CSA TS-004:25

Preface This is the first edition of CSA TS-004, Guidance on disruptive, innovative, and emerging technologies — Integration of emerging digital technologies with the Canadian nuclear standards framework. This Document is not a consensus product; that is, it is not a Standard and it has not been formally reviewed or approved by a CSA Technical Committee. This Document is also intended as input for the development of future CSA Standards. It considers emerging digital technologies in the context of Canadian regulatory requirements, the operating experience of the Canadian nuclear industry, and international practices and is applicable to a) all nuclear power plants including small/advanced reactors; and/or b) facilities which process, handle, or store nuclear substances. The CSA N-series of Standards provides an interlinked set of requirements for the management of nuclear facilities and activities. CSA N286 provides overall direction to management to develop and implement sound management practices and controls, while the other CSA nuclear Standards provide technical requirements and guidance that support the management system. This Document works in harmony with CSA N286 and does not duplicate the generic requirements of CSA N286; however, it might provide more specific direction for those requirements. Users of this Document are reminded that the design, manufacture, construction, commissioning, operation, and decommissioning of nuclear facilities in Canada are subject to the provisions of the Nuclear Safety and Control Act and Regulations. Authorities having jurisdiction might impose additional requirements to those specified in this Document. This Document was prepared by the CSA Digitalization Task Force, under the jurisdiction of the Strategic Steering Committee on Nuclear Standards. Scope 1.1 Purpose This guidance Document is intended to provide a useful conceptual basis and high-level decision framework to guide adequate consideration and accommodation of the new and evolving complexities of emerging digital technologies and its resulting impact on digitalization of nuclear organizations and facilities. More specifically, this Document is intended to be used as a guide to assist in assessing the impact of introducing potentially disruptive, innovative, and emerging technology (DIET) on the ability of the nuclear management system (NMS) to meet the required management principles (see CSA N286 Clause 4.1.2) while providing objective evidence of effective implementation. This Document addresses the application of DIET within the nuclear industry and the key application of CSA nuclear Standard principles to those applications. This includes identification of the domain of use, the impact of the DIET on nuclear safety and control areas, and key considerations for qualification, including verification and validation of inputs and outputs. Provisions are also discussed for important factors such as non-proliferation safeguards, cyber security, and the required degree of supervision of DIET for a variety of application types (domains). A number of examples are used throughout the Document to aid the user in understanding the principles described. Additionally, Annex A provides a detailed application example. 1.2 Terminology This Document only provides guidance and does not impose any requirements. In this Document, "should" is used to express a recommendation or that which is commonly followed but not required; and "may" is used to express an option or that which is often permissible within the limits of the various Standards referenced.