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 the month is behind target and above target for the Year to Date.

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 July 2008, the programme delivered work for less than planned cost. Measured against the year to date budget the programme of work at the end of July is broadly in line with expectations.

Electricity generation  at the fleet of Magnox nuclear reactors operated by the NDA is behind target for the month of July 2008 and above target for the Year to Date.

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.

Items of Interest

Key Elements

• Low Level Waste Repository (LLWR) Vault 9 contract awarded.
• For the first time in 40 years a legacy contaminated facility at Hinkley Point A can now be accessed without Radiological Personal Protective Equipment.
• Dungeness A ensures rare species habitat is taken into account as the New Accommodation Block (NAB) becomes operational.

At the Low Level Waste Repository (LLWR) the Vault 9 contract was awarded to Birse Nuclear on 14 July 2008. Proposals for the settlement ponds and noise monitoring arrangements were approved by Cumbria County Council enabling contractor mobilisation to start in August 2008.

The Ponds Decommissioning Team at Hinkley Point A achieved a significant milestone for the site by declassifying the cooling pond area from C3 to C0. This was the culmination of removing the majority of the Reactor 2 cooling pond furniture, skips and equipment and decontaminating the area. It is the first time in 40 years it has been possible to access the facility without the need for Radiological Personal Protective Equipment enabling site personnel to easily view the cooling ponds for the first time.

A Natural England representative visited Dungeness A during the month to evaluate parcels of land for Sussex Emerald moth habitat where new/improved pedestrian routes will be required near the New Accommodation Block (NAB). The representative has indicated that they were pleased with the care that the site has shown for the moth’s habitat.

Safety and Environment Performance

Safety and Environment - Key Elements

• 1 INES event.
• 2 RIDDOR reportable events.
• 1 environmental non-compliances.

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

Nuclear Safety

One International Nuclear Event Scale (INES) event has been reported from NDA sites during the period.

• At Trawsfynydd, contamination was detected down the right hand side of the body of an operator (a contractor) following survey work on a disused tank. Analysis of the air samples taken at the time the work was being undertaken show that levels of activity at the C2 barrier were higher than that permitted for a C2 area. Biological assurance monitoring of the individual has been initiated. All work on the tank has been suspended pending the outcome of an investigation.

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 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 period.

• At Dounreay, a contractor fell down some steps and hit his arm on a duct cover resulting in a broken arm.
• At Dungeness A, on descending the main control block, a shift technician lost his footing on the last step. On attempting to correct himself, he fell heavily, twisting his right foot, chipping a bone in his ankle and stretching associated ligaments.

NOTE: 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

One environmental non-compliance was reported in this period:

• At Trawsfynydd, washings from an area containing cement entered the site drains leading to a high pH reading.

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.

Safety Achievements

The Lost Time Accident reported from Dungeness A was the first such accident at the site in 68 months which represented over 6.5 million man-hours. This was an excellent achievement and the Site Director has urged the site’s staff to remain focussed on safety in order to make the same or better achievements in future.

A successful RADSAFE exercise was carried out at Lydd airport near to Dungeness A to demonstrate the effectiveness of nuclear transport emergency arrangements.

An environment conference was held at Oldbury Training Centre with attendance and presentations from the Environment Agency, the Scottish Environment Protection Agency, the Institute of Environmental Management and Assessment, Magnox North sites and NDA.

Oldbury provided an adequate demonstration of their emergency arrangements in the NII Level 1 demonstration exercise.

A meeting between Sellafield Ltd, British Energy, Magnox North and South and Springfields on the development of Human Performance leadership training and practitioner training has led to the establishment of a United Kingdom Forum for Human Performance Learning and Best Practice which will be chaired by Sellafield Ltd.

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.