§ Paul FlynnTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will make a statement on the recent accident at the Chapelcross nuclear power plant; and when she was first informed of the incident. [3473]
581W
§ Mr. Wilson[holding answer 12 July 2001]: In the early hours of Thursday 5 July, an incident occurred at Chapelcross nuclear power station. Reactor 3 at Chapelcross was shut down for off-load refuelling. During refuelling operations, a basket containing 24 irradiated fuel elements, which had just been removed from the reactor, became dislodged inside the de-fuelling machine. Initial investigations by BNFL, the operator of the site, indicated that the basket containing the fuel had fallen approximately two feet (later revised to 1.6 metres) on to the doors of the hoist well, which is part of the route to transfer fuel to the fuel storage ponds. I was first informed of the matter at lunchtime on the day of the incident.
On Thursday 12 July, remote inspection of the de-fuelling machine showed that only 12 of the fuel elements remained in the basket.
Following further investigation it became clear on 12 and 13 July that the other 12 fuel elements had fallen through the hoist well doors. On 13 July following discussion between BNFL and the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), BNFL decided progressively to shut down the three operational reactors at Chapelcross in order that the station's resources could be concentrated on the fuel recovery programme. On 15 July one of the operational reactors at Chapelcross was shut down.
Over the weekend of 14–15 July, BNFL confirmed, using remote cameras, that 12 elements had fallen around 25 metres down the hoist well and were believed to be in a water filled fuel flask at the bottom of the hoist well.
On 16 July, HSE confirmed that nine substantially complete fuel elements could be seen under water in the fuel flask together with the three other fuel elements in several pieces. HSE confirm that the damaged fuel elements are safe and stable as long as they remain submerged. The hoist well is part of the fuel discharge route and, as such, has features that would mitigate any release of radioactivity. BNFL used gamma radiation monitors in the fuel discharge route to detect radioactivity levels, which HSE confirmed were consistent with the understanding of the situation.
In the evening of 17 July, BNFL were able to move the fuel flask from the bottom of the well to the fuel pond area. Remote inspection of the flask has confirmed that it contains nine intact fuel elements and the pieces of the other three. Now that all the fuel elements have been located the site incident has been declared closed and the progressive shut down of the remaining two operating reactors at Chapelcross has been suspended. A project plan is now being developed to recover the 12 fuel elements in the defuelling machine. BNFL estimate that this may take one or two weeks.
Any incident at a nuclear power station is treated very seriously and HSE and BNFL are carrying out investigations into the incident of 5 July. HSE will not allow BNFL to resume fuelling operations at any of Chapelcross's four reactors or at Calder Hall, which has similar re-fuelling system, until they are satisfied that it is safe to do so. Other Magnox stations use different equipment and are not affected by this incident. I am receiving daily reports on developments at Chapelcross from both HSE and BNFL.
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§ Mr. WeirTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry at what time the Nuclear Installations Inspectorate were informed of the accident at Chapelcross nuclear power station on 5 July. [5952]
§ Mr. WilsonI understand that the Health and Safety Executive's Nuclear Installations Inspectorate was notified of the incident at 07:00 on 5 July.
§ Mr. WeirTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what enforcement action has been taken under the relevant legislation in respect of Chapelcross nuclear power station; and on what dates. [5953]
§ Mr. WilsonIn relation to the recent incident at Chapelcross, I understand from the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) that no enforcement action has been taken to date and that HSE's investigation into the incident continues.
§ Mr. WeirTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what enforcement notices have been issued in respect of Chapelcross nuclear power station; for what reasons; and what timescales have been attached to them. [5951]
§ Mr. WilsonIn relation to the recent incident at Chapelcross, I understand from the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) that no enforcement notices have been issued to date and that HSE's investigation into the incident continues.