A regulatory framework provides the requirements and guidance governing the acceptability of technology in order to provide adequate protection of the public and environment. A regulatory framework should be based on well-defined technical principles, scientific knowledge, and experience generally accepted by a larger body of practitioners. It should be flexible enough to accommodate technological advances that adhere to those principles, knowledge, and experience. Furthermore, the framework should be clear and objective to the extent possible. This paper identifies the critical elements for an instrumentation and control (I&C) regulatory framework. Critical elements should include design principles such as defense-in-depth, quality, independence, and diversity. Such a framework should also promote objectivity, effectiveness, and efficiency. For example, the framework should place emphasis on those design activities that experience identifies as potentially problematic. The framework should also emphasize proper analysis that provides in a clear, consistent manner, with high confidence, that hazards have been identified and addressed. Such a framework would be applicable to the nuclear industry but may be applied to other industries requiring high-integrity I&C systems as well. This paper explores regulatory frameworks currently used in the nuclear industry as well as those outside of the nuclear industry. It also considers expert comments on I&C regulatory frameworks. The paper also provides recommendations and justification for elements and aspects that an I&C regulatory framework should contain.
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