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Initative for development of

ASME Nuclear Code for 2025
Ralph S. Hill III
Westinghouse Consulting Engineer
ASME Vice President Nuclear Codes and Standards
Chair of BPV III for Construction of Nuclear Facilities

Nuclear Codes & Standards Workshop

Prague, Czech Republic
Sponsored by ASME and ÚJV Řež
 Topics
• Why a Code for 2025 initiative?
• Current State of ASME Nuclear Codes
and Standards
• Thoughts on Future State of ASME
Nuclear Codes and Standards
• A path to define Future State
• Considerations in Achieving the Future
State
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 Why an Initiative?

• Future plant designs shaped by dynamic events

– Global and Regional
• Future designs will have different safety
challenges
– probabilistic risk/safety assessments
– probabilistic design methodologies
– other Nuclear codes and standards will change
to support the plants of the future!!! 4
 This Initiative

Currently, we are making incremental changes

and “drifting” towards an unknown and
undefined future.
This initiative is to replace “incremental
drift” … with proactive design of the code
of the future.

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 This Initiative …

• Is a proactive approach for planned, systematic

and managed evolution to a future Code.
• Objective is to provide a simpler, more “user
friendly” Code integrated across a component
lifecycle that will enhance nuclear safety and
simplify regulatory oversight.
Proactive - tbd

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 Current State of ASME Nuclear
Codes and Standards
• Most comprehensive in the world
• Nuclear has 50 year history
• Used throughout the world
• ASME codes and standards are basis for all
other nuclear codes and standards
• Developed and maintained by hundreds of
industry volunteers with international
participation. 7
 Current State of ASME Nuclear
Codes and Standards

Eight (8) Nuclear Codes and Standards

– Code for Construction of Nuclear Facility
Components (BPV III)
– Code for Inservice Inspection (BPV XI)
– Standard for Operation and Maintenance of Nuclear
Power Plants (O&M)
– Standard for Nuclear Quality Assurance (NQA-1)

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 Current State (Cont.)

Eight (8) Nuclear Codes and Standards

– Standard for Qualification and Maintenance of
Nuclear Power Plants (QME)
– Standards on Cranes for Nuclear Facilities
– Standards for Nuclear Air and Gas Treatment
– Standards on Nuclear Risk Management

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 Current State (Cont.)

Three (3) Supporting Codes:

– Materials (BPV II)
– Nondestructive Examination (BPV V)
– Welding and Brazing Qualifications (BPV IX)

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Current State – Nuclear Codes and
Standards Committees
Council on
Standards and
Conformity
Assessment

Board on Pressure
Technology Codes
and Standards

Materials (BPV Nondestructive

II) Examination
(BPV V)

Welding
Qualifications
(BPV IX)

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 BPV Committee on Construction of
BPV III Approved 10/31/13
Nuclear Facility Components (III)
Note 1
Executive Strategic
Advisory Council (R5)

Honorary Members of
Special Committee
BPV III Standards
Interpretations (R14)
Committee

Technical Committees Division Committees

Subcommittee Design (R2) (Note 2) BPV III Executive Committee (R4)

Admin &
Stakeholder International Technical
Committees Working Groups Support
Committees

SG Materials, SG Elevated SG Division 2 SG Division 4 SG Division 5

SG General SG Design Methods SG Component SG Division 3
Fabrication & Temperature Design Joint ACI/ASME Com Fusion Energy High Temp Reactors
Requirements (R2) (R2) Design (R2) NUPACK (R3)
Examination (R2) (R2) (R2/3) Devices (R3) (R3)
Note 4 Note 3 Note 4

WG HDPE Materials WG Quality WG Allowable Stress WG Fatgiue Strength WG Division 2 Design WG High Temp Gas- SWG Industry Exp. SWG Resource Mgt.
WG Vessels (R2) China IWGs (R9)
(R2) Assurance (R2) Criteria (R2) (R2) (R2) Cooled Reactors (R3) (R10) (R6)

WG Graphite and
WG Duties & WG High Temp. Flaw WG Division 2 MF&E WG High TempLiquid SWG New Const. Iss. SWG International
Composite Materials WG PMD (R2) WG Piping (R2) Korea IWG (R9)
Responsibilities (R2) Evaluation (R2) (R2) Cooled Reactors (R3) (R11) Mtgs. (R7)
(R2)

WG Analysis WG Environmental SWG Modernization SWG Regulatory SWG Edit & Review
WG Pumps (R2) Germany IWG (R9)
Methods (R2) Effects (R2) (R3) Interface (R12) (R8)

WG Graphite &
WG Creep Fatigue SWG HDPE
Composites Design WG Valves (R2) India IWG (R9)
(R2) Stakeholders (R13)
(R2)

WG Elev. Temp WG Design

WG Supports (R2)
Constr (R2) Methodology (R2)

SWG Computational WG Core Support

Modeling (R2) Structures (R2)

WG Environmental WG Pressure Relief

Fatigue Methods (R2) (R2)

WG Div 3 Design (R2)

WG HDPE Design (R2)

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 Future State of ASME Nuclear
Codes and Standards
• Some identified needs …
– Simplification and coordination of QA
requirements
– Globalization certification and stamping
procedure
– Improved accreditation process
– Consistent international Inspection Authorities
– Simplify application of ASME Section III

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 Future State: An Early Draft
Vision Statement
“A simplified Code that recognizes and
utilizes modern construction methodology,
governs the complete lifecycle of the
component or system, maintains appropriate
margins of safety, invokes performance
based value added requirements and
provides separate administrative and
technical requirements.”
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 Future State of ASME Nuclear
Codes and Standards
• Some thoughts …
– Do we need separate BPV III & XI?
– Do we need risk-informed design?
– We are a component Code … do we need to
become a system Code?
– Do we need separate O&M?
– Do we need to move to electronic publishing?
– Many many more …..

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 A path to define Future State

ASME is funding Phase 1 of a multi-phase

project with the objective that ASME
develop the Nuclear Code of the future
with an initial target publication date of
June 2025.

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 A path to define Future State
This includes:
• Establishing global advisory and steering
committees
• Funding one or more knowledgeable individuals
with Code development and proven project
management experience to manage the project
through:
– Concept, Content, and Governance Development
– Development and execution of Communication,
Transition, Training, and Publication Plans
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 A path to define Future State

A systematic and integrated

approach will be used to develop the
2025 Code beginning with a “blank
sheet of paper” and using global
stakeholder input to provide a vision
and description of needs.

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 A path to define Future State

A systematic and integrated

approach will be used to develop the
2025 Code beginning with a “blank
sheet of paper” and using global
stakeholder input to provide a vision
and description of needs.

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 Considerations in Achieving the
Future State
Significant paradigm shifts will be needed by:
Regulator
Code Users
Code Committee Volunteers
ASME Staff
Paradigm …

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 Considerations in Achieving the
Future State
Continuous and effective communication will
be needed between development team and:
Regulator
Code Users
Code Committee Volunteers
ASME Staff

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 Summary

• Nuclear codes and standards will change to

ASME
support the plants of the future!!!

NUCLEAR
• Currently, we are making incremental changes
and “drifting” towards an unknown and
CODE
undefined future.
• ASME has launched Phase 1 of initiative for
2025
proactive design of the Code of the future.

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 You Can Participate in Achieving
the Future State

If you or your company have ideas on what the

Code of the future should be, please send them
to me at …

[email protected]

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