UK Regulators Publish EPR And AP1000 Quality Reports
Written by NucNet
Thursday, 24 September 2009
Regulators have published inspection reports on quality management arrangements being used by Electricité de France (EDF) and Areva, and Westinghouse, as part of the generic design assessment (GDA) being carried out for possible new reactor units in the UK.
The Health and Safety Executive and the Environment Agency, known as the joint regulators, said the purpose of the inspections was to assess the adequacy of EDF/Areva and Westinghouse quality assurance arrangements in four main areas: configuration control, control of modifications, internal audit, and selection and oversight of suppliers and manufacturers.
The inspections were carried out in relation to EDF/Areva’s UK European Pressurised Water Reactor (EPR) design and Westinghouse’s AP1000 design. Both reactor types are being assessed as part of a GDA process that could pave the way for construction of a new generation of nuclear power plants in the UK.
The EDF/Areva inspection, carried out in April 2009, showed that the UK EPR project is well managed, the report said. The report concluded that EDF/Areva continue to manage and operate joint activities in support of GDA “in a professional manner”.
There were no major issues identified during the inspection and the joint regulators said they have confidence in the EDF/Areva GDA project arrangements.
The regulators said the project is supported by a number of contractors. One audit of Amec, which is providing technical support services, has been carried out and the regulators suggested in their report that other contractors supporting the project should be considered for audit.
The Westinghouse UK AP 1000 inspection, carried out in March and April 2009, said that a number of quality initiatives have been set up across Westinghouse, including self-assessment.
The report concludes: “These initiatives support the concepts of a learning organisation and continuous improvement and as such are seen as positive by the inspection team. However, because of the Westinghouse established way of working the AP1000 project has not benefitted, as yet, from these initiatives.”
