ML19340E546
| ML19340E546 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Issue date: | 12/15/1980 |
| From: | Ahearne J NRC COMMISSION (OCM) |
| To: | Moffett T HOUSE OF REP., GOVERNMENT OPERATIONS |
| Shared Package | |
| ML19340E547 | List: |
| References | |
| NUDOCS 8101140876 | |
| Download: ML19340E546 (2) | |
Text
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UNITED STATES n'
NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION F
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WASHINGTON, D. C. 20555
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December 15, 1980 t
CHAIRMAN f
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The Honorable Toby Moffett, Chairman Subcomittee on Environment, Energy and
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Natural Resources J'
1 Committee on Government Operations J
United States House of Representatives j,j i
", l Washington, D.C.
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Dear fir. Chairman:
The following information is provided for your information.
The Nuclear Regulatory Comission has completed plans for a major program to f
assure that all safety-related equipment in nuclear power facilities is quali-fied to perform its function under conditions which would exist in an accident.
The scope of the program includes all environmentally sensitive safety-related equipment located in areas potentially exposed to a harsh environment, and required to function during or following an accident for safe plant shutdown, or required to mitigate the consequences of an accident.
Specifically, the program covers safety significant electrical, instrumentation and control equipment intended for installation in plants under construction and replace-ment or requalified equipment for plants in operation.
In September, the t'RC ordered utility operators of nuclear power facilities to submit information showing that safety-related equipment in their facilities can withstand the severe environmental conditions that could result from a serious accident.
The NRC staff will review this information and issue safety evaluation reports early next year.
The NRC requires that samples of equipment that could be' subjected to a harsh I
environment be tested in an equivalent environment or that the facility owners prove by analyses based on existing test data that the equipment is qualified.
As part of its overall equipment qualification program, the NRC will inspect and review in-depth the industry test programs of selected critical components.
This will include an NRC review of equipment specifications, test plans, test i
procedures and acceptance standards before the industry's qualification tests are performed. The NRC will also witness the assembly and preparation of specimens, review the test set-up and witness the actual qualification tests.
l This review and inspection of the on-going qualification tests will afford the NRC the opportunity to ensure that necessary changes or adjustments are.made before the work is completed.
In addition to its audit of industry test programs, the NRC will conduct independent qualification tests of important equipment to verify the industry resul ts. To the extent practicable, the NRC. tests will be conducted on equip-8 3 01140 N L
The Honorable Toby Moffett ment which has been in use in a nuclear power facility.
When this is not practical, specimens will be obtained from stock designated for a nuclear power facility, artificially aged and then tested.
The NRC is preparing a new rule that will address the subject of equipment
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qualific' tion in detail. This rule will provide specific guidance and require-a ments for meeting the Commission's present General Design Criteria for nuclear One of the requirements will be that future environmental power plants.
qualification tests be performed in a laboratory accredited for that purpose.
Accredited laboratories could be operated by equipment manufacturers, utilities, independent research and development institutes, universities or independent The NRC currently is working with the Institute of testing laboratories.
Electrical and Electronics Engineers and the American Society of Mechanical Engineers to initiate a laboratory accreditation program.
Initially the.
program will review the capabilities of laboratories already conducting environ-Its purpose is to achieve nental tests on equipment for the nuclear industry.
greater uniformity and consistency in the testing process regardless of the specific interest of t'he testing organization.
An outline of the new program is provided in Enclosure 1 of SECY-80-319, Analysis of Alternatives for Conducting Independent Verification Testing of Environmentally Qualified Equipment. A copy of SECY-80-319 including the enclosures is provided herein as an Enclosure.
Sincerely, John F. Ahearne
Enclosure:
SECY-80-319 Rep. Paul N. McCloskey, Jr.
cc:
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