Columbia Energy performs quality-affecting work in accordance with its documented quality assurance program. The quality assurance program ensures that work meets quality standards through proper planning, execution, oversight, and documentation. The program implements the relevant requirements from the following industry standards:

• Quality Assurance Requirements (10 CFR 830, Subpart A)
• Quality Assurance (DOE O 414.1A)
• Quality Assurance Requirements for Nuclear Facility Applications & Supplements
  (ASME NQA-1).

We control activities affecting quality with written procedures, instructions, and drawings that ensure work meets established technical standards and sound engineering principles. Activities affecting quality are performed under controlled conditions that ensure personnel have access to appropriate equipment and procedures; that work occurs in a suitable environment; and that all prerequisites are complete before starting work.

We review employee qualifications and provide employees with training to ensure they have and maintain the knowledge and skills required to complete assigned tasks correctly. Items and services are procured based on qualification criteria to ensure they meet established requirements or performance criteria.

The quality assurance program includes requirements for inspection and oversight of work activities by qualified employees. Written reports document the results of inspections, assessments, and audits. Deviations, discrepancies, and nonconforming conditions are documented, corrected, and tracked to closure using nonconformance reports. Repetitive problems and conditions significantly adverse to quality are documented, corrected, and tracked to closure using corrective action reports that identify the root cause to prevent recurrence.