- Site: Hartlepool
- IR number: 21-161
- Date: March 2022
- LC numbers: 8, 10, 12, 23, 24, 28
Executive summary
Purpose of Intervention
This intervention, conducted at Hartlepool Nuclear Power Station nuclear licensed site on 8 and 9 March 2022, was undertaken as part of a series of planned cross-site criticality inspections performed by the Office for Nuclear Regulation (ONR). The inspection team is known throughout this record as “we”.
Interventions Carried Out by ONR
The intervention was conducted by a walkdown of the station’s fuel route, discussions with key plant personnel and sampling of the licensee’s criticality safety documentation, training records, maintenance schedules/records and on-site signage (e.g., criticality notices).
Explanation of Judgement if Safety System Not Judged to be Adequate
Not applicable.
Key Findings, Inspector's Opinions and Reasons for Judgements Made
The key findings against each LC are recorded below.
LC 8 (Warning Notices) – Rating = Green
Criticality and fire signage on plant was found to be in a good condition. Criticality Safety Notices (CSNs) were legible, easy to understand, well maintained and regularly audited. Housekeeping practices were also generally good.
There were some instances of obsolete defect tags on pieces of equipment and some other defect tags that had been in place for some time. Station staff committed to reviewing these.
We judged that the inspection against this LC merited a rating of ‘Green’.
LC 10 and LC 12 – Training and Duly Authorised and Other Suitably Qualified and Experienced Persons – Rating = Green
We reviewed the general awareness training for all station personnel and the specialist criticality SQEP training, and found both to be adequate. Hartlepool meets EDF’s minimum staffing requirement for criticality SQEP with evidence of knowledge capture and succession planning.
We noted whilst inspecting training records that some non-essential training (such as the Dressing/Undressing in Contamination Controlled Areas (DUCCA) training) had gone ‘out of ticket’ for all of the individuals sampled. The training system does not automatically prompt individuals who are going out of ticket on non-essential training and individuals cannot access their own training records. Station staff committed to reviewing this.
We judged that the inspection against this LC merited a rating of ‘Green’.
LC 23 and LC 24 – Operating Rules and Operating Instructions– Rating = Green
Criticality limits and conditions in the safety documentation (including Criticality Safety Certificates (CSCs) and the summary CSNs) were clear and easy for operators to demonstrated compliance against (e.g., limits were given in number of packages). Hartlepool has adequate change control procedures in place for criticality-related modifications.
We judged that the inspection against these two LCs merited a rating of ‘Green’.
LC 28 – Examination, Inspection, Maintenance and Testing (EIMT) – Rating = Green
Maintenance schedules and instructions, and completed job cards, were found to be well written, in date and appropriately authorised. There were clear links between the maintenance schedules and the job cards which was demonstrated to us through the Asset Management System (AMS).
We judged that the inspection against this LC merited a rating of ‘Green’.
Safeguards
During the walkdown we asked questions on behalf of our ONR safeguards colleagues who are planning an intervention later in March but will not be undertaking the walkdown. Station provided evidence on-plant of procedures/records in place to maintain oversight of fuel element ID throughout its time on station. The plant personnel we questioned about this seemed knowledgeable of the procedures.
We did not give a rating for this aspect of the inspection as judgement of adequacy will be made by ONR safeguards colleagues during a dedicated safeguards inspection later in March.
Conclusion of Intervention
This criticality inspection focussed on criticality aspects of LCs 8, 10, 12, 23, 24 and 28 on the Hartlepool nuclear licensed site. Inspection findings against these LCs led to a rating of ‘Green’ in all cases, with no significant areas of concern.