[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 88 (Friday, May 6, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Pages 27478-27479]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-10693]


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NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION

[NRC-2014-0129]


Embedded Digital Devices In Safety-Related Systems

AGENCY: Nuclear Regulatory Commission.

ACTION: Regulatory issue summary; issuance.

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SUMMARY: The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is issuing 
Regulatory Issue Summary (RIS) 2016-05, ``Embedded Digital Devices In 
Safety-Related Systems.'' This RIS clarifies the NRC staff's position 
on existing regulatory requirements for the quality and reliability of 
safety-related equipment with embedded digital devices. Furthermore, 
the purpose of this RIS is to raise awareness that there may be 
potential safety issues from a postulated common cause failure (CCF) if 
an undetected software error should occur in embedded digital devices 
located in multiple trains of redundant safety equipment in nuclear 
facilities.

DATES: The RIS is available as of May 6, 2016.

ADDRESSES: Please refer to Docket ID NRC-2014-0129 when contacting the 
NRC about the availability of information regarding this document. You 
may obtain publicly-available information related to this document 
using any of the following methods:
     Federal Rulemaking Web site: Go to http://www.regulations.gov and search for Docket ID NRC-2014-0129. Address 
questions about NRC dockets to Carol Gallagher; telephone: 301-415-
3463; email: [email protected]. For technical questions, contact 
the individuals 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 Documents 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 document 
(if that document is available in ADAMS) is provided the first time 
that a document is referenced. This RIS is available under ADAMS 
Accession Number ML15118A015.
     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.
     This RIS is also available on the NRC's public Web site at 
http://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/doc-collections/gen-comm/reg-issues/ 
(select ``2015'' and then select ``RIS 15-12'').

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Eugene Eagle, Office of Nuclear 
Reactor Regulation, telephone: 301-415-3706;

[[Page 27479]]

email: [email protected] and Ian Jung, Office of New Reactors, 
telephone: 301-415-2969; email: [email protected]. Both are staff of the 
U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Washington, DC 20555-0001.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 
    The NRC published a notice of opportunity for public comment on 
draft RIS 2013-XX, ``Embedded Digital Devices in Safety-Related 
Systems, Systems Important to Safety, and Items Relied on For Safety'' 
(ADAMS Accession No. ML12248A065), in the Federal Register (78 FR 
29392) on May 20, 2013. A table of the public comments received on the 
draft RIS with the NRC staff response is publicly available 
electronically (ADAMS Accession No. ML13351A204).
    Based on the public comments received, the NRC published a notice 
of opportunity for public comment on revised draft RIS 2014-XX, 
``Embedded Digital Devices in Safety-Related Systems,'' (ADAMS 
Accession No. ML13338A769) in the Federal Register (79 FR 32578) on 
June 5, 2014. A table of the public comments received on the revised 
draft RIS with the NRC staff response is publicly available 
electronically (ADAMS Accession No. ML15118A012).

    Dated at Rockville, Maryland, this 3rd day of May, 2016.

    For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
Sheldon D. Stuchell,
Chief, Generic Communications Branch, Division of Policy and 
Rulemaking, Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation.
[FR Doc. 2016-10693 Filed 5-5-16; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 7590-01-P