The Office for Nuclear Regulation (ONR) has formally consented to the installation of the unit 1 reactor pressure vessel (RPV) at the Hinkley Point C (HPC) nuclear licensed site in Somerset.
Formal permissioning is a key regulatory activity by ONR used to inform its robust decision-making process following detailed inspections and evidence-gathering.
Permissioning of the unit 1 RPV installation marks a major milestone for the HPC site and has involved constructive engagement between the regulator and the site licensee, NNB GenCo, in keeping with ONR’s enabling regulatory approach.
NNB Genco is constructing a twin-unit European Pressurised Reactor (EPR) at the site. The RPV is a 500-tonne steel container that holds nuclear fuel used to generate heat to produce steam for the reactor turbine in the unit 1 reactor building.
As the first installation of its kind in Britain for more than 30 years, regulatory oversight has been crucial to ensuring safety and security requirements.
The ONR assessment and inspection work has been targeted around the structural integrity of the RPV, the readiness of the HPC site and team undertaking the installation, and the robustness of the processes set out by NNB GenCo for its successful installation.
Mahtab Khan, ONR’s Head of Safety Regulation for the HPC project said: “Following a period of assessment and inspection work, we have consented to the installation of the first RPV at Hinkley Point C.
“Our consent enabled a team of experts to carefully transport the RPV from storage into the reactor building where it was installed. This now allows the licensee to install the remaining equipment to complete the unit 1 primary circuit.
“Reaching these judgements is a collective effort, involving months of activity across a range of ONR technical experts, and by working constructively with the licensee, NNB GenCo.
“This demonstrates our ongoing commitment to delivering effective regulatory activity in an enabling manner that allows delivery against clear and prioritised safety and security outcomes.
“As the Hinkley Point C programme of work moves forwards, our regulatory oversight will continue to reflect the pace required. Once we are assured compliance has been met at each decision-making opportunity or regulatory hold point, will we allow the next step to commence.”
The Project Assessment Report (PAR), setting out ONR’s decision to grant permission will be published in the coming weeks. The PAR summarises ONR’s assessment in relation to the following key areas:
- the evidence that the structural integrity of the RPV is adequate to allow the safe operation of the power station for its design lifetime.
- evidence for the readiness and the HPC site and relevant personnel to safely undertake the process of installing the RPV; and
- the robustness of the licensee’s processes for determining its own readiness for the commencement of installation of the RPV.
For more information about our regulation of new reactors, watch our video.