Based on experience in design, operation and regulation of NPPs, several countries have developed their national safety standards for siting, design, construction, operation, decommissioning and quality assurance aspects of NPPs. Some international organizations have also developed safety stan­dards for NPPs that codify the good practices followed globally. In the beginning, a country starting its nuclear power programme can adopt or utilize these available international safety standards as appropriate. However, after gaining some experience it is advisable that the country’s regulatory body develops its own safety standards. To start with, the emphasis should be on developing those standards where the internation­ally available safety standards are found to be not directly applicable. This could be due to the specificities of the NPP design adopted or on account of local conditions such as climate, soil characteristics and expected frequency or magnitude of natural phenomena like precipitation, earth­quakes, etc., that may be significantly different from those in other countries.

For developing safety standards the regulatory body can engage experts from its own staff and from the operating organization, the technical support organization and academic and professional institutions in the country. For ensuring good quality, formal mechanisms should be in place for thorough review of the draft documents before their publication. In addition to the safety standards that specify the safety requirements, supplementary docu­ments like safety guides and safety manuals that provide details on the means to fulfil the safety requirements also need to be developed. The exercise of developing national safety standards is by itself a good means for enhancing the national technical competence.

216 Infrastructure and methodologies for justification of NPPs