“Shortfalls” in fire safety at the Hinkley Point C construction site

Pre-planned inspections across three days last November at the Unit 1 HR Building on the Somerset site led to Office for Nuclear Regulation officials identifying the breaches and issuing four Enforcement Notices. These have been served on licensee the NNB Generation Company (HPC) Ltd, contractors Bouygues Travaux Publics SAS and Laing O’Rourke Construction Limited (the joint venture partners in BYLOR JV) and REEL UK.

The Enforcement Notices require improvements to be made to address the shortfalls in compliance and prevent reoccurrence. Importantly, there have been no consequences for employees, members of the public or the environment as a result of the shortfalls.

That said, Office for Nuclear Regulation inspectors identified the potential for harm and risk of serious injury, which required regulatory action.

Shane Turner, superintending inspector and head of safety regulation at Hinkley Point C, said: “The Enforcement Notices require these four organisations to make improvements in fire safety arrangements at the Hinkley Point C site. We will now engage with each of them during the period of the Enforcement Notices to ensure positive progress is made.”

The Enforcement Notices require that necessary improvements are made by 31 March 2024.