[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 206 (Monday, October 26, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Page 65255]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-27110]


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NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION

[NRC-2015-0099]


Sizing of Large Lead-Acid Storage Batteries

AGENCY: Nuclear Regulatory Commission.

ACTION: Regulatory guide; issuance.

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SUMMARY: The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is issuing 
Revision 1 of Regulatory Guide (RG) 1.212, ``Sizing of Large Lead-Acid 
Storage Batteries.'' This RG endorses, with certain clarifications, the 
Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers (IEEE) Standard 485-
2010, ``IEEE Recommended Practice for Sizing Lead-Acid Batteries for 
Stationary Applications.'' This RG describes methods acceptable to the 
NRC for complying with the design requirements for vented lead-acid 
batteries used in stationary applications under full float operation 
for nuclear power plants.

ADDRESSES: Please refer to Docket ID NRC-2015-0099 when contacting the 
NRC about the availability of information regarding this document. You 
may obtain publically-available information related to this document, 
using the following methods:
     Federal Rulemaking Web site: Go to http://www.regulations.gov and search for Docket ID NRC-2015-0099. Address 
questions about NRC dockets to Carol Gallagher; telephone: 301-415-
3463; email: [email protected]. For technical questions, contact 
the individual(s) listed in the FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT section 
of this document.
     NRC's Agencywide Documents Access and Management System 
(ADAMS): You may obtain publicly-available documents online in the 
ADAMS Public Document collection 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 1 of RG 1.212, is available in ADAMS 
under Accession No. ML15170A003. The regulatory analysis may be found 
in ADAMS under Accession No. ML14031A264.
     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: Liliana Ramadan, email, 
[email protected], telephone: 301-415-2463: or Mark Orr, email, 
[email protected], telephone: 301.415.6003. Both of the Office of 
Nuclear Regulatory Research, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, 
Washington, DC 20555-0001.

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 regarding methods that are 
acceptable to the NRC staff for implementing specific parts of the 
agency's regulations, techniques that the staff uses in evaluating 
specific issues or postulated events, and data that the staff needs in 
its review of applications for permits and licenses. Revision 1 of RG 
1.212 was issued with a temporary identification as Draft Regulatory 
Guide, DG-1311. This RG is being updated to provide guidance to 
applicants and licensees for defining the direct current load and size 
of vented lead acid batteries for full float stationary applications to 
support nuclear power plant operations.

II. Additional Information

    DG-1313 was published in the Federal Register on April 20, 2015 (80 
FR 21774) for a 60-day public comment period. The public comment period 
closed on June 19, 2015, and no comments were received.

III. Congressional Review Act

    This RG is a rule as defined in the Congressional Review Act (5 
U.S.C. 801-808). However, the Office of Management and Budget has not 
found it to be a major rule as defined in the Congressional Review Act.

IV. Backfitting and Issue Finality

    This RG provides guidance to applicants and licensees for defining 
the direct current load and size of lead-acid batteries needed to 
supply the defined load for full float stationary applications to 
support nuclear power plant operations. This RG does not constitute 
backfitting as defined in Sec.  50.109 of title 10 of the Code of 
Federal Regulations (10 CFR) (the Backfit Rule), and is not otherwise 
inconsistent with the issue finality provisions in 10 CFR part 52, 
``Licenses, Certifications and Approvals for Nuclear Power Plants.'' As 
discussed in the ``Implementation'' section of the RG, the NRC has no 
current intention to impose this RG on current holders of part 50 
operating licenses or part 52 combined licenses.
    This RG may be applied to applications for operating licenses and 
combined licenses docketed by the NRC as of the date of issuance of the 
RG, as well as future applications for operating licenses 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, 
with exceptions not applicable here, are not within the scope of 
entities protected by the Backfit Rule or the relevant issue finality 
provisions in part 52.

    Dated at Rockville, Maryland, this 20th day of October 2015.

    For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
Thomas H. Boyce,
Chief, Regulatory Guidance and Generic Issues Branch, Division of 
Engineering, Office of Nuclear Regulatory Research.
[FR Doc. 2015-27110 Filed 10-23-15; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7590-01-P