Promises and barriers to performance-based regulation

Journal Article · Sun Dec 31 04:00:00 EST 1995 · Transactions of the American Nuclear Society

OSTI ID:411580

Golay, M W ^[1]

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1. Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA (United States)

For the past 5 yr, the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) has been increasing its reliance on performance-based regulation (PBR) initiatives in the safety regulation of nuclear power plants. Relevant examples include experiments involving the {open_quotes}maintenance rule,{close_quotes} use of a {open_quotes}graded{close_quotes} quality assurance scheme, and risk-based revision of selected nuclear power plant technical specifications. The purpose of these initiatives is to explore the possibilities for using the regulatory process to obtain desired safety results. This treatment is in contrast to the more traditional approach of requiring power plant licensees to satisfy agency dictates, which are intended to obtain good safety results. If successful, it is expected that PBR will lead to higher and more uniform levels of safety among the U.S. nuclear power plants.

• OSTI ID: 411580
• Report Number(s): CONF-951006--
• Journal Information: Transactions of the American Nuclear Society, Journal Name: Transactions of the American Nuclear Society Vol. 73; ISSN 0003-018X; ISSN TANSAO
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

21 SPECIFIC NUCLEAR REACTORS AND ASSOCIATED PLANTS
22 GENERAL STUDIES OF NUCLEAR REACTORS
NUCLEAR POWER PLANTS
PERFORMANCE
QUALITY ASSURANCE
REACTOR SAFETY
REGULATIONS