Executive summary
Date(s) of inspection:
- January 2024
Aim of inspection
ONR nuclear safeguards inspectors conducted a nuclear material accountancy focused compliance inspection of the Material Balance Area QBSP - " Oxide Fuels Complex and finished fuel store " and a Basic Technical Characteristics (BTC) compliance inspection of the Material Balance Area QBS1 “ Natural Residue Recovery and Decommissioning Activities” on the 23 and 24 January 2024.
The purpose of this inspection was to seek evidence in support of Springfields Fuels Limited’s compliance with The Nuclear Safeguards (EU Exit) Regulations 2019 (NSR19).
ONR formed regulatory judgements and provide a rating in line with ONR’s inspection rating guidance of Springfields Fuels Limited’s compliance against the regulations in 3(1)(3), 6(1-4), 9, 10(1), 11(1-4), 12(1-2) and 14 in NSR19.
Forming effective regulatory judgements on Springfields Fuels Limited’s compliance with the NSR19 regulations listed above, inspectors considered the ONR guidance for the assessment of Nuclear Material Accountancy, Control and Safeguards (ONMACS) and the expectations within. There was particular focus on FSE 6, 7, 8, 9 and 10.
Subject(s) of inspection
- FSE 10 Quality Assurance and Control for NMACS - 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
- FSE 9 Material Balance - 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
- 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
ONR nuclear safeguards inspectors conducted a nuclear material accountancy focused compliance inspection of the Material Balance Area QBSP - " Oxide Fuels Complex and finished fuel store " and a Basic Technical Characteristics (BTC) compliance inspection of the Material Balance Area QBS1 “ Natural Residue Recovery and Decommissioning Activities” on the 23rd and 24th January 2024.
The purpose of this inspection was to seek evidence in support of Springfields Fuels Limited’s compliance with The Nuclear Safeguards (EU Exit) Regulations 2019 (NSR19).
The inspection comprised of discussions with Springfields Fuels Limited personnel, sampling of documentation, review of implementation arrangements and a plant walkdown. ONR formed regulatory judgements and provided a rating in line with ONR’s inspection rating guidance of Springfields Fuels Limited’s compliance against regulations 3(1)(3), 6(1-4), 9, 10(1), 11(1-4), 12(1-2) and 14 in NSR19.
To form effective regulatory judgements on Springfields Fuels Limited’s compliance with the NSR19 regulations listed above, inspectors considered the ONR guidance for the assessment of Nuclear Material Accountancy, Control and Safeguards (ONMACS) and the expectations within. There was a particular focus on FSEs 6, 7, 8, 9 and 10.
On the basis of the evidence sampled, I judge that Springfields Fuels Limited are implementing adequate arrangements to provide measurement programme and control in line with FSE 6, nuclear material tracking in line with FSE 7, data processing and control in line with FSE 8, material balance within FSE 9 and quality assurance and control for NMACS in line with FSE 10.
The purpose of this inspection was to seek evidence in support of Springfields Fuels Limited’s compliance with The Nuclear Safeguards (EU Exit) Regulations 2019 (NSR19).
The inspection comprised of discussions with Springfields Fuels Limited personnel, sampling of documentation, review of implementation arrangements and a plant walkdown. ONR formed regulatory judgements and provided a rating in line with ONR’s inspection rating guidance of Springfields Fuels Limited’s compliance against regulations 3(1)(3), 6(1-4), 9, 10(1), 11(1-4), 12(1-2) and 14 in NSR19.
To form effective regulatory judgements on Springfields Fuels Limited’s compliance with the NSR19 regulations listed above, inspectors considered the ONR guidance for the assessment of Nuclear Material Accountancy, Control and Safeguards (ONMACS) and the expectations within. There was a particular focus on FSEs 6, 7, 8, 9 and 10.
On the basis of the evidence sampled, I judge that Springfields Fuels Limited are implementing adequate arrangements to provide measurement programme and control in line with FSE 6, nuclear material tracking in line with FSE 7, data processing and control in line with FSE 8, material balance within FSE 9 and quality assurance and control for NMACS in line with FSE 10.
Conclusion
Overall, I did not identify any major shortfalls against NSR19, or fundamental safeguards expectations as described by the ONMACS. On the basis of the evidence sampled, I judge that Springfields Fuels Limited are implementing adequate arrangements to provide measurement programme and control in line with FSE 6, nuclear material tracking in line with FSE 7, data processing and control in line with FSE 8, material balance within FSE 9 and quality assurance and control for NMACS in line with FSE 10. I also judged that Springfields Fuels Limited are compliant with regulations 3(1)(3), 6(1-4), 9, 10(1), 11(1-4), 12(1-2) and 14 in NSR19.
The overall rating of the QBS1 BTC Compliance and QBSP Accountancy Compliance inspection is rated as green.
The overall rating of the QBS1 BTC Compliance and QBSP Accountancy Compliance inspection is rated as green.