Executive summary
Date(s) of inspection:
December 2025
Aim of inspection
The purpose of the NSR19 compliance inspection at Low Level Waste Repository - Nuclear Waste Services (NWS) was to provide assurance to ONR that the operator’s accountancy arrangements were appropriate and proportionate for the qualifying nuclear facility. The inspection focussed on waste characterisation, measurement control, nuclear material account compilation and material balance evaluation. 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 in alignment with the Nuclear Safeguards (EU Exit) Regulations 2019 (NSR19).
Subject(s) of inspection
- FSE 6 Measurement Programme and Control - Rating: Not Rated
- FSE 7 Nuclear Material Tracking - Rating: GREEN
- FSE 8 Data Processing and Control - Rating: GREEN
- FSE 9 Material Balance - Rating: GREEN
- NSR19 Reg06 - Accountancy and control of qualifying nuclear material - Rating: GREEN
- NSR19 Reg07 - Accountancy and control plan - 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
Key findings, inspector's opinions and reasons for judgement made
ONR nuclear safeguards inspector conducted a compliance inspection on 10/12/2025 of the material balance area (MBA) QDRG at Nuclear Waste Services, considering the basic technical characteristics (BTC), accountancy and control plan (ACP) documents, and general arrangements for nuclear material accountancy and control for safeguards (NMACS).
The purpose of this inspection was to seek evidence in support of Nuclear Waste Services compliance with the Nuclear Safeguards (EU Exit) Regulations 2019 (NSR19).
This compliance inspection comprised of discussions with Nuclear Waste Services personnel, sampling of documentation, review of implementation of the arrangements for NMACS and a plant walkdown.
ONR inspector formed regulatory judgements and provided a rating in line with ONR’s inspection rating guidance of Nuclear Waste Services compliance against regulations 6, 7, 9, 10 and 11 of NSR19.
To form effective regulatory judgements on Nuclear Waste Services compliance with the NSR19 regulations listed above, the ONR inspector considered the ONR nuclear material accountancy, control and safeguards assessment principles (ONMACS) and the expectations within FSE’s 6, 7, 8 and 9.
On the basis of the evidence sampled, the inspector judged that Nuclear Waste Services are implementing adequate and proportionate arrangements for NMACS in line with the fundamental safeguards expectations described in ONMACS, and in line with NSR19.
ONR inspector raised three minor shortfalls and gave two pieces of regulatory advice whilst on site related to the completeness and accuracy of the BTC and the ACP documents. A Level 4 regulatory issue was raised by the ONR inspector - RI-12891 to manage these minor shortfalls.
Upon consideration of the ONR guidance on inspection ratings, ONR inspector judged that a rating of GREEN is appropriate.
Conclusion
Based on the sample inspected during the intervention, I judge that Nuclear Waste Services (QDRG) has arrangements for accountancy, control and safeguards of their qualifying nuclear material at QDYN in line with the regulatory expectations 6, 7, 8 and 9.
I also judged that QDYN are compliant with Regulations 6, 7, 9,10 and 11 of NSR19.
I identified three minor shortfalls related to compliance with NSR19 and provided two pieces of regulatory advice related to the completeness of the Accountancy and control Plan and Programme of Activities.
Upon consideration of the ONR guidance on inspection ratings, I judge that a rating of GREEN is appropriate.