The Nuclear Decommissioning Authority

NDA Sites Monthly Performance Update

General Evaluation - Key Elements

• The programme delivers work below budgeted costs.  
• Programme schedule performance is broadly inline with expectations.  
• Electricity generation for Period and Year to Date is above target.

For financial year 2008/9 site plans are over pressured.  This means that the NDA set budgets for sites that contained more scope of work than there was available funding to complete.  Setting over pressured budgets is a tactic to build the sites cost efficiency target into their baseline scope.  It is important to note that sites can only carry out the total value of work in their budget by making the necessary savings to fund the over pressured work.

Year to Date Cost and Schedule Performance
At the end of February 2009, the programme delivered work for less than planned cost.  Measured against the year to date budget the programme of work at the end of February is broadly in line with expectations.

Earned Value Performance Management.  Please note: We use Earned Value Performance Management to measure programme performance.  This compares the budgeted cost of work that was scheduled with the budgeted cost of work that was actually performed to determine schedule performance and the budgeted cost of work actually performed with its actual cost to determine cost performance.

Electricity generation at the fleet of Magnox nuclear reactors operated by the NDA is above target for the month of February 2009 and above target for the Year to Date.

Items of Interest

Key Elements

• The creation this month, of Research Sites Restoration Ltd marks the completion of the restructuring of the nuclear estate taken over by the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA) in 2005.

The creation this month, of Research Sites Restoration Ltd marks the completion of the restructuring of the nuclear estate taken over by the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA) in 2005. The new company covers the Harwell site in Oxfordshire and the Winfrith site in Dorset. This follows on from the creation of Dounreay Site Restoration Ltd in April 2008. UKAEA will remain the parent body of both sites until competitions for new owners of the companies are completed. In less than four years the NDA and its contractors have transformed the nuclear estate from two large public sector owner/operators – British Nuclear Fuels Ltd and UKAEA; to one where the 19 sites are now operated by seven Site Licence Companies under contract to the NDA which retains ownership of the sites themselves.

Safety and Environment Performance

Safety and Environment - Key Elements

• Four INES events
• Two RIDDOR Events
• No environmental non compliances

Nuclear Safety

Four International Nuclear Event Scale (INES) Level 1 events have been reported from NDA sites during the month.

Two events happened at Sellafield, one at Hunterston A and one at Chapelcross

• At Sellafield an assembly load slipped when lowering causing contamination spread.
• At Sellafield contamination was found from a pipe in the Separation Area.
• Hunterston A failed to complete an inspection of a pile cap crane.
• At Chapelcross both emergency response vehicles were unavailable as they were sent for MOT testing at the same time.

Radiological Protection

The sites provide data on average individual dose, maximum individual dose and collective dose. These metrics are measured separately for SLC employees and for contractors. Dose figures are reported by calendar year rather than financial year and the following two graphs show average individual doses and maximum individual doses respectively (ordered by employee dose) for dosimeters worn by workers in calendar year 2008 and processed to date. Average individual doses and maximum individual doses should be compared with (and are all well below) the legal annual limit of 20 mSv.

Dosimetry is the measurement of absorbed dose in matter and tissue resulting from the exposure to ionizing radiations.

Industrial Health and Safety

Two events reportable under RIDDOR have occurred in the month:  

Both events were at Sellafield:  

• An operator hurt their ankle on cable during flask operations.
• There was an on-site fall from a bicycle while riding to work.  

RIDDOR stands for the reporting of injuries diseases and dangerous occurrences regulations 1995.  RIDDOR '95 requires the reporting of work-related accidents, diseases and dangerous occurrences. It applies to all work activities, but not to all incidents.

Environmental Protection

No environmental non-compliances were reported in the month.

Safety Achievements 

An Environmental Non Compliance is a breach of a permit condition set by the Environment Agency or the Scottish Environmental Protection Agency that prevents or controls risk of pollution to the environment.  

Please note
We give the actual number of occurrences in each category. Not all sites employ the same number of people and/or undertake the same activities. This must be taken into account before comparisons between sites can be made.