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Graphite Assessment Reports

Date released
11 December 2020
Request number
202010044
Release of information under
Freedom of Information Act 2000

Information requested

The last 3 reports from each graphite inspection outage of each AGR. However, if this is not possible just the most recent report.

Information released

I can confirm that under Section 1 of the FOIA we do hold the information requested.

However, as stated in our response, reference FOI202009033, to ensure we can deal with your request within the appropriate limit for dealing with FOI requests, the information that can be provided includes only the most recent graphite assessment reports.

We have identified 14 assessment reports that are in scope of your request. The assessment reports for Hunterston B Reactors 3 and 4 are available on our website, via the links below:

Details of the remaining 12 are listed in Annex A.

Please note that personal data within the reports has been withheld using the exemption Section 40(2) of the FOIA. In particular, disclosure of the information would breach principle (a) of GDPR (lawfulness, fairness and transparency) on the grounds that there is no lawful basis to process this data. In addition, disclosing this personal data would also breach principle (b) of GDPR (purpose limitation) as the data was provided for the purposes of presentation ownership or circulation.

Further Information:

EDF Energy have provided the following additional information which provides some helpful context to the reports.

Hunterston B and Hinkley Point B are both operating with Keyway Route Cracking (KWRC) in the core. This was forecast, is well documented and the work in this area has helped the operator to make clear decisions about end of generation dates for these two stations.

The remaining five AGRs are not yet operating with KWRC, though it is expected to be observed in the coming years. Project Assessment Reports, which capture the high level findings of each of the requested graphite assessment reports, are routinely published on the ONR website meaning the conclusions are already documented in public. These show that the graphite cores at these stations have been routinely inspected throughout their operational lives. The inspected state of the graphite core is formally captured through return to service Engineering Changes and assessment reports.  All of the graphite cores are performing as expected and the presentation of evidence based safety cases by EDF demonstrating the acceptability to return to service forms part of the usual permissioning route for continued operation.

Annex A - Documents released

Exemptions applied

Section 40(2)

PIT (Public Interest Test) if applicable

N/A