Dr. ThomasTo ask the Secretary of State for Energy when his Department first learnt of the incident at the244W Central Electricity Generating Board magnox nuclear plant at Oldbury on 13 June 1987, involving the partial loss of electricity supplies to the control systems governing the supply of coolant to the reactor core; what departmental evaluation has been made of the implications for the continued operation of the plant; if he has requested the nuclear installations inspectorate to study the cause of the incident; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Michael SpicerThe Health and Safety Executive's nuclear installations inspectorate was informed at 11.30 on Saturday, 13 June 1987, that reactor 1 had tripped following the failure of one of three phases of the electrical supply to part of the instrumentation. It was subsequently reported in the Oldbury site newsletter of 19 June 1987.
An independent assessment was carried out by the inspectorate and it was concluded that although the fault resulted in a loss of forced coolant circulation for a short period following the reactor shut-down, the reactor's behaviour was entirely as predicted and presented no on or off site hazard. Nevertheless, the fault revealed that improvements in the instrument supply system protection would be prudent and suitable modifications were developed. I understand that those have now been implemented on both reactors at Oldbury which have continued to operate in a satisfactory manner.
A statement on the incident was published by the Health and Safety Executive in its "Statement on Incidents at Nuclear Installations—Second Quarter 1987" on 29 January 1988.