The Office for Nuclear Regulation (ONR) undertakes all regulatory interactions with the Sellafield site licensee (Sellafield Limited, (SL)) against a strategy defined by the ONR Sellafield Sub Division. This planned intervention was undertaken as part of the ONR 2019/20 Intervention Plan.
This planned core licence condition inspection was carried out to assess Sellafield Ltd.’s (SL’s) compliance with licence condition (LC) 11 – Emergency arrangements at the Thermal Oxide Reprocessing Plant (THORP) at Sellafield. The inspection also sampled other facilities where the THORP emergency arrangements provide resources and cover using a Cross Plant Resource Agreement (CPRA).
I carried out a one day licence condition compliance inspection against Licence Condition 11, Emergency arrangements.
N/A as this was not a safety systems inspection.
From the inspection, I have seen evidence that THORP is maintaining its local emergency arrangements and providing emergency arrangements support as required by its CPRAs. I have seen evidence of a structured exercise plan, which has been implemented, with areas for improvement being actively followed up by the Licensee. I inspected the THORP Incident Control Centre (ICC), an Access Control Point (ACP) and a Forward Control Point (FCP). I found that emergency arrangements equipment was available in accordance with the associated contents lists; I did identify a number of minor shortfalls at the Forward Control Point which are being addressed by the Licensee.
THORP is is in the process of transitioning to Post Operational Clean Out (POCO); THORP’s management recognise that this may have implications for its own emergency arrangements and what support THORP will provide to and receive from other facilities. The Emergency Management (EM) Manager is preparing to update the THORP Emergency Manual to reflect any changes as a result of the transition to POCO.
On the basis of the evidence gathered during the inspection, I judge that an inspection rating of GREEN is warranted for LC11.