- Site: Heysham 2
- IR number: 19-184
- Date: February 2020
- LC numbers: 14, 28
Executive summary
Purpose of Intervention
The purpose of this intervention was to carry out licence compliance inspections at EDF Energy Nuclear Generation Limited’s Heysham 2 power station in line with the planned inspection programme contained in the Heysham 2 Integrated intervention Strategy for 2019/20. This intervention is in support of the ONR decision on plant restart.
Interventions Carried Out by ONR
ONR Internal Hazards and Mechanical Inspectors carried out inspections against the requirements of Licence Condition 14: Safety documentation and Licence Condition 28: Examination, inspection, maintenance and testing, to inform the ONR decision relating to the issue of a licence instrument for consent for return to service of Heysham 2 following its periodic shutdown (Licence Condition 30). A combined Internal Hazard / Mechanical inspection was carried out due to the common areas of interest and to limit the regulatory burden on the Licensee. The activities examined were selected due to their nuclear safety significance.
The inspection involved reviewing the arrangements in place for identifying and minimising any nuclear safety impacts that may arise from internal hazards during outage activities along with the implementation of the mechanical engineering arrangements relevant to planned outage activities.
The intervention sampled; the examination, inspection, maintenance and testing performed during the periodic shutdown on safety systems and components, as specified in the Heysham 2 R8 2020 Outage Intentions Document. The internal hazards inspection sampled the arrangements in place for identifying and minimising any nuclear safety impacts that may arise during the outage. This was achieved by targeting some of the key outage tasks (gas circulator exchange and turbine rotor exchange) were internal hazards (i.e. fire, dropped loads and impacts) may arise.
The intervention was performed in line with ONR's guidance requirements (as described in our technical inspection guides) in the areas inspected.
Key Findings, Inspector's Opinions and Reasons for Judgements Made
Based on my sampling, I am satisfied from an internal hazards and mechanical engineering perspective that during the Heysham 2 2020 (S11R8) periodic shutdown:
- Examination, inspection, maintenance and testing associated with gas circulators, safety significant valves, control rods and turbines are being adequately controlled, in line with the requirements of the safety case.
- The arrangements adopted by Heysham 2 for management of internal hazards during outage activities are suitable and adequate.
- Sufficient records are being kept and monitored to identify problems both reactively and proactively.
Conclusion of Intervention
Based on my sampling undertaken as part of this intervention, I am satisfied that the Licence Condition 14 and Licence Condition 28 arrangements in place are adequate and have been adequately implemented with no significant shortfalls. I have therefore given this inspection a rating of GREEN.
From an Internal Hazards and Mechanical Engineering perspective, I support ONR permissioning the return of Heysham 2 R8 to power generation following its 2020 S11R8 periodic shutdown under Licence Condition 30.