Executive summary
Date(s) of inspection:
- January 2023
Aim of inspection
The aim of this inspection was to gain assurance that the licensee’s arrangements for the receipt, fabrication and installation of metallic liners on the Hinkley Point C (HPC) site are adequate and that those arrangements are being implemented on site in a suitable and sufficient way; this includes liners fabricated in-situ, fabricated on-site and prefabricated and received on-site. The intervention sampled the arrangements of the licensee, its arrangements for controlling contractors on site and also sampled the implementation of those arrangements on site. Metallic liners perform significant safety roles across the HPC site and they are currently being installed within the plant. Some of the metallic liners will not be easily inspectable through the life of the plant; for this reason, it was essential that ONR gained confidence that the hazards and risks are being properly controlled and that future operations are being properly considered.
Subject(s) of inspection
- LC 19 - Construction or installation of new plant
Key findings, inspector's opinions and reasons for judgement made
The inspection was performed jointly by the ONR installation assurance and construction assurance leads. The in-reactor water storage tank (IRWST) was used as a worked example and sampling occurred primarily for this system.
For the sample taken, evidence demonstrated that the licensee's processes in place to control installation of metallic liners are adequate and are being applied adequately. Moreover, the licensee's processes are being cascaded down and applied adequately through the supply chain for the sample taken.
Water containing sulphate-reducing bacteria (SRB) was observed in the IRWST during the inspection. This has been communicated to the ONR chemistry inspector and will be taken forward through the chemistry workstream.
I consider that the demonstrations and evidence presented were sufficient to meet the scope and aims of the inspection.
Conclusion
The performance of the licensee against the aims of the inspection was adequate. This area will need to be monitored into the future to gain assurance that the performance remains adequate; this will be progressed through regular level 4 interactions.
No regulatory issues have been raised as a result of this intervention within the Installation Assurance and Construction Assurance workstreams.
A rating of green is recorded against Licence Condition 19.