Annex B
HSE INITIATIVES IN PREPARATION FOR POSSIBLE
NEW NUCLEAR BUILD
INTERNATIONAL ATOMIC
ENERGY AGENCY
(IAEA) INTEGRATED REGULATORY
REVIEW SERVICE
(IRRS) MISSION TO
THE NUCLEAR
SAFETY DIRECTORATE
(NSD)
1. At HSE's request (via the DTI as the
formal interface with IAEA), the IAEA has completed a review of
the basis for HSE/NII's appraisal of reactor designs in advance
of any specific proposals for new nuclear build. The review was
conducted by the Agency's International Regulatory Review Service—a
peer review facility of international experts experienced in the
areas subject to evaluation. The terms of reference for the HSE/NII
review were to:
— review HSE's readiness to regulate
and license any new reactordesigns (in advance of any specific
proposals for new build);
— identify areas for enhancement to
the UK nuclear safety regulatoryregime through exchange of experience
with the IAEA experts.
2. HSE/NII has not made a detailed study
of a novel reactor design since its assessment of the application
for Sizewell B in the early 1980s. The IAEA review will inform
HSE's own assessment of its preparedness (eg in respect of technical
expertise, procedures and resources) for prelicensing of new reactor
designs, should this be required.
3. The IAEA team's conclusions are positive:
the team identified a number of examples of existing good practice
and noted, as particular strengths, the mature and transparent
nuclear regulatory system (and its particular suitability for
international designs, being non-prescriptive) and HSE's highly
trained, expert and experienced staff.
4. The team has said that, in order to meet
any new build demand, HSE/NII would have to be resourced accordingly.
The report also makes recommendations for further improvement,
highlighting as priorities:
— Define the minimum resource requirements
in relation to key NII business activities and the allocation
needed for additional activities;
— Supplement assessment capability
in specific areas;
— Clarify the licensing and permissioning
process for the potential applicants for any new build;
— Improve the use of operational experience
feedback; and
— Continue development of internal
procedures.
5. The recommendations relevant to possible
new build are listed in Annex D.
REVISION OF
SAFETY ASSESSMENT
PRINCIPLES—SAPS
6. HSE is revising its nuclear safety SAPs,
which provide an explanation of the way in which HSE judges the
adequacy of a nuclear plant or facility. The review has included
benchmarking against both the most recent IAEA safety standards
and harmonisation work led by the Western European Nuclear Regulators'
Association. The draft new SAPs have been published on HSE's website
for public comment and include an explanation of how the SAPs
would be used to assess new reactor designs. The IAEA Review (see
above) noted that the SAPs would be a valuable "high quality"
document.
REVIEW OF
THE PRE-LICENSING
PROCESS FOR
POTENTIAL NEW
BUILD OF
NUCLEAR POWER
STATIONS
7. Following a stakeholder workshop on 3
March, HSE/NII invited public comment on issues relevant to regulating
the design of 'any new nuclear power stations.
8. The consultation document is set out
on HSE's website at http://www.hse.gov.uk/consult/condocs/energyreview/discussion.htm
and attached at Annex C: it identifies a number of questions views
which will inform HSE's expert report for the energy review.
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