Executive summary
Date(s) of inspection
- April 2026
Aim of inspection
The purpose of this inspection is to assess AWE’s LC 28 compliance with respect to current Examination, Inspection, Maintenance and Testing (EIMT) activities for the lightning protection systems at *F20.
Given the facility remains under construction, ONR and DNSR will inspect current activities to gauge regulatory confidence that full LC28 compliance may be delivered for *F20 LPS by stage gate (SG) 5. The inspection will consider:
- The adequacy of AWE's current arrangements for EIMT of LPS at *F20.
- The adequacy of implementation of these arrangements.
- How EIMT work on the LPS system is currently delivered and recorded to support full LC28 compliance by Stage Gate 5.
Subject(s) of inspection
- LC28 - Examination, inspection, maintenance and testing - Rating: Green
Key findings, inspector's opinions and reasons for judgement made
This inspection judged the adequacy of AWE plc’s (AWE) LC 28 compliance with respect to examination, inspection, maintenance and testing (EIMT) activities for the lightning protection systems (LPS) at *F20. The inspection was delivered jointly by ONR and DNSR inspectors.
Given the facility remains under construction, ONR and DNSR inspected current EIMT activities to consider their adequacy. We also reviewed AWE’s plans to develop adequate maintenance approaches for the operational phase of the facility.
Against ONR’s Technical Inspection Guides for Licence Conditions 28 (NS-INSP-GD-028), we sampled:
- The adequacy of AWE plc's current arrangements for EIMT at *F20.
- The adequacy of implementation of these arrangements for the LPS system at *F20.
- How EIMT work on the LPS system is currently delivered and recorded to support full LC28 compliance when needed.
AWE provided its arrangements for the EIMT in advance of the inspection. Using these we discussed the practical implementation of the arrangements for the *F20 LPS with AWE staff. The implementation involves several contractor organisations. We found that within the areas sampled:
- AWE demonstrated that is has implemented adequate arrangements to specify and control EIMT activities for the LPS at *F20;
- AWE adequately ensures that LPS EMIT activities are carried out and controlled by suitably qualified and experienced persons (SQEP);
- AWE has adequately identified LPS assets for the purposes of EIMT; and
- AWE is keeping adequate records of LPS EIMT activities.
Overall, we judged that adequate maintenance is in place for the sampled areas of the LPS at *F20 for the current period of the project. We also found that AWE is adequately developing plans for LC28 compliance at the facility.
Therefore, against ONR’s General Inspection Guide (ONR-INSP-GD-064), we rated LC 28 - GREEN.
Conclusion
We judged that the inspection scope was fully achieved and that within the areas sampled, AWE plc has made and implemented adequate arrangements for the regular and systematic examination, inspection, maintenance and testing of LPS at *F20.
Therefore, the inspection rating (LC28) was GREEN.