The United States is the world’s largest producer of nuclear energy, accounting for about 30% of the worldwide nuclear power generation. As such, the nuclear power industry in the U.S. is among the most heavily regulated and standardized commercial enterprises, subject to numerous observations and provisions like those detailed in ASME NQA-1-2024: Quality Assurance Requirements For Nuclear Facility Applications.
What Do Nuclear Facilities Do?
Nuclear power plants heat water to produce steam. Nuclear reactors (large kettles) are the heart of a nuclear power plant because they contain uranium fuel in their core and control nuclear chain reactions. These reactions produce heat water during a physical called nuclear fission, in which uranium atoms are split apart to create smaller atoms inside a nuclear reactor core, releasing energy. That heat from fission is used to boil water into steam that spins a turbine to create electricity. Hence, nuclear power plants do not emit greenhouse gases while generating electricity.
What Is ASME NQA-1-2024?
ASME NQA-1-2024 provides requirements and guidelines for the establishment and execution of quality assurance programs during siting, design, construction, operation and decommissioning of nuclear facilities. Nuclear facilities can include nuclear power plants (NPP), small modular reactors (SMR), and advanced reactors. The standard is broken up in four parts:
- PART I: Establishes requirements for the development and implementation of a Quality Assurance Program (QAP) for nuclear facility applications.
- PART II: Contains additional quality assurance requirements for the planning and conduct of specific work activities under a Quality Assurance Program developed in accordance with Part I.
- PART III: Contains guidance for implementing the requirements of Parts I and II.
- PART IV: Contains guidance for the application of NQA-1 and comparisons of NQA-1 with other quality requirements
Serving the global nuclear industry, ASME NQA-1-2024 can be applied to any structure, system, component, activity, or organization that is essential to the safe, reliable, and efficient performance of a nuclear facility and any activities independent of a facility that may affect performance. Hence, the objective of ASME NQA-1-2024 is to achieve safe, reliable, and efficient utilization of nuclear energy, and management and processing of radioactive materials.
What Is the Quality Assurance Program in ASME NQA-1-2024?
The quality assurance program provides special controls, processes, test equipment, tools, and skills to attain the required quality and verification of activities and items. The program includes measures and processes to prevent, detect, and control Counterfeit and Fraudulent Items (CFSI), especially in the areas of engineering, production, procurement, inspection, and audits. Audits are performed to verify compliance to quality assurance program requirements, and audit results are documented, reported, and reviewed by responsible management. Here are some requirements for the quality assurance program ASME NQA-1-2024 specifies:
- Cleaning of components and systems
- Packaging and shipping of nuclear facility items
- Housekeeping for the work environment
- Installation, inspection, and testing of structural concrete, structural steel, soils, and foundations
- Acquisition, development, operation, maintenance, and retirement of software
- Installation, inspection, and testing of mechanical items
- Assurance a commercial grade item (CGI) or service performs its safety function
- Maintaining the integrity of electronic records and their supporting information
- High-level waste (HLW) custodians (organizations excluding NRC-licensed commercial nuclear utilities that is in possession of HLW prior to its planned disposition at a geologic repository.)
What Are the Changes in the 2024 Edition of ASME NQA-1?
ASME NQA-2022 was revised to the 2024 edition of the standard—ASME NQA-1-2024. This revision reflects the current understanding of quality assurance requirements for nuclear energy and radioactive materials. Organized by the standard’s four parts, here is a summary of some of the changes to the 2024 version of the standard:
Part I
- Addition of the definitions for the words assure and ensure
- Requirement 2, Quality Assurance Program, was revised, specifically parts 300 (Qualification Requirements), 301 [Nondestructive Examination (NDE)], subpart 303.5 (Maintenance of Proficiency) which is under 303 (Lead Auditor), and 400 (Records of Qualification)
- Requirement 4, Procurement Document Control, was revised 100, 200, 300
- Requirement 8, Identification and Control of Items, was revised, specifically parts 201 (Item of Identification) and 202 (Physical Identification)
- Requirement 10, Inspection, revised, specifically parts 500 (In-Process Inspection), 700 (Inspection During Operations), and 800 (Records)
Part II
- Subpart 2.1, Quality Assurance Requirements for Cleaning and Cleanness Control of Fluid Systems and Associated Components for Nuclear Facilities; 2.2, Quality Assurance Requirements for Packaging, Shipping, Receiving, Storage, and Handling of Items for Nuclear Facilities; 2.5, Quality Assurance Requirements for Installation, Inspection, and Testing of Structural Concrete, Structural Steel, Soils, and Foundations for Nuclear Facilities; and 2.7, Quality Assurance Requirements for Computer Software for Nuclear Facility Applications, are revised
Part III
- Subparts 3.1-2.3, Implementing Guidance for Part I, Requirement 2: Quality Assurance Programs, Inspection, and Test Personnel Qualification (section 300, Education and Experience Qualifications, was revised in its entirety) ; 3.1-2.4, Implementing Guidance for Part I, Requirement 2: Quality Assurance Programs, Management Assessment of the QA Program; 3.1-18, Implementing Guidance for Part I, Requirement 18: Audits; and 3.2-2.7.1, Implementing Guidance for Part II, Requirement 2.7: Quality Assurance Requirements for Computer Software for Nuclear Facility Applications, were revised
- Definitions of HSS (refers to high safety significant) and LSS (refers to high safety significant) were revised
Part IV
- Subpart 4.1.3 title was revised to Guidance on the Use of NQA-1–2015 for Compliance With 10 CFR 71 or 10 CFR 72 Requirements from Guidance on the Use of NQA-1–2015 for Compliance With 10 CFR 71 and/or 10 CFR 72 Requirements, and section 100, Purpose, was revised
- Subpart 4.2.7, Guidance on Peer Review, was revised, specifically the definition of Definition of peer review plan and paragraph 302.1, Management Responsibilities
What Is Nuclear Uranium Used for?
Uranium is a naturally radioactive element that is considered a nonrenewable energy source. Its nucleus is unstable, so the element is in a constant state of decay, seeking a more stable arrangement. Uranium is used to produce isotopes for medicine as nuclear medicine uses radiopharmaceuticals to assess bodily functions and treat disease. Nuclear uranium also powers commercial nuclear reactors.
ASME NQA-1-2024 details requirements for the safe, reliable, and efficient utilization of nuclear energy and management and processing of radioactive materials.
What Are The Top Nuclear Generating Countries?
Since there are more than 440 commercial reactors worldwide (including 92 in the United States), nuclear power continues to be one of the largest sources of reliable carbon-free electricity available. Ranked by nuclear power generation in Gigawatts (GW), here is a list of the top 5 nuclear generating countries:
- United States – 91.5 GW
- France – 61.3 GW
- China – 50.8 GW
- Japan – 31.7 GW
- Russia – 29.6 GW
ASME NQA-1-2024: Quality Assurance Requirements For Nuclear Facility Applications is available on the ANSI Webstore.