From November 18-22, 2019, the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission’s International Regulatory Development Partnership (IRDP) conducted a workshop on “Nuclear Power Plant Design and Construction Codes and Standards” in Bangkok, Thailand. The workshop was hosted by the Office of Atoms for Peace (OAP). Participants included staff from the OAP, the Thailand Institute of Nuclear Technology (TINT), the Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand (EGAT), and Suranaree University of Technology (SUT).
During the workshop, IRDP instructors Mr. Bob Gramm and Mr. Gene Imbro addressed the following topics: an introduction to design and construction codes and standards, an overview of pressurized water reactor technology, the use of codes and standards in a regulatory framework, and the role of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) staff in codes and standards activities, the NRC regulations related to codes and standards, and the NRC endorsement of codes and standards. Further, the instructors discussed codes and standards related to Quality Assurance, Mechanical Systems and Components, Instrumentation and Control, Electrical Power Distribution Systems, and Civil/Structural components. The discussion focused on codes and standards related to design and construction, but also contained some discussion of codes and standards relevant to operations.
The workshop emphasized the importance of codes and standards when performing regulatory reviews of nuclear facilities. The participants were highly engaged and posed many thoughtful questions to help broaden their understanding of how codes and standards fit into the regulatory framework for nuclear facilities.