Key Issues
Nuclear Power Plant Fire Protection
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Risk-Informed Inspections
The NRC also is making the inspection process more risk-informed. It has developed baseline inspection guidance that involves routine resident inspections of fire protection programs and triennial regional team inspections of safe shutdown programs. Probabilistic safety studies and the NRC’s significance determination process focus inspections on the most significant plant areas.
The industry also is using risk information to resolve generic fire protection issues. For example, the NRC has endorsed a portion of NEI 00-01 Revision 1, a guidance document intended to provide risk-informed resolution of issues involving fire-induced circuit failures.
The NRC has issued Regulatory Guide 1.189, which consolidates existing regulatory guidance. The agency also provides new guidance on best practices for fire protection programs.
Summary
No fires have significantly challenged nuclear power systems in more than 30 years.
New issues frequently arise, however, that require significant NRC and industry resources. The NRC and NEI continue to refine processes to address and resolve such issues as quickly as possible.
Risk-Informed Inspections
The NRC also is making the inspection process more risk-informed. It has developed baseline inspection guidance that involves routine resident inspections of fire protection programs and triennial regional team inspections of safe shutdown programs. Probabilistic safety studies and the NRC’s significance determination process focus inspections on the most significant plant areas.
The industry also is using risk information to resolve generic fire protection issues. For example, the NRC has endorsed a portion of NEI 00-01 Revision 1, a guidance document intended to provide risk-informed resolution of issues involving fire-induced circuit failures.
The NRC has issued Regulatory Guide 1.189, which consolidates existing regulatory guidance. The agency also provides new guidance on best practices for fire protection programs.
Summary
No fires have significantly challenged nuclear power systems in more than 30 years.
New issues frequently arise, however, that require significant NRC and industry resources. The NRC and NEI continue to refine processes to address and resolve such issues as quickly as possible.
