Any company seeking to manufacture parts, components or systems for future South African nuclear plants will have to meet the requirements of the National Nuclear Regulator (NNR). “We set safety standards,” NNR special nuclear projects coordinator Peter Bester told the recent Nuclear Industries Association of South Africa nuclear compliance workshop.

The NNR has regulatory oversight over nuclear manufacturing as well as nuclear design, siting and construction. There are different levels of safety for different elements of a nuclear plant, dependent on their situation, role and importance. The safety requirements for non-nuclear parts of the plant are not as stringent as those for the nuclear element. “Before [the manufacturer] does anything, we need to agree on the safety context,” he cautioned.

“South Africa does not have national nuclear industry codes and standards,” he pointed out. “The NNR is therefore nonprescriptive when it comes to the use of industry codes and standards. Generally, we require well-proven codes and standards.” These would usually be those of the nuclear technology vendor country, but the company would still have to show that these codes and standards align with the NNR’s requirements and local conditions.

All organisations involved in the entire life cycle of a nuclear plant, whose activities or components or systems or constructions could have an influence on the nuclear and radiation safety of the plant, must adhere to the NNR’s regulations. The vendors, manufacturers and operators are primarily responsible for safety in nuclear plants.

Nuclear suppliers and manufacturers must have an integrated management system. That is, a system in which quality control, safety and compliance are an integral part of the company and especially management culture. “We were the first country to insist on integrated management for nuclear facilities – even before the IAEA (International Atomic Energy Agency),” highlighted Bester. The aim is to prevent accidents or, if an accident occurs, to minimise its impact on the workforce, the public and the environment, both on site and off site, particularly with regard to radiation exposure. “That’s why there are specific codes for nuclear components.”

“Nuclear facilities should therefore be soundly and conservatively designed, constructed, maintained and operated in accordance with appropriate quality levels and engineering practices,” he affirmed. “Authorisation to manufacture is required. Typically, this is included with the authorisation for construction.” The relevant documents must be submitted by the manufacturer to the NNR before authorisation can be given. (Manufacture of long-lead items can be given pre-authorisation approval.) The NNR can require a company to be audited or carry out an audit itself.

The NNR was established by the National Nuclear Regulator Act of 1999 and started operating in 2000. It replaced the Council for Nuclear Safety (CNS), set up in 1982 by the Nuclear Energy Act of that year as an independent consultative body regarding the issuing of nuclear licences by the then Atomic Energy Corporation. In 1988, the CNS became a completely independent nuclear regulatory body.

The NNR exists to protect people, property and the environment from nuclear damage by setting up and maintaining a regulatory framework and safety standards. It grants authorisations and maintains regulatory control not only over the siting, design and construction of nuclear facilities, but also over their operation, decommissioning and closing, as well as over the manufacture of components and parts for nuclear facilities. Its activities additionally cover any nuclear-powered vessel or any vessel carrying nuclear material that wishes to enter any South African port or transit through South African territorial waters. It thus covers everything from the mining of uranium (or any other radioactive ore) through the entire life cycle of nuclear facilities to the management of nuclear waste. The transport of radioactive materials and those who use small quantities of radioactive material also fall under its purview.