Specifically, AREVA needs to better demonstrate that each safety division in the system can perform its function without relying on information originating from outside the safety division and is protected from adverse influence from outside the division. AREVA also needs to better demonstrate that data exchanged between safety and non-safety divisions are processed in a manner that does not adversely affect the function of the safety division.
– Source NRC –
The Nuclear Regulatory Commission staff has informed AREVA NP that the company has yet to demonstrate how some aspects of the EPR reactor’s digital instrumentation and control system meet NRC requirements.
While the NRC’s letter to AREVA acknowledges progress in resolving the issues, particularly the discussion during a June 25 public meeting and AREVA’s July 1 letter proposing revisions to the system, the NRC staff notes that additional information is necessary to determine the system’s acceptability.
Specifically, AREVA needs to better demonstrate that each safety division in the system can perform its function without relying on information originating from outside the safety division and is protected from adverse influence from outside the division. AREVA also needs to better demonstrate that data exchanged between safety and non-safety divisions are processed in a manner that does not adversely affect the function of the safety division.
The staff continues its work on the remainder of the EPR design certification application. The impact on the overall EPR certification review schedule will be established after AREVA provides more details on its plans to revise the reactor’s digital instrumentation and control system. The staff’s letter to AREVA will be available on the NRC’s electronic documents database, ADAMS, by entering ML101940253 into the ADAMS Public Access search engine at this address: http://adamspublic.nrc.gov/fnopenclient/. More information on the EPR design certification review is available on the NRC website here: http://www.nrc.gov/reactors/new-reactors/design-cert/epr.html.
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