Executive summary
Date(s) of inspection:
July 2023
Aim of inspection
The objectives of this intervention are:
- To examine the adequacy of the licensee’s arrangements with regards to graphite core inspection during this outage;
- To establish confidence that the various safety case commitments for core inspection and trepanning would be met;
- To consider the quality of the examinations performed, both in terms of data quality and the adequacy of the training and understanding of those involved in the work being carried out.
Subject(s) of inspection
- LC28 - Examination, inspection, maintenance and testing - Rating: GREEN
Key findings, inspector's opinions and reasons for judgement made
ONR’s Licence Condition (LC) 28(1) requires the Licensee to make and implement adequate arrangements for the regular and systematic examination, inspection, maintenance and testing of all plant which may affect safety.
As part of Hartlepool Reactor 2 periodic shutdown, I carried out a site intervention at Hartlepool on 20th July 2023 to examine EDF Energy Nuclear Generation Ltd's (NGL's) arrangements with regards to the graphite inspections. I was accompanied by another ONR graphite specialist for the intervention. The outcome of the graphite inspection will inform ONR’s decision on whether to issue a licence instrument granting Consent for the return to service of the reactor following its 2023 periodic shutdown, as required by LC30(3).
Conclusion
I sampled the following documentation from the licensee:
- Training records
- Quality Plan for the graphite inspections
- LOLER certificates for the hoists used for the graphite inspection and trepanning
- Calibration records of the relevant inspection equipment
- Image quality of the camera
In my opinion, the licensee provided satisfactory evidence that the arrangements for the graphite inspections were appropriate and were adequately being implemented during the periodic shutdown. At the time of my site intervention, the licensee was still to carry out the graphite inspections and trepanning. There was however nothing to suggest that the scope of the inspections would not be met at the time of my intervention. I will comment on the findings of these inspections in a separate specialist assessment report.
Based on the outcome of my intervention, I have allocated an ONR IIS rating of ‘GREEN’ – no formal action.