82 FR 36006 - Draft Test Plan High Energy Arcing Faults Phase 2

NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION

Federal Register Volume 82, Issue 147 (August 2, 2017)

Page Range		36006-36007
FR Document		2017-16233

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is requesting public comment on the draft test plan entitled, ``High Energy Arcing Faults (HEAFs) in Electrical Equipment Phase 2,'' in order to receive feedback from the widest range of interested parties and to ensure that all information relevant to developing this document is available to the NRC staff.

Federal Register, Volume 82 Issue 147 (Wednesday, August 2, 2017)

[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 147 (Wednesday, August 2, 2017)]
[Notices]
[Pages 36006-36007]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2017-16233]



[[Page 36006]]

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NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION

[NRC-2017-0168]


Draft Test Plan High Energy Arcing Faults Phase 2

AGENCY: Nuclear Regulatory Commission.

ACTION: Draft test plan; request for comment.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is requesting 
public comment on the draft test plan entitled, ``High Energy Arcing 
Faults (HEAFs) in Electrical Equipment Phase 2,'' in order to receive 
feedback from the widest range of interested parties and to ensure that 
all information relevant to developing this document is available to 
the NRC staff.

DATES: Submit comments by September 1, 2017. Comments received after 
this date will be considered if it is practical to do so, but the 
Commission is able to ensure consideration only for comments received 
on or before this date.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments by any of the following methods:
     Federal Rulemaking Web site: Go to http://www.regulations.gov and search for Docket ID NRC-2017-0168. Address 
questions about NRC dockets to Carol Gallagher; telephone: 301-415-
3463; email: [email protected]. For technical questions, contact 
the individual listed in the FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT section of 
this document.
     Mail comments to: Cindy Bladey, Office of Administration, 
Mail Stop: TWFN-8-D36M, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Washington, 
DC 20555-0001.
    For additional direction on obtaining information and submitting 
comments, see ``Obtaining Information and Submitting Comments'' in the 
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section of this document.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Nicholas Melly, Office of Nuclear 
Regulatory Research, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Washington, DC 
20555-0001; telephone: 301-415-2392; email: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Obtaining Information and Submitting Comments

A. Obtaining Information

    Please refer to Docket ID NRC-2017-0168 when contacting the NRC 
about the availability of information for this action. You may obtain 
publicly-available information related to this action by any of the 
following methods:
     Federal Rulemaking Web site: Go to http://www.regulations.gov and search for Docket ID NRC-2017-0168.
     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 
draft test plan, ``High Energy Arcing Faults (HEAFs) in Electrical 
Equipment Phase 2,'' is available in ADAMS under Accession No. 
ML17201Q551.
     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.

B. Submitting Comments

    Please include Docket ID NRC-2017-0168 in the subject line of your 
comment submission.
    The NRC cautions you not to include identifying or contact 
information that you do not want to be publicly disclosed in your 
comment submission. The NRC posts all comment submissions at http://www.regulations.gov as well as entering the comment submissions into 
ADAMS. The NRC does not routinely edit comment submissions to remove 
identifying or contact information.
    If you are requesting or aggregating comments from other persons 
for submission to the NRC, then you should inform those persons not to 
include identifying or contact information that they do not want to be 
publicly disclosed in their comment submission. Your request should 
state that the NRC does not routinely edit comment submissions to 
remove such information before making the comment submissions available 
to the public or entering the comment submissions into ADAMS.

II. Discussion

    The purpose of this test program is to better understand the fire 
risk presented by high energy arc fault phenomena and to characterize 
physical parameters such as the thermal conditions, pressure effects, 
and electrical conductive products of combustion created by HEAFs 
occurring primarily in electrical cabinets and bus ducts. The 
experimental data will be used by the NRC to determine the adequacy of 
existing HEAF zone of influences (ZOIs) damage models and support 
revisions to those methods if necessary. Additionally, phase 2 of 
testing will focus on the HEAFs involving aluminum components as it 
pertains to both increased physical damage states and potential product 
of combustion electrical conductivity concerns. This research is also 
being proposed as an international nuclear safety research project.
    Currently, there are two available methods to model HEAF damage. 
Electrical enclosure guidance is contained in NUREG/CR-6850 (EPRI 
1011989), ``EPRI/NRC-RES Fire PRA Methodology for Nuclear Power 
Facilities Volume 2: Detailed Methodology,'' Appendix M (ADAMS 
Accession No. ML15167A411). This model is limited because it was 
largely derived from empirical evidence from one single well-documented 
HEAF event that occurred at the San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station, 
Unit 3, on February 3, 2001. A second method that focuses on damage 
involving bus duct HEAF events can be found in NUREG/CR-6850 (EPRI 
1019259) Supplement 1, ``Fire Probabilistic Risk Assessment Methods 
Enhancements'', Section 7 ``Bus Duct (Counting) Guidance for High-
Energy Arcing Faults (FAQ 07-0035)'' (ADAMS Accession No. ML15167A550).
    Both methods employ a ``one size fits all'' ZOI methodology that 
prescribes a damage zone around an initiating component. These ZOIs 
prescribe damage to potentially vulnerable electrical or 
electromechanical components nearby such as cables, transformers, 
ventilation fans, other cabinets, etc. The international Organization 
for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD)/Nuclear Energy Agency 
(NEA) experimental HEAF Project was created in an attempt to take an 
exploratory scientific approach to better understand the HEAF phenomena 
and produce data that could be used to better inform fire modeling 
techniques for postulating a realistic damage range of HEAF scenarios. 
The report can be downloaded here: https://www.oecd-nea.org/nsd/docs/2017/csni-r2017-7.pdf.
    This draft test plan describes the NRC's next phase of testing 
necessary to better understand the HEAF phenomena and to characterize 
the damage involving thermal conditions, pressure effects, and 
electrically conductive deposits on nearby surfaces created by HEAFs 
occurring in electrical cabinets and bus ducts. The results of this 
program will provide qualitative information on the impact of HEAFs on

[[Page 36007]]

typical fire probabilistic risk assessment targets such as electrical 
cable and nearby equipment. The experimental data will be used by the 
NRC to determine the adequacy of existing HEAF ZOIs presented in NUREG/
CR-6850, Appendix M and Supplement 1 and to adjust existing methodology 
as necessary. The phase 2 testing will also focus on the HEAF involving 
aluminum components as it pertains to both increased physical damage 
states and electrical conductive products of combustion concerns. This 
test program is also being proposed internationally through the OECD 
and the NEA as a collaborative international nuclear safety research 
program.
    This document is not intended for interim use. The NRC will review 
public comments received on the document, incorporate suggested changes 
as appropriate, and make the final test plan available. Consistent with 
past experimental programs, the final test plan will be considered a 
living document.
    Changes to the final test plan can, and likely will be made during 
the testing phase as insights and observations from the testing develop 
that would suggest changes are necessary to ensure valuable data from 
experiments is being obtained.

    Dated at Rockville, Maryland, this 27th day of July, 2017.

    For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
Mark Henry Salley,
Chief, Fire and External Hazard Analysis Branch, Division of Risk 
Analysis, Office of Nuclear Regulatory Research.
[FR Doc. 2017-16233 Filed 8-1-17; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 7590-01-P

Federal Register / Vol. 82, No. 147 / Wednesday, August 2, 2017 / Notices 36007

typical fire probabilistic risk assessment Filing Online system at http:// Comments filed July 20, 2017, did not
targets such as electrical cable and www.prc.gov. Those who cannot submit have the benefit of the Postal Service’s
nearby equipment. The experimental comments electronically should contact responses to CHIR No. 3 or CHIR No. 4
data will be used by the NRC to the person identified in the FOR FURTHER (and had only one day to review and
determine the adequacy of existing INFORMATION CONTACT section by consider the Postal Service’s response to
HEAF ZOIs presented in NUREG/CR– telephone for advice on filing CHIR No. 2). The Association for Postal
6850, Appendix M and Supplement 1 alternatives. Commerce notes that ‘‘a few elements in
and to adjust existing methodology as FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: the Postal Service’s filing, and in its
necessary. The phase 2 testing will also David A. Trissell, General Counsel, at proposed Move Update assessment
focus on the HEAF involving aluminum (202) 789–6820. process generally, . . . warrant further
components as it pertains to both SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On June
explanation.’’ 5
increased physical damage states and 30, 2017, the Postal Service filed a The Commission, due to the potential
electrical conductive products of notice of market dominant price importance of this missing information
combustion concerns. This test program adjustment and classification changes in to the issues of the proceeding (for both
is also being proposed internationally accordance with 39 U.S.C. 3622 and 39 informed comments and the
through the OECD and the NEA as a CFR part 3010.1 On July 3, 2017, Order Commission’s review), finds that
collaborative international nuclear No. 3990 established the procedural commenters and its own review would
safety research program. schedule for this proceeding, including be prejudiced without equitably tolling
This document is not intended for the time of filing (and deadlines set by
a comment deadline of July 20, 2017.2
interim use. The NRC will review public that time of filing). Therefore, the
By rule, the Commission determines, at
comments received on the document, Commission finds it necessary to
a minimum, whether the planned
incorporate suggested changes as constructively adjust (toll) the filing
adjustment is consistent with the price
appropriate, and make the final test plan date for Postal Service’s Notice to July
cap 14 days following the comment
available. Consistent with past 20, 2017, at which time the Postal
deadline. See 39 CFR 3010.11(d). These
experimental programs, the final test Service had provided the bulk of the
dates are predicated on complete
plan will be considered a living information necessary to evaluate the
information being available for parties
document. potential impacts of proposed changes
Changes to the final test plan can, and to comment on and the Commission to
review. See, e.g., 39 CFR 3010.12(b)(3).3 in its Notice. As a result, commenters
likely will be made during the testing may file additional comments by August
phase as insights and observations from This case represents a series of changes
relating to the Move Update assessment 9, 2017.6 Likewise, the date required by
the testing develop that would suggest 39 CFR 3010.11(d) for the Commission’s
changes are necessary to ensure charge, where complete information
regarding the potential price cap determination shall be August 23, 2017.
valuable data from experiments is being It is ordered:
obtained. impacts of the changes was not available
with the Postal Service’s initial filing, 1. Any additional comments are due
Dated at Rockville, Maryland, this 27th day prompting several Chairman’s by August 9, 2017.
of July, 2017.
Information Requests.4 2. The Commission’s determination,
For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission. pursuant to 39 CFR 3010.11(d) shall be
Mark Henry Salley, 1 United States Postal Service Notice of Market filed by August 23, 2017.
Chief, Fire and External Hazard Analysis Dominant Price Adjustment and Classification 3. The Secretary shall arrange for
Branch, Division of Risk Analysis, Office of Changes, June 30, 2017 (Notice). publication of this order in the Federal
2 Notice and Order on Price Adjustment for Move
Nuclear Regulatory Research. Register.
Update, July 3, 2017 (Order No. 3990). Comments
[FR Doc. 2017–16233 Filed 8–1–17; 8:45 am] for market dominant rate adjustments are due 20 By the Commission.
BILLING CODE 7590–01–P days after the date of filing, pursuant to 39 CFR Ruth Ann Abrams,
3010.11(a)(5).
3 39 CFR 3010.12(b)(3) requires that the Postal Acting Secretary.
Service include with its notice of rate adjustment [FR Doc. 2017–16199 Filed 8–1–17; 8:45 am]
POSTAL REGULATORY COMMISSION ‘‘{t}he percentage change in rates for each class of BILLING CODE 7710–FW–P
mail calculated as required by § 3010.23.’’ It further
[Docket No. R2017–7; Order No. 4018] requires that this information ‘‘be supported by
workpapers in which all calculations are shown
Postal Rate and Classification and all input values, including current rates, new
Changes rates, and billing determinants, are listed with POSTAL SERVICE
citations to the original sources.’’ Id. 39 CFR
AGENCY: Postal Regulatory Commission. 3010.23(d)(2) requires that the Postal Service ‘‘make Sunshine Act Meeting
ACTION: Notice. reasonable adjustments to the billing determinants
to account for the effects of classification changes Temporary Emergency Committee of
SUMMARY: The Commission is providing such as the introduction, deletion, or redefinition
of rate cells.’’ 39 CFR 3010.23(d)(2). In making those
the Board of Governors
notice of its adjustment to the adjustments, the Postal Service is required to
procedural schedule to allow for ‘‘identify and explain all adjustments’’ and provide
DATES AND TIMES: Thursday, August 7,
additional time to file comments ‘‘{a}ll information and calculations relied upon to 2017, at 9:00 a.m.
regarding the Postal Service’s filing develop the adjustments . . . with an explanation PLACE: Washington, DC.
of why the adjustments are appropriate.’’ Id.
amending prices and classification 4 The Postal Service proposes an increase to the STATUS: Closed.
language for Move Update. This notice Move Update assessment charge, an updated MATTERS TO BE CONSIDERED:
sradovich on DSKBCFCHB2PROD with NOTICES

informs the public of the filing, invites enforcement method for the charge, and a change
public comment, and takes other to the threshold for its tolerance of change of
address (COA) errors. Notice at 1; id. n.1. There 2017 (CHIR No. 4); Chairman’s Information Request
administrative steps. have been five Chairman’s Information Requests No. 5, July 27, 2017.
DATES: Comments are due August 9, issued in this case: Chairman’s Information Request 5 Comments of the Association for Postal

2017. No. 1, July 5, 2017; Chairman’s Information Request Commerce, July 20, 2017, at 1 (PostCom
No. 2, July 7, 2017 (CHIR No. 2); Chairman’s Comments).
ADDRESSES: Submit comments Information Request No. 3, July 13, 2017 (CHIR No. 6 All comments received to date shall also be

electronically via the Commission’s 3); Chairman’s Information Request No. 4, July 20, considered.

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Document Created: 2017-08-02 07:09:35
Document Modified: 2017-08-02 07:09:35

Category		Regulatory Information
Collection		Federal Register
sudoc Class		AE 2.7: GS 4.107: AE 2.106:
Publisher		Office of the Federal Register, National Archives and Records Administration
Section		Notices
Action		Draft test plan; request for comment.
Dates		Submit comments by September 1, 2017. Comments received after this date will be considered if it is practical to do so, but the Commission is able to ensure consideration only for comments received on or before this date.
Contact		Nicholas Melly, Office of Nuclear Regulatory Research, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Washington, DC 20555-0001; telephone: 301-415-2392; email: [email protected]
FR Citation		82 FR 36006