Office for Nuclear Regulation

Sellafield – Inspection ID: 50105

Executive summary

Date(s) of inspection:

  • January 2023

Aim of inspection

The purpose of this inspection is to seek assurance that Sellafield Limited’s arrangements for compliance with Licence Condition 35 (Decommissioning) are adequately implemented at Magnox Reprocessing Facility (MRF) and comply with the relevant expectations of ONR and the Environment Agency. In particular, this inspection focuses on the preparation and entry into the Post Operational Clean Out (POCO) phase.

This is a joint Environment Agency and ONR inspection.

Subject(s) of inspection

  • LC35 – Decommissioning – Rating: Green

Key findings, inspector’s opinions and reasons for judgement made

During the LC35 inspection, I sampled evidence associated with the licensee’s compliance with its formal arrangements for the preparation and delivery of Post Operation Clean Out (POCO) within the Magnox Reprocessing Facility (MRF). In particular, I reviewed the arrangements for resources, safety case transition, operating instructions, training, management of change, communication to workforce and internal assurance.

Overall, based on the evidence sampled, I was satisfied that the MRF is following the Sellafield Limited corporate arrangements for transition to POCO and has adequate governance arrangements in place.

From the areas sampled, I provided some regulatory advice but did not identify any shortfalls in the implementation of the licensee’s arrangements which would necessitate a further inspection of those arrangements earlier than currently planned.This was a joint ONR and Environment Agency inspection. During the inspection, the Environment Agency undertook a review of the POCO arrangements in place for facility characterisation, the environmental case and POCO waste streams. Overall, the Environment Agency was content with the arrangements in place for POCO at MRF and will capture its findings in an Environment Agency Radioactive Substances Compliance Assessment Report (RASCAR).

Conclusion

On the basis of the evidence sampled at the time of the inspection, I judge that Sellafield Limited has adequately implemented its arrangements for LC35 in the Magnox Reprocessing Facility. Noting the ONR guidance on inspection ratings, it is my opinion that an inspection rating of Green (no formal action required) is appropriate.