Document: NRC Regulatory Guide
Document ID: edb75cf4-27e1-4166-989c-25781bd48b98
Document Type: regulatory_guide
Title: Fire Protection Program for Nuclear Power Plants During Decommissioning and Permanent Shutdown (Rev. 1)
Source: NRC Regulatory Guide Division 1
Source URL: https://www.nrc.gov/docs/ML2007/ML20078K920.pdf
Revision Date: 2023-06
Chapter: 
Section ID: RG-1.191
CFR Part: 
CFR Title: 

Content:
tection requirements for operating reactors. Before the decommissioning rule was published on July 29, 1996 (Ref. 16), the NRC’s fire protection regulations did not address nuclear power plants that have permanently ceased operations and are in the process of decommissioning. The primary objectives of the fire protection program for operating reactors are to minimize fire damage to SSCs important to safety, to ensure the capability to safely shutdown the reactor, and to ensure the capability to maintain it in a safe-shutdown condition. For an initial period following shutdown, accidents that can challenge the dose guidelines in 10 CFR Part 20, “Standards for Protection Against Radiation” (Ref. 17), remain credible. The fire protection program should continue to protect against these events. The primary fire protection concern for permanently shutdown plants is protecting the integrity of the remaining spent fuel in spent fuel pool and preventing or minimizing the release of radioactive materials resulting from fires involving contaminated plant SSCs or radioactive wastes. The radiation dose limits specified in 10 CFR Part 20, apply to plant personnel and members of the public for fire incidents at permanently shutdown nuclear power plants. In addition, the requirement of 10 CFR 20.1101(b), to achieve dose as low as reasonably achievable, continues to apply, and licensees should ensure that dose resulting from a fire remains as low as reasonably achievable. The fire protection program for an operating reactor provides the basis for developing the fire protection program for the decommissioning phase. The goal of the fire protection program during decommissioning of nuclear power plants is to provide an appropriate level of defense-in-depth protection against the threat of fires. Defense-in-depth for fire protection involves a comprehensive program of administrative controls, physical fire protection features, emergency response capabilities, and protection of