Nuclear Regulatory Commission Issues New Regulatory Guide for Fiber-Optic Cables in Safety Systems

Strategic Insights -

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) has issued a new regulatory guide, RG 1.257, that endorses the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) Standard 1682-2023 for the qualification of fiber-optic cables, connections, and optical fiber splices in safety systems in production and utilization facilities. This guide describes an approach acceptable to the NRC staff for complying with regulations addressing environmental qualification of fiber-optic cables, connections, and optical fiber splices. The guide is available in the NRC's Agencywide Documents Access and Management System (ADAMS) and can be accessed using the provided accession numbers.

Key Takeaways:

  • The NRC has issued a new regulatory guide, RG 1.257, that endorses the IEEE Standard 1682-2023 for the qualification of fiber-optic cables, connections, and optical fiber splices in safety systems in production and utilization facilities.
  • RG 1.257 describes an approach that is acceptable to the NRC staff for complying with the agency's regulations addressing environmental qualification of fiber-optic cables, connections, and optical fiber splices.
  • The guide was issued with a temporary identification as Draft Regulatory Guide, (DG)-1427, and was published in the Federal Register on October 29, 2024, for a 30-day public comment period.
  • The public comment period closed on November 29, 2024, and public comments on DG-1427 and the staff responses are available in ADAMS under Accession No. ML25052A132.
  • The issuance of RG 1.257 does not constitute backfitting as defined in 10 CFR 50.109 and does not affect "issue finality of any approval issued under 10 CFR part 52."
  • Suggestions for improvement of existing ORGs or development of new ORGs can be submitted on the NRC's public website at https://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/doc-collections/reg-guides/contactus.html.

Statistics:

  • The new regulatory guide, RG 1.257, is available in the NRC's Agencywide Documents Access and Management System (ADAMS) under Accession Nos. ML25052A253 and ML24201A069.
  • The public comment period for Draft Regulatory Guide, (DG)-1427, closed on November 29, 2024.
  • The Office of Management and Budget has not found the regulation to meet the criteria at 5 U.S.C. 804(2).
  • The guidance issued in this regulatory guide does not require licensees to comply with positions set forth in the guide.

Sources:

  • 42 U.S.C. 2011 et seq.
  • 10 CFR 50.109
  • 5 U.S.C. 801-808
  • NRC Management Directive (MD) 8.4
  • Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) Standard 1682-2023
  • Federal Register, October 29, 2024, 89 FR 85889
  • NRC's Agencywide Documents Access and Management System (ADAMS) under Accession Nos. ML25052A253 and ML24201A069.