CSA N290.9:24 ✓ Most Recent

Preface 

This is the second edition of CSA N290.9, Reliability and maintenance programs for nuclear power plants. It supersedes the previous edition published in 2019. This Standard provides requirements and guidance regarding reliability and maintenance programs, as well as the interactions between these programs, at nuclear power plants. It reflects Canadian regulatory requirements, operating experience of the Canadian nuclear industry, and international good practices, including those of the International Atomic Energy Agency. The major changes to this edition include a) clarification and streamlining of clauses to improve readability; b) updating the publications listed in Clause 2 with the latest editions; and c) alignment of definitions with CSA common definitions and other CSA N290 series of Standards. Users of this Standard are reminded that the site selection, design, manufacture, construction, installation, commissioning, operation, and decommissioning of nuclear facilities in Canada are subject to the Nuclear Safety and Control Act and its Regulations. The Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission might impose additional requirements to those specified in this Standard. The CSA N-Series Standards provide an interlinked set of requirements for the management of nuclear facilities and activities. CSA N286 provides overall direction to management to develop and implement sound management practices and controls, while the other CSA Group nuclear Standards provide technical requirements and guidance that support the management system. This Standard works in harmony with CSA N286 and does not duplicate the generic requirements of CSA N286; however, it might provide more specific direction for those requirements. This Standard was prepared by the Subcommittee on Reliability and Maintenance Programs for Nuclear Power Plants, under the jurisdiction of the Technical Committee on Reactor Safety and Risk Management and the Strategic Steering Committee on Nuclear Standards, and has been formally approved by the Technical Committee. 

Scope 

1.1 Reactors and other potential sources 

This Standard provides the requirements and guidance for SSC at a water-cooled NPP. This Standard applies to SSC associated with a) water-cooled power reactors; and b) other potential sources of significant radioactive releases to the environment. Notes: 1) This Standard may be used to provide guidance for nuclear facilities other than water-cooled NPPs, e.g., research reactors. 2) "Other potential sources of significant radioactive releases to the environment" include wet storage bays and dry used fuel storage facilities. 

1.2 Public safety and other purposes 

The requirements of this Standard apply only to safety-related SSC for which one or both of the following conditions apply: a) the failure of the SSC results in a nuclear incident; or b) the failure of the SSC impairs the ability to mitigate or monitor a nuclear incident. Notes: 1) In Canada, nuclear incidents have been classified as anticipated operational occurrences, design basis accidents, and beyond design basis accidents, including design extension conditions and severe accidents. 2) The requirements of this Standard do not apply, for example, to functions of SSC whose purpose is to a) protect workers from conventional or nuclear hazards; b) prevent, mitigate, or monitor effluents resulting from the routine operation of water-cooled NPPs; c) satisfy safeguards requirements; or d) prevent or mitigate malevolent acts. 

1.3 New and existing facilities 

This Standard applies to both new and existing water-cooled NPPs. Notes: 1) "Existing NPPs" refers to NPPs initially licensed before 2019. 2) "New NPPs" refers to NPPs initially licensed after 2018. 3) This Standard notes where requirements might apply only to a new NPP or only to an existing NPP. 

1.4 Single and multi-reactor facilities 

This Standard applies to NPPs with one or more water-cooled power reactors. 

1.5 Pre-incident conditions 

This Standard is limited to activities that are performed prior to the initiation of a nuclear incident. Note: This Standard does not address, for example, post-accident recovery actions or severe accident management guidance. 

1.6 Compliance with other standards 

1.6.1 Applicability of other standards 

The requirements of this Standard do not supersede requirements in other CSA Standards. Note: For example, the requirements in Clause 6.5 of this Standard do not supersede the inspection and testing requirements in a) CSA N285.0; and b) CSA N293. 

1.6.2 Augmentation of other Standards 

The requirements of this Standard might augment the requirements of other CSA standards. Note: For example, if a fire protection system is identified as a system important to safety (see Clause 5), then the requirements of this Standard might augment the requirements of CSA N293. 

1.7 Terminology 

In this Standard, "shall" is used to express a requirement, i.e., a provision that the user is obliged to satisfy in order to comply with the Standard; "should" is used to express a recommendation or that which is advised but not required; and "may" is used to express an option or that which is permissible within the limits of the Standard. Notes accompanying clauses do not include requirements or alternative requirements; the purpose of a note accompanying a clause is to separate from the text explanatory or informative material. Notes to tables and figures are considered part of the table or figure and may be written as requirements. Annexes are designated normative (mandatory) or informative (non-mandatory) to define their application. In this Standard, "shall be considered" or "shall consider" means that the user evaluates the impact and documents any decisions.