§ Mr. Ashdownasked the Secretary of State for the Energy (1) further to his reply to the hon. Member for Yeovil on 3 December, Official Report, column 676, if he will name each issue unresolved in the nuclear installations inspectorate assessment of reviews of Calder hall and Chapelcross as at March 1983; which of these issues has since been satisfactorily cleared; what number of meetings there has been between the nuclear installations inspectorate and the Central Electricity Generating Board on unresolved issues in the last year; and whether the nuclear installations inspectorate has commissioned consultancy assistance on issues still unresolved; and if he will make a statement;
(2) further to his reply to the hon. Member for Yeovil on 3 December, Official Report, column 676, what work 762W the nuclear installations inspectorate has done since March 1983 on improvements or modifications identified by reviews of Calder hall and Chapelcross as being reasonably practicable; what improvements or modifications for each power station have been formally approved since March 1983; what improvements or modifications identified in the completed body of these reviews as being reasonably practicable remain unapproved at present; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Goodlad[pursuant to his reply, 12 December 1986, c. 244]: Nuclear Installations Inspectorate is dealing with the few issues which remain unresolved in its work on the assessment of British Nuclear Fuels long-term reviews of Calder hall and Chapelcross. Following these reviews BNFL has undertaken major plant improvements to
- (i) automatic shutdown systems;
- (ii) back-up feedwater supplies to heat exchangers;
- (iii) carbon dioxide coolant supply system;
- (iv) fire protection systems; and
- (v) essential standby electrical systems.
A number of other improvements in various areas have been implemented.