Software Unit Testing for Digital Computer Software Used in Safety Systems of Nuclear Power Plants, 47011-47012 [2013-18682]
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Federal Register / Vol. 78, No. 149 / Friday, August 2, 2013 / Notices
White Flint North, 11555 Rockville
Pike, Rockville, Maryland 20852.
sroberts on DSK5SPTVN1PROD with NOTICES
B. Submitting Comments
Please include Docket ID NRC–2013–
0173 in the subject line of your
comment submission, in order to ensure
that the NRC is able to make your
comment submission available to the
public in this docket.
The NRC cautions you not to include
identifying or contact information that
that you do not want to be publicly
disclosed in your comment submission.
The NRC will post all comment
submissions at https://
www.regulations.gov as well as enter the
comment submissions into ADAMS.
The NRC does not routinely edit
comment submissions to remove
identifying or contact information.
If you are requesting or aggregating
comments from other persons for
submission to the NRC, then you should
inform those persons not to include
identifying or contact information that
they do not want to be publicly
disclosed in their comment submission.
Your request should state that the NRC
does not routinely edit comment
submissions to remove such information
before making the comment
submissions available to the public or
entering the comment submissions into
ADAMS.
Background
Technical Specification Task Force
Traveler—TSTF–523, Revision 2, is
applicable to all power plants. The
proposed change revises the Standard
Technical Specifications (STS),
NUREG–1430, ‘‘Standard Technical
Specifications Babcock and Wilcox
Plants,’’ NUREG–1431, ‘‘Standard
Technical Specifications Westinghouse
Plants,’’ NUREG–1432, ‘‘Standard
Technical Specifications Combustion
Engineering Plants,’’ NUREG–1433,
‘‘Standard Technical Specifications
General Electric Plants BWR/4,’’ and
NUREG–1434, ‘‘Standard Technical
Specifications General Electric Plants,
BWR/6.’’ This STS improvement is part
of the consolidated line item
improvement process (CLIIP).
Specifically, the proposed change
modifies the existing Surveillance
Requirements (SRs) related to gas
accumulation for the emergency core
cooling system and adds new SRs on
entrained gas to the specifications
governing the decay heat removal (also
called the residual heat removal and
shutdown cooling systems) and the
containment spray systems. Similar
changes are made to the existing SR on
the reactor core isolation cooling system
to maintain consistency within the STS.
VerDate Mar<15>2010
18:55 Aug 01, 2013
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Existing SRs are revised to facilitate the
performance of the proposed gas
accumulation SR. The TS Bases are
revised to reflect the change to the SRs.
The proposed change captures the ongoing activities related to system
Operability needed to address the
concerns in the Generic Letter (GL)
2008–01, ‘‘Managing Gas Accumulation
in Emergency Core Cooling, Decay Heat
Removal, and Containment Spray
Systems,’’ dated January 11, 2008
(ADAMS Accession No. ML072910759).
Additional Details
This notice provides an opportunity
for the public to comment on proposed
changes to the STS after a preliminary
assessment and finding by the NRC staff
that the agency will likely offer the
changes for adoption by licensees. This
notice solicits comment on proposed
changes to the STS, which if
implemented by a licensee will modify
the plant-specific TS. The NRC staff will
evaluate any comments received for the
proposed changes and reconsider the
changes or announce the availability of
the changes for adoption by licensees as
part of the CLIIP. Licensees opting to
apply for this TS change are responsible
for reviewing the NRC staff’s SE and the
applicable technical justifications,
providing any necessary plant-specific
information, and assessing the
completeness and accuracy of their
license amendment request (LAR). The
NRC will process each amendment
application responding to the notice of
availability according to applicable NRC
rules and procedures.
The proposed change does not
prevent licensees from requesting an
alternate approach or proposing changes
other than those proposed in TSTF–523,
Revision 2. However, significant
deviations from the approach
recommended in this notice or the
inclusion of additional changes to the
license require additional NRC staff
review. This may increase the time and
resources needed for the review or
result in NRC staff rejection of the LAR.
Licensees desiring significant deviations
or additional changes should instead
submit an LAR that does not claim to
adopt TSTF–523, Revision 2.
Dated at Rockville, Maryland, this 9th day
of July 2013.
For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission,
Anthony J. Mendiola,
Chief, Licensing Processes Branch, Division
of Policy and Rulemaking, Office of Nuclear
Reactor Regulation.
[FR Doc. 2013–18677 Filed 8–1–13; 8:45 am]
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47011
NUCLEAR REGULATORY
COMMISSION
[NRC–2012–0195]
Software Unit Testing for Digital
Computer Software Used in Safety
Systems of Nuclear Power Plants
Nuclear Regulatory
Commission.
ACTION: Revision to Regulatory Guide;
Issuance.
AGENCY:
The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory
Commission (NRC) is issuing a revised
regulatory guide (RG), revision 1 of RG
1.171, ‘‘Software Unit Testing for Digital
Computer Software Used in Safety
Systems of Nuclear Power Plants.’’ This
RG endorses American National
Standards Institute/Institute of
Electrical and Electronics Engineers
(ANSI/IEEE) Standard (Std.) 1008–1987,
‘‘IEEE Standard for Software Unit
Testing’’ with the clarifications and
exceptions stated in Section C, ‘‘Staff
Regulatory Position’’ in the RG. ANSI/
IEEE Std. 1008–1987, which was
reaffirmed in 2002, describes a method
acceptable to the NRC staff for
complying with NRC regulations for
promoting high functional reliability
and design quality in the software used
in safety systems of nuclear power
plants.
SUMMARY:
Please refer to Docket ID
NRC–2012–0195 when contacting the
NRC about the availability of
information regarding this document.
You may access information related to
this document, which the NRC
possesses and is publicly available,
using the following methods:
• Federal Rulemaking Web site: Go to
https://www.regulations.gov and search
for Docket ID NRC–2012–0195. Address
questions about NRC dockets to Carol
Gallagher; telephone: 301–287–3422;
email: Carol.Gallagher@nrc.gov.
• NRC’s Agencywide Documents
Access and Management System
(ADAMS): You may access publicly
available documents online in the NRC
Library at https://www.nrc.gov/readingrm/adams.html. To begin the search,
select ‘‘ADAMS Public Documents’’ and
then select ‘‘Begin Web-based ADAMS
Search.’’ For problems with ADAMS,
please contact the NRC’s Public
Document Room (PDR) reference staff at
1–800–397–4209, 301–415–4737, or by
email to pdr.resource@nrc.gov. The
ADAMS accession number for each
document referenced in this notice (if
that document is available in ADAMS)
is provided the first time that a
document is referenced. Revision 1 of
RG 1.171 is available in ADAMS under
ADDRESSES:
E:\FR\FM\02AUN1.SGM
02AUN1
47012
Federal Register / Vol. 78, No. 149 / Friday, August 2, 2013 / Notices
Accession No. ML13004A375. The
regulatory analysis may be found in
ADAMS under Accession No.
ML103120752.
• NRC’s PDR: You may examine for
free or purchase copies of public
documents at the NRC’s PDR, Room O1–
F21, One White Flint North, 11555
Rockville Pike, Rockville, Maryland
20852.
Regulatory guides are not
copyrighted, and NRC approval is not
required to reproduce them.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Mark Orr, Division of Engineering,
Office of Nuclear Regulatory Research,
U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission,
Washington, DC 20555–0001, telephone:
301–251–7495; email:
Mark.Orr@NRC.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
I. Introduction
The NRC is issuing a revision to an
existing RG in the NRC’s ‘‘Regulatory
Guide’’ series. This series was
developed to describe and make
available to the public information such
as methods that are acceptable to the
NRC staff for implementing specific
parts of the NRC’s regulations,
techniques that the staff uses in
evaluating specific problems or
postulated accidents, and data that the
staff needs in its review of applications
for permits and licenses.
sroberts on DSK5SPTVN1PROD with NOTICES
II. Further Information
Revision 1 of RG 1.171 was issued
with a temporary identification as Draft
Regulatory Guide, DG–1208 on August
22, 2012 (77 FR 50722) for a 60-day
public comment period. The public
comment period closed on November
23, 2012. Multiple public comments
were received and addressed by the
NRC staff. These comments and the
NRC staff responses are available in
ADAMS under Accession number
ML13004A370.
Revision 1 of RG 1.171 endorses
ANSI/IEEE Std. 1008–1987, ‘‘IEEE
Standard for Software Unit Testing’’
with the exceptions stated in Section C,
‘‘Staff Regulatory Position’’ in the RG.
ANSI/IEEE Std. 1008–1987, which was
reaffirmed in 2002, describes a method
acceptable to the NRC staff for
complying with NRC regulations for
promoting high functional reliability
and design quality in the software used
in safety systems. In particular, the
method is consistent with the
previously cited GDC in Appendix A to
part 50 of Title 10, of the Code of
Federal Regulations (10 CFR),
‘‘Domestic Licensing of Production and
Utilization Facilities’’ and the criteria
VerDate Mar<15>2010
18:55 Aug 01, 2013
Jkt 229001
for quality assurance programs in
Appendix B to 10 CFR part 50 as they
apply to software unit testing. The
criteria in Appendices A and B of 10
CFR part 50 apply to systems and
related quality assurance processes, and
the requirements extend to the software
elements if those systems include
software.
This RG is one of six RG revisions
addressing computer software
development and use in safety related
systems of nuclear power plants. These
RGs were developed by the Office of
Nuclear Regulatory Research, Division
of Engineering (RES/DE) with the
assistance of multiple individuals in the
Office of New Reactors, Division of
Engineering (NRO/DE); Office Nuclear
Reactor Regulation, Division of
Engineering (NRR/DE); and the Office of
Nuclear Security and Incident
Response, Division of Security Policy
(NSIR/DSP). The six interrelated guides
are:
1. Revision 2 of RG 1.168,
‘‘Verification, Validation, Reviews, and
Audits for Digital Computer Software
used in Safety Systems of Nuclear
Power Plants,’’ issued for public
comment as DG–1267. The package for
Rev. 2 of RG 1.168 is in ADAMS at
Accession No. ML12236A132.
2. Revision 1 of RG 1.169,
‘‘Configuration Management Plans for
Digital Computer Software used in
Safety Systems of Nuclear Power
Plants,’’ issued for public comment as
DG–1206. The package for Rev. 1 of RG
1.169 is in ADAMS at Accession No.
ML12354A524.
3. Revision 1 of RG 1.170, ‘‘Test
Documentation for Digital Computer
Software used in Safety Systems of
Nuclear Power Plants,’’ issued for
public comment as DG1207. The
package for Rev. 1 of RG 1.170 is in
ADAMS at Accession No.
ML12354A531.
4. Revision 1 of RG 1.171, ‘‘Software
Unit Testing for Digital Computer
Software Used in Safety Systems of
Nuclear Power Plants,’’ issued for
public comment as DG1208. The
package for Rev. 1 of RG 1.171 is in
ADAMS at Accession No.
ML12354A534.
5. Revision 1 of RG 1.172, ‘‘Software
Requirements Specifications for Digital
Computer Software used in Safety
Systems of Nuclear Power Plants,’’
issued for public comment as DG–1209.
The package for Rev. 1 of RG 1.172 is
in ADAMS at Accession No.
ML12354A538.
6. Revision 1 of RG 1.173,
‘‘Developing Software Life Cycle
Processes for Digital Computer Software
used in Safety Systems of Nuclear
PO 00000
Frm 00108
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
Power Plants,’’ issued for public
comment as DG–1210. The package for
Rev. 1 of RG 1.173 is in ADAMS at
Accession No. ML13008A338.
III. Backfitting and Issue Finality
Issuance of this final RG does not
constitute backfitting as defined in 10
CFR 50.109 (the Backfit Rule) and is not
otherwise inconsistent with the issue
finality provisions in 10 CFR part 52. As
discussed in the ‘‘Implementation’’
section of this RG, the NRC has no
current intention to impose this RG on
holders of current operating licenses,
early site permits or combined licenses,
unless this final RG is part of the
licensing basis for the facility. The NRC
may apply this RG to applications for
operating licenses, early site permits
and combined licenses docketed by the
NRC as of the date of issuance of the
final RG, as well as to future
applications for operating licenses, early
site permits and combined licenses
submitted after the issuance of the RG.
Such action does not constitute
backfitting as defined in 10 CFR
50.109(a)(1) and is not otherwise
inconsistent with the applicable issue
finality provision in 10 CFR part 52,
inasmuch as such applicants or
potential applicants are not within the
scope of entities protected by the Backfit
Rule or the relevant issue finality
provisions in part 52.
Congressional Review Act
This RG is a rule as designated in the
Congressional Review Act (5 U.S.C.
801–808). However, the Office of
Management and Budget (OMB) has not
found it to be a major rule as designated
in the Congressional Review Act.
Dated at Rockville, Maryland, this 19th day
of July, 2013.
For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
Thomas H. Boyce,
Chief, Regulatory Guide Development Branch,
Division of Engineering, Office of Nuclear
Regulatory Research.
[FR Doc. 2013–18682 Filed 8–1–13; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7590–01–P
NUCLEAR REGULATORY
COMMISSION
[NRC–2012–0195]
Developing Software Life Cycle
Processes Used in Safety Systems of
Nuclear Power Plants
Nuclear Regulatory
Commission.
ACTION: Revision to regulatory guide;
issuance.
AGENCY:
E:\FR\FM\02AUN1.SGM
02AUN1
]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 149 (Friday, August 2, 2013)]
[Notices]
[Pages 47011-47012]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-18682]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION
[NRC-2012-0195]
Software Unit Testing for Digital Computer Software Used in
Safety Systems of Nuclear Power Plants
AGENCY: Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
ACTION: Revision to Regulatory Guide; Issuance.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is issuing a
revised regulatory guide (RG), revision 1 of RG 1.171, ``Software Unit
Testing for Digital Computer Software Used in Safety Systems of Nuclear
Power Plants.'' This RG endorses American National Standards Institute/
Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (ANSI/IEEE) Standard
(Std.) 1008-1987, ``IEEE Standard for Software Unit Testing'' with the
clarifications and exceptions stated in Section C, ``Staff Regulatory
Position'' in the RG. ANSI/IEEE Std. 1008-1987, which was reaffirmed in
2002, describes a method acceptable to the NRC staff for complying with
NRC regulations for promoting high functional reliability and design
quality in the software used in safety systems of nuclear power plants.
ADDRESSES: Please refer to Docket ID NRC-2012-0195 when contacting the
NRC about the availability of information regarding this document. You
may access information related to this document, which the NRC
possesses and is publicly available, using the following methods:
Federal Rulemaking Web site: Go to https://www.regulations.gov and search for Docket ID NRC-2012-0195. Address
questions about NRC dockets to Carol Gallagher; telephone: 301-287-
3422; email: Carol.Gallagher@nrc.gov.
NRC's Agencywide Documents Access and Management System
(ADAMS): You may access publicly available documents online in the NRC
Library at https://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/adams.html. To begin the
search, select ``ADAMS Public Documents'' and then select ``Begin Web-
based ADAMS Search.'' For problems with ADAMS, please contact the NRC's
Public Document Room (PDR) reference staff at 1-800-397-4209, 301-415-
4737, or by email to pdr.resource@nrc.gov. The ADAMS accession number
for each document referenced in this notice (if that document is
available in ADAMS) is provided the first time that a document is
referenced. Revision 1 of RG 1.171 is available in ADAMS under
[[Page 47012]]
Accession No. ML13004A375. The regulatory analysis may be found in
ADAMS under Accession No. ML103120752.
NRC's PDR: You may examine for free or purchase copies of
public documents at the NRC's PDR, Room O1-F21, One White Flint North,
11555 Rockville Pike, Rockville, Maryland 20852.
Regulatory guides are not copyrighted, and NRC approval is not
required to reproduce them.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mark Orr, Division of Engineering,
Office of Nuclear Regulatory Research, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory
Commission, Washington, DC 20555-0001, telephone: 301-251-7495; email:
Mark.Orr@NRC.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
I. Introduction
The NRC is issuing a revision to an existing RG in the NRC's
``Regulatory Guide'' series. This series was developed to describe and
make available to the public information such as methods that are
acceptable to the NRC staff for implementing specific parts of the
NRC's regulations, techniques that the staff uses in evaluating
specific problems or postulated accidents, and data that the staff
needs in its review of applications for permits and licenses.
II. Further Information
Revision 1 of RG 1.171 was issued with a temporary identification
as Draft Regulatory Guide, DG-1208 on August 22, 2012 (77 FR 50722) for
a 60-day public comment period. The public comment period closed on
November 23, 2012. Multiple public comments were received and addressed
by the NRC staff. These comments and the NRC staff responses are
available in ADAMS under Accession number ML13004A370.
Revision 1 of RG 1.171 endorses ANSI/IEEE Std. 1008-1987, ``IEEE
Standard for Software Unit Testing'' with the exceptions stated in
Section C, ``Staff Regulatory Position'' in the RG. ANSI/IEEE Std.
1008-1987, which was reaffirmed in 2002, describes a method acceptable
to the NRC staff for complying with NRC regulations for promoting high
functional reliability and design quality in the software used in
safety systems. In particular, the method is consistent with the
previously cited GDC in Appendix A to part 50 of Title 10, of the Code
of Federal Regulations (10 CFR), ``Domestic Licensing of Production and
Utilization Facilities'' and the criteria for quality assurance
programs in Appendix B to 10 CFR part 50 as they apply to software unit
testing. The criteria in Appendices A and B of 10 CFR part 50 apply to
systems and related quality assurance processes, and the requirements
extend to the software elements if those systems include software.
This RG is one of six RG revisions addressing computer software
development and use in safety related systems of nuclear power plants.
These RGs were developed by the Office of Nuclear Regulatory Research,
Division of Engineering (RES/DE) with the assistance of multiple
individuals in the Office of New Reactors, Division of Engineering
(NRO/DE); Office Nuclear Reactor Regulation, Division of Engineering
(NRR/DE); and the Office of Nuclear Security and Incident Response,
Division of Security Policy (NSIR/DSP). The six interrelated guides
are:
1. Revision 2 of RG 1.168, ``Verification, Validation, Reviews, and
Audits for Digital Computer Software used in Safety Systems of Nuclear
Power Plants,'' issued for public comment as DG-1267. The package for
Rev. 2 of RG 1.168 is in ADAMS at Accession No. ML12236A132.
2. Revision 1 of RG 1.169, ``Configuration Management Plans for
Digital Computer Software used in Safety Systems of Nuclear Power
Plants,'' issued for public comment as DG-1206. The package for Rev. 1
of RG 1.169 is in ADAMS at Accession No. ML12354A524.
3. Revision 1 of RG 1.170, ``Test Documentation for Digital
Computer Software used in Safety Systems of Nuclear Power Plants,''
issued for public comment as DG1207. The package for Rev. 1 of RG 1.170
is in ADAMS at Accession No. ML12354A531.
4. Revision 1 of RG 1.171, ``Software Unit Testing for Digital
Computer Software Used in Safety Systems of Nuclear Power Plants,''
issued for public comment as DG1208. The package for Rev. 1 of RG 1.171
is in ADAMS at Accession No. ML12354A534.
5. Revision 1 of RG 1.172, ``Software Requirements Specifications
for Digital Computer Software used in Safety Systems of Nuclear Power
Plants,'' issued for public comment as DG-1209. The package for Rev. 1
of RG 1.172 is in ADAMS at Accession No. ML12354A538.
6. Revision 1 of RG 1.173, ``Developing Software Life Cycle
Processes for Digital Computer Software used in Safety Systems of
Nuclear Power Plants,'' issued for public comment as DG-1210. The
package for Rev. 1 of RG 1.173 is in ADAMS at Accession No.
ML13008A338.
III. Backfitting and Issue Finality
Issuance of this final RG does not constitute backfitting as
defined in 10 CFR 50.109 (the Backfit Rule) and is not otherwise
inconsistent with the issue finality provisions in 10 CFR part 52. As
discussed in the ``Implementation'' section of this RG, the NRC has no
current intention to impose this RG on holders of current operating
licenses, early site permits or combined licenses, unless this final RG
is part of the licensing basis for the facility. The NRC may apply this
RG to applications for operating licenses, early site permits and
combined licenses docketed by the NRC as of the date of issuance of the
final RG, as well as to future applications for operating licenses,
early site permits and combined licenses submitted after the issuance
of the RG. Such action does not constitute backfitting as defined in 10
CFR 50.109(a)(1) and is not otherwise inconsistent with the applicable
issue finality provision in 10 CFR part 52, inasmuch as such applicants
or potential applicants are not within the scope of entities protected
by the Backfit Rule or the relevant issue finality provisions in part
52.
Congressional Review Act
This RG is a rule as designated in the Congressional Review Act (5
U.S.C. 801-808). However, the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) has
not found it to be a major rule as designated in the Congressional
Review Act.
Dated at Rockville, Maryland, this 19th day of July, 2013.
For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
Thomas H. Boyce,
Chief, Regulatory Guide Development Branch, Division of Engineering,
Office of Nuclear Regulatory Research.
[FR Doc. 2013-18682 Filed 8-1-13; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7590-01-P
