ML20151S279
| ML20151S279 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Issue date: | 08/28/1998 |
| From: | Rathbun D NRC OFFICE OF CONGRESSIONAL AFFAIRS (OCA) |
| To: | Gingrich N, Gore A, Murphy R GENERAL ACCOUNTING OFFICE, HOUSE OF REP., SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE, SENATE, PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE |
| References | |
| CCS, NUDOCS 9809040257 | |
| Download: ML20151S279 (6) | |
Text
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^
,- k UNITED STATES
, ;j. NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION WAsHINeToN, D.C. asseMeet
..... August 28, 1998 The Honorable Al Gore President of the United States Senate Washington, DC 20510
Dear Mr. President:
Pursuant to Subtitle E of the Small Business Regulatory Enforcement Falmess Act of 1996,5 U.S.C. 801 et seq., the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is suomitting a final" rule" as defined in 5 U.S.C. 804. Labeled a " Regulatory Guide" (RG) and its companion guidance for NRC staff reviewers labeled a " Standard Review Plan" (SRP) chapter, this non-binding " rule" provides acceptable methods for licensee use, and NRC staff review, of numerical probabilistic safety information in support of changes to the licensing bases of nuclear power plants.
Although this RG and SRP chapter can be generally applied to many different portions of the .
plant's licensing basis, they are specifically intended to be applied in the areas of In-Service Inspection (ISI), in-Servi s Testing (IST), Graded Quality Assurance (GQA), and Technical Specifications (TS). Fr .ose purposes, in addition to the enclosed, generally applicable RG and SRP chapter, with< , few weeks a series of supplementary RGs and SRP chapters will be issued giving more ap, "ation-specific guidance in each of those areas.
No changen or additions have been made to any rules or regulations in conjunction with the issuance of this generally applicable RG and SRP chapter or the upcoming issuance of the application-specific RGs and SRP chapters. The new methods will be altamatives to the deterministically-based licensing basis change methods previously used (which are typically
~
based upon identification of a worst-case event against which the plant must provide acceptable protection). The previous' methods will remain acceptable as attematives to the new risk-informed methods (i.e., within these subject areas, each licensee will select which method to use in support of each licensing basis change application).
The new risk-informed attemative methods will allow licensees to concentrate on plant equipment and operations that are most critically important to plant safety, in this way, a savings in total. effort can be achieved with an insignificant change in overall safety. This savings, together with the greater operating flexibility that will become possible utilizing the new methods, are among the principal incentives for licensees to utilize the new risk-informed method, whose development and implementation nuclear power plant licensees actively encouraged.
We have determined that this RG and SRP chapter are not a " major rule" as defined in 5 U.S.C.
804(2), and we have confirmed this determination with the Office of Management and Budget.
i 9809040257 980828 PDR ORG NRCCO PDR
. . I l*
1 J.' 2 Enclosed are copies of the generally applicable RG and SRP chapter (copies of the application- I specific RGs and SRP chapters will be separately forwarded within a few weeks). This !
_ generally applicable RG and SRP chapter were published in July 1998.
Sincerely, M$
Dennis K. Rathbun, Director l Office of Congressional Affairs 1
Enclosures-Final Regulatory Guide 1.174 . l l
Standard Review Plan Chapter 19
[
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- ~ ~ ~ , . . - - _. ._ .. - .. .. _-. - - - _ _ . - - . - .. _ .. - . - .. - - - . - . - - . -
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.' g NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION WASHINGTON, D.C. 30008 80M eug August 28, 1998 The Honorable Newt Gingrich Speaker of the United States House of Representatives Washington, DC 20515 i
Dear Mr. Speaker:
4 Pursuant to Subtitle E of the Small Business Regulatory Enforcement Falmess Act of 1996,5 U.S.C. 801 et seq., the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is submitting a final " rule" as defined in 5 U.S.C. 804. . Labeled a " Regulatory Guide" (RG) and its companion guidance for NRC staff reviewers labeled a " Standard Review Plan" (SRP) chapter, this non-binding " rule" provides acceptable methods for licensee use, and NRC staff review, of numerical probabilistic safety information in support of changes to the hcensing bases of nuclear power plants.
Although this RG and SRP chapter can be generally applied to many different portions of the 4 plant's licenshg basis, they are specifically intended to be applied in the areas of in-Service
Specifications (TS). For those purposes, in addition to the enclosed, generally applicable RG and SRP chapter, within a few weeks a series of supplementary RGs and SRP chapters will be
- issued giving more application-specific guidance in each of those areas.
No changes or additions have been made to any rules or regulations in conjunction with the issuance of this generally applicable RG and SRP chapter or the upcoming issuance of the j application-specific RGs and SRP chapters. The new methods will be attematives to the deterministically-based licensing basis change methods previously used (which are typically based upon identification of a worst-case event against which the plant must provide acceptable Motection). The previous methods will remain acceptable as attematives to the new risk-4 Mformed methods (i.e., within these subject areas, each licensee will select which method to use in support of each licensing basis change application).
The new risk-informed altamative methods will allow licensees to concentrate on plant i equipment and operations that are most critically important to plant safety. In this way, a savings in total effort can be achieved with an insignificant change in overall safety. This savings, together with the greater operating flexibility that will become possible utilizing the new methods, are among the principal incentives for licensees to utilize the new risk-informed 1
method, whose development and implementation nuclear power plant licensees actively
' encouraged, f -We have determined that this RG and SRP chapter are not a " major rule" as defined in 5 U.S.C.
- 804(2), and we have confirmed this determination with the Office of Management and Budget.
1 t
l
--. --. . _ _ . - , .+. ,--, . , . - .- - - . , . -- -. .,,. , - - - ,
2 Enclosed are copies of the generally applicable RG and SRP chapter (copies of the application-specific RGs and SRP chaptem will be separately forwarded within a few weeks). This generally applicable RG and SRP chapter were published in July 1998.
Sincerely,
& }.
Dennis K. Rathbun, Director Office of Congressional Affairs
Enclosures:
Final Regulatory Guide 1.174 Standard Review Plan Chapter 19 i
4 4
Y a
1 e
UNITED STATES
[ NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION WASHINGTON, D.C. 30006 0061
\***** August 28, 1998
. Mr. Robert P. Murphy ,
GeneralCounsel General Accouming Omco 441 G St., NW, Room 7175 Washington, DC 20548 Dear Mr. Murphy.
Pursuant to Subtitle E of the Small Business Regulatory Enforcement Falmess Act of 1996,5 U.S.C. 801 et seq., the Nuclear Regulatory. Commission (NRC) is submitting a final " rule" as defined in 5 U.S.C. 804.1.abeled a " Regulatory Guide" (RG) and its companion guidance for NRC staff reviewers labeled a " Standard Review Plan" (SRP) chapter, this non-binding " rule" provides acceptable methods for licensee use, and NRC staff review, of numerical probabilistic safety information in support of changes to the licensing bases of nuclear power plants.
Although this RG and SRP chapter can be generally applied to many different portions of the plant's licensing basis, they are specificsily intended to be applied in the areas of in-Service i inspection (ISI), in-Service Testing (IST), Graded Quality Assurance (GQA), and Technical Specifications (TS). For those purposes, in addition to the enclosed, generally applicable RG l und SRP chapter, within a few weeks a series of supplementary RGs and SRP chapters will be issued giving more application-specific guidance in each of those areas.
No changes or additions have been made to any ruies or regulations in conjunction with the issuance.of this generally applicabie RG and SRP chapter or the upcoming issuance of the application-specific RGs and SRP chapters. The~new methods will be attematives to the deterministically-based licensing basis change methods previously used (which are typically based upon identification of a worst-case event against which the plant must provide acceptable protection). The previous methods will remain acceptable as attematives to the new risk-informed methods (i.e., within these subject areas, each licensee will select which method to use in support of each licensing basis change application).
- ihe new risk-informed attemative methods will allow licensees to concentrate on plant equipment and operations that are most critically important to plant safety. In this way, a savings in total effort can be achieved with an insignificant change in overall safety. This
+
savings, together with the greater operating flexibility that will become possible utilizing the new
- i. methods, are among the principal incentives for licensees to utilize the new risk-informed i method, whose development and implements'Jon nuclear power plant licensees actively encouraged.
J
! We have determined that this RG and SRP chapter are not a " major rule" as defirHNI in 5 U.S.C.
804(2), and we have confirmed this determination with the Office of Management and Budget.
i y ,
.s ,
, 2 Endosed are copies of the generally applicable RG and SRP chapter (copies of the application-speclRc RGs and SRP chapters will be separately forwarded within a few weeks). This generally applicable RG and SRP chapter were published in July 1998.
SincereN, S
Dennis K. Rathbun, Director Office of Congmssional Affairs
Enclosures:
Final Regulatory Guide 1.174 Standard Review Plan Chapter 19
.