Quality categories of NPP equipment and their control in quality plans

Quality categories of NPP equipment and their control in quality plans

The quality plan for products for nuclear power plants is a documented list of requirements for equipment for nuclear power plants. It includes technical characteristics, a list and the number of control operations during the manufacture of equipment.

Quality plans for nuclear power plants: design features

The manufacturer is obliged to develop a quality plan for a single piece of equipment or a batch of identical products. As a standard, the document is issued in three copies: one for the manufacturer, the other for the customer, the third is sent with the accompanying documentation along with the products.

The quality plan is a report and assessment of the compliance of equipment with the applicable safety standards and classes, compliance with the manufacturing process. When making a purchase, the customer sets conditions for certain categories of quality of NPP equipment. These technical requirements are necessarily prescribed in the contract with the manufacturer or subcontractor.

A quality plan for products for nuclear power plants is developed before the start of production and sent for consideration to the end user (customer). The buyer has the right to send his representative to control at any stage of production. In the plan tables, these stages are indicated as milestones.

Checkpoint statuses:

HP — point of delay and temporary stop of production for the duration of the control.
WP — monitoring the technological process without stopping the process.
WR — documentary control without the physical presence of the buyer’s representative.

To exercise control, the customer may use the services of certified conformity assessment companies. They determine the indicator of reliability, electrical and fire safety, seismic and radiation resistance and other characteristics.

Completing the quality plan tables

The quality plan for products for nuclear power plants is filled in by the representative of the manufacturer (developer), the customer or a company authorized by him. The plan is personally approved by the head of the manufacturer.

The reporting form is filled out in Russian and English and consists of four sections:

Title. This includes 2 tables: 1) Name of the supplier, manufacturer, nuclear power plant, plan number, product, its safety class, serial number; 2) Control points, their content, date and signature of the responsible person.
Development and approval of the plan. Full information about the position, the names of the manufacturer and the customer with the signatures of the parties.
Approval sheet. Signed personally by the head and certified by a seal.
Product form with serial number and product passport code.

The persons participating in the control put their signatures. Then the plan is closed.

Nuclear Power Plant Equipment Quality Assurance Program

When checking the quality category of NPP equipment, the contractor or commission is guided by the norms of NP 011-99. This manual was developed according to the recommendations and requirements of the IAEA and contains 415 pages of clarifications. The main requirements are compliance with safety classes according to NP-001. Equipment, components, basic materials (semi-finished products) are accepted for evaluation.

Each separate type of product has its own specifics, the requirements of TU and GOST. The product has its own terms of reference, design and technological documentation. For example, for the delivery of a valve, the technical requirements of the drawing, the assembly process, and technological tests are checked.

Requirements for the quality category of equipment for nuclear power plants are specified in the regulatory and working design documentation. They are used for testing, assembly, measurement and visual inspection. The result of the audit will be acceptance or nonconformity of the product. If the product is rejected, it is assigned a class of nonconformity. This is followed by alteration, repair, or complete rejection.

Advice and assistance in drawing up a quality plan

Drawing up a quality plan for nuclear power plants in practice raises a lot of questions, especially for newcomer suppliers in the industry. There are some nuances in the execution of documents under a subcontract.

The company «TD — Group» provides services for the development of a quality assurance program. This includes:

Preparation of quality management documents.
Analysis of legal norms, rules and standards.
Drawing up and coordination of the program based on the specifics of the equipment produced.
Personnel training, trainings.

Specialists will help develop a quality plan for products for nuclear power plants at the initial stage, or help resolve issues that have arisen during the preparation. If desired, we will provide comprehensive support in participation and registration in the procurement system and tender sites. For consultation, leave a request on the site.

You will find a lot of useful information on the topic of nuclear energy and work in this area in our blog, and also follow our news.

We also want to draw your attention to the fact that we train specialists and conduct trainings in the following areas: «Nuclear energy market», «Requirements for suppliers», «Employees and their knowledge», «Conformity assessment», and much more, you will find more detailed information in our academy.

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Tags: TD Group Company, Technical Decision Group, Nuclear Power Plant Equipment Quality Assurance Program, nuclear power plants, Quality categories of NPP equipment