Regulatory Guide: Maintenance, Testing, and Replacement of Vented Lead-Acid Storage Batteries for Production and Utilization Facilities l

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is issuing Revision 4 of Regulatory Guide (RG) 1.129, "Maintenance, Testing, and Replacement of Vented Lead-Acid Storage Batteries for Production and Utilization Facilities." This revised guidance provides information to manage vented lead-acid battery degradation such that a battery in service would retain its readiness for supporting design-basis events. It endorses, with certain clarifying regulatory positions, Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) Standard (Std.) 450-2020, which provides the recommended maintenance, test schedules, and testing procedures intended to optimize the life and performance of permanently installed vented lead-acid storage batteries used for standby power applications. It also provides guidance to determine when batteries should be replaced.