Lessons learned from the NRC review of the SPDS

The Safety Parameter Display System (SPDS) became a requirement for all nuclear power plants in November 1980 with the publication of NUREG-0737. In December 1982, Supplement 1 to NUREG-0737 was published to provide clarification of the specification requirements for Emergency Response Capability. In 1985 the NRC staff began a series of post-implementation audits at operating reactors. No serious safety concerns have been uncovered but many problems have been identified indicating that the basic requirements of Supplement 1 to NUREG-0737 are not being met. To date, nearly forty audits have been conducted and the results indicate that approximately 70% of the SPDSs declared operational by utilities do not meet one or more of the basic requirements of Supplement 1 to NUREG-0737. It is noted that as a group, however, the audits produced significant information on good features and alternative methods of satisfying the requirements.<>