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 Dungeness Power Stations’ Site Stakeholder Group (SSG) and covers activities associated with the regulation of safety at Dungeness A Nuclear Power Station. These reports are distributed quarterly and are also available on the HSE’s web site at http://www.hse.gov.uk/nuclear/llc/index.htm. Site Inspectors of HM Nuclear Installations Inspectorate attend SSG meetings and will respond to questions raised there by members of the SSG. Any other person wishing to inquire about matters covered by this report should contact the HSE’s Nuclear Directorate on 0151-951-3484/3290.
Nuclear Directorate
Health and Safety Executive
Redgrave Court
Merton Road
Bootle
Merseyside
L20 7HS
1. The Nuclear Installations Inspectorate (NII) Site Inspector visited Dungeness A during the quarter. Inspections were made on the following days: -
2. Compliance Inspections: Routine inspections are undertaken for the purpose of monitoring compliance with (i) the conditions attached by HSE to the nuclear site licences, and (ii) other relevant provisions of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974, including the Ionising Radiations Regulations 1999.
3. In this period routine inspections covered:
4. Under Condition 35(1) of the site’s nuclear licence, Magnox are required to have adequate decommissioning arrangements. The original programme of post operational clearout of radioactive waste has been significantly deferred in the latest life time plans.
5. As part of its regulation under nuclear site licences, NII issues regulatory documents, collectively termed Licence Instruments. No licence Instruments were issued this quarter.
6. Phase 3 Trials: Phase 3 of operation begins when the residual energy in the reactors has decayed sufficiently to allow it to be self cooling. Magnox have completed trials demonstrating that phase 3 conditions have been achieved. This is a significant point in the site’s lifecycle. HSE have released a hold point permitting external cooling systems to be “retired”.
7. Bulk Defuelling: HSE have released a hold point allowing the reactors to be completely defuelled.
8. 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 reporting period.