Hinkley Point A nuclear power station: the findings of NII's assessment of Nuclear Electric's long term safety review

This report presents the results of our examination of the Hinkley Point A LTSR (Long Term Safety Review) together with a list of key requirements for further work which must be completed within given target dates if operation of the station is to continue to 1995, when the reactors will be 30 years old. When assessing the licensee's LTSR submissions, our approach has been to check first that the LTSR confirms that the plant is still operating at least to its original safety standard; second, that it identifies and evaluates the factors that may limit the plant's future life; and third, that the LTSR includes evaluation of Hinkley Point A against modern standards and practices in order to identify any plant or operational improvements which are judged worthwhile and reasonably practicable. The LTSR has been accepted on condition that additional work considered by the Nuclear Installations Inspectorate to be necessary or worthwhile is completed to an agreed programme. In particular a revised safety case for the reactor pressure vessels is necessary. (author)