Office for Nuclear Regulation

Our inspectors are today attending Radioactive Materials Transport (RAMTrans) 2024, the triannual conference dedicated to all aspects of packaging for the transport, storage and disposal of radioactive and nuclear materials. Organised by the Nuclear Institute, this forum allows expertise on successes and challenges to be shared among designers, operators, research organisations and regulators from around the world. Leading professionals are gathering in the Pullman Hotel in London with our fellow attendees including those from Rolls-Royce SMR, the Atomic Weapons Establishment, Autorité de sûreté nucléaire (ASN), EDF Energy and Nuclear Transport Solutions. RAMTrans, which was last held in 2018 due to a COVID-related postponement in 2021, is a valuable opportunity to engage with a wide range of our stakeholders, influencing behaviours in a more impactful and immediate way than is possible during a one-off transport inspection. #RAMTrans2024

We are exhibiting at the UK government's flagship cyber security event this week in Birmingham. This morning's conference opening address delivered by Felicity Oswald, Chief Executive Officer of the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC), and Anne Keast-Butler, Director of GCHQ, introduced this year’s themes: Future Tech, Future Threat, Future Ready. The event, hosted by the NCSC, is expected to bring together more than 2,000 cyber security leaders and professionals for networking, knowledge exchange, and collaboration. Paul Shanes, our Head of Profession for Cyber Security, said: “Ensuring that the sector protects the systems and sensitive nuclear information it holds and manages its cyber security risks appropriately is a key part of our regulatory role. "We are pleased to have the opportunity to meet with other cyber security professionals to discuss the role of regulation of cyber security across the civil nuclear sector in support of this year’s conference themes. “We’ll be on hand throughout the conference to speak with attendees, so please come along to stand J-7 if you would like to have a chat with some of our cyber security inspectors.” #cyberuk24

Mark Foy, our Chief Executive and Chief Nuclear Inspector, joined Mike Redmond, our nominated site inspector for Urenco UK, at a Safety Culture Day at the Urenco Capenhurst site, near Chester.   This brought together representatives from Urenco and connected stakeholders to promote the importance of maintaining robust health and safety standards.   We visited different Urenco facilities, meeting with their employees and supply chain partners as part of an all-day focus on continuing to foster high standards of nuclear and conventional health and safety.   Mike said: “We welcome Urenco's proactive efforts to bring together a wide mix of different stakeholders for a day dedicated to good practices in health and safety.   “As the site embarks on a significant expansion and modernisation programme, it's essential that Urenco and its partner organisations maintain the high standards of safety that we expect across all nuclear licensed sites in the UK.”   For further information about our work, please visit our new website: https://lnkd.in/eYXFuhuB

The importance of implementing effective cyber security strategies was reinforced in this online paper, written for the UK Cyber Security Council by one of our inspectors, Richard Piggin.   It outlines the programme of boardroom briefings, delivered by ONR and partner organisation Accenture, across the UK civil nuclear sector including at laboratories and fuel production, generation and decommissioning sites.   These helped to highlight how regulatory intelligence shows that many cyber security issues can be mitigated if an organisation’s leadership, governance and culture for cyber security are successfully driven at board level.   Read more: https://lnkd.in/e3s-6BQ6

We represented the UK at the 53rd International Nuclear Regulators Association (INRA) meeting in Germany to exchange policy perspectives and approaches.   Mark Foy, our Chief Executive and Chief Nuclear Inspector, and Paul Dicks, our Director of Regulation for Sellafield, Decommissioning Fuel and Waste, were part of the biannual gathering for heads of regulatory bodies to provide updates and share experiences on current issues.   INRA is made up of nine member countries - Canada, France, Germany, Japan, the Republic of Korea, Spain, Sweden, the UK and the United States - and works to enhance safety and security across the nuclear industry worldwide.   Before the meeting, Mark and Paul visited the Phillipsburg Nuclear Power Plant in Karlsruhe, which provided an opportunity to examine the active decommissioning and dismantling work being pursued by the operator.   International engagement is important to our regulation as it seeks to influence the development of global standards and guidance for nuclear safety, security and safeguards, enhancing our reputation as a world-leading regulator. Read more: https://lnkd.in/d8Arb5n9

How can mentoring help increase equality, diversity and inclusion across the nuclear sector?   To mark the closing of the 2023/24 Women in Nuclear UK-France mentoring scheme, we spoke to two of our inspectors who took part about what they got out of the experience and what they would say to anyone considering applying in the future. Rachel Kirley Zoe W. Lorraine Medcalf

We have today announced that a nuclear site licence has been granted to install and operate a nuclear power station at Sizewell C in Suffolk. The decision was made following an assessment of the nuclear site licence application made by Sizewell C Ltd, with our review concluding that the application has met all the requirements set out in regulatory guidance. The two topics that prevented granting of a licence in 2022, related to the shareholders’ agreement and ownership of land at the site, have now been resolved to our satisfaction. Read more: https://lnkd.in/ezaj5x2r

Congratulations to our Human Factors specialism, who collected the prestigious President's Award at this year’s Chartered Institute of Ergonomics and Human Factors conference.   The award recognised the team’s outstanding contribution to transforming the landscape of human factors across the UK nuclear sector through driving forward continuous improvements, influencing good practice and strengthening expertise in the field.   Read more about the award and why human factors are important for our regulation: https://lnkd.in/eeV3V_xW

We’re looking forward to this month's CYBERUK 24 event which will welcome more than 2,000 cyber security leaders and professionals to Birmingham.   The conference will examine the theme of 'Future Tech, Future Threat, Future Ready' and feature news of cutting edge developments while exploring how to respond quickly to the threats and opportunities of rapidly developing technology.   As the UK’s independent regulator and competent authority for nuclear security, ONR will be on hand to discuss cyber security across the civil nuclear sector.   Come and see us at stand J-7 (outside Hall 3) on 13-15 May. #CYBERUK24

We have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the UK Ministry of Defence, re-establishing our continued cooperation in maintaining safe and assured delivery of the Defence Nuclear Enterprise (PDF): https://lnkd.in/g4tPkpJV   Replacing our previous General Agreement, the MoU sets out our respective roles and responsibilities in regulating nuclear, radiological and conventional health and safety for the Naval Nuclear Propulsion Programme and the Nuclear Weapon Programme. MoUs are important tools for us to establish agreements with other bodies, ensuring all those involved understand their own and other parties' responsibilities. Details of our current agreements can be found on our website: https://lnkd.in/gHpY9XES