/05 the Emergency Exercise Review Meeting was attended. It was confirmed that all the improvements identified during the last Level 1 Exercise “CAROLINE” had been addressed.
No Level 1 Exercises were held.
Dr Weightman, HM Chief Inspector of Nuclear Installations, visited the site during 9-10/11/05. Dr Weightman held meetings and undertook plant inspections with members of the Site Lead Team and Site Safety Representatives.
Dr Weightman was encouraged by the dedication and enthusiasm shown by staff, and he con-gratulated the site on recent improvements made to safety and on progress made in removing legacy wastes. He commended that, prior to the onset of reactor defuelling, the opportunity be taken to drive for operational excellence, which would form the bedrock for achieving MEL’s ultimate aim of “world class”.
Modification work continued on the upgrading of the fuel route discharges machines and as-sociated plant, and our assessment work on related matters continued. The upgrade work was on programme at the end of the quarter.
Assessment and inspection work by the Inspectorate was completed during the quarter. The Inspectorate was satisfied with the position and permitted MEL to implement the POSC. The key work areas are mentioned below.
A new safety case, covering fire as a nuclear risk, was implemented by MEL.
A new set of Operating Rules, that reflect the reduced risks and hazards from the shutdown reactors, was implemented by MEL. One Operating Rule, covering criticality control, was Approved by the Inspectorate.
Training by the Fire Brigade and MEL staff on the use of forward control points, and on breathing air control associated with the proposed POSC Emergency Plan, was witnessed by the Inspectorate on 16/11/05. The training went well and the proposed Plan was subse-quently Approved by the Inspectorate.
MEL, in accordance with Condition 5 attached to the Consent issued under the Nuclear Reactors (Environmental Impact Assessment For Decommissioning) Regulations 1999, provided the Inspectorate with the environmental management plan.
The Inspectorate has powers under the Nuclear Site Licence to issue regulatory documents collectively termed Licence Instruments. These Licence Instruments are issued under the licence conditions and arrangements and include Consents, Approvals, Directions, Specifications, Notifications and Agreements.
The Licence Instruments given below were issued during the quarter.
Approval (Licence Instrument No 506) was issued on 25/11/05. The Approval covers the POSC Emergency Plan.
Approval (Licence Instrument No 507) was issued on 25/11/05. The Approval covers Oper-ating Rule 1 – Criticality Control;
Approval (Licence Instrument No 508) was issued on 25/11/05. The Approval covers Part 1 of the PMS.
Under Health and Safety Legislation the Site Inspector, or other HSE Inspectors, may issue formal notices to secure improvements to safety. No such notices were issued during the quarter.