TheU.S.NuclearRegulatoryCommission(NRC)issuesregulatoryguidestodescribeandmakeavailabletothepublicmethodsthattheNRCstaffconsidersacceptableforuseinimplementingspecificpartsoftheagency’sregulations,techniquesthatthestaffusesinevaluatingspecificproblemsorpostulatedaccidents,anddatathatthestaffneedinreviewingapplicationsforpermitsandlicenses.Regulatoryguidesarenotsubstitutesforregulations,andcompliancewiththemisnotrequired.MethodsandsolutionsthatdifferfromthosesetforthinregulatoryguideswillbedeemedacceptableiftheyprovideabasisforthefindingsrequiredfortheissuanceorcontinuanceofapermitorlicensebytheCommission.Thisguidewasissuedafterconsiderationofcommentsreceivedfromthepublic.TheNRCstaffencouragesandwelcomescommentsandsuggestionsinconnectionwithimprovementstopublishedregulatoryguides,aswellasitemsforinclusioninregulatoryguidesthatarecurrentlybeingdeveloped.TheNRCstaffwillreviseexistingguides,asappropriate,toaccommodatecommentsandtoreflectnewinformationorexperience.WrittencommentsmaybesubmittedtotheRulesandDirectivesBranch,OfficeofAdministration,U.S.NuclearRegulatoryCommission,Washington,DC20555-0001.Regulatoryguidesareissuedin10broaddivisions:1,PowerReactors;2,ResearchandTestReactors;3,FuelsandMaterialsFacilities;4,EnvironmentalandSiting;5,MaterialsandPlantProtection;6,Products;7,Transportation;8,OccupationalHealth;9,AntitrustandFinancialReview;and10,General.Requestsforsinglecopiesofdraftoractiveregulatoryguides(whichmaybereproduced)shouldbemadetotheU.S.NuclearRegulatoryCommission,Washington,DC20555,Attention:ReproductionandDistributionServicesSection,orbyfaxto(301)415-2289;orbyemailtoDistribution@nrc.gov.ElectroniccopiesofthisguideandotherrecentlyissuedguidesareavailablethroughtheNRC’spublicWebsiteundertheRegulatoryGuidesdocumentcollectionoftheNRC’sElectronicReadingRoomat’sAgencywideDocumentsAccessandManagementSystem(ADAMS)at(DraftwasissuedasDG-1155,datedOctober2006)MAINTENANCE,TESTING,ANDREPLACEMENTOFVENTEDLEAD-ACIDSTORAGEBATTERIESFORNUCLEARPOWERPLANTSA.INTRODUCTIONTheU.S.NuclearRegulatoryCommission(NRC)developedthisregulatoryguidetodescribeamethodthattheNRCstaffconsidersacceptableforuseincomplyingwiththeagency’sregulationswithregardtothemaintenance,testing,andreplacementofventedlead-acidstoragebatteriesinnuclearpowerplants.Specifically,themethoddescribedinthisregulatoryguiderelatestoGeneralDesignCriteria(GDCs)1,17,and18,assetforthinAppendixA,“GeneralDesignCriteriaforNuclearPowerPlants,”toTitle10,Part50,oftheCodeofFederalRegulations(10CFRPart50),“DomesticLicensingofProductionandUtilizationFacilities”:•GDC1,“QualityStandardsandRecords,”requiresthatstructures,systems,andcomponentsimportanttosafetyshallbedesigned,fabricated,erected,andtestedtoqualitystandardscommensuratewiththeimportanceofthesafetyfunctionstobeperformed.•GDC17,“ElectricPowerSystems,”requiresthatanonsiteelectricpowersystemandanoffsiteelectricpowersystemshallbeprovidedtopermitfunctioningofstructures,systems,andcomponentsimportanttosafety.•GDC18,“InspectionandTestingofElectricPowerSystems,”requiresthatelectricpowersystemsimportanttosafetyshallbedesignedtopermitappropriateperiodicinspectionandtestingofimportantareasandfeatures,suchaswiring,insulation,connections,andswitchboards,toassessthecontinuityofthesystemsandtheconditionoftheircomponents.IEEEpublicationsmaybepurchasedfromtheIEEEServiceCenter,whichislocatedat445HoesLane,Piscataway,NJ108855[(800)678-4333].Theterms“newnuclearpowerplant”and“newplant”refertoanynuclearpowerplantforwhichthelicenseeobtained2anoperatinglicenseaftertheNRCissuedRevision2ofRegulatoryGuide1.129.Theterms“currentoperatingreactor”and“currentplant”refertoanynuclearpowerplantforwhichthelicenseeobtainedanoperatinglicensebeforetheNRCissuedRevision2ofRegulatoryGuide1.129.Rev.2ofRG1.129,Page2Inaddition,CriterionXI,“TestControl,”inAppendixB,“QualityAssuranceCriteriaforNuclearPowerPlantsandFuelReprocessingPlants,”to10CFRPart50setsforththefollowingrequirements:•Atestprogramshallbeestablishedtoensurethatalltestingrequiredtodemonstratethatstructures,systems,andcomponentswillperformsatisfactorilyinservice.•Thetestprogramshallbeidentifiedandperformedinaccordancewithwrittentestprocedures,whichincorporatetherequirementsandacceptancelimitscontainedinapplicabledesigndocuments.•Theprogramshallinclude,asappropriate,prooftestspriortotheinstallation,preoperationaltests,andoperationaltestsduringnuclearpowerplantorfuelreprocessingplantoperation,ofstructures,systemsandcomponents.•Testproceduresshallincludeprovisionsforensuringthatallprerequisitesforthegiventesthavebeenmet,adequatetestinstrumentationisavailableandused,andthetestisperformedundersuitableenvironmentalconditions.•Testresultsshallbedocumentedandevaluatedtoensurethattestrequirementshavebeensatisfied.Toaugmentthoserequir