Document: NRC Regulatory Guide
Document ID: 26c3e31f-c018-4aee-b926-6db849b72a5a
Document Type: regulatory_guide
Title: Guidelines for Environmental Qualification of Safety-Related Computer-Based Instrumentation and Control Systems in Nuclear Power Plants
Source: NRC Regulatory Guide Division 1
Source URL: https://www.nrc.gov/docs/ML0630/ML063040591.pdf
Revision Date: 2023-06
Chapter: 
Section ID: RG-1.209
CFR Part: 
CFR Title: 

Content:
ot clearly address the qualification of digital COTS equipment for mild environments. Moreover, this approach might introduce a new de facto standard that differs substantially from existing consensus standards. Therefore, this alternative also has the potential for regulatory uncertainty that could increase costs to both the NRC and the applicant or licensee during the safety evaluation. The staff concludes that this alternative has the following value and impact: • probable improvement in the likelihood of achieving safety goals as a consequence of improved application of qualification practices by the nuclear power industry • schedule, budget, and staffing costs to the staff and applicant or licensee, associated with remaining regulatory uncertainty regarding the determination of necessary and sufficient practices 3.3 Alternative 3: Use Tailored Endorsement of Existing Environmental Qualification Standards This alternative would enable the staff, applicants, and licensees to obtain the benefit of the expert professional organizations that have established methods and practices to achieve a high level of qualification. From a regulatory perspective, a clear determination of an acceptable level of qualification for computer-based I&C would reduce the risks associated with regulatory uncertainty, which in turn would decrease the regulatory burden. Again, this alternative would have the value of promoting a predetermined common understanding of consensus methods among the staff and applicants or licensees regarding acceptable qualification activities. The development of a more detailed understanding of qualification would be a strength of this alternative. As a result, the staff, applicants, and licensees would gain a clearly defined technical basis for establishing and assessing qualification for safety-related I&C systems in nuclear power plants. The staff concludes that this alternative has the following values and impacts: • value < probable improvement in