Commissioning manual development for Hinkley Point C

Hydrock led the development of the Commissioning Manual for Hinkley Point C (HPC), as a Radiological Substances Regulation permit holder, which formed one of three principal documents within HPC’s LC21 Commissioning Arrangements. The Commissioning Manual provides details on how the Commissioning Arrangements will be implemented on the HPC site, as well as providing functional guidance on the raft of procedures that commissioning engineers will be following and so represents a key milestone in the development of HPC.

As an entry point to the Commissioning Management System, the purpose of the document is two-fold:

• To provide a functional overview of HPCs approach to commissioning, including an explanation of the processes that are to be undertaken during commissioning and their current status within the HPC Commissioning Management System. Noting that there are a large number of documents that form the overall 'commissioning strategy' and the Commissioning Arrangements, the functional aspects of the Commissioning Manual will be to make the necessary information easily accessible and readable (i.e. using graphics, flow-diagrams etc.) noting that that multiple audiences will be using the manual (i.e. new starters to the commissioning team, regulators etc.). The presentation of this information will also be used to provide evidence that the position that has been developed with respect to commissioning reduces risks to As Low As Reasonably Practicable, especially where the HPC approach differs from the default regulatory position;
• To act as a practical tool for members of the Commissioning Team and provide a 'sign-post' document to the processes, guidance documents, strategies etc., which are necessary in order to undertake all tasks associated with commissioning.

As HPC will be the first nuclear power station to be built in the UK since Sizewell B, experience from other EPR reactors around the globe and international guidance (such as SSG-28) had to be used, as well as taking experience from other new-build nuclear projects within the UK.