Welcome to ONR news

Hello everyone.

Welcome to the latest edition of ONR News, keeping you updated about our work as the UK’s nuclear regulator for safety, security and safeguards.

You may have noticed that our website has had a whole new look and redesign, achieving a key corporate milestone in our journey to become ever more open and transparent with you, our stakeholders.

We're really pleased with the results and we hope you find the site a more engaging user experience to hear more about the work that we do and decisions that we make.

We've been working hard across the full spectrum of our regulatory purposes including operating facilities, decommissioning sites and new build as the UK's nuclear landscape continues to evolve significantly.

In recent weeks, we concluded a prosecution after a scaffolder was seriously injured when he fell through an unprotected hole on a Royal Navy warship at Devonport Royal Dockyard - resulting in fines close to £900,000 - as we continue to hold the industry to account in order to protect workers and the public.

In February, we were delighted to reveal how the Imperial College Reactor Centre in Ascot had become the first reactor site to be fully decommissioned in UK nuclear history under modern regulatory controls - a fantastic accomplishment for all those involved.

And in March, we launched our new early regulatory engagement framework for interested parties to deploy nuclear reactor technology in Great Britain to compliment work to streamline our regulatory processes and facilitate multilateral collaboration with international counterparts.

As always, if you have any comments about ONR, any of the topics included in this newsletter, or our work in general, please get in touch via contact@onr.gov.uk.

Best wishes

Rachel Grant

Director of Policy and Communications

Devonport Royal Dockyard Limited and Kaefer Limited fined after scaffolder ship fall

Two companies were fined a total of almost £900,000 due to health and safety failings which led to a worker being seriously injured on board HMS Bulwark.

Our new website launches

The recent launch of our modernised and more accessible website has delivered one of our key milestone projects as part of our commitment to remain open and transparent with all our stakeholders.

Regulators launch early engagement guidance

We've put in place a new early regulatory engagement framework for interested parties to deploy nuclear reactor technology in Great Britain.

Key changes to RIDDOR incident notification process

We've launched an updated process for incident notification under the Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 2013 (RIDDOR).

Small Modular Reactors undergoing Generic Design Assessment

We are currently carrying out Generic Design Assessments (GDAs) on Small Modular Reactor (SMR) technologies proposed by Rolls-Royce SMR Ltd, Holtec International and GE-Hitachi Nuclear Energy International LLC.

Working with fellow regulators the Environment Agency and Natural Resources Wales, our assessments will ensure that any new nuclear power stations built in Great Britain will be able to demonstrate the required high standards of safety, security, environmental protection and waste management.

Rolls-Royce SMR Ltd is on track to complete Step 2 of GDA this summer for its 470MW pressurised water reactor (PWR) design, with the intention of transitioning straight into a third step to examine the detailed evidence necessary to allow for future construction activities.

Both Holtec International’s SMR-300 PWR and GE Hitachi’s BWRX-300 boiling water reactor are now in Step 1, demonstrating their readiness to start engagements on the fundamental adequacy of their design which takes place later in the year, during Step 2.

Robert Exley, our Superintending Inspector, said: “We now have three teams mobilised to progress these GDAs in parallel. Representatives from five European regulatory bodies are routinely observing our engagements with Rolls-Royce SMR Ltd, and future collaborative working is expected with regulatory colleagues from the US and Canada on the SMR-300 and BWRX-300."

We sign Information Exchange Agreement with Indian regulator

We have signed an Information Exchange Agreement (IEA) with India’s Atomic Energy Regulatory Board (AERB) to promote safety and security in nuclear operations.

This five-year agreement strengthens the relationship between the two regulators, with commitments to information sharing to help with learning and to reflect good practice.

The agreement also bring benefits of employee exchange and shared participation in courses, secondments and seminars.

Mark Foy, our Chief Nuclear Inspector and Chief Executive Officer, said: “We look forward to working closely with AERB and seeing the nuclear safety and security benefits that this will bring.”

OSART report welcomed

We have welcomed the publication of the review of operational safety performance at Heysham 2 power station.

The report has been published by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and the UK government and highlights nine areas of good practice at the EDF-owned site in Lancashire, along with proposals for further improvements.

Operational Safety Review Team (OSART) missions are designed to strengthen the safety of nuclear power plants during commissioning and operation, comparing actual practices with IAEA safety standards.

Mike Webb, our Superintending Inspector for Operating Reactors, said: “We have a very thorough inspection programme at all the sites we regulate across the UK, and we are committed to ensuring licensees strive for continuous improvement.”

Sellafield Ltd notified of our intention to prosecute

We have notified Sellafield Ltd that it will be prosecuted under the Nuclear Industries Security Regulations 2003.

These charges relate to alleged information technology security offences during a four-year period between 2019 and early 2023.

There is no suggestion that public safety has been compromised as a result of these issues.

The first hearing is scheduled for 2pm on 20 June at Westminster Magistrates Court in London.

Our mission is to protect society by securing safe nuclear operations

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