The United States nuclear plant reliability data program: Its description and status

The American National Standards Institute Subcommittee N18-20 has developed and implemented the United States Nuclear Plant Reliability Data System (NPRDS). The NPRDS is designed to accumulate, store, analyse, and report reliability and failure statistics on systems and components of nuclear power plants related to nuclear safety. Input data to the NPRDS consist of engineering, operating, and failure information submitted on a voluntary basis by participating utilities. Prior to entry into the computerized data base, the data are thoroughly checked for accuracy by both the submitting organizations and the NPRDS operating contractor. The data base is the source of various periodic output reports to the nuclear power industry and is utilized to produce special reports upon request. The present data base represents data accumulated from about thirty nuclear units with additional units expected to begin submitting data immediately. The objective is to have essentially all operating nuclear units in the United States of America participating in the program by the end of 1975. The first NPRDS annual reports containing meaningful reliability and failure statistics are expected to be produced following the end of 1975. (author)