Appendix C: Definition of Terms

configuration management - A process for ensuring that a nuclear power plant's physical configuration and layout meet the design basis for the plant and that all design documentation is up-to-date.

emergency operating instructions - Set of actions reactor operators must take in an emergency to stabilize the reactor and mitigate consequences of an accident or other abnormal event. Event-based emergency operating instructions require operators to identify the cause of a problem, such as loss of power or a leak in a steam-generator tube, before responding. Symptom-based emergency operating instructions specify responses to changes in plant parameters, such as reactor pressure, water level, or temperature. By responding to parameter changes, operators can stabilize a reactor without first having to determine the cause of the problem. The time saved can prevent disaster.

nuclear safety culture - An attitude that stresses safety over all other considerations and is held by staff associated with the design, construction, operation, and regulation of nuclear facilities. It results in design philosophies, construction and operating practices, and regulatory procedures that set stringent safety goals. Performance is measured against these goals.

nuclear safety infrastructure - The availability of the knowledge, skills, training, tools and equipment, and manufacturing capabilities to design, construct, operate, maintain, and regulate nuclear facilities to established safety levels.

probabilistic and deterministic assessments - Probabilistic assessments are used to identify events that would challenge the plant system, to model the progression of an accident, and to estimate system failure probabilities. Deterministic safety analyses use accident scenarios to assess safety margins incorporated into a plant's design.

RELAP5 - A thermal-hydraulics code used for safety analysis in the United States. The United States is providing the code and related training to nuclear power plants with Soviet-designed reactors.

SCDAP-RELAP - A set of computer codes for analyzing severe core accident scenarios for VVER nuclear power plants.

safety parameter display system - Gives plant operators the information they need to control a nuclear power plant in the event of an accident. The system automatically displays the status of critical safety functions, such as reactor core cooling, the nuclear chain reaction, and the leak-tightness of the radiation confinement system.

simulators - Systems that replicate nuclear reactor control rooms. Full-scope simulators use full-size physical replicas of actual control room panels, complete with equipment such as switches, controllers, indicators, and recorders. Analytical simulators, which cost much less, use computer screens with graphic displays that imitate plant systems; operators enter computer commands to "operate" equipment, rather than using switches and controllers as they would in an actual control room or with a full-scope simulator.

Systematic Approach to Training - Provides a standard framework for identifying training needs, developing course materials, and teaching. The approach combines classroom instruction with the use of hands-on equipment, including a full-scope simulator.

technology transfer - Technology transfer refers not just to the delivery of hardware, but to passing on knowledge, processes, and methodologies. The goal is to establish the indigenous safety infrastructure needed for safe operation and maintenance of nuclear plants.

vibration monitoring and shaft alignment equipment - State-of-the-art systems that enable maintenance staff to detect and correct misalignment and imbalance in rotating machines, such as pumps, which are critical to the safe operation of nuclear power plants.

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