Key Issues
Managing Material Condition and Equipment Reliability at U.S. Nuclear Power Plants
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Experience Shared Across the Industry
A key to maintaining equipment reliability and operating excellence is to share in the experience of others. U.S. nuclear energy companies do that through programs organized by various entities, including the NRC, INPO and EPRI. On the international level, information is shared through the World Association of Nuclear Operators. Thus, the experience of all plants in the United States and around the world is available to every other plant.
Various industry groups also play an important role in providing research and guidance in operations and maintenance areas.
NRC’s Role in Effective Maintenance Programs
In 1991, the NRC published a maintenance rule that codified basic maintenance requirements previously regulated and enforced under other NRC rules. The maintenance rule applies to safety-related structures, systems and components—that is, equipment needed to shut down a plant and keep it in a safe condition. The rule applies to any components or systems that are necessary to mitigate accidents or are used in emergency operating procedures—whose failure could prevent safety-related structures, systems and components from functioning, or whose failure could actuate a safety-related system or cause a plant to shut down automatically.
The NRC plays a significant role in collecting, analyzing and distributing information important to the maintenance of plant safety equipment. The typical nuclear power plant site receives about 3,500 hours of NRC inspections and resulting analysis each year, in addition to the oversight of resident NRC inspectors. The results of these inspections are well-documented and publicly available. If necessary, the NRC can require nuclear plant operators to take actions to ensure the adequate performance of specific equipment.
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Experience Shared Across the Industry
A key to maintaining equipment reliability and operating excellence is to share in the experience of others. U.S. nuclear energy companies do that through programs organized by various entities, including the NRC, INPO and EPRI. On the international level, information is shared through the World Association of Nuclear Operators. Thus, the experience of all plants in the United States and around the world is available to every other plant.
Various industry groups also play an important role in providing research and guidance in operations and maintenance areas.
NRC’s Role in Effective Maintenance Programs
In 1991, the NRC published a maintenance rule that codified basic maintenance requirements previously regulated and enforced under other NRC rules. The maintenance rule applies to safety-related structures, systems and components—that is, equipment needed to shut down a plant and keep it in a safe condition. The rule applies to any components or systems that are necessary to mitigate accidents or are used in emergency operating procedures—whose failure could prevent safety-related structures, systems and components from functioning, or whose failure could actuate a safety-related system or cause a plant to shut down automatically.
The NRC plays a significant role in collecting, analyzing and distributing information important to the maintenance of plant safety equipment. The typical nuclear power plant site receives about 3,500 hours of NRC inspections and resulting analysis each year, in addition to the oversight of resident NRC inspectors. The results of these inspections are well-documented and publicly available. If necessary, the NRC can require nuclear plant operators to take actions to ensure the adequate performance of specific equipment.
Pages 1 2 3 4 5 6
