Document: NRC Regulatory Guide
Document ID: 4774af39-208c-4761-97e8-2d66c6d14794
Document Type: regulatory_guide
Title: Performance-Based Containment Leak-Test Program (Rev. 1)
Source: NRC Regulatory Guide Division 1
Source URL: https://www.nrc.gov/docs/ML2200/ML22006A317.pdf
Revision Date: 2023-05
Chapter: 
Section ID: RG-1.163
CFR Part: 
CFR Title: 

Content:
rate testing, (2) containment inspections, and (3) risk impact. The following subsections provide the technical basis for each of these focus areas. Leakage Rate Testing RG 1.163, Revision 0, (Ref. 9) issued in September 1995, endorsed, with limitations and conditions, Nuclear Energy Institute (NEI) NEI 94-01, Revision 0, “Industry Guideline for Implementing Performance-Based Option of 10 CFR Part 50, Appendix J” (Ref. 10). NEI 94-01 provided guidance for the extension of Type A test intervals from roughly 3 years to 10 years, the extension of Type B intervals (except for airlocks) from 24 months (2 years) to a maximum of 120 months (10 years), and the extension of Type C intervals from 24 months (2 years) to 60 months (5 years). An EPRI report, “Type C Containment Isolation Valve Performance” (Ref. 11), reviewed extended interval testing of Type C containment isolation valves at plants implementing NEI 94-01, Revision 0, and found that their performance had improved compared to the performance of Type C valves tested under Appendix J, Option A. Moreover, the failure trend did not appear to increase with service time. This revision of RG 1.163, Revision 1, provides revised guidance for licensees to request license amendments to implement an Option B program that would allow 15-year Type A test intervals and 75- month Type C test intervals, provided adequate performance is demonstrated and maintained. Extension of the test intervals is based on (1) an acceptable performance history and (2) a plant-specific probabilistic risk assessment establishing that the risk increase associated with the extended intervals is small. Generally, NEI 94-01, Revision 3-A describes that an acceptable performance history is the successful completion of two consecutive tests in which the leakage rate was acceptable. Containment Inspections Together, the licensee’s 10 CFR Part 50, Appendix J, Option B containment leakage testing program (consisting of ILRTs and LLRTs) and the 10