NRC APPROVES FIRST USE OF ADVANCED FIRE PROTECTION STANDARD 

AT HARRIS NUCLEAR PLANT IN NORTH CAROLINA 

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission has approved the Shearon Harris Nuclear Power 

Plant’s adoption of the National Fire Protection Association’s “Performance-Based Standard 

for Fire Protection for Light-Water Reactor Electric Generating Plants" (NFPA 805). 

 “Our approval marks an important milestone in advancing fire protection at nuclear power 

plants,” said NRC Chairman Gregory B. Jaczko. “While current fire protection regulations provide 

adequate protection, NFPA 805 enhances fire safety using risk insights. The agency has worked 

with recognized experts to incorporate an updated understanding of fire risks into our regulations 

through NFPA 805. This process gives nuclear power plant licensees more refined tools to 

comprehensively evaluate their fire safety measures and focus their resources where they will do 

the most good.” 

NFPA 805 describes how existing U.S. reactors can upgrade their fire protection programs 

by applying risk-informed, performance-based requirements and fundamental fire protection 

design elements. Under the NFPA 805 standard, reactor owners and operators perform engineering 

analyses to demonstrate their installed fire protection systems and features will meet specific fire 

protection and nuclear safety goals, objectives, and performance criteria. 

Plant owners must also install additional equipment or take other measures if the analyses 

call for them. In the case of Shearon Harris, the NFPA 805 analysis led the plant to make several 

modifications, including installation of an additional fire detection system and an additional diesel 

generator. 

The NFPA issued the standard in 2001, and the NRC provided extensive opportunity for 

the public and the fire safety community to participate in the agency’s examination of the 

standard. The NRC incorporated the standard in 2004 as a voluntary alternative to existing fire 

protection regulations. Shearon Harris and the Oconee plant in South Carolina volunteered in 2005 

to lead the industry’s pilot implementation program. Shearon Harris submitted its formal 

application to switch to NFPA 805 in May 2008. 

NRC NEWS

U.S. NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION

Office of Public Affairs Telephone: 301/415-8200 

Washington, D.C. 20555-0001 

E-mail: opa.resource@nrc.gov

Site: http://www.nrc.gov

No. 10-119 July 1, 2010
An additional 47 reactors at 31 sites, representing 17 utilities, have told the NRC they plan 

to adopt the NFPA 805 approach. The NRC expects other U.S. nuclear power plants will consider 

adopting this approach once the industry gains experience in implementing the standard. More 

information on the NFPA 805 approach and fire protection at U.S. nuclear power plants is 

available on the NRC web site here: http://www.nrc.gov/reactors/operating/ops-experience/fireprotection.htm. 

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