Executive summary
Date(s) of inspection:
March 2026
Aim of inspection
This inspection is being targeted as the facility will be in a care and maintenance regime until final decommissioning in 2040 and seeks assurance that the care and maintenance plans adequately manage the risks to the asset.
Subject(s) of inspection
LC28 - Examination, inspection, maintenance and testing - Rating: Green
Key findings, inspector's opinions and reasons for judgement made
I undertook an inspection of the B206 facility on 4 March 2026 to examine Sellafield Ltd’s arrangements for managing structural condition, addressing their own civil inspection findings, and demonstrating the ongoing integrity of safety‑related plant and equipment as part of the facility care and maintenance regime. The intervention also considered the adequacy of governance processes supporting asset management decisions.
Sellafield Ltd provided a clear explanation of the Asset Specific Inspection Specification (ASIS) process and the mechanism by which civil shortfalls are identified, sentenced, and prioritised. The licensee had identified four red‑rated structural issues in their September 2025 civil inspection report and demonstrated that these items are captured within the Sellafield Asset Management Database (SAMDb) and supported by funded work programmes. This provided regulatory confidence that SL are actively managing the most significant safety findings from their inspection report.
Sellafield Ltd described the use of the Plant Health Committee (PHC), Enterprise Asset Management Oversight Committee (EAMOC), and the Asset Risk and Urgency Index as key elements of its governance for structural condition management. I judged that these processes appear capable of supporting proportionate decision‑making.
Sellafield Ltd asserted that the B206 structure continues to meet its safety case containment claim and Decontamination Factor (DF10) requirement to 2050. The ventilation system, replaced in 2012 and subject to ongoing monitoring, was reported to be in good condition, with filter life recently extended. Arrangements for RPE use, operational competence, and confined space considerations for underground HAL tanks were explained to a satisfactory standard. No safety‑significant shortfalls were identified during the inspection. I consider Sellafield Ltd’s arrangements for managing B206 structural condition and associated safety systems are adequate for the current stage of facility life.
Conclusion
I judge that Sellafield Ltd’s arrangements for the care and maintenance of B206 are adequate for the current phase of facility life and have awarded a Green rating (No formal action). They have provided satisfactory responses and demonstrated an appropriate understanding of structural condition management, asset prioritisation, and operational controls. The governance mechanisms described appear capable of supporting safe ongoing operation. Their operational arrangements have been adequately described and implemented.