[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 179 (Wednesday, September 16, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Pages 55654-55656]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-23185]
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NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION
[NRC-2015-0211]
Instrumentation and Controls
AGENCY: Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
ACTION: Standard review plan-draft section revision; request for
comment.
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SUMMARY: The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is soliciting
public comments on proposed changes to the ``Standard Review Plan for
the Review of Safety Analysis Reports for Nuclear Power Plants: LWR
Edition,'' (NUREG-0800) for changes to 33 individual sections of
Chapter 7, ``Instrumentation and Controls,'' as listed in the table in
Section IV of this notice entitled, Availability of Documents.
DATES: Comments must be filed no later than November 16, 2015. Comments
received after this date will be considered, if it is practical to do
so, but the Commission is able to ensure consideration only for
comments received on or before this date.
ADDRESSES: You may submit comments by any of the following methods
(unless this document describes a different method for submitting
comments on a specific subject):
Federal Rulemaking Web site: Go to http://www.regulations.gov and search for Docket ID NRC-2015-0211. Address
questions about NRC dockets to Carol Gallagher; telephone: 301-415-
3463; email: [email protected]. For technical questions, contact
the individual listed in the FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT section of
this document.
Mail comments to: Cindy Bladey, Office of Administration,
Mail Stop: OWFN-12-H8, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Washington,
DC 20555-0001.
For additional direction on accessing information and submitting
comments, see ``Obtaining Information and Submitting Comments'' in the
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section of this document.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Michael S. Jones, Office of New
Reactors, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Washington, DC 20555-
0001; telephone: 301-415-0189, email: [email protected].
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
I. Obtaining Information and Submitting Comments
A. Obtaining Information
Please refer to Docket ID NRC-2015-0211 when contacting the NRC
about the availability of information regarding this document. You may
obtain publicly-available information related to this action by the
following methods:
Federal Rulemaking Web site: Go to http://www.regulations.gov and search for Docket ID NRC-2015-0211.
NRC's Agencywide Documents Access and Management System
(ADAMS): You may obtain publicly-available documents online in the
ADAMS Public Documents collection at http://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/adams.html. To begin the search, select ``ADAMS Public Documents'' and
then select ``Begin Web-based ADAMS Search.'' For problems with ADAMS,
please contact the NRC's Public Document Room (PDR) reference staff at
1-800-397-4209, 301-415-4737, or by email to [email protected]. The
ADAMS accession number for each document referenced (if it available in
ADAMS) is provided the first time that a document is referenced. In
addition, for the convenience of the reader, instructions about
accessing materials referenced in this document are provided in the
``Availability of Documents'' section.
NRC's PDR: You may examine and purchase copies of public
documents at the NRC's PDR, Room O1-F21, One White Flint North, 11555
Rockville Pike, Rockville, Maryland 20852.
B. Submitting Comments
Please include Docket ID NRC-2015-0211 in the subject line of your
comment submission, in order to ensure that the NRC is able to make
your comment submission available to the public in this docket.
The NRC cautions you not to include identifying or contact
information that you do not want to be publicly disclosed in your
comment submission. The NRC posts all comment submissions at http://www.regulations.gov as well as entering the comment submissions into
ADAMS. The NRC does not routinely edit comment submissions to remove
identifying or contact information.
If you are requesting or aggregating comments from other persons
for submission to the NRC, then you should inform those persons not to
include identifying or contact information that they do not want to be
publicly disclosed in their comment submission. Your request should
state that the NRC does not routinely edit comment submissions to
remove such information before making the comment submissions available
to the public or entering the comment submissions into ADAMS.
II. Further Information
The NRC seeks public comment on the proposed draft revisions of
Standard Review Plan (SRP) sections of Chapter 7 listed above. These
sections have been developed to assist the NRC staff review the design
of instrumentation and controls and auxiliary systems under parts 50
and 52 of Title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations (10 CFR). The
revisions to these SRP sections reflect no changes in staff position;
rather they clarify the original intent of these SRP sections using
plain language throughout in accordance with the NRC's Plain Writing
Action Plan. Additionally, these revisions reflect operating
experience, lessons learned, updates to NRC guidance, and address the
applicability of regulatory treatment of non-safety systems, where
appropriate.
[[Page 55655]]
Following the NRC staff's evaluation of public comments, the NRC
intends to finalize the proposed revisions of the subject SRP Sections
in ADAMS and post them on the NRC's public Web site at http://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/doc-collections/nuregs/staff/sr0800/. The SRP is
guidance for the NRC staff. The SRP is not a substitute for the NRC
regulations, and compliance with the SRP is not required.
III. Backfitting and Issue Finality
Issuance of these draft SRP sections, if finalized, would not
constitute backfitting as defined in 10 CFR 50.109 (the Backfit Rule)
or otherwise be inconsistent with the issue finality provisions in 10
CFR part 52. The NRC's position is based upon the following
considerations:
1. The draft SRP positions, if finalized, would not constitute
backfitting, inasmuch as the SRP is internal guidance to NRC staff.
The SRP provides internal guidance to the NRC staff on how to
review an application for NRC regulatory approval in the form of
licensing. Changes in internal staff guidance are not matters for which
either nuclear power plant applicants or licensees are protected under
either the Backfit Rule or the issue finality provisions of 10 CFR part
52.
2. The NRC staff has no intention to impose the SRP positions on
existing licensees either now or in the future.
The NRC staff does not intend to impose or apply the positions
described in the draft SRP to existing licenses and regulatory
approvals. Hence, the issuance of a final SRP--even if considered
guidance within the purview of the issue finality provisions in 10 CFR
part 52--would not need to be evaluated as if it were a backfit or as
being inconsistent with issue finality provisions. If, in the future,
the NRC staff seeks to impose a position in the SRP on holders of
already issued licenses in a manner that does not provide issue
finality as described in the applicable issue finality provision, then
the staff must make the showing as set forth in the Backfit Rule or
address the criteria for avoiding issue finality as described in the
applicable issue finality provision.
3. Backfitting and issue finality do not--with limited exceptions
not applicable here--protect current or future applicants.
Applicants and potential applicants are not, with certain
exceptions, protected by either the Backfit Rule or any issue finality
provisions under 10 CFR part 52. Neither the Backfit Rule nor the issue
finality provisions under 10 CFR part 52--with certain exclusions--were
intended to apply to every NRC action that substantially changes the
expectations of current and future applicants. The exceptions to the
general principle are applicable whenever an applicant references a 10
CFR part 52 license (e.g., an early site permit) and/or NRC regulatory
approval (e.g., a design certification rule) with specified issue
finality provisions. The NRC staff does not, at this time, intend to
impose the positions represented in the draft SRP in a manner that is
inconsistent with any issue finality provisions. If, in the future, the
staff seeks to impose a position in the draft SRP in a manner that does
not provide issue finality as described in the applicable issue
finality provision, then the staff must address the criteria for
avoiding issue finality as described in the applicable issue finality
provision.
IV. Availability of Documents
The documents identified in Table 1 below are available to
interested persons through one or more of the following methods, as
indicated.
Table 1--Standard Review Plan (SRP) Chapter 7 Sections Being Revised
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Redline ADAMS Accession
SRP Section Current revision ADAMS Accession No. Proposed revision ADAMS Accession No. No.
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SRP 7.0, ``Instrumentation and Revision 6, ML100740146.................... Revision 7, ML15159B042................... ML14303A149
Controls--Overview of Review
Process''.
SRP 7.1, ``Instrumentation and Revision 5, ML070550076.................... Revision 6, ML15159B068................... ML14303A153
Controls--Introduction''.
Table 7-1, ``Table 7-1 Regulatory Revision 5, ML070460342.................... Revision 6, ML15159B203................... ML14303A447
Requirements, Acceptance Criteria,
and Guidelines for Instrumentation
and Control Systems Important to
Safety''.
SRP 7.2, ``Reactor Trip System''... Revision 5, ML070550083.................... Revision 6, ML15159B086................... ML14303A403
SRP 7.3, ``Engineered Safety Revision 5, ML070560004.................... Revision 6, ML15159B099................... ML14303A408
Features Systems''.
SRP 7.4, ``Safe Shutdown Systems''. Revision 5, ML070550085.................... Revision 6, ML15159B122................... ML14303A411
SRP 7.5, ``Information Systems Revision 5, ML070550086.................... Revision 6, ML15159B138................... ML14303A413
Important to Safety''.
SRP 7.6, ``Interlock Systems Revision 5, ML070460348.................... Revision 6, ML15159B156................... ML14303A416
Important to Safety''.
SRP 7.7, ``Control Systems''....... Revision 5, ML070670042.................... Revision 6, ML15159B161................... ML14303A428
SRP 7.8, ``Diverse Instrumentation Revision 5, ML070650035.................... Revision 6, ML15159B171................... ML14303A432
and Control Systems''.
SRP 7.9, ``Data Communication Revision 5, ML070650036.................... Revision 6, ML15159B177................... ML14303A435
Systems''.
App. 7.0-A, ``Review Process for Revision 5, ML070660258.................... Revision 6, ML15159A199................... ML14302A297
Digital Instrumentation and
Control Systems''.
App. 7.1-A, ``Acceptance Criteria Revision 5, ML070660170.................... Revision 6, ML15159A207................... ML14302A299
and Guidelines for Instrumentation
and Controls Systems Important to
Safety''.
App. 7.1-B, ``Guidance for Revision 5, ML070550087.................... Revision 6, ML15159A226................... ML14302A300
Evaluation of Conformance to IEEE
Std 279''.
App. 7.1-C, ``Guidance for Revision 5, ML070550088.................... Revision 6, ML15159A337................... ML14302A303
Evaluation of Conformance to IEEE
Std 603''.
App. 7.1-D, ``Guidance for Initial Issuance, ML070660327.............. Revision 1, ML15159A491................... ML14302A309
Evaluation of the Application of
IEEE Std 7-4.3.2''.
BTP 7-1, ``Guidance on Isolation of Revision 5, ML070460345.................... Revision 6, ML15159A540................... ML14302A385
Low-Pressure Systems from the High-
Pressure Reactor Coolant System''.
BTP 7-2, ``Guidance on Requirements Revision 5, ML070550090.................... Revision 6, ML15159A592................... ML14302A459
of Motor-Operated Valves in the
Emergency Core Cooling System
Accumulator Lines''.
BTP 7-3, ``Guidance on Protection Revision 5, ML070550091.................... Revision 6, ML15159A638................... ML14303A079
System Trip Point Changes for
Operation with Reactor Coolant
Pumps Out of Service''.
[[Page 55656]]
BTP 7-4, ``Guidance on Design Revision 5, ML070550093.................... Revision 6, ML15159A672................... ML14303A088
Criteria for Auxiliary Feedwater
Systems''.
BTP 7-5, ``Guidance on Spurious Revision 5, ML070550094.................... Revision 6, ML15159A681................... ML14303A109
Withdrawals of Single Control Rods
in Pressurized Water Reactors''.
BTP 7-6, ``Guidance on Design of Revision 5, ML070550095.................... Revision 6, ML15209A319................... ML15209A455
Instrumentation and Controls
Provided to Accomplish Changeover
from Injection to Recirculation
Mode''.
BTP 7-8, ``Guidance for Application Revision 5, ML070550096.................... Revision 6, ML15159A699................... ML14303A143
of Regulatory Guide 1.22''.
BTP 7-9, ``Guidance on Requirements Revision 5, ML070550084.................... Revision 6, ML15209A459................... ML15209A571
for Reactor Protection System
Anticipatory Trips''.
BTP 7-10, ``Guidance on Application Revision 5, ML070550082.................... Revision 6, ML15159A726................... ML14302A397
of Regulatory Guide 1.97''.
BTP 7-11, ``Guidance on Application Revision 5, ML070550080.................... Revision 6, ML15159A769................... ML14302A401
and Qualification of Isolation
Devices''.
BTP 7-12, ``Guidance on Revision 5, ML070550078.................... Revision 6, ML15159A799................... ML14302A404
Establishing and Maintaining
Instrument Setpoints''.
BTP 7-13, ``Guidance on Cross- Revision 5, ML070550077.................... Revision 6, ML15159A809................... ML14302A410
Calibration of Protection System
Resistance Temperature Detectors''.
BTP 7-14, ``Guidance on Software Revision 5, ML070670183.................... Revision 6, ML15159A946................... ML14302A467
Reviews for Digital Computer-Based
Instrumentation and Control
Systems''.
BTP 7-17, ``Guidance on Self-Test Revision 5, ML070550075.................... Revision 6, ML15159A959................... ML14302A477
and Surveillance Test Provisions''.
BTP 7-18, ``Guidance on the Use of Revision 5, ML070550073.................... Revision 6, ML15159A982................... ML14302A488
Programmable Logic Controllers in
Digital Computer-Based
Instrumentation and Control
Systems''.
BTP 7-19, ``Guidance for Evaluation Revision 6, ML110550791.................... Revision 7, ML15159A996................... ML14302A495
of Diversity and Defense-in-Depth
in Digital Computer-Based
Instrumentation and Control
Systems''.
BTP 7-21, ``Guidance on Digital Revision 5, ML070550070.................... Revision 6, ML15159B011................... ML14303A112
Computer Real-Time Performance''.
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The NRC may post materials related to these documents, including
public comments, on the Federal rulemaking Web site at http://www.regulations.gov under Docket ID NRC-2015-0211. The Federal
rulemaking Web site allows you to receive alerts when changes or
additions occur in a docket folder. To subscribe: (1) Navigate to the
docket folder (NRC-2015-0211); (2) click the ``Sign up for Email
Alerts'' link; and (3) enter your email address and select how
frequently you would like to receive emails (daily, weekly, or
monthly).
Dated at Rockville, Maryland, this 3rd day of September, 2015.
For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
Kimyata Morgan Butler,
Acting Chief, New Reactor Rulemaking and Guidance Branch, Division of
Advanced Reactors and Rulemaking, Office of New Reactors.
[FR Doc. 2015-23185 Filed 9-15-15; 8:45 am]
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