Systematic evaluation program

The Systematic Evaluation Program was initiated in 1977 by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission to review the designs of older operating nuclear reactor plants and thereby confirm and document their safety relative to current licensing requirements. The review provides (1) an assessment of how the plants compare with current licensing safety requirements for specific issues, (2) a basis for deciding how these differences should be resolved in an integrated plant review, and (3) a documented evaluation of plant safety. This article outlines the evaluation process and summarizes the experience of the Systematic Evaluation Program