NRC Office of Nuclear Regulation human factors programs in nuclear power

The authors report on a program to evalute the human factors portions of the GE Advanced Boiling Water Reactor (ABWR), CE System 80+, and Westinghouse AP-600 advanced reactor designs. These reviews are being conducted to ensure that the man-machine interfaces for advanced reactor control facilities are consistent with accepted human factors principles and practices, and that the design features will meet regulatory requirements for design certification. These reviews are conducted using existing guidance and review criteria under development for application to emerging technologies such as the use of electroluminescent displays and on-screen controls. As part of the review and the vendor's design, inspections, tests, and analyses are being developed to ensure that the resulting control facilities are built to adequately support operator performance under all plant conditions.<>