Licensing Process For The Construction Commissioning And Operation Of Nuclear Power Plants

This Safety Report provides guidance, targeted towards States newly embarking upon a nuclear power plant programme, on the licensing process and associated procedures needed during for the construction, commissioning and operation stages of a nuclear power plant, so that the applicant complies with national regulations in line with the internationally recognized safety principles and requirements throughout these stages. The publication elaborates on the generic guidance provided in IAEA Safety Standards Series No. SSG-12, Licensing Process for Nuclear Installations, and gives supplementary practical guidance for nuclear power plants.

This Safety Report provides guidance, targeted towards States newly embarking upon a nuclear power plant programme, on the licensing process and associated procedures needed during for the construction, commissioning and operation stages of a nuclear power plant, so that the applicant complies with national regulations in line with the internationally recognized safety principles and requirements throughout these stages. The publication elaborates on the generic guidance provided in IAEA Safety Standards Series No. SSG-12, Licensing Process for Nuclear Installations, and gives supplementary practical guidance for nuclear power plants.

This guide discusses the review and assessment process, as well as the various relationships between the regulatory body and the applicant/licensee, the applicant/licensee's vendor, other governmental bodies, and consultants and advisory committees. It covers the specific stages of the licensing process, i.e. siting, construction, commissioning, operation and decommissioning.

Commissioning is one of the key steps towards putting into service a new nuclear facility, or a new system, structure or component within an existing facility. Commissioning activities need to be planned early in the design and procurement process, with careful consideration of eventual acceptance criteria and test methods. This publication describes commissioning in its basic form, the commissioning process specific to nuclear power plants (NPPs), the relevant management system requirements, typical organizational models and critical human resources issues. It also provides details on experience and lessons learned obtained in IAEA Member States. The publication will be of use to all stakeholders involved in the commissioning of NPPs, including owner operators, contractors, engineers, regulatory bodies and vendors.

"A robust national nuclear safety infrastructure is essential for the deployment of the first nuclear power plant. A major challenge in this process is the development of an effective legal and governmental framework for safety, including an independent regulatory body. This publication supplements existing guidance in the IAEA safety standards on the development of an effective safety infrastructure and provides further assistance to new entrant regulatory bodies on the key challenges they will face throughout the life cycle of the first nuclear power plant. The publication focuses on the phases of a nuclear power deployment programme from the granting of a license for construction to granting the license for commissioning and operation."--Publisher's description.

Please note: this publication has been superseded by SSG-12

A robust national nuclear safety infrastructure is essential for the deployment of a country's first nuclear power plant. A major challenge in this process is the development of an effective legal and governmental framework for safety, including an independent regulatory body. This publication supplements existing guidance in the IAEA safety standards on the development of an effective safety infrastructure and provides further assistance to new entrant regulatory bodies on the key challenges they will face throughout the life cycle of the first nuclear power plant. The publication focuses on the phases of a nuclear power deployment programme from the granting of a licence for construction to granting the licence for commissioning and operation.