Examples from Member State Inspection Programmes: United States of America. Appendix VI

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) inspection programme is its principal process for collecting information about licensee performance. NRC inspectors perform a fundamental role in collecting this information and in determining whether or not licensees operate their plants safely and in accordance with their regulatory requirements and commitments. The NRC has resident inspectors assigned to each plant and construction site and augments the inspections, as appropriate, by sending additional inspectors from NRC regional offices and headquarters. New Nuclear Power Plant Construction Inspection Programme: The construction inspection programme (CIP) for new reactors provides reasonable assurance that the facility has been constructed and will be operated in conformity with the licence and NRC rules and regulations - recognizing that the NRC has finite inspection resources. The CIP for new reactors is based on inspections of the Inspections, Tests, Analyses and Acceptance Criteria (ITAAC) and construction and operational programmes which are identified in the licensee's combined licence (COL). The inspection programme is discussed in greater detail in the NRC Inspection Manual Chapter (IMC) 2503, and IMC 2504. IMC 2503 and 2504 inspections continue until the 10 CFR 52.103(g) finding has been made by the NRC. The ITAAC inspection philosophy contained in IMC 2503 recognizes that several ITAAC are expected to be closely related, thereby providing the NRC with the opportunity to evaluate a group of ITAAC based upon an examination of some representative ITAAC within the group. Such an inspection approach would allow for the efficient use of NRC inspection resources, not only for ITAAC examinations but also for the routine evaluation of the construction processes that result in ITAAC products and completion