Nuclear regulation. Oversight of quality assurance at nuclear power plants needs improvement

Technical Report · Wed Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1986

OSTI ID:5917850

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) requires utilities operating nuclear power plants to have quality assurance programs in place so that safety equipment functions properly when called upon. The programs are a collection of management controls, policies, and procedures designed to minimize human errors and equipment problems that could jeopardize safety. Since the 1979 accident at Three Mile Island, however, there have been 40 incidents with safety implications serious enough to be reported, as required by law, to the Congress. Because of the important link between quality assurance and safe plant operations, GAO reviewed NRC's efforts to identify performance trends in the operation of nuclear plants that indicate the need for corrective action by utilities and require utilities to upgrade quality assurance programs when deficiencies are observed. The results of the study are reported along with the principal findings and recommendations to the NRC. 7 tabs.

• Research Organization: General Accounting Office, Washington, DC (USA). Resources, Community and Economic Development Div.
• OSTI ID: 5917850
• Report Number(s): GAO/RCED-86-41; ON: TI86901210
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

21 SPECIFIC NUCLEAR REACTORS AND ASSOCIATED PLANTS
210700* -- Nuclear Power Plants-- Regulation & Licensing
CONSTRUCTION
NATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS
NUCLEAR FACILITIES
NUCLEAR POWER PLANTS
POWER PLANTS
QUALITY ASSURANCE
REACTOR SAFETY
RECOMMENDATIONS
REGULATIONS
SAFETY
THERMAL POWER PLANTS
US NRC
US ORGANIZATIONS