[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 151 (Tuesday, August 6, 2013)]
[Notices]
[Pages 47804-47805]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-18728]


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NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION

[NRC-2012-0195]


Verification, Validation, Reviews, and Audits for Digital 
Computer Software Used in Safety Systems of Nuclear Power Plants

AGENCY: Nuclear Regulatory Commission.

ACTION: Revision to regulatory guide; issuance.

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SUMMARY: The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is issuing a 
revised regulatory guide (RG), revision 2 of RG 1.168, ``Verification, 
Validation, Reviews, and Audits for Digital Computer Software Used in 
Safety Systems of Nuclear Power Plants.'' This guide endorses, with 
clarifications and exceptions, the Institute of Electrical and 
Electronic Engineers (IEEE) Standard 1012-2004, ``IEEE Standard for 
Software Verification and Validation,'' and IEEE Std. 1028-2008, ``IEEE 
Standard for Software Reviews and Audits.'' These two IEEE standards 
describe methods acceptable to the NRC staff for demonstrating 
compliance with the NRC's regulations for design verification and 
control of software used in the safety systems of a nuclear power 
plant.

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 http://www.regulations.gov and search for Docket ID NRC-2012-0195. Address 
questions about NRC dockets to Carol Gallagher; telephone: 301-287-
3422; email: [email protected].
     NRC's Agencywide Documents Access and Management System 
(ADAMS): You may access publicly available documents online in the NRC 
Library at http://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 [email protected]. 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 2 of RG 1.168 is available in ADAMS under 
Accession No. ML13073A210. The regulatory analysis may be found in 
ADAMS under Accession No. ML103160461.
     NRC's PDR: You may examine and 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: 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

I. Introduction

    The NRC is issuing a revision to an existing guide 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 2 of RG 1.168 was issued with a temporary identification 
as Draft Regulatory Guide, DG-1267 on August 22, 2012 (77 FR 50723) 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 ML13073A208.
    Revision 2 of RG 1.168 endorses, with clarifications and 
exceptions, the consensus practices for complying with NRC regulations 
promoting the development of, and compliance with, a software lifecycle 
program for software used in safety systems in nuclear power plants 
described in the Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers 
(IEEE) Standard 1012-2004, ``IEEE

[[Page 47805]]

Standard for Software Verification and Validation,'' and IEEE Std. 
1028-2008, ``IEEE Standard for Software Reviews and Audits.'' These two 
IEEE standards describe methods acceptable to the NRC staff for 
demonstrating compliance with the NRC's regulations for verification, 
validation, and design control of software used in safety systems of a 
nuclear power plant. In particular, the methods are consistent with 
part 50 of Title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations (10 CFR), 
``Domestic Licensing of Production and Utilization Facilities,'' 
Appendix A, ``General Design Criteria for Nuclear Power Plants,'' 
General Design Criterion (GDC) 1, ``Quality Standards and Records,'' 
which requires, in part, that a quality assurance program be 
established and implemented to provide adequate assurance that systems 
and components important to safety will satisfactorily perform their 
safety functions.
    Revision 2 of RG 1.168 supersedes Revision 1 of RG 1.168 and 
represents the NRC staff's guidance for future users and guidance. 
Earlier versions of this RG, however, continue to be acceptable for 
those licensees whose licensing basis includes earlier versions of this 
RG, absent a licensee-initiated change to its licensing basis. 
Additional information on the staff's use of this revised RG with 
respect to both current and future users and applications is set forth 
in the ``Implementation'' section of the revised RG.
    This RG is one of six revised RGs 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 RGs 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 revised 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 
revised 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.

IV. 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. 2013-18728 Filed 8-5-13; 8:45 am]
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