This is the third edition of CSA N289.1, General requirements for seismic design and qualification of nuclear power plants. It supersedes the previous editions, published in 2008 and 1980 under the title General requirements for seismic qualification of CANDU nuclear power plants. The title has been changed to reflect a scope change from addressing only CANDU® reactors to including any nuclear power plant (NPP).

The CSA N289 series of Standards covers general requirements for seismic hazard evaluation, seismic design, qualification, evaluation, and testing and monitoring. This Standard is used in conjunction with the following CSA N289 series of Standards:

a) CSA N289.2, Ground motion determination for seismic qualification of nuclear power plants;
b) CSA N289.3, Design procedures for seismic qualification of nuclear power plants;
c) CSA N289.4, Testing procedures for seismic qualification of nuclear power plant structures, systems, and components; and
d) CSA N289.5, Seismic instrumentation requirements for nuclear power plants and nuclear facilities.

Note: Automatic shutdown is not a seismic design requirement of the CSA N289 Series of Standards; however, sufficient seismic monitoring instrumentation of high reliability, as specified in CSA N289.5, is needed to collect data in order to facilitate decision-making regarding continued safe operation. The data could also be used in conjunction with other indicators to trip a reactor.