BS EN IEC 62138:2019

What is BS EN IEC 62138 - Nuclear power plants about?

BS EN IEC 62138 specifies requirements for the software of computer-based instrumentation and control (I&C) systems performing functions of safety category B or C as defined by IEC 61226. It complements IEC 60880 which provides requirements for the software of computer-based I&C systems performing functions of safety category A.

BS EN IEC 62138 is consistent with, and complementary to, IEC 61513. Activities that are mainly system level activities (for example, integration, validation, and installation) are not addressed exhaustively by BS EN IEC 62138. Requirements that are not specific to software are deferred to IEC 61513.

Who is BS EN IEC 62138 - Nuclear power plants for?

BS EN IEC 62138 on nuclear power plants is applicable to:

• Nuclear power plants
• Atomic research organizations
• Nuclear power plants electrical systems and equipment manufacturers
• Nuclear power safety regulatory authorities

Why should you use BS EN IEC 62138 - Nuclear power plants?

This International Standard provides requirements on the software aspects for computer based instrumentation and control (I&C) systems performing category B or C functions as defined by IEC 61226. It complements IEC 60880 which provides requirements for the software of computer-based I&C systems performing category A functions

The purpose of the guidance provided by BS EN IEC 62138 is to reduce, as far as possible, the potential for latent software faults to cause system failures, either due to single software failures or multiple software failures (i.e., Common Cause Failures due to software).

BS EN IEC 62138 takes into account the current practices for the development of software for I&C systems, in particular:

• The use of pre-developed software, equipment, and equipment families that were not necessarily designed to nuclear industry sector standards
• The use of application-oriented languages

What’s changed since the last update?

BS EN IEC 62138:2019 supersedes BS EN 62138:2009, which is withdrawn. BS EN IEC 62138:2019 includes some technical changes with respect to BS EN 62138:2009. These include:

• Align the standard with standards published or revised since the first edition, in particular IEC 61513, IEC 60880, IEC 62645, and IEC 62671
• Merge Clause 5 and Clause 6 of the first edition into a single clause in order to avoid the repetition of the vast majority of the text which proves to be extremely difficult to maintain in consistency
• Revise clause on the selection of pre-developed software based on experiences from the application of the first edition of the standard on industrial projects. More precise criteria are proposed for the evidence of correctness of pre-developed software
• Introduce requirements on traceability in consistency with IEC 61513
• Introduce an Annex A that gives a typical list of software documentation