Standards for long-term operation of nuclear power plants

19

CANDU reactors

operate at four nuclear power generating stations in Canada^[1]

15%

of electricity

in Canada is supplied by nuclear power plants^[1]

$26 billion

investment

planned or ongoing as of 2020 to extend the life of nuclear reactors in Ontario^[1]

Nuclear power plant operation

Learn about the requirements for aging management of nuclear power plants covering all systems, structures, and components important to safety or to their safety function.

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Standards support the safe and reliable long-term operation of nuclear power plants

Canada, known for its commitment to environmental stewardship and technological advancements, operates several nuclear power plants that generate energy without greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Currently, all operating nuclear power plants in the country use deuterium uranium reactors developed in Canada, known as CANDU (Canadian Deuterium-Uranium). Nuclear power plant operation must adhere to stringent regulations set by the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission (CNSC), that provide a clear, flexible, and effective framework to ensure the safe use of nuclear energy in our country.

CSA Group standards support CNSC’s regulatory framework and complement regulatory documents. They are referenced in licenses, license conditions handbooks, and CNSC regulatory documents.

CSA Group standards support the operation and life extension of nuclear power plants by addressing a broad spectrum of topics and providing requirements, guidance, and best practices for:

pressure-retaining systems and components and their periodic inspection
concrete containment and safety-related structures, including examination, testing, and aging management
reliability, maintenance, and aging management programs
reactor control and safety systems
periodic safety review
human factor considerations in the design of nuclear power plants

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Aging management requirements for nuclear power plants

As some Canadian nuclear plants are being refurbished to extend their life, there was a need to develop a consensus-based standard to support ongoing safe and reliable operation through all phases of the plant’s lifecycle. The standard CSA N290.20:21 provides nuclear power plant aging management requirements aligned to international best practices.

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CSA N290.20:21

Aging management requirements for nuclear power plants

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Resources

CSA Group standards, research, policy briefs, and other resources

Leverage the resources CSA Group and its volunteer members developed to provide information, guidance, best practices, and requirements to help ensure the safe and reliable operation of the nuclear power plants.

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CSA Group Standards for Nuclear Power Generation

Standards for nuclear power plant pressure-retaining systems and components

CSA N285.0:23/CSA N285.6 SERIES:23

General requirements for pressure-retaining systems and components in CANDU nuclear power plants/Material Standards for reactor components for CANDU nuclear power plants

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CSA N285.0.1:18

Commentary for CSA N285.0-17, General requirements for pressure-retaining systems and components in CANDU nuclear power plants

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CSA N285.6.0.1:22

Commentary for CSA N285.6-17, Material Standards for reactor components for CANDU nuclear power plants

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CSA N285.4:19

Periodic inspection of CANDU nuclear power plant components

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CSA N285.5:22

Periodic inspection of CANDU nuclear power plant containment components

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CSA N285.7:21

Periodic inspection of CANDU nuclear power plant balance of plant systems and components

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CSA N285.8:21

Technical requirements for in-service evaluation of zirconium alloy pressure tubes in CANDU reactors

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Standards for nuclear power plants concrete containment and safety-related structures

CSA N287COM:23

Commentary on the CSA N287 series of Standards

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CSA N287.1:14 (R2019)

General requirements for concrete containment structures for nuclear power plants

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CSA N287.2:17 (R2022)

Material requirements for concrete containment structures for nuclear power plants

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CSA N287.3:14 (R2019)

Design requirements for concrete containment structures for nuclear power plants

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CSA N287.4:19

Construction, fabrication, and installation requirements for concrete containment structures for nuclear power plants

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CSA N287.5:20

Examination and testing requirements for concrete containment structures for nuclear power plants

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CSA N287.6:22

Pre-operational proof and leakage rate testing requirements for concrete containment structures for nuclear power plants

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CSA N287.7-17 (R2022)

In-service examination and testing requirements for concrete containment structures for nuclear power plants

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CSA N287.8:15 (R2020)

Aging management for concrete containment structures for nuclear power plants

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CSA N291:19

Requirements for nuclear safety-related structures

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Standards for reactor control, safety systems and programs

CSA N290.0:17 (R2022)

General requirements for safety systems of nuclear power plants

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CSA N290.1-13 (R2018)

Requirements for the shutdown systems of nuclear power plants

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CSA N290.2:17 (R2022)

Requirements for emergency core cooling systems of nuclear power plants

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CSA N290.3:22

Requirements for the containment system of nuclear power plants

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CSA N290.4:19

Requirements for reactor control systems of nuclear power plants

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CSA N290.5:16 (R2021)

Requirements for electrical power and instrument air systems of CANDU nuclear power plants

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CSA N290.6:16 (R2021)

Requirements for monitoring and display of nuclear power plant safety functions in the event of an accident

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CSA N290.8-15 (R2020)

Technical specification requirements for nuclear power plant components nuclear power plants

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CSA N290.9:19

Reliability and maintenance programs for nuclear power plants

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CSA N290.11:21

Requirements for reactor heat removal capability during outage of nuclear power plants

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CSA N290.12:23

Human factors in design for nuclear power plants

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CSA N290.13:18

Environmental qualification of equipment for nuclear power plants

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CSA N290.14:15 (R2020)

Qualification of digital hardware and software for use in instrumentation and control applications for nuclear power plants

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CSA N290.15:19

Requirements for the safe operating envelope of nuclear power plants

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CSA N290.18-17 (R2022)

Periodic safety review for nuclear power plants

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CSA N290.20:21

Aging management requirements for nuclear power plants

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^[1] Nuclear in Canada, Natural Resources Canada, 2020