Periodic Safety Review For Nuclear Power Plants

Provides recommendations and guidance on conducting periodic safety review (PSR) of an existing nuclear power plant. PSR is a comprehensive safety review of all important aspects of safety, carried out at regular intervals, typically every ten years.

A periodic safety review is considered an effective way to obtain an overview of nuclear power plant safety. It is also used to determine reasonable and practicable modifications to maintain a high level of safety during continued operation, and to justify operation of a nuclear power plant beyond the original time frame. The review considers life limiting processes and features of structures, systems and components important to safety, and whether there are any foreseeable circumstances that could endanger the safe operation of the nuclear power plant. This publication addresses the scope of assessment, methods and applicable criteria within the periodic safety review and long term operation programmes framework, to support decision making for long term operation of nuclear power plants.

"This Safety Guide provides recommendations and guidance on conducting periodic safety review (PSR) of an existing nuclear power plant. PSR is a comprehensive safety review of all important aspects of safety, carried out at regular intervals, typically every ten years. In addition, PSR may be used in support of the decision making process for license renewal or long term operation, or for restart of a nuclear power plant following a prolonged shutdown. The review process described in this Safety Guide is valid for nuclear power plants of any age and may have a wider applicability, for example to research reactors and radioactive waste management facilities, by means of a graded approach. Although PSR may not be an appropriate means for identifying safety issues in the decommissioning phase, the documentation resulting from PSR of an operating nuclear power plant will be an important input when planning decommissioning."--Publisher's description.

This guide supplements Safety Series No. 110: The Safety of Nuclear Installations, a safety fundamentals publication, and Safety Series No. 50-C-O (Rev. 1): Code on the Safety of Nuclear Power Plants: Operation. It primarily provides guidance on the conduct of a periodic safety review (PSR) of an operational nuclear power plant. A PSR is designed to take a comprehensive account of improvements in safety standards and operating practices, cumulative effects of plant ageing, modifications and feedback of operating experience, and developments in science and technology that have occurred over a ten year period. PSRs provide the means for determining necessary or worthwhile changes aimed at maintaining high levels of plant safety and harmonizing the safety of older plants with that of modern plants.

This publication provides information and guidance on the establishment of a process for periodic safety review for research reactors, including preparation, conduct of the review and reporting of results. In addition, it covers the regulatory assessment of these results. The publication also provides information on the experience of Member States in establishing and implementing periodic safety reviews of research reactors, including implementation of reasonable and practical improvements based on these reviews.