NUCLEAR FUEL FABRICATION AND QUALITY ASSURANCE

I have been asked to talk about quality assurance as it relates to nuclear fuel fabrication. I appreciate this opportunity to review this important aspect of our activities. As you know, the Commission views quality assurance as one of the key elements for ensuring safety in nuclear facilities. Quality Assurance applies to all safety and safeguards aspects of nuclear plants - the design, fabrication, construction, operation, testing, maintenance, modification, and decommissioning. The objective of a quality assurance program is to produce an entire organization which is both quality and safety conscious, where every operation is done in accordance with the best practices of disciplined sound engineering and with good management control. The AEC's quality assurance requirements are contained in Appendix B of 10 CFR Part 50. Appendix B, while it applies at present to reactors, reprocessing plants and plutonium plants, contains the basic elements of a sound quality assurance program that are appropriate for other activities of the nuclear fuel cycle as well.