Mia Bennett strengthens Safety Case capabilities of the CRA Team

Mia has joined CRA as a Principal Consultant and brings with her a wealth of nuclear safety experience.  She worked for EDF Energy (previously known as Nuclear Electric and British Energy) for over 17 years in a number of roles.  Most recently she was the PSA Co-ordinator for Nuclear New Build working on developing the strategy for PSA for Hinkley Point C as well as providing oversight for the PSA model development within France.  She contributed to the development of the Pre-Construction Safety Case.  This work developed her knowledge of the EPR design as well as the process for licensing and developing a new reactor.

Prior to NNB, Mia spent four years at Heysham 1 Power Station.  She carried out a variety of roles including Acting Reactor Systems Group Head.  She wrote numerous safety cases to support station activities including Return to Service cases, Justifications for Continued Operation and Outage Intentions as well as plant modifications.  She also carried out system health activities such as System Health Assessment Process (SHAP) on the auxiliary gas systems.  The station experience provided a unique opportunity for a Safety Case Engineer to develop detailed plant knowledge as well as operational and maintenance practices which aid in the understanding of all aspects of safety justification.

During her 10 years at the engineering headquarters in Gloucester, Mia spent time carrying out Independent Nuclear Safety Assessment and acting as Nuclear Safety Committee Technical Secretary.  This gave an insight of the most significant safety issues across all eight nuclear power stations.  Prior to INSA, she was a member of the Hartlepool/Heysham 1 Safety Case Group.  She acted in various capacities as Safety Case Officer, Author and Verifier on hazards safety cases (notably flooding safety cases) as well as shutdown safety case and development of the Fault Schedule.  She led the development of the Consolidated PSA for Hartlepool/Heysham 1 as well as managing the resolution of PSA related actions arising from the Periodic Safety Review.  This varied work in the safety case group ensured that Mia has a breath and depth of knowledge of the Hartlepool/Heysham 1 safety case as well as key skills that are applicable to all nuclear safety case work.

Early in her career, Mia worked on jobs for various stations as part of the Nuclear Technology team working on mathematical models representing the power stations.  She also had a 3-month secondment to Hartlepool Nuclear Safety Group.

Mia will be splitting her time between the Leatherhead and London offices.  When not working, Mia is an experienced genealogist so is happy to help anyone researching their family tree. To keep her really busy, she is also a producer for London-based amateur theatre groups.

In theatre mode