Document: NRC Regulatory Guide
Document ID: 31f5b507-4290-458f-9233-049d79b5ff59
Document Type: regulatory_guide
Title: Condition Monitoring Techniques for Electric Cables Used in Nuclear Power Plants
Source: NRC Regulatory Guide Division 1
Source URL: https://www.nrc.gov/docs/ML1007/ML100760364.pdf
Revision Date: 2023-06
Chapter: 
Section ID: RG-1.218
CFR Part: 
CFR Title: 

Content:
ere the measurement is made; cable properties measured at multiple points may show the cable to be in sound condition, but a measurement made only inches away at a more severely stressed section could show otherwise. Furthermore, the criteria used to define cable functional condition or accident survivability for a particular circuit are application specific. Consequently, the use of absolute acceptance criteria for a single specific condition monitoring technique is neither meaningful nor practical. It would be more effective to set administrative quantitative or qualitative acceptance criteria for screening-type cable condition monitoring inspections and tests (e.g., visual inspection, bulk electrical properties tests, or functional tests) that, when exceeded, could then administratively trigger more detailed inspection and retesting, or further testing using additional condition monitoring techniques to provide an expanded characterization of cable condition and degree of insulation degradation. The results of the expanded inspection and testing could then provide sufficient information to conduct a formal assessment of the cable’s condition and initiate appropriate corrective actions. Based on the operating parameters, cable insulation and jacket materials, cable construction (e.g., solid/extruded versus laminated, shielded versus unshielded), and environmental and operating stressors for each cable system application, licensees select condition monitoring inspection and testing techniques to detect, quantify, and monitor the status of the aging mechanisms that are causing the degradation of the cable system. By selecting the condition monitoring techniques that are best suited to the detection and monitoring of the anticipated stressors and associated aging and degradation mechanisms identified, licensees can more accurately monitor the condition of critical plant cables, assess their operating condition, and implement corrective actions to manage aging and