ML103510458

Regulatory Analysis to Regulatory Guide 1.218

ML103510458
Person / Time
Issue date:	04/30/2012
From:	Office of Nuclear Regulatory Research
To:
Jervey, Richard, RES/DE/RGDB, 251-7404
Shared Package
ML103510441	List: ML103510458 ML103510471 Regulatory Guide 1.218
References
DG-1240 RG 1.218
Download: ML103510458 (2)

Text

REGULATORY ANALYSIS REGULATORY GUIDE 1.218 CONDITION-MONITORING TECHNIQUES FOR ELECTRIC CABLES USED IN NUCLEAR POWER PLANTS (New Regulatory Guide, draft was issued as DG-1240, dated June 2010)

Statement of the Problem Studying the aging effects from long-term operations is an ongoing process. In the many years collecting operating experience at power plants, including at those plants with licenses extended beyond the initial term, it has been found that cabling can be susceptible to degradation and in some cases is not easily inspected to assess reliability, such as when it is embedded in concrete or buried. Condition monitoring is a useful means of determining the condition of installed electric cables, and a great deal of research has been performed to identify effective condition-monitoring techniques. However, the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) has not issued a staff position on acceptable condition-monitoring techniques at this time. Regulatory Guide 1.211, "Qualification of Safety-Related Cables and Field Splices for Nuclear Power Plants,"

1 states that "Programs for monitoring of environmental conditions (such as temperature, radiation levels), and condition monitoring should be implemented for safety-related power, instrumentation, and control cables." This guidance supports the continuing evolution of condition-monitoring techniques used to determine equipment reliability.

Regulatory Guide 1.160, "Monitoring the Effectiveness of Maintenance at Nuclear Power Plants,"2 provides general guidance for monitoring the effectiveness of maintenance. However, it does not provide any specific guidance for condition monitoring of cables. In view of recent failures of cables, this guidance is needed for condition monitoring of cables.

Objective The objective of this regulatory action is to identify acceptable condition-monitoring techniques for electrical cables. The guide provides a summary of techniques that are recognized as state-of-the-art practices. In an effort to cumulate this information for use by licensees and NRC staff, the NRC is publishing this regulatory guide with the understanding that the techniques implemented by a licensee is not specifically mandated, and that many options are available to assess the reliability of cables.

Alternative Approaches The alternative would be to not publish a guide. However, the efficiency gained by providing the guidance is worth the low costs of staff preparation time and review by interested members of the public.

Conclusion

The NRC intends to issue this regulatory guide to enhance the licensing process and provide guidance for compliance with Title 10, Section 50.65, "Requirements for Monitoring the Effectiveness of Maintenance

1 Regulatory Guide 1.211, "Qualification of Safety-Related Cables and Field Splices for Nuclear Power Plants," U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Washington, DC. April 2009.

2 Regulatory Guide 1.160, "Monitoring the Effectiveness of Maintenance at Nuclear Power Plants," U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Washington, DC. March 1997.

Page 2 at Nuclear Power Plants," of the Code of Federal Regulations (10 CFR 50.65).

3 The staff concludes that the proposed action will reduce unnecessary burden on both the NRC and its licensees and will result in an improved and more uniform process for condition monitoring of electric cables. Moreover, the staff sees no adverse effects associated with issuing this regulatory guide.

3 10 CFR Part 50, "Domestic Licensing of Production and Utilization Facilities," U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Washington, DC.