Sellafield faces possible action over plutonium error

Britain's nuclear regulator is considering further action following an incident in which Sellafield transported plutonium oxide to the wrong facility in an unsuitable package.

The Office for Nuclear Regulation (ONR) has criticised shortcomings in the nuclear site's subsequent investigation and identified weaknesses in how the company learned from transport incidents.

Its findings, published on Friday, October 16, follow an incident on February 27 when a consignment containing a residual quantity of plutonium oxide was taken to a National Nuclear Laboratory (NNL) facility in Workington rather than its intended destination at Sellafield.

The regulator revealed that the radioactive material had been transported in an 'unsuitable package'.

The consignment was accepted at the Workington facility before the mistake was identified and it was recovered and returned to Sellafield.

The company notified ONR on March 2 a potential breach of regulations governing the transportation of radioactive material.

Following the incident, Sellafield suspended plutonium oxide movements from the facility and introduced 'enhanced interim transport controls'.

It also reviewed whether similar problems could arise elsewhere across its operations and launched an internal investigation.

ONR said it was satisfied with the company's initial measures to control risks while the investigation was carried out.

Sellafield submitted its findings on July 14, with the incident classified as Level 1 on the International Nuclear and Radiological Event Scale (INES), denoting an anomaly.

Regulator raises concerns over investigation

However, ONR subsequently identified 'shortcomings in Sellafield Ltd's internal investigation', particularly its consideration of the potential consequences, risks, causes and corrective actions.

The regulator also highlighted weaknesses in the company's 'organisational learning from transport-related events'.

It said it was taking the failings seriously and was 'considering whether further regulatory action is needed'.

No further enforcement action has been announced in the published report.

ONR also revealed that it had been unable to publish details of the incident in its earlier quarterly report because Sellafield had initially provided insufficient information.

The regulator said it had subsequently obtained a fuller understanding of the circumstances, allowing the findings to be included in its latest statement.

The report does not establish whether the suspension of plutonium oxide movements remains in force or specify which transport incidents informed the regulator's concerns.

Sellafield says there was no risk to public

In its previously published statement, Sellafield explained that a transport driver had taken a clamp seal drum within an internal containment system to an off-site NNL facility.

The error was discovered when the driver contacted NNL to confirm receipt of the consignment.

The drum was then reloaded onto the vehicle, returned to Sellafield and secured at the correct facility.

Sellafield stated: "There is no risk to the general public, or the environment and our regulators have been informed."

The company attributed the Level 1 classification to procedural inadequacies, while maintaining that significant safety protections remained in place.

Asked ONR's latest findings, Sellafield referred the News & Star to its earlier statement.

A spokesman said: "These remain our most up to date statements on both matters and we won’t be commenting further at this stage."