Implementation and measures by the licence holders
All German nuclear sector companies have undertaken, in their management principles or corporate policies, to give priority to the safety of the nuclear installations over all other business objectives.
The following are examples of relevant corporate objectives:
- the safety of the installation must be given the highest priority,
- safety-relevant procedures are critically questioned, monitored and developed further,
- the technical safety level reached and the condition of the installation in compliance with the provisions of the licence are maintained and further developed by means of suitable monitoring and maintenance plans, and
- a prompt and comprehensive exchange of experience on safety-relevant events or findings takes place.
The licence holder is required to provide evidence to the competent nuclear licensing and supervisory authority that the provisions of the Guidelines for the Demonstration of the Technical Qualifications of Nuclear Power Plant Personnel are fulfilled in relation to responsible employees’ technical skills.
As members of the World Association of Nuclear Operators (WANO), the licence holders have undertaken a voluntary commitment to subject their nuclear installations to peer reviews. As part of this process, safety procedures are reviewed and assessed by international experts on a reciprocal basis. The reviews also serve to identify best practices in other nuclear installations’ operational and management processes and allow the underlying design principles of the installations to be taken into account in the evaluation of operating experience. The aim is to improve plant operation and performance, with a particular focus on reliability and safety.