Executive summary
Date(s) of inspection:
November 2023
Aim of inspection
In accordance with the Office for Nuclear Regulation’s (ONR’s) Sellafield Strategy, each year ONR performs a series of planned compliance inspections of selected licence conditions, targeted at those facilities with significant importance to nuclear safety. A limited number of these inspections are not announced to the dutyholder. One such unannounced inspection was undertaken on for 14, 15 November 2023 to assess the Pile Fuel Cladding Silo’s (PFCS) compliance with Sellafield Limited’s corporate arrangements for IRRs and Licence Condition 11 (Emergency Arrangements).
Subject(s) of inspection
- IRR17 – Rating: Green
- LC11 – Emergency arrangements – Rating: Green
Key findings, inspector’s opinions and reasons for judgement made
On 14, 15 November 2023, an unannounced inspection was undertaken to assess the Pile Fuel Cladding Silo’s (PFCS) compliance with Sellafield Limited’s corporate arrangements for Ionising Radiations Regulations (IRRs) and Licence Condition (LC) 11 (Emergency Arrangements).
ONR examined evidence to verify the adequacy of the implementation of Sellafield Limited’s arrangements. This was achieved through a combination of document reviews, a plant visit and discussions with staff.
The ONR Inspection Team consider that Sellafield Ltd has demonstrated compliance with LC11. Although the Incident Command Centre (ICC) used by Retrievals teams (including PFCS) was functional, there seemed to be no overall owner of the ICC facility. It was advised by Sellafield Ltd. that progress was being made at a site level by Sellafield Ltd in the ownership and management of ACPs and ICCs across the Retrievals operating unit. This will inform part of a Retrievals wide LC11 compliance inspection planned for the 2024/2025 operating year.
Compliance was also demonstrated with Regulation 20 (Monitoring of Designated Areas) and Regulation 29 (Accounting for Radioactive Substances) of the IRRs. There is no further regulatory action required and no regulatory issues raised. Based on minor anomalies with instrument calibrations, ONR will look to target instrument calibrations in future IRR17 interventions across the site, along with raising this at the routine Level 4 radiological protection meetings with the Sellafield Ltd RP team.
Conclusion
There were no significant gaps in compliance with those requirements of LC 11 and the inspection was rated Green (no formal action required).
There were no significant gaps in compliance with those requirements of the regulations of IRR17 examined. The inspection was rated Green (no formal action required).