- Site: Hinkley Point C
- IR number: 20-026
- Date: December 2020
- LC numbers: 19
Executive summary
Purpose of Intervention
In accordance with the Office for Nuclear Regulation’s (ONR’s) Hinkley Point C (HPC) Construction Inspection Plan, ONR performs a series of planned compliance inspections of identified licence conditions (LC), to ensure that NNB Generation Company (HPC) Ltd (NNB GenCo), is proportionately and adequately developing and implementing its licence condition compliance arrangements commensurate to the current stage of the project.
Interventions Carried Out by ONR
LC 19 requires that “the licensee shall make and implement adequate arrangements to control the construction or installation.”
ONR carried out the following LC19 intervention:
- A two day routine licence condition inspection carried out to assess NNB GenCo’s and its contractor’s readiness to commence installation of the initial Mechanical, Electrical and Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning (MEH) equipment in the HGE galleries (safety related services ducts).
The following guidance was used in this intervention:
- NS-INSP-GD-019 Revision 6 – Construction or Installation of New Plant
Explanation of Judgement if Safety System Not Judged to be Adequate
N/A as this was not a safety systems inspection.
Key Findings, Inspector's Opinions and Reasons for Judgements Made
It is evident that the MEH alliance (the organisation comprising NNB GenCo and its tier 1 contractor staff responsible for the delivery of MEH activities) has set itself up with competent individuals whom displayed the appropriate attitudes towards nuclear safety.
The MEH alliance has put in place what appears to be robust arrangements to ensure that key trades carrying out work on its behalf are competent to do so.
Overall, the MEH alliance appears to have developed appropriate arrangements to manage installation activities associated with the HGE gallery.
ONR noted that the inspection and test plan (ITP) for the offsite manufactured HGE gallery pipework support frames, as presented, did not meet expected quality and completeness requirements.
Conclusion of Intervention
Overall, I judge that an inspection rating of Green (no formal action) is appropriate for LC 19. This is because overall, I consider that NNB GenCo and the MEH alliance were able to demonstrate that they had developed sufficiently (both organisationally and from a process perspective) to justify commencing the installation activities associated with the HGE gallery. I have however raised a level 4 (the lowest level) regulatory issue to ensure appropriate regulatory oversight of the issues identified with the quality and completeness of the HGE gallery pipework support frames ITP.