For the purpose of sustainably improving the emergency response capabilities of the nuclear fuel cycle facilities, MEE/SWRO recently brought together the experts from MEE/NCRO, MEE/SCRO, MEE/SWRO and NSC to conduct the oversight evaluation of the 2018 Comprehensive Nuclear Accident Emergency Drill at Sicuan Honghua Industry Co., Ltd and CNNC Jianzhong Nuclear Fuel Element Co., Ltd respectively. This event was completed under the nuclear safety-related laws and regulations and as required by the Notification on Further Playing the Role of MEE/Regional Radiation Regulatory Oversight Stations (NNSA AN [2018] No. 1).

The experts were divided into several evaluation teams to conduct the oversight evaluation of the operators of these two companies, involving nuclear emergency system, response platform and decision-making capability, emergency rescue and disposition, emergency action level, emergency monitoring capability, medical first aid, information dissemination and communication support, and public opinion response. During the evaluations, it also tested the emergency response capability of the operators through additional drill scenarios based on accident sequences. Meanwhile, based on the facility-established nuclear emergency plan, the MEE/SWRO implemented joint response to the accident exercises. The MEE/SWRO’s resident inspectors in the two nuclear facilities performed the on-site oversight in a simulated “actual combat” situation, during which radiation monitors were used for radiation monitoring exercises and drills.

On the wrap-up session, the evaluation teams separately informed preliminary views on the evaluation to the both operators. The evaluation teams concluded that the comprehensive emergency drill examined the two operators’ nuclear accident emergency systems and emergency response capabilities. These events have seen not only the actual effect of the exercise but also several exposed issues. The two operators are required to seriously summarize experiences and lessons gained and to formulate improvement measures. The evaluation teams put forward three points as following. The first is to attach great importance to nuclear safety with a clear awareness of the new situation and new challenges. The second is for the operators to strictly abide by the Nuclear Safety Act in fulfilling their overall safety responsibility. The third is to further improve the capability to nuclear accident emergency through the practical and effective measures to be taken constantly, regardless of accident or normal situation.

These two emergency drills have shown a full range of examinations of the emergency preparedness and response works performed under the responsibility of the two operators over the past two years. This oversight evaluation has been successfully completed with the expected goals being achieved and can be seen as the way to continuously upgrade the emergency response capabilities at nuclear fuel cycle facilities.