ETC-F 2013

Purpose and scope

The RCC-F code defines the rules for designing, building and installing the fire protection systems used to manage the nuclear hazards inherent in the outbreak of a fire inside the facility and thereby control the fundamental nuclear functions.

This code's target readership is therefore:

• Suppliers of fire protection equipment.
• Engineering firms responsible for designing, building and installing fire protection systems.
• Laboratories carrying out qualification testing of fire protection equipment.
• Nuclear safety authorities responsible for approving the safety demonstration.

The code defines fire protection systems within a finite scope of service buildings in a light water nuclear power plant.

If any one of the requirements in the code is unenforceable due to specific difficulties, a design may nevertheless be implemented provided that justification is duly documented.

The code provides fire protection recommendations in terms of:

• The industrial risk (loss of assets and/or operation).
• Personnel safety.
• The environment.

The code is divided into five main sections:

• General
• Design safety principles
• Fire protection design bases
• Construction provisions
• Rules for installing the fire protection components and equipment

The RCC-F code is available as an ETC-F version specifically for EPR projects (European pressurised reactor).

Edition available as of 1 January 2015

ETC-F 2013 edition

The 2013 edition of the ETC-F code incorporated two major changes:

• Removal of the code's adherence to the specifics of EPR projects.
• Inclusion of British regulations, which prompted a significant overhaul to the body of the text, as well as the creation of an appendix specifically addressing such regulations and designed to improve understanding thereof.

This exercise in anglicizing the code gave AFCEN hands-on experience in updating the code to reflect foreign regulations (in terms of the time, processes and skills required).

It also served as the ideal opportunity to integrate British practices.

For more details about RCC-F