The Office for Nuclear Regulation (ONR) has launched a new technical note focusing on smaller licensees and licence applicant organisations with lower hazard installations, to help ensure ONR inspectors continue to regulate these sites effectively and proportionately.
The note explains what to expect during the licence application process and how ONR will regulate once a licence has been granted. It identifies the key challenges that smaller licensees and licence applicant organisations with lower hazard installations may face, to support ONR inspectors in taking a risk-informed and enabling approach to regulation of these sites.
Topics covered within the note include site boundaries, storage of bulk quantities of radioactive matter, compliance with licence conditions, decommissioning and organisational capability.
The note was developed with input from the industry, including representatives of smaller licensee organisations.
Trevor Chambers, former Head of Reactor Centre and Head of Nuclear Licensed Site at Imperial College London, said: “In producing the technical note, ONR has been mindful of both the challenges faced by licence applicants, and the particular challenges experienced by smaller licensees.
"Its proportionate and targeted approach will enable applicants to take a pragmatic approach to the process, as well as enabling smaller licensees to target their resources more effectively, whilst still maintaining safe and compliant operations at all stages of the site lifecycle.”