- Site: Hinkley Point C
- IR number: 21-026
- Date: September 2021
- 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 applicable licence conditions. This is to ensure that the licensee, NNB Generation Company (HPC) Ltd (NNB GenCo), is adequately developing and implementing its compliance arrangements in a manner that is commensurate with the stage of the project under consideration.
This intervention was an inspection carried out to assess NNB GenCo’s compliance with licence condition 19 (LC19); Construction or Installation of New Plant. LC19 requires that where the licensee proposes to construct or install any new plant, which may affect safety, the licensee makes and implements adequate arrangements to control the construction or installation.
Intervention Aim
The aim of this intervention was to assess the adequacy of NNB GenCo’s construction management arrangements, together with its application of relevant good engineering practice, in the area of safety-related equipment integration into the civil engineering works. This is the subject of a forthcoming regulatory permissioning milestone pertaining to bulk installation of safety-related mechanical and electrical works.
Explanation of Judgement if Safety System Not Judged to be Adequate
This section is not applicable as this was not a safety system inspection.
Key Findings, Inspector's Opinions and Reasons for Judgements Made
Overall, for this early stage of implementation, I was satisfied with the adequacy of NNB GenCo’s construction management arrangements, together with its application of relevant good engineering practice, in the area of area of safety-related equipment integration into the civil engineering works.
My assessment was based upon a sampling of the licensee’s arrangements for managing handover of the civil works to the mechanical, electrical, heating, ventilation and air conditioning (MEH) alliance, arrangements for managing spatial and structural interfaces between the civil works and equipment and finally upon two relevant case studies.
Whilst implementation of the relevant activities, was at the time of this inspection, at a relatively early stage for the project as a whole, I was satisfied with the maturity and robustness of the arrangements and early progress in their implementation. Furthermore, I was satisfied that the licensee had an appropriate appreciation of the nuclear safety risks and was managing them accordingly. Some opportunities for future engagement were identified.