- Site: Sellafield
- IR number: 21-133
- Date: November 2021
- LC numbers: 24, 28
Executive summary
Purpose of Intervention
The Office for Nuclear Regulation (ONR) undertakes all regulatory interactions with the Sellafield site licensee (Sellafield Ltd.) against a strategy defined by the ONR Sellafield subdivision. In accordance with that strategy, a Licence Condition (LC) 24 (Operating Instructions) and Licence Condition (LC) 28 (Examination, inspection, maintenance and testing) compliance inspection of Sellafield Ltd. Railways was carried out on 16 November, 2021.
Purpose of Intervention
The purpose of this intervention was to undertake a compliance inspection to assess Sellafield Ltd. Railways compliance with corporate arrangements for various Licence Conditions. These included Licence Condition (LC) 24 [Operating Instructions] and LC 28 [Examination, inspection, maintenance and testing].
Interventions Carried Out by ONR
This compliance inspection comprised discussions with Sellafield Ltd. personnel, review of records, documents and processes and a targeted walk down of railways.
The inspection was conducted in line with a plan shared with Sellafield Ltd. ahead of the inspection (2021/0052996).
Explanation of Judgement if Safety System Not Judged to be Adequate
This was not a system-based inspection, and therefore no judgement has been made of the adequacy of implementation of any part of the safety case.
Key Findings, Inspector's Opinions and Reasons for Judgements Made
Assurance was provided that Sellafield Ltd. Railways understands what the requirements are in terms of compliance with the identified LCs and that the Sellafield Ltd. Corporate arrangements are being appropriately complied with. No significant matters were identified as requiring immediate regulatory attention.
The representatives of the licensee had an effective understanding of the requirements of these LCs , and of the site arrangements for their implementation.
We recognise that Sellafield Ltd. is in a period of transition regarding the current and future operations of the railways and have agreed to engage in June 2022 regarding:
the appropriate maintenance for the permanent way (and associated equipment including crossings) and the management of safety case compliance, particularly with the cessation of reprocessing operations; and
the development of an integrated strategy for railways which identifies clear priorities and ownership.
Conclusion of Intervention
From the evidence sampled during the inspection, Sellafield Ltd. has effectively implemented its arrangements for compliance with LC 24 [Operating Instructions] and LC 28 [Examination, inspection, maintenance and testing] in Railways and inspection ratings of Green (no formal action) for these licence conditions are considered to be appropriate.