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Strengthening our Global Standards: How IMI is unlocking the latest flow control technologies for nuclear
Written By IMI Publications
January 2, 2026
It’s not difficult to recognise the lure of nuclear power in an era of global supply shocks and increasingly strict climate legislation.
The recent resurgence of nuclear energy has been founded on the technology's capability to deliver reliable, baseload power with low carbon emissions. Canada, the United Kingdom, the United States, and several other countries are actively pursuing new reactor builds, restarting shuttered plants, and extending plant lifetimes to help meet the demand for electricity and to reduce carbon emissions.
In addition to the industry's success, its excellent safety record is significantly better than that of other electricity generation technologies. This record is attributed to a safety culture within nuclear energy plants, which addresses technology that is hazardous to both plant workers and the surrounding community. The nuclear codes and oversight govern every aspect of the technology’s use.
It may not seem significant at first glance, but it’s here, deep within the regulatory process, that we have done some of our best work.
We have three centres of excellence for nuclear at our sites in California, the USA, Germany, and the United Kingdom. Not surprisingly, numerous standards exist, and our manufacturing facilities must maintain appropriate quality programmes and knowledge of the codes to design and manufacture valves in compliance with these codes. Local and global authorities must regularly audit these programmes before any manufacturing takes place to ensure that IMI companies can design and manufacture valves in compliance with the standards.
Rigorous changes
As a business supplying nuclear sites worldwide, we are required to hold a range of certifications, including those from the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) and the Rapid Construction Code for Nuclear Reactor Components (RCCM). We are also obliged to conduct audits, both internal and external, to ensure compliance with current and revised nuclear codes and standards.
At any given time, we hold between 50 and 60 certifications, including those for specific products. Compared to these, an ISO 9001 process is relatively straightforward.
Aerial view of a nuclear power plant at sunrise, showing the full layout of generation and cooling infrastructure.
In Canada, the nuclear code is Canadian Standards Association (CSA) N285.0, which is specific to CANDU technology and includes Quality Programme N299.2, as well as other requirements specific to Canada. It also utilises the ASME Section III code. Companies based in Canada must have a quality programme audited by the country’s Technical Standards authority in the province of manufacture.
International companies only need their programmes to be audited in accordance with an ASME-certified organisation. Our IMI Bopp & Reuther and IMI Thompson Valves product lines have their programmes reviewed by the Technical Standards and Safety Authority, which is responsible for oversight of nuclear plants in Ontario. Holding this certification is considered an advantage when a significant portion of business is conducted with Canadian customers.
Quality at scale
In 2025, IMI Bopp & Reuther and IMI Thompson Valves' nuclear technologies were audited for compliance with ASME III, N299.2. Both technology lines underwent programmes that had successfully met the requirements of the N299.2 certification for over 20 years. So, the recent audit preparation was straightforward.
As a team, bi-weekly meetings were held for four months ahead of the official audit. This gave businesses enough time to implement changes and collect data to demonstrate that their quality systems were functioning in accordance with the requirements.
Speed without sacrifice
The nuclear industry is inherently conservative, with lead times generally ranging from 38 to 50 weeks, and sometimes longer. As such, it’s essential to consider where improvements can be made to the procurement process without compromising quality and full traceability.
Put simply, it’s incumbent on us, as a key supplier to the nuclear industry, to do all we can to expedite delivery. Doing so keeps both new builds and routine maintenance on track, which is a critical point given nuclear’s growing profile for the energy transition. It also provides your site managers with access to the latest innovations in flow control.
To discover more about our nuclear sector technologies, please visit: Nuclear Power
