Executive summary
Date(s) of inspection:
- November 2023
Aim of inspection
ONR nuclear safeguards and safety inspectors conducted a compliance inspection of Magnox Limited’s (ML) arrangements and their implementation across ML sites for planning and delivering decommissioning, including nuclear material accountancy throughout decommissioning activities, on 29 and 30 November 2023. The purpose of this inspection was to seek evidence in support of Magnox Corporate’s compliance with The Nuclear Safeguards (EU Exit) Regulations 2019 (NSR19) and Licence Condition 35 .
ONR formed regulatory judgements and provided a rating in line with ONR’s inspection rating guidance of Magnox Limited’s compliance against the requirements of LC35 and regulations made under the Nuclear Safeguards (EU Exit) Regulations 2019 (NSR19) regulations 6, 10, 11, 12, and 14.
To form effective regulatory judgements on Magnox Ltd.’s compliance with the NSR19 regulations listed above, inspectors considered the ONR Guidance for the Assessment of Nuclear Material Accountancy, Control and Safeguards (ONMACS) guidance and the expectations within. There was a particular focus on FSEs 5, 7, and 8.
Subject(s) of inspection
- FSE 5 Reliability, Resilience and Sustainability – Rating: Green
- FSE 7 Nuclear Material Tracking – Rating: Green
- FSE 8 Data Processing and Control – Rating: Green
- LC 35 – Decommissioning – Rating: Green
- NSR19 Reg06 – Accountancy and control of qualifying nuclear material – Rating: Green
- NSR19 Reg10 – Operating records – Rating: Green
- NSR19 Reg11 – Accounting records – Rating: Green
- NSR19 Reg12 – Accounting reports – Rating: Green
- NSR19 Reg14 – Inventory change report – Rating: Green
- Overall Inspection Rating – Rating: Green
Key findings, inspector’s opinions and reasons for judgement made
In accordance with the Office for Nuclear Regulation (ONR) Integrated Inspection Strategy (IIS) 2023/24 for Magnox Ltd.; hereafter referred to as Magnox. ONR Safeguards and Safety conducts compliance inspections at the Magnox fleet. One such intervention was performed to inspect Magnox Corporates compliance with the requirements of the Nuclear Safeguards (EU Exit) Regulations 2019 (NSR19) and NS-INSP-GD-035 License condition 35 Decommissioning (LC35) in relation to decommissioning arrangements. For this intervention, the focus was on the Magnox Corporate Centre, and the inspection planned as a Safeguards and Safety compliance inspection. Regulatory intelligence based on Magnox’s program of activities informed the proposed scope of this inspection. The Magnox fleet is in the process of decommissioning with sites in various stages of the decommissioning process. Given that ONR purposes Safety and Safeguards both considered this area to be of interest, it was decided that a joint inspection would be conducted.
This inspection sought to collect evidence of arrangements and their implementation to make judgements of compliance against NSR19 Regulations 6, 10, 11, 12, 14 and LC35.
I conducted a Safeguards and Safety compliance inspection, focussing on the Magnox Corporate Centre. Magnox The inspection comprised of discussions with staff, demonstration of accountancy systems, and reviews of associated procedures, operating and accounting record.
The inspection targeted Magnox’s arrangements and whether they were being implemented for the development and execution of proportionate decommissioning plans for the Magnox sites. This involved a demonstration of the associated accountancy procedures, the nuclear material accountancy (ATOM) system, and review of traceability from operator records to the associated accountancy reports.
This intervention was performed in line with ONR’s guidance (as described in the relevant technical inspection and assessment guides, which can be found on ONR’s website (onr.org.uk).
Based on the sample I inspected, I judge that Magnox has adequately implemented the following elements of a system for the accountancy and control of qualifying nuclear material (QNM) as part of decommissioning activities;
- Planning and delivering decommissioning activities across the Magnox fleet, in a reliable, resilient, and sustainable manner.
- Delivering adequate nuclear material tracking and management of QNM as part of proposed decommissioning activities.
- A system to generate accurate accountancy records and reports.
I identified no shortfalls as part of this inspection.
I provided three pieces of regulatory advice regarding the use of regulatory intelligence by Magnox’s internal assurance but none of these represented a shortfall against NSR19 or LC35 requiring a new regulatory issue. I raised five observations as part of the inspection, two of which were positive, the rest neutral.
Based my discussions with relevant staff, review of associated procedures, operating records, and accountancy reports, and demonstration of the ATOM accountancy system; I judge that Magnox are adequately managing decommissioning arrangements as required by NSR19 Regulations 6, 10, 11, 12, 14, and LC35.
Conclusion
Based on the sample I inspected, I judge that Magnox has adequate arrangements and is effectively implementing those arrangements for complying with LC35 and the relevant NSR19 regulations corporately. I am satisfied that this inspection merits an IIS rating green (no formal action) against LC 35, NSR19 regulations 6, 10, 11, 12, and 14, and ONMACS FSEs 5, 7, and 8.