1. Scope

1.1

This Standard specifies the requirements for the quality assurance program applicable to the design, development, maintenance, modification, and use of analytical, scientific, and design computer programs that are used in nuclear power plant applications.

Such computer programs are used to perform or support (a) design and analysis of safety-related equipment, systems, structures, and components as identified by the owner; (b) deterministic and probabilistic safety analyses and reliability studies; (c) reactor physics and fuel management calculations; and (d) transfer of data between computer programs or pre- or post- processing calculations associated with (a), (b), and (c) above.

1.2

This Standard is addressed to the owner and is applicable to the activities involving such computer programs carried out both by the owner and by participants designated by the owner who have implemented quality assurance programs in accordance with the applicable CSA Standards in the N286 series of Standards.

1.3

The requirements identified in this Standard complement, and are used in conjunction with, the requirements in the other Standards in the N286 series to ensure that a complete set of quality assurance program requirements is applied to computer programs of the kind described in Clause 1.1. In particular, the requirements for quality assurance audits, records, and program review apply.

1.4

This Standard does not apply to computer programs such as (a) those used to control plant safety systems and operational control systems; (b) commercially available database management and spreadsheet programs (programmed applications are, however, included within the scope of this Standard); (c) commercially available graphics and computer-assisted drafting (CAD) computer programs (programmed applications are, however, included within the scope of this Standard); (d) commercially available compilers, interpreters, and computer-operating systems; and (e) commercially available mathematical routine libraries.

1.5

Interpretation or application of computer program results in design and analysis activities is outside the scope of this Standard and is normally addressed by the requirements of CSA Standard CAN3-N286.2.