Continued Vigilance Keeps Counterfeit Items Out of Supply Chain

http://www.nei.org/News-Media/News/News-Archives/Continued-Vigilance-Keeps-Counterfeit-Items-Out-of

NRC finds industry guidance adequate to detect, prevent counterfeit goods
Existing regulations provide adequate protection of public health and safety
Licensees’ continued vigilance prevents fake goods from entering supply chain

July 2, 2015—The NRC staff last week said agency regulations and industry oversight are effectively preventing the introduction of counterfeit, fraudulent and suspect items (CFSI) into nuclear facilities.

“Although supply chains for other industrial sectors may be substantially affected by CFSI events, it is the NRC’s position that adherence to existing NRC regulations provides adequate protection of the public health and safety,” the agency said in a June 24 regulatory issue summary (RIS-2015-08) to NRC licensees, vendors, suppliers and applicable agreement state officers.

There have been no known instances of counterfeit or fraudulent items failing in safety-related equipment or systems in U.S. nuclear facilities.

A January 2015 NRC staff paper (SECY 15-0003) that reviews how existing agency processes address CFSI also expressed the staff’s belief that industry guidance on CFSI developed jointly by NEI and the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI 3002002276, July 2014) “provides the necessary fundamental elements for detecting and preventing CFSI from affecting NRC-regulated activities.”

The agency said its release of the regulatory issue summary is to raise awareness of the CFSI issue among its addressees in the nuclear reactor, nuclear materials and radioactive waste sectors of the industry and does not “transmit nor imply any new or changed requirements.” No specific action or written response is required from addressees.