[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 201 (Friday, October 17, 1997)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 53975-53976]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-27419]


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 Proposed Rules
                                                 Federal Register
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 This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER contains notices to the public of 
 the proposed issuance of rules and regulations. The purpose of these 
 notices is to give interested persons an opportunity to participate in 
 the rule making prior to the adoption of the final rules.
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  Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 201 / Friday, October 17, 1997 / 
Proposed Rules  

[[Page 53975]]


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NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION

10 CFR Part 50

RIN 3150-AF73


Codes and Standards; IEEE National Consensus Standard

AGENCY: Nuclear Regulatory Commission.

ACTION: Proposed rule.

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SUMMARY: The Nuclear Regulatory Commission is amending its regulations 
to incorporate by reference IEEE Std 603-1991, a national consensus 
standard for power, instrumentation, and control portions of safety 
systems in nuclear power plants. This action is necessary to endorse 
the latest version of this national consensus standard in NRC's 
regulations, and replace an IEEE Standard currently endorsed in the 
NRC's regulations which has been withdrawn by the IEEE.

DATES: Comments on the proposed rule must be received on or before 
December 1, 1997.

ADDRESSES: Mail comments to: Secretary, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory 
Commission, Washington, DC 20555-0001; Attention: Rulemakings and 
Adjudications Staff. Hand deliver comments to 11555 Rockville Pike, 
Rockville, Maryland, between 7:30 a.m. and 4:15 p.m. on Federal 
workdays.
    Copies of any comments received may be examined at the NRC Public 
Document Room, 2120 L Street, NW, (lower level), Washington, DC.
    For information on submitting comments electronically, see the 
discussion under Electronic Access in the Supplementary Information 
Section.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Satish K. Aggarwal, Senior Program 
Manager, Office of Nuclear Regulatory Research, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory 
Commission, Washington, DC 20555, Telephone (301) 415-6005, Fax (301) 
415-5074, E-mail: [email protected]

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: For additional information, see the 
direct final rule published in the Rules and Regulations Section of 
this Federal Register.

Procedural Background

    Because NRC considers this rulemaking noncontroversial, we are 
publishing this proposed rule concurrently as a direct final rule. The 
direct final rule will become effective on January 1, 1998. However, if 
the NRC receives significant adverse comments on the direct final rule 
by December 1, 1997, then the NRC will publish a document that 
withdraws the direct final rule. If the direct final rule is withdrawn, 
the NRC will address the comments received in a subsequent final rule. 
The NRC will not initiate a second comment period on this action in the 
event the direct final rule is withdrawn.

Electronic Access

    You may also provide comments via the NRC's interactive rulemaking 
website through the NRC home page (http;//www.nrc.gov). This site 
provides the availability to upload comments as files (any format), if 
your web browser supports that function. For information about the 
interactive rulemaking website, contact Ms. Carol Gallagher, (301) 415-
5905 (e-mail: [email protected]).

List of Subjects in 10 CFR Part 50

    Antitrust, Classified Information, Criminal penalties, Fire 
protection, Incorporation by reference, Intergovernmental relations, 
Nuclear power plants and reactors, Radiation protection, Reactor siting 
criteria, and Reporting and recordkeeping requirements.

    For the reasons set out in the preamble and under the authority of 
the Atomic Energy Act of 1954, as amended, the Energy Reorganizations 
Act of 1974, as amended, and 5 U.S.C. 552 and 553, the NRC is adopting 
the following amendment to 10 CFR part 50.

PART 50--DOMESTIC LICENSING OF PRODUCTION AND UTILIZATION 
FACILITIES

    1. The authority citation for part 50 continues to read as follows:

    Authority: Secs. 102, 103, 104, 105, 161, 182, 183, 186, 189, 68 
Stat. 936, 937, 938, 948, 953, 954, 955, 956, as amended, sec. 234, 
83 Stat. 1244, as amended (42 U.S.C. 2132, 2133, 2134, 2135, 2201, 
2232, 2233, 2236, 2239, 2282); secs. 201, as amended, 202, 206, 88 
Stat. 1242, as amended, 1244, 1246 (42 U.S.C. 5841, 5842, 5846).

    Section 50.7 also issued under Pub. L. 95-601, sec. 10, 92 Stat. 
2951 (42 U.S.C. 5851). Section 50.10 also issued under secs. 101, 
185, 68 Stat. 955 as amended (42 U.S.C. 2131, 2235), sec. 102, Pub. 
L. 91-190, 83 Stat. 853 (42 U.S.C. 4332). Sections 50.13, and 50.54 
(dd), and 50.103 also issued under sec. 108, 68 Stat. 939, as 
amended (42 U.S.C. 2138), Sections 50.23, 50.35, 50.55, and 50.56 
also issued under sec. 185, 68 Stat. 955 (42 U.S.C. 2235), Sections 
50.33a, 50.55a and Appendix Q also issued under sec. 102, Pub. L. 
91-190, 83 Stat. 853 (42 U.S.C. 4332). Sections 50.34 and 50.54 also 
issued under sec. 204, 88 Stat. 1245 (42 U.S.C. 5844). Sections 
50.58, 50.91, and 50.92 also issued under Pub. L. 97-415, 96 Stat. 
2073 (42 U.S.C. 2239). Section 50.78 also issued under sec. 122, 68 
Stat. 939 (42 U.S.C. 2152). Sections 50.80--50.81 also issued under 
sec. 184, 68 Stat. 954, as amended (42 U.S.C. 2234). Appendix F also 
issued under sec. 187, 68 Stat. 955 (42 U.S.C. 2237).

    2. In Sec. 50.55a, paragraph (h) is revised to read as follows:


Sec. 50.55a  Codes and standards.

* * * * *
    (h) Protection and Safety Systems. (1) IEEE Std. 603-1991, 
including the correction sheet dated January 30, 1995, which is 
referenced in paragraph (h)(3), are approved for incorporation by 
reference by the Director of the Federal Register in accordance with 5 
U.S.C. 552(a) and 1 CFR part 51. A notice of any changes made to the 
material incorporated by reference will be published in the Federal 
Register. Copies of IEEE Std. 603-1991 may be purchased from the 
Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Service Center, 445 
Hoes Lane, Piscataway, NJ 08855. It is also available for inspection at 
the NRC Library, 11545 Rockville Pike, Rockville, MD 20852-2738, and at 
the Office of the Federal Register, 800 North Capital Street, NW, Suite 
700, Washington, DC. IEEE Std. 279, which is referenced in paragraph 
(h)(2) of this section was approved for incorporation by reference by 
the Director of the Federal Register in accordance with 5 U.S.C. 552(a) 
and 1 CFR Part 51. Copies of this standard are also available as 
indicated for IEEE Std. 603-1991.
    (2) Definitions.
    (i) For purposes of this paragraph the terms ``protection 
systems,'' ``safety

[[Page 53976]]

systems,'' and ``safety-related systems'' are synonymous.
    (ii) Changes to protection systems include modification, 
augmentation or replacement of protection systems permitted by license 
amendments, changes made to protection systems by licensees pursuant to 
10 CFR 50.59, and plant specific departures from a design certification 
rule under 10 CFR part 52.
    (3) Protection systems. For nuclear power plants with construction 
permits issued after January 1, 1971, but prior to January 1, 1998, 
protection systems must meet the requirements set forth in either the 
Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) Std. 279, 
``Criteria for Protection Systems for Nuclear Power Generating 
Stations,'' or in IEEE Std. 603-1991, ``Criteria for Safety Systems for 
Nuclear Power Generating Stations,'' and the correction sheet dated 
January 30, 1995. However, changes to protection systems initiated on 
or after January 1, 1998 must meet the requirements set forth in IEEE 
Std. 603-1991, and the correction sheet dated January 30, 1995.
    (4) Safety systems. For construction permits, operating licenses, 
final design approvals, design certifications and combined licenses 
issued on or after January 1, 1998, safety systems must meet the 
requirements set forth in IEEE Std. 603-1991, and the correction sheet, 
dated January 30, 1995.

    Dated at Rockville, Maryland, this 9th day of October, 1997.

    For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
John C. Hoyle,
Secretary of the Commission.
[FR Doc. 97-27419 Filed 10-16-97; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7590-01-P