Computer-based pump inservice test program at San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station

Pump inservice test (IST) data is intended to provide documentation of pressure boundary integrity and to assess operational readiness during its service life. In most cases, the official paper records of the final, single value test results are the only documents retained. This 'snapshot' approach focuses on the immediate results and all but ignores evaluation of equipment condition trends. This system satisfies regulatory requirements and is of limited usefulness for engineering analysis and equipment condition monitoring. The use of computers, in conjunction with specialized software and digital data collectors, to perform ISTs and archive data greatly enhances the information collected from these tests. In addition to improving both the quantity and quality of engineering data obtained, it drastically reduces the potential for human error