Quality Assurance for New Reactors

Quality assurance (QA) comprises all planned and systematic actions that are necessary to provide adequate confidence that a structure, system, or component will perform satisfactorily in service. Attributes of a QA program include procedures, recordkeeping, inspections, corrective actions, and audits.

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) reviews and inspects QA programs and their implementation for nuclear steam system suppliers; architect-engineering firms; suppliers of safety-related and commercial-grade products and services; calibration and testing laboratories; and holders of NRC construction permits, operating licenses, and combined licenses in quality-related areas. In conducting these inspections, the NRC's objective is to determine whether licensees and their contractors are meeting the agency's requirements. In particular, the NRC reviews the QA programs for commercial nuclear power plants. In addition, for operating nuclear power plants, the NRC reviews any changes that reduce previous commitments to the plant’s QA program. For more detail, see the following related pages:

• Regulations, Standard Review Plan, SECY Paper, and NUREG-1055
• Safety Evaluation Reports Concerning Revised Basis for QA Programs
• QA Inspections for New Reactor Licensing
• Vendor QA Inspections
• Nuclear Procurement Issues Corporation (NUPIC) and Industry Interactions
• Town Hall Meetings on Vendor Oversight
• Workshops on Vendor Oversight
• 10 CFR 50 Appendix B Notices of Nonconformance (NON) and Violation (NOV) and 10 CFR Part 21 NOVs
• Frequently Asked Questions about Quality Assurance for New Reactors
• Guidance on Implementation of 10 CFR Part 21 Requirements