Review and Impact Evaluation of ASME NQA-1 (2008)

ASME has issued a 2008 revision to the Nuclear Quality Assurance Standard, NQA-1 that impacts the siting design, construction, startup and operations of new generation nuclear power plant designs as well as other nuclear facilities. In view of new nuclear plants recently certified by the NRC, the NQA-1 2008 revision is poised to meet those QA issues and requirements that have or may arise during ESP, COL and other regulatory actions by the NRC. In view of the enhanced safety features and significant design changes associated with this new generation of nuclear infrastructure including the DOE development of the CMRR (Chemical and Metallurgy Research Replacement) at Los Alamos, present QA programs and procedures require a re-evaluation and assessment if the 2008 revision of NQA-1 is widely adapted in the US and possibly other countries. A synopsis of the revisions posed by the 2008 revision to former QA standards is given together with ancillary impacts for the nuclear community.