- Date released
- 30 August 2022
- Request number
-
202208023
- Release of information under
- Freedom of Information Act 2000 (FOIA)
Information requested
Could you send me under Freedom of Information Act 2000 the headlines for each of the yet unresolved GDA assessment findings for Hinkley Point C, with an indication of the current best estimate respectively when each is expected to be closed out?
I am aware of the similar request 202011054 from 24 of December 2020 (https://www.onr.org.uk/foi/2020/202011054.htm), what I need is an update of that information.
Information released
I confirm that under Section 1 of the FOIA, we hold the information related to
your request. We have also provided some explanatory background to your requests below which we hope you may find helpful.
1) Headlines for each of the 328 unresolved nuclear and security GDA assessment findings for Hinkley Point C
The timely resolution of GDA Assessment Findings (AFs) remains an important strategic priority for ONR.
The current status of outstanding GDA AFs for Hinkley Point C (HPC) is that as of 15 August 2022, 328 of the circa 700 nuclear safety and security findings remain open. The remaining open GDA AFs are listed in the table in Annex A along with the milestone by which they are required to have been addressed; a small number of these milestones have changed since they were published at the end of GDA following requests from the licensee and agreement by ONR. This was because the original milestones were initial estimates defined by ONR before the project started. As the project has since developed and evolved, we have responded and refined these milestones accordingly.
The information on GDA AFs for HPC in Annex A, including definitions, have been compiled from many reports available on our website. These can be found on our page: Assessment of Reactors - UK European Pressurised Reactor™ (UK EPR). If you have any problems locating the definitions or specific acronyms, as we recognise there are many, please do come back to us.
2) Indication of the current best estimate respectively when each is expected to be closed out
As set out in the table in Annex A, each assessment finding is measured against a milestone descriptor or event rather than a calendar date. Our focus is ensuring that the work described in the AF is complete in advance of the descriptive milestone. For example, the “fuel load” milestone means we expect those relevant AFs for that milestone to be closed at the latest before fuel can start to be loaded into the core.
Regarding the open GDA AFs, care must be taken regarding how the absolute number of open findings is interpreted and the number of open findings should not be taken as a reliable indicator of design maturity. Furthermore, comparison of numbers of GDA AFs between different reactor designs should be avoided as assessment findings are not equal in terms of their significance. The significance of the assessment findings vary, with a number being normal business activities that must be completed during the construction or commissioning of any nuclear power plant; that is whether a GDA AF had been raised or not.
We regularly discuss progress towards closure of GDA AFs with the licensee. We have also carried out detailed reviews of GDA AFs to inform our decisions whether to agree to certain activities starting, for example the start of the bulk Mechanical, Electrical and HVAC installation in Unit 1 (see this report). Even where assessment findings remain open, significant progress has been made by the licensee towards their closure. However, in a significant number of cases the final evidence to support closure cannot be produced until later in the project, for example after certain commissioning activities are completed, making the resolution of GDA AFs a continuous process throughout the progress of HPC to commercial operations.
On this basis, we consider that the licensee has prioritised resolution of the more significant GDA AFs, adequately addressed those findings where resolution was needed by early project milestones and it continues to make good progress towards resolution of outstanding GDA AFs in line with the agreed milestones.
Exemptions applied
N/A
PIT (Public Interest Test) if applicable
N/A