Resolution of Generic Safety Issues: Task V.A: Development of Safety Policy ( NUREG-0933, Main Report with Supplements 1–35 )

The objective of this task was the further delineation of substantive safety policy by the NRC.

ITEM V.A.1: DEVELOP NRC POLICY STATEMENT ON SAFETY

DESCRIPTION

This NUREG-0660,⁴⁸ Rev. 1 item called for the Commission to develop more explicit articulation of policy with respect to the fundamental issues of public health and safety. This development was to include some general approach to risk acceptability and safety/cost trade-offs and, to the extent that these reasonably lent themselves to articulation, quantitative safety goals, safety improvement goals, and standards for review of past actions in light of new rules and improved practices. This item was originally identified as Item 1 in Chapter V but was made Item V.A.1 in Rev. 1 to NUREG-0660.⁴⁸

The Commission issued a "Proposed Policy Statement on Safety Goals for Nuclear Power Plants" for public comment in February 1982.866 In March 1983, the policy statement867 on the "Safety Goal Development Program" was issued and a 2-year evaluation period began. Follow-up work completed since that time resulted in the publication of NUREG-0880,⁶⁹ Rev. 1, in May 1983. This report addressed the development and rationale of the Commission's policy statement, the public comments on the earlier draft⁸⁶⁶ of the policy statement, and the NRC plan for evaluating the policy statement. The purpose of the evaluation was to develop recommendations on the future use of safety goals in regulation and licensing. In August 1986, the Commission issued the policy statement.⁹³⁹

This item is related to increasing knowledge, certainty, and understanding of safety issues in order to increase confidence in assessing levels of safety and is, therefore, considered a licensing issue.

CONCLUSION

This Licensing Issue was resolved with the publication of the policy statement⁹³⁹ in August 1986.

REFERENCES

0048. NUREG-0660, "NRC Action Plan Developed as a Result of the TMI-2 Accident," U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, May 1980, (Rev. 1) August 1980. 0069. NUREG-0880, "Safety Goals for Nuclear Power Plants: A Discussion Paper," U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, February 1982, (Rev. 1) May 1983. 0866. Federal Register Notice 47 FR 7023, "Proposed Policy Statement on Safety Goals for Nuclear Power Plants," February 17, 1982. 0939. Federal Register Notice 51 FR 28044, "Safety Goals for the Operations of Nuclear Power Plants," August 4, 1986.