Executive summary
- Date(s) of inspection: May 2023
Aim of inspection
ONR performed a nuclear material accountancy compliance inspection, considering the arrangements for the Nuclear Material Accountancy Control and Systems (NMAC&S) and their implementation at Oxford Engineering Services - MBA (QOEL), to judge if they comply with Nuclear Safeguards Regulations 2019 (NSR19).
The purpose of the accountancy compliance inspection was to provide assurance to ONR that the operator’s accountancy arrangements are appropriate and proportionate for the qualifying nuclear facility and that they are adequately implemented for nuclear material accountancy and control of Qualifying Nuclear Material (QNM). This includes maintaining adequate operating records and accounting records, which are traceable to the accounting reports provided to the ONR and are underpinned by suitable accountancy arrangements. The purpose of this inspection was to gain evidence and enable ONR inspectors to make judgements on Oxford Engineering Services compliance with NSR19.
Subject(s) of inspection
- 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 Reg15 - Material balance report and physical inventory listing - Rating: GREEN
Key findings, inspector's opinions and reasons for judgement made
This Inspection at Oxford Engineering Services, material balance area (MBA) QOEL was an accountancy inspection of the operator’s arrangements and their implementation for compliance with the Nuclear Safeguards Regulations 2019 (NSR19) and was conducted in accordance with the Safeguards operational schedule for 2023/2024. I reviewed documentary evidence and conducted a plant walkdown with QNM sampling in order to gain assurance of the adequacy of the Oxford Engineering Services system for nuclear material accountancy and control. On the basis of the evidence I sampled, I judge that Oxford Engineering Services is compliant with NSR19 regulations 3, 6, 9, 10, 11, and 15 and rated the Inspection Green in line with ONR guidance.
Conclusion
Based on the sample inspected, I judge that Oxford Engineering Services are implementing their arrangements for accountancy and control of QNM in-line with regulatory expectations and are compliant with the NSR19 regulations 3, 6, 9, 10, 11 and 15 and ONMACS FSEs 7, 8 and 9.
Furthermore, due to the additional information provided and demonstrated, I judge Oxford Engineering Services are implementing their arrangements for accountancy and control of QNM in line with ONMACS FSE 3.
I did not identify any significant or minor shortfalls in compliance against NSR19 during this intervention.