Environmental Qualification Program at Canadian Nuclear Power Plants – A Status Report From a Regulator's Perspective

Abstract of the technical presentation presented at:
28th Annual EQ Technical Meeting
Clearwater Beach, Florida, USA
November 16–18, 2016

Prepared by:
Meliha Vlatkovic
Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission

Abstract:

The environmental qualification (EQ) programs at nuclear power plants (NPPs) provide an auditable assurance that credited equipment important to safety can perform designated safety functions on demand and when exposed to postulated harsh environment conditions from design-basis accidents (DBAs). This presentation provides information about the current status of the EQ programs at Canadian NPPs.

As a nuclear regulator, the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission (CNSC) is responsible for verifying that the design complies with applicable codes, standards and regulations. As the existing nuclear fleet in Canada has been approaching the end of its 40-year design life, the preservation of qualified equipment poses challenges.

In addition, this presentation attempts to describe the compliance verification process for the EQ programs. Compliance verification activities, such as inspections and technical reviews used in the assessment of EQ program efficiency and effectiveness, are explained; and the regulatory expectations for the licensees’ periodic safety review (PSR) process in the area of EQ are elaborated. Examples of gaps identified in the EQ area are highlighted, as are recommended improvements for these gaps.

To obtain a copy of the abstract’s document, please contact us at cnsc.info.ccsn@cnsc-ccsn.gc.ca or call 613.995.5894 or 1.800.668.5284 (in Canada). When contacting us, please provide the title and date of the abstract.