Executive summary
Date(s) of inspection: September 2024
Aim of inspection
ONR nuclear safeguards inspectors will conduct an Accountancy and Control Plan (ACP) and Basic Technical Characteristics (BTC) targeted compliance inspection of the Sellafield Ltd. THORP Main Facility (QS31) on the 5 September 2024. The purpose of this inspection is to seek evidence in support of Sellafield Ltd.’s compliance with The Nuclear Safeguards (EU Exit) Regulations 2019 (NSR19).
ONR will form regulatory judgements and provide a rating in line with ONR’s inspection rating guidance of Sellafield Ltd.’s compliance against spec Regulations in NSR19.
Subject(s) of inspection
- FSE 3 Competence Management - Rating: GREEN
- FSE 4 Reporting, Anomalies, and Investigations - Rating: GREEN
- FSE 6 Measurement Programme and Control - Rating: GREEN
- FSE 7 Nuclear Material Tracking - Rating: GREEN
- FSE 8 Data Processing and Control - Rating: GREEN
- NSR19 Reg03 - Declaration of basic technical characteristics - Rating: GREEN
- NSR19 Reg06 - Accountancy and control of qualifying nuclear material - Rating: GREEN
- NSR19 Reg09 - Operation of an accountancy and control plan - Rating: GREEN
- NSR19 Reg10 - Operating records - Rating: GREEN
- NSR19 Reg11 - Accounting records - Rating: GREEN
- Overall Inspection Rating - Rating: GREEN
Key findings, inspector's opinions and reasons for judgement made
This intervention sought evidence that changes to the operation of THORP and the accountancy systems were captured in the Basic Technical Characteristics (BTC) and Accountancy and Control Plan (ACP). ONR sought evidence that arrangements for nuclear material accountancy and control for safeguards (NMACS) described in the BTC and ACP were being appropriately and adequately implemented by those with NMACS responsibilities for the MBA.
To inform my judgements on the adequacy of the arrangements and implementation of NMACS, I utilised the Safeguards Technical Assessment Guidance (TAG), the Safeguards Technical Inspection Guidance (TIG) and our safeguards expectations as described in the ONR guidance for Nuclear Material Accountancy, Control and Safeguards (ONMACS), I held discussions with Sellafield Ltd staff, reviewed relevant operating and local instructions, and conducted a verification of source documentation used to for NMACS.
Based on the sampled evidence during the course of the intervention at Sellafield Ltd THORP Main Facility, I judge that Sellafield Ltd are adequately maintaining an appropriate system of accountancy and control for qualifying nuclear material in accordance with NSR19 Regulations 3, 6, 9, 10, 11 and 12. I judge that Sellafield Ltd are adequately implementing their arrangements in line with regulatory expectations FSE 3, 4, 5, 7 and 8. I rated this intervention GREEN and I made a regulatory observation as follows:
Regulatory Observation 1: ONR observed that the person identified for the deputy NMC role in QS31 was not SQEP and recommended that Sellafield Ltd should consider completing the training to provide resilience in this area. ONR recommended a local work instruction be introduced, which captures the key task undertaken by the NMC for QS31.
Conclusion
Based on the sampled evidence during the course of the intervention at Sellafield Ltd THORP Main Facility, I judge that Sellafield Ltd are adequately maintaining an appropriate system of accountancy and control for qualifying nuclear material in accordance with NSR19 Regulation 3, 6(1-4), 9, 10, 11 and 12, and are adequately implementing the arrangements in line with regulatory expectations FSE 3, 4, 5, 7 and 8. I rated this intervention GREEN (no formal action).