Alternate Fire Protection Rule for Light-Water Nuclear Power Plants (NUREG/BR-0312)

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Publication Information

Date Published: September 2004

Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation
U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission
Washington, DC 20555-0001

Introduction

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) has amended its fire protection rule in Title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations Section 50.48 (10 CFR 50.48) to allow nuclear power plant licensees to voluntarily adopt a risk-informed and performance-based rule. This alternate fire protection rule maintains safety while adding flexibility to the current fire protection requirements for existing nuclear power facilities.

A new paragraph 10 CFR 50.48(c) has been added to permit a reactor licensee to use the fire protection requirements contained in the National Fire protection Association (NFPA) Standard 805, Performance-Based Standard for Fire Protection for Light Water Reactor Electric Generating Plants, 2001 edition, with exceptions, as an alternative to complying with 10 CFR 50.48(b) or the licensee's fire protection license condition. In addition, this rule amends 10 CFR 50.48(f) to allow decommissioning plants the option to use NFPA 805.