Sizewell B - LC11 inspection
- Site: Sizewell B
- IR number: 19-139
- Date: December 2019
- LC numbers: 11
Executive summary
Purpose of Intervention
The purpose this intervention was to carry out a planned licence condition (LC) 11 (emergency arrangements) inspection in accordance with the Sizewell B integrated intervention strategy (IIS) plan.
Interventions Carried Out by ONR
This intervention comprised the following activities:
- A review of the site’s ability to plan for an incident or emergency on the site by: identifying potential threats and hazards; responding to new or changing threats and hazards introduced by changes to operations on site; and identifying transient issues that could challenge the site’s emergency arrangements. The review considered the processes in place to support these activities (principally the safety case and modifications processes) and used as evidence the output from changes over the past five years.
- The annual emergency arrangements review meeting, in which the site assessed its performance over the past year based on exercises, demonstrations and actual events (for example, the ammonia leak of July 2019).
- Observation of an out-of-hours emergency exercise.
The intervention was performed in line with ONR's guidance requirements (as described in our technical inspection guides) in the areas inspected.
Explanation of Judgement if Safety System Not Judged to be Adequate
N/A
Key Findings, Inspector's Opinions and Reasons for Judgements Made
During this intervention I:
- Reviewed the licensee’s ability to plan appropriately for an incident or emergency, and consider it to be adequate.
- Saw evidence that the licensee has learnt lessons from both its exercise programme and from actual incidents that have occurred through the year, and has proposals to amend its arrangements for responding to incidents or emergencies accordingly.
- Witnessed a strong performance from the main control room during a demonstration exercise.
Based on this sample I therefore consider the licensee to be compliant with LC 11 in the areas inspected.
Conclusion of Intervention
Overall, I consider that the licensee is able to demonstrate compliance in the areas inspected. Therefore, no urgent regulatory action is needed and no change to the planned intervention strategy for Sizewell B is required.