Activities and Future Trends of the ENIQ Network

Abstract

The European Network for Inspection and Qualification (ENIQ) is a utility driven network that works towards a harmonized European approach on reliable and effective in-service inspection (ISI). ENIQ has a Steering Committee and two task groups: a Task Group on Qualification (TGQ), which works on issues related to the qualification of ISI systems, and a Task Group on Risk (TGR), which is focused on risk-informed in-service inspections (RI-ISI). In the recent past both ENIQ task groups have been very active. For instance, TGR published in 2005 the "European Framework Document on RI-ISI", and has since been working at producing more detailed recommended practices and discussion documents on several RI-ISI related issues (among which a Recommended Practice (RP) on the verification and validation of structural reliability models; a RP giving guidance on the use of expert panels; a Discussion Document on the application of RI-ISI to the inspection of the reactor pressure vessel, and a Discussion Document on the updating of RI-ISI programmes). TGQ, after publishing the third issue of the European Qualification Methodology Document in 2007, has recently issued a RP on personnel qualification and a document giving an overview of inspection qualification for the non-specialist. In 2010, the ENIQ Steering Committee recognised that the European nuclear industry is at a turning point and thus initiated an internal discussion to determine its vision and objectives regarding ENIQ's future role and activities. This exercise resulted in the issuing of a strategy document entitled the "ENIQ 2020 Roadmap" (January 2011). The aim of this paper is to review the recent activities of ENIQ and to explain what role the network intends to play on the international scene for the next 10 years.