Responsibilities of the nuclear operator in nuclear power programmes

J. MOARES, Independent Consultant, UK

Abstract: The role of the operating organisation commences with the strategic and economic decision by the sponsoring organisation to construct a nuclear power plant. All phases of the lifecycle of a nuclear power plant are subjected to controls and regulations designed to protect the public and the workforce from any risks associated with their operation. The role of the operating organisation covers design appraisal, site appraisal and infrastructure development, the design, development and maintenance of the of the operating organisation, construction, commissioning, operations and maintenance and decommissioning. The operating lifetime will last many decades and throughout that time the organisation will need to adapt to the changing roles, and be refreshed to cater for the effects of aging in the workforce. This chapter seeks to characterise the roles at each of the phases of the life cycle and share insights into the ways in which they can be enacted.

Key words: nuclear power plant, operators, safe operation, safety responsibilities.

5.1 Introduction

Nuclear power plants (NPPs) exist in order to satisfy a public need for the safe, reliable and economic supply of electricity. NPPs must be designed, manufactured and constructed to standards that ensure that the risks associ­ated with their operation are mitigated and the benefits to society are achieved. Governments and regulators are responsible for specifying design standards that will satisfy the safety requirements and for approving and licensing designs submitted for construction.

Regulators specify the conditions under which the plants must be oper­ated and maintained in order to ensure compliance with the design require­ments, and to safeguard the workers, the public and the environment from NPP-derived hazards. The conditions are detailed in site-specific nuclear site licences and authorisations.

The operating organisation is responsible for the safe and economic operation of the plant and for ensuring that all activities are conducted in compliance with the nuclear site licence conditions. In order to satisfy those requirements, the operating organisation must ensure it has the resources and competencies to fulfil the conditions of the site licence throughout the lifecycle of the plant.

This chapter will define the responsibilities of the operating organisation and the means of enacting them.