Fire Protection: Barriers to Effective Implementation of NRC's Safety Oversight Process
Abstract
Concern over the risk of fire in commercial nuclear power plants increased after a fire at the Browns Ferry nuclear plant in Alabama in 1975. The fire damaged a relatively small area but adversely affected the functioning of one of the plant's safety systems and the operator's ability to monitor the status of the plant As a result of that fire, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) and the nuclear utility industry have taken various actions to help ensure that nuclear plants are safe from the threat of fires and that utilities can safely shut these plants down should a fire occur. NRC's fire protection regulations are intended to (1) prevent fires from starting; (2) rapidly detect, control, and extinguish fires that do occur; and (3) protect a nuclear power plant's structures, systems, and components so that a fire that is not promptly extinguished will not prevent its safe shutdown. According to NRC's regulations, these activities are designed to provide reasonable assurance that any deficiencies occurring in one activity will be backed up by another system so there is no undue risk to public health and safety.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Apr 01, 2000
- Accession Number
- ADA377823
Entities
Organizations
- United States Government Accountability Office