# LC25 -- Operational Records

## Condition

Licence Condition 25 requires the licensee to ensure that adequate records are kept of the **operations** carried out on the site, the results of **inspections and maintenance**, and the **amount and location of all radioactive material** on the site.

## Key Requirements

- Records must cover all operations relevant to safety
- Inspection and maintenance results must be documented
- A comprehensive inventory of radioactive material must be maintained, including its location
- Records must be retained for periods specified by ONR or the licensee's own arrangements
- The records system must allow information to be retrieved when needed

## Relevance to Decommissioning

Operational records are among the most valuable assets for decommissioning planning and execution:

- **Characterisation.** Historical records of operations, incidents, spills and contamination events are essential for building the radiological characterisation database. They identify where contamination is likely to be found and in what form.
- **Planning.** Maintenance records reveal the condition of structures and equipment, informing decisions about dismantling methods and sequence.
- **Inventory knowledge.** Accurate records of radioactive material quantities and locations are prerequisites for waste management planning and dose estimation.
- **Legacy facilities.** Many older UK facilities have incomplete records, which significantly increases the cost and complexity of decommissioning. LC25 is intended to prevent this problem for current and future facilities.
- **Regulatory confidence.** ONR expects the licensee to demonstrate knowledge of the site condition; adequate records provide this evidence base.

The loss or absence of operational records is repeatedly cited in UK decommissioning experience as a major factor in cost escalation and programme delay.

## Docket Cross-References

- Chapter 6, Section 6.5 -- Key Nuclear Site Licence Conditions

## See Also

- [LC14](LC14.md) -- Safety Documentation (the safety case draws on operational records)
- [LC32](LC32.md) -- Accumulation of Radioactive Waste (records of waste holdings)