The Browns Ferry 

Nuclear Plant Fire 

of 1975 and the 

History of NRC 

Fire Regulations

Office of Nuclear Regulatory Research

Table of Contents

Introduction............................................................................................................ 1

Facts About the Fire at Browns Ferry Nuclear ...................................................... 2

Impact of the Browns Ferry Nuclear Power Plant Fire.......................................... 3

Timeline of the Regulatory Changes in Fire Protection 

Due to the Browns Ferry Nuclear Power Plant Fire .............................................. 4

DVD Topics ........................................................................................................... 5

Questions and Answers.......................................................................................... 6

Contacts.................................................................................................................. 8

U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission 1

Introduction

Fire events provide a unique source of historical data, but only when the lessons 

learned provide advancements in safety. When these lessons are learned but not 

preserved, they are often repeated.

The PURPOSE of this brochure and DVD is to preserve the history and impact 

of the fire at the Browns Ferry Nuclear (BFN) Power Plant on regulations and to 

educate future generations of safety professionals. 

Fire protection in commercial nuclear power plants (NPPs) has been a longstanding challenge since operations began. In the 1960s and 1970s, when most of 

today’s nuclear power reactors were being constructed, the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission’s (NRC’s) predecessor—the Atomic Energy Commission—began 

adopting rules and regulations to ensure fire safety. The first adopted fire protection 

regulation was General Design Criterion (GDC) 3, “Fire Protection,” as Appendix A 

of 10 CFR Part 50 in February 1971. The GDC 3, in part, states that:

Structures, systems, and components important to safety shall be designed and 

located to minimize, consistent with other safety requirements, the probability 

and effect of fires and explosions. Noncombustible and heat-resistant materials shall be used wherever practical throughout the unit, particularly in such 

locations as the containment and control room.

Aerial View of Browns Ferry Nuclear Power Plant near Decatur, Alabama.
2 Protecting People and the Environment

During this time, the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) also 

developed several standards for fire protection safety in the nuclear industry. These 

first standards were:

• IEEE 279-1971 “Criteria for Protection Systems for Nuclear Power Generating Stations.” 

• IEEE 383-1974 “IEEE Standard for Type Test of Class 1E Electric Cables, 

Field Splices, and Connections for Nuclear Power Generating Stations.” 

• IEEE 384-1974 “IEEE Standard Criteria for Independence of Class 1E Equipment and Circuits.” 

NRC published Regulatory Guide 1.75 in February 1974 and provided the basis 

for complying with the IEEE 384-1974 standard. 

Facts About the Fire at BFN

NRC was established as a regulatory agency by the Energy Reorganization Act of 

1974. The BFN fire occurred 3 months after NRC began operations in January 1975. 

Picture of Browns Ferry Fire Cable Spreading Room. Note the melted aluminum 

electrical cable conduit. (TVA File Photo)
U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission 3

• FIRE started at the BFN on March 22, 1975, by a worker using a lit candle to 

check for air leaks. This risky action ignited a temporary polyurethane cable 

penetration seal. 

• FIRE quickly spread into the polyurethane seal and cables, causing significant 

damage to the cable spreading room and Unit 1 Reactor Building.

• FIRE at BFN forever changed how NRC and industry view the threat of fire to 

safe NPP operations. 

Impact of the BFN Fire

The BFN fire prompted a new series of fire protection regulations. NRC 

published NUREG-0050, “Recommendations Related to Browns Ferry Fire,” in 

February1976. In response to the recommendations, NRC developed the Branch 

Technical Position (BTP) Auxiliary Power Conversion Systems Branch (APCSB) 

9.5-1 in May 1976 and its Appendix A, “Guidelines for Fire Protection for Nuclear 

Power Plants Docketed Prior to July 1, 1976,” in February1977. Appendix A uses 

IEEE 383-1974 standard as a 

basis for flame spread, and to 

this date it is the electrical cable 

flame spread standard used in 

regulations. In November 

1980, NRC published Section 

50.48 and Appendix R of the 

10 CFR Part 50 (effective 

February 1981).

The BFN fire was the first 

major challenge the newly 

formed NRC had to face. 

Today, with a renewed interest 

in building new nuclear power 

plants and the development of 

new materials and technology, 

fire protection continues to 

face challenges ahead.

Picture of TVA Browns Ferry Seal Penetration Tests. 

(TVA File Photo)
4 Protecting People and the Environment
U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission 5

DVD Topics

To help navigate through the DVD, the outline below provides topics and headings 

that can be accessed directly. The user may also click the boxes on the Timeline 

for the related documents.

1. Introduction

2. Historical Documents:

a. 10 CFR Part 50.48 and Appendix R History of Changes

i. Current versions of 10 CFR 50.48 and Appendix R

ii. History of Changes

iii. Federal Register Notices

b. Secretary of the Commission (SECY) Papers, Legal Challenges, and 

Congressional Documents

i. SECY Papers

ii. Court and Congressional Documents

c. NRC NUREG (Technical Reports by NRC Staff)

i. U.S. NRC NUREG on BFN

d. Reports and Other Related Documents

i. Non-NRC Reports on BFN

ii. Journal Articles by the Society of Fire Protection Engineers (SFPE)

e. Presentations and Multimedia

i. Video and Photographs of BFN and Seal Penetration Fire Tests

ii. Office of Nuclear Regulatory Research (RES) Seminar Presentation 

of BFN Fire; invited speakers David Notley and Robert Ferguson 

(former NRC Engineers who worked with NRC during the BFN 

Fire)

iii. Technical Training Center (TTC) Interview with Jack Lewis (former 

NRC’s TTC Instructor)

iv. Presentations about BFN Fire

f. NRC Bulletins, Amendments, and Commission Meeting Transcripts

i. NRC Bulletins

ii. Amendments to BFN

iii. Commission Meeting Transcripts
6 Protecting People and the Environment

QUESTION: Where to go in the DVD: Subcategories to go to:

What happened in the 

BFN fire and what did 

we learn?

 

Reports and Other 

Related Documents All

NRC NUREGs NUREGs

NRC Bulletins, 

Amendments and 

Commission Meeting 

Transcripts

Commission Meeting 

Transcripts

How is this information 

reported to the public?

Reports and Other 

Related Documents Journal Articles

NRC NUREGs NUREGs

How did NRC 

communicate what 

actions needed to be 

taken after this event?

NRC NUREGs All

NRC Bulletins, 

Amendments and 

Commission Meeting 

Transcripts

All

What were the rules and 

regulations before the 

BFN fire and how has 

this fire changed them?

10 CFR 50.48 and 

Appendix R 

History of Changes

All

NRC Bulletins, 

Amendments and 

Commission Meeting 

Transcripts

Amendments

How does NRC staff 

inform the Commission 

of policy and rulemaking 

matters?

SECY Papers, 

Legal Challenges and 

Congressional 

Documents

SECY Documents

Questions and Answers

This DVD provides a compilation of information to gain perspective about the 

BFN fire. Document types each serve a different purpose and answer a different 

question. Combined, these sources create a well-rounded picture of the event for 

varied types and levels of users. Individually, they paint a detailed picture of 

certain aspects of the event. The following table asks some questions related to 

the BFN fire and provides examples of where the user should go in the DVD to 

find the answers.

(continued)
U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission 7

QUESTION: Where to go in the DVD: Subcategories to go to:

How does the court 

uphold or challenge 

rules set forth by NRC?

SECY Papers, 

Legal Challenges and 

Congressional 

Documents

Legal Challenges

How does Congress 

obtain information, 

conduct investigations, 

or oversee NRC?

SECY Papers, 

Legal Challenges and 

Congressional 

Documents

Congressional 

Documents

What do the experts 

think, and what does a 

fire like this look like?

Presentations and 

Multimedia All
8 Protecting People and the Environment

The Browns Ferry Nuclear Plant 

Fire of 1975 and the History of 

NRC Fire Regulations

Prepared by:

David Stroup,

Jessica Kratchman,

Felix E. Gonzalez,

Mark Henry Salley

U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission

Office of Nuclear Regulatory Research

Fire Research Branch

CONTACT US:

Office of Public Affairs

U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission

Washington, DC 20555-0001

Telephone: (301) 415-8200 or (800) 368-5642

Internet: OPA@NRC.GOV

Website: www.nrc.gov

NUREG/BR-0361

February 2009