The Office for Nuclear Regulation (ONR) welcomed the publication of the review of operational safety performance at Heysham 2 power station.
The report has been published by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and the UK government.
The report highlights nine areas of good practice at the EDF-owned site in Lancashire including safety performance. The report also offers proposals for further improvements, which ONR fully support.
The Operational Safety Review Team (OSART) from the IAEA reviewed operations at Heysham 2 between 2 and 19 October 2023.
An OSART mission is conducted by a team of international experts who conduct an in-depth review of operational safety performance at nuclear power plants.
OSART missions are designed to strengthen the safety of nuclear power plants during commissioning and operation, comparing actual practices with IAEA safety standards.
Although the focus of the mission was EDF (the licensee), ONR’s inspectors provided assistance to the international team in understanding ONR’s regulation of operations at the station.
Also, prior to publication of the report the OSART team shared their mission findings with ONR to gain a regulatory perspective.
Mike Webb, ONR’s Superintending Inspector for Operating Reactors, said: “We welcome the findings in the OSART mission report and recognise the importance that international benchmarking offers to the sites that we regulate.
“We’re pleased to see the nine areas of good practice highlighted in the report, and note the recommendations for further improvement which OSART have made to EDF.
“We have a very thorough inspection programme at all the sites we regulate across the UK, and we are committed to ensuring licensees strive for continuous improvement.”