Electrical Cable Aging and Condition Monitoring Codes and Standards for NPPs

1. Electrical Cable Aging and Condition Monitoring Codes and Standards for NPPs Dr. Stephanie Watson Engineering Laboratory NIST 100 Bureau Drive, MS 8615 Gaithersburg, MD 20899 stephanie.watson@nist.gov(301) 975-6448

2. ECTG Membership 37 members Diversity: cable manufacturers power companies/associations SDOs government universities

3. Identified SDO’s American Society for Testing Materials (ASTM International) – develops international standards based on voluntary consensus. Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE)- develops international standards for telecommunications, information technology and power generation products and services; consensus-building collaborative from more than 160 countries. Insulated Conductors Committee (ICC)-technical committee of IEEE within the Power Energy Society Institute of Electrochemical Commission (IEC)-world organization for the preparation and publication of International Standards for all electrical, electronic and related technologies; fully consensus-based and represent the needs of key stakeholders of every nation participating in IEC work-every member country has one vote and a say in what goes into an IEC International Standard. Insulated Cable Engineers Association (ICEA)- professional organization dedicated to developing cable standards for the electric power, control, and telecommunications industries; "Not-For-Profit" association whose members are sponsored by over thirty of North America's leading cable manufacturers. National Electrical Manufacturers Association (NEMA) -the trade association for the electrical manufacturing industry; NEMA provides a forum for the development of technical standards that are in the best interests of the industry and users, advocacy of industry policies on legislative and regulatory matters, and collection, analysis, and dissemination of industry data; devotes time, effort, and resources to voluntary standardization activities. National Fire Protection Association (NFPA)- US trade association (albeit with some international members) that creates and maintains private, copywrited, standards and codes for usage and adoption by local governments; all standards and codes created and written by the members of NFPA who volunteer their services at the expense of their sponsors Underwriters Laboratory (UL) - independent product safety certification organization; develops standards and test procedures for products, materials, components, assemblies, tools and equipment, chiefly dealing with product safety; non-profit part of company develops standards. Also found standards from the British Safety Institute and Danish Safety Standards Task Group included as many SDO’s as needed when discussing standards

4. Outline of ECTG Report

5. ECTG Standards Evaluation • Identify and review current standards documents related to materials, testing, installation, and service life • Categorize • Status today: in uses, up to date, needs clarification • What needs to be changed for application to a nuclear power plant? Is there overlap between this standard and another? • Why does the standard need to be changed? • Is this specific to safety or non-safety related applications? • Is the gap related to a lack of research, material data, or a specific application of the nuclear industry? Is the gap critical? Does it inhibit the wide application of a specific material or structure class to the nuclear industry? • Draft and submit report on findings with recommendations to NESCC

6. Discussion Points • After review of standards, most have been revised or in the revision process • New standards are being created to monitor the condition of electrical cables • Looking outside the conventional standards for electrical cables • Review of Military Specifications • Non-Class 1E requirements • Research Documents • DOE-Sandia, Brookhaven, etc.; NRC document, EPRI reports • Challenge: New versus Old NPP Construction • Challenge: Qualification of cables upon accident conditions • Challenge: SDOs prefer NRC to cite most recent version of standards in licensing process

7. Gaps in Research • Determination of aging mechanisms • Low voltage cable under wet conditions • High voltage cables under temperature, radiation, and wet conditions • Accident condition qualification • Newly developed insulation materials • Determination of extended service life of aged cables • Determination of the effectiveness of cable splicing and aging process • Standardization of procedures for condition monitoring test methods • Calibration of equipment and optimization of test parameters • Optimization of acceptance criteria

8. Moving Forward • Draft Version of Final Report for Task Group Review. • Complete by December, 31 2012 • Review of Report by Task Group during January 2013 • Present the Draft Report to the NESCC Board by the end of February 2013.