BS EN IEC 61500:2019

What is BS EN IEC 61500 - Nuclear power plants about?

BS EN IEC 61500 establishes requirements for data communication which is used in systems performing category A functions in nuclear power plants.

BS EN IEC 61500 also covers interface requirements for data communication of equipment performing category A functions with other systems including those performing category B and C functions and functions not important to safety.

BS EN IEC 61500 is restricted to the consideration of data communication within the plant I&C safety systems. It does not cover communication by telephone, radio, voice, fax, email, public address, etc.

Note: BS EN IEC 61500 does not prescribe how availability indicators shall be calculated. The standard does not specify the method of information acquisition, how to estimate the production terms or to form the basis for power curve performance measurements – which is the objective of IEC 61400-12.

Who is BS EN IEC 61500 - Nuclear power plants for?

BS EN IEC 61500 on nuclear power plants is useful to:

• Nuclear power plants
• Manufacturers of data communication equipment
• Systems evaluators and licensors
• Atomic research organizations
• Nuclear power plants electrical systems and equipment manufacturers
• Nuclear power safety regulatory authorities

Why should you use BS EN IEC 61500 - Nuclear power plants?

The equipment for data communication of on-line plant data can simplify the hardwired cables connecting distributed systems for instrumentation, control, protection, and monitoring needed for the safe operation of Nuclear Power Plants (NPP).

Data communication in nuclear power plants systems has advantages over direct cables, for electrical isolation, for reduction of cable fire loads, or other reasons. In a distributed computer-based system, communication equipment is an essential part. The BS EN IEC 61500 guidelines assist you in implementing I&C systems that are important to nuclear power plant safety.

BS EN IEC 61500 can be useful to any number of WTGSs, whether represented by an individual turbine, a fleet of wind turbines, a wind power station, or a portfolio of wind power stations. A wind power station is typically made up of all WTGSs, functional services and balance of plant elements as seen from the point of common coupling.

The purpose of BS EN IEC 61500 is to provide standardized metrics that can be used to create and organize methods for availability calculation and reporting according to the user’s needs.

What’s changed since the last update?

BS EN IEC 61500:2019 supersedes BS EN 61500:2011, which is withdrawn. BS EN IEC 61500:2019 includes some technical changes with respect to BS EN 61500:2011. These include:

• The changes introduced to previously referenced standards have been confirmed to apply
• Relevant newly published standards have been referenced
• Lessons learned from several industrial applications have been incorporated