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HDPE piping has been historically used in place of steels in petrochemical, power, and mining industries to mitigate corrosion and erosion issues. Additionally as HDPE pipe is resistant to Microbiologically Influenced Corrosion (MIC) and fouling, it appears to be a perfect fit for nuclear safety related cooling water applications. To this end, HDPE was first used in an ASME Class 3 emergency service water system, in 2005 at Sizewell B, operated by British Energy, in the United Kingdom. The long successful history of non-nuclear HDPE pipe operating experience along with the successful operation at Sizewell B and other non-safety related nuclear applications has now resulted in the first use of HDPE pipe for a safety related class 3 application in the United States nuclear industry at the AmerenUE-Callaway nuclear power plant. The application of nuclear quality assurance requirements coupled with stringent procurement, manufacturing and fabrication controls create a reasonable assurance that the production fusion joint should be sound; using Ultrasonic Time of Flight Diffraction (TOFD) inspection of the fusion joints is a volumetric, nondestructive examination tool available to provide additional assurance of the fusion joint integrity.

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