Document: NRC Regulatory Guide
Document ID: a5ee4c78-1135-4bb6-8d54-e974a3402f87
Document Type: regulatory_guide
Title: An Approach for Plant-Specific, Risk-Informed Decisionmaking: Graded Quality Assurance
Source: NRC Regulatory Guide Division 1
Source URL: https://www.nrc.gov/docs/ML1221/ML12216A017.pdf
Revision Date: 2023-06
Chapter: 
Section ID: RG-1.176
CFR Part: 
CFR Title: 

Content:
however, changes in the nuclear industry have resulted in numerous proposals to revise QA practices. These changes include the completion of construction projects, establishment of programs related to plant operations and maintenance, maturation of licensee programs and personnel, and increased pressures to control plant operating costs. The information collections contained in this regulatory guide are covered by the requirements of 10 CFR Part 50, which were approved by the Office of Management and Budget, approval number 3150- 0011. The NRC may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required to respond to, a collection of information unless it displays a currently valid OMB control number. B. DISCUSSION During the last several years, both the NRC and the nuclear industry have recognized that PRA has evolved to the point that it may be used as a tool in regulatory decisionmaking so that the regulations can be implemented more effectively. In 1995, the NRC issued a final policy statement on the use of PRA methods in nuclear regulatory activities (Ref. I ). In its approval of the policy statement, the Commission articulated its expectation that: " The use of PRA technology should be increased in all regulatory matters to the extent supported by the state of the art in PRA methods and data and in a manner that complements the NRC's deterministic approach and supports the NRC's tradi- tional defense-in-depth philosophy. * PRA and associated analyses (e.g., bounding analyses, uncertainty analyses, and importance measures) should be used in regulatory matters, where practical within the bounds of the state of the art, to reduce unnecessary conservatism associ- ated with current regulatory requirements, regulatory guides, license commitments, and staff practices. When appropriate, PRA should be used to support the proposal of additional regulatory require- ments in accordance with 10 CFR 50.109 (backfit rule). Appropriate procedures for including PRA in the process