Inspection Areas

Inspection areas - inspections at Nuclear Installations

 

Attention is always to be paid to the following cross-cutting areas:

KB – safety culture

IMS – all aspects of integrated management system, within this framework also:

RN – process of problems identification and resolution

 

1. Operations

This inspection area consists of the control and execution of activities directly related to operating the NPP. It includes activities such as startup, power operations, plant shutdown, and systems line-ups. This includes activities such as monitoring of plant parameters, operations at nominal status and at transients.

Inspections cover fulfilment of licensee’s obligations when performing the following activities (subareas):

1. OLCs adherence.

The following activities are inspected in this subarea: limiting parameters, safety limits, operability requirements, surveillance requirements, records, general rules and organisational measures, reporting requirements.

2. Operating procedures adherence.

The goal of inspection is to verify is operating procedures are complied with. Quality of procedures is verified in the TaIP inspection area.

3. Outage conditions, measures to prevent boron dilution, measures to prevent over-pressurisation of NSSS at cold conditions. The goal of inspections is to verify fulfilment of above cited measures as these are described in the operating procedures and in the other documents of licensee.

 

4. Readiness to enter lower OLCs modes, readiness for achieving criticality (MKV, MSKS).

Summary of findings from other relevant subareas.

5. Zero power tests, power ascension tests, other non-standard tests.

Adherence to procures; inspections consist mainly of: readiness of SSCs and personnel for the tests, adherence to procedures, fulfilment of acceptance criteria.

6. Adequacy of abnormal and emergency situations solution.

Adherence to the relevant operating procedures. Exceptionally direct observation (if an inspector is present in the MCR), mostly evaluation of licensees activities in the course of inspection focused on the licensees OEF system.

7. Experiments at research reactors.

 

2.Maintenance

This inspection area consists of activities related to the diagnostics, predictive, preventive and corrective maintenance of SSCs. Further it comprises testing – in service inspections, calibrations, CTMT tests, special tests.

Inspections cover fulfilment of licensee’s obligations when performing the following activities (subareas):

  1. Preventive maintenance and post maintenance tests
  2. Corrective maintenance and post maintenance tests.
  3. FME measures.
  4. Status of the systems, housekeeping, other conditions – temperature, humidity, etc. ..

Status of the systems is verified in details in this subarea.

 

3.Technical and engineering support

Adequacy of technical and engineering support is verified in this inspection area. Inspections cover fulfilment of licensee’s obligations when performing the following activities (subareas):

  1. Management and control of projects and modifications, projects and modifications implementation and subsequent testing
  2. Contractors’ activities and procurement.
  3. Licensee’s OEF system.
  4. Personnel qualification.
  5. Compliance of SSCs and personnel with SAR.
  6. Reportable situations.
  7. Adequacy and use of PSA.
     

4. Radiation protection

This inspection area covers all aspects related to radiation protection including ionising sources, RAW handing and emergency preparedness. This area is divided into the following subareas:

1.  Radiation protection – operational aspects.

2. Monitoring of radionuclides to environment

3. Ionising sources safety

4. RAW handling

5. Emergency preparedness

 

5. Nuclear materials

This inspection area covers all aspects of nuclear materials transport, other activities related to the nuclear material handling and security issues. Area covers inspections focused on fulfilment of SÚJB decisions, OLCs adherence, and adherence to the transport procedures. Adherence to emergency plans, adequacy of procedures for emergency situations are covered in the emergency preparedness area.

1. System of accounting for and control of nuclear materials.

2. All security aspects including authorisation for access to NIs.

3. Nuclear materials transport.

4. Nuclear items export and import.

 

6. Construction

During NI construction stage are planned and performed inspections in all above listed areas and sub areas. Subareas specific for NIs construction stage are defined. The emphasis in TaIP area is on adequacy of all interfaces and communication between licensee, contractors and subcontractors.

It is assumed that commissioning activities (e.g., hot functional test, DGs tests, IaC testing – FATs) can be performed already in the construction stage. These activities shall be inspected in the inspection area 7 – commissioning.

It is also assumed, that activities (e.g., manufacturing of individual components) related to the NIs construction stage can be performed before construction license is granted. It is necessary to coordinate licensing, review and inspection activities to allow for effective inspection activities also for these activities.

1. Compliance of general design and detailed SSCs designs with licensing documents (SAR, QA programs, OLCs, maintenance program).

2. Conditions for start of construction and assembling activities.

3. Adherence to construction documents.

4. Records.

 

7. Commissioning

During NIs commissioning stage are planned and performed inspections in all above listed areas and sub areas. Subareas specific for NIs commissioning stage are defined. The emphasis in TaIP area is on adequacy of all interfaces and communication between licensee, contractors and subcontractors.

1. Readiness for start of tests (documents, systems and components tested, personnel)

2. Adherence to testing procedures

3. Fulfilment of tests criteria

4. Coordination of tests

5. Activities compliance with licensing documents

6. Quality of testing records

 

8. Decommissioning

During NIs commissioning stage are planned and performed inspections in all above listed areas and sub areas (exception: commissioning). Focus is given to the area 4.5.

1. Characterization of the residual activity.

2. Status of instrumentation for long term monitoring.

3. Fulfilment of conditions related to the release of a facility and/or site from regulatory control.

4. Readiness of personnel and SSCs for decommissioning.