ML17222A118

Acceptance of Requested Licensing Action License Amendment Request for Measurement Uncertainty Recapture Power Uprate

ML17222A118
Person / Time
Site:	Hope Creek
Issue date:	08/16/2017
From:	Lisa Regner Plant Licensing Branch IV
To:	Sena P Public Service Enterprise Group
Regner L M/NRR/LPL4/415-1906
References
CAC MF9930
Download: ML17222A118 (3)

Text

UNITED STATES NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION WASHINGTON, D.C. 20555-0001 August 16, 2017 Mr. Peter P. Sena, Ill President and Chief Nuclear Officer PSEG Nuclear LLC - N09 PO Box 236 Hancocks Bridge, NJ 08038 SUBJECT HOPE CREEK GENERATING STATION -ACCEPTANCE OF REQUESTED LICENSING ACTION RE: LICENSE AMENDMENT REQUEST FOR MEASUREMENT UNCERTAINTY RECAPTURE POWER UPRATE (CAC NO. MF9930)

Dear Mr. Sena:

By letter dated July 7, 2017 (Agencywide Documents Access and Management System (ADAMS) Package Accession No. ML17188A259), PSEG Nuclear LLC (PSEG) submrtted a license amendment request (LAR) for the Hope Creek Nuclear Generating Station (Hope Creek). The amendment would implement a measurement uncertainty recapture (MUR) power uprate. Specifically, the amendment would authorize an increase in the maximum licensed thermal power level from 3,840 megawatts thermal (MWt) to 3,902 MWt, which is an increase of approximately 1 6 percent.

The purpose of this letter is to provide the results of the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) staff's acceptance review of this amendment request. The acceptance review was performed to determine if there is sufficient technical information in scope and depth to allow the NRC staff to complete its detailed technical review. The acceptance review is also intended to identify whether the application has any readily apparent information insufficiencies in its characterization of the regulatory requirements or the licensing basis of the plant.

Consistent with Section 50.90 of Title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations (10 CFR), an amendment to the license (including the technical specifications) must fully describe the changes requested, and following, as far as applicable, the form prescribed for original applications. Section 50.34 of 10 CFR addresses the content of technical information required.

This section stipulates that the submittal address the design and operating characteristics, unusual or novel design features, and principal safety considerations.

The NRC staff has reviewed your application and concluded that it does provide technical information in sufficient detail to enable the NRC staff to complete its detailed technical review and make an independent assessment regarding the acceptability of the proposed amendment in terms of regulatory requirements and the protection of public health and safety and the environment. Given the lesser scope and depth of the acceptance review as compared to the detailed technical review, there may instances in which issues that impact the NRC staff's ability to complete the detailed technical review are identified, despite completion of an adequate acceptance review. If additional information is needed, you will be advised by separate correspondence.

P_ Sena Your application notes a linkage to two LARs currently under NRC staff review. As discussed in the pre-application public meeting with PSEG on May 31, 2017 (meeting summary dated June 20, 2017, available at ADAMS Accession No. ML17164A174), the NRC staff guidance does not normally allow linked amendments, due to possible conflicts between parallel technical reviews. One of the LARs referenced in your submittal, the Power Range Neutron Monitor upgrade was issued on August 4, 2017 (ADAMS Accession No. ML17164A355); however, a link to the Pressure Temperature Limits Report (PTLR) LAR still exists.

The NRC has evaluated the progress of the PTLR LAR and has determined that it has progressed enough such that any impacts to the MUR LAR are expected to be minimal, and completion of this review in parallel should not impact the staff's safety findings or review schedule. Therefore, considering these unusual circumstances, the NRC will accept the MUR for review even with an existent link to the PTLR LAR. Note, however, that the NRC staff will expect PSEG to adhere to agreed upon response dates for requests for additional information Any delays could impact the outcome and schedule for either or both requests.

Based on the information provided in your submittal, the NRC staff has estimated that this request will take approximately 1,840 hours35 days <br />5 weeks <br />1.151 months <br /> to complete. Although the staff is currently working toward completion of the review by your requested date of April 30, 2018, normal review times for MUR amendment review are 9 months from the date of completion of the acceptance review. If there are emergent complexities or challenges in our review that would cause changes to the initial forecasted completion date, or significant changes in the forecasted hours (e.g., issues involving review of the plant-specific information discussed above), the reasons for the changes, along with the new estimates, will be communicated during our routine interactions. These estimates are based on the NRC staff's initial review of the application, and they could change due to several factors, including requests for additional information, unanticipated addition of scope to the review, and review by NRC advisory committees or hearing-related activities.

If you have any question, please contact me at (301) 415-1 ~6 or Lisa.Regner@nrc.gov.

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Sincerely'.

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,/-I Lisa M. Regner, Senior Project Manager Plant Licensing Branch IV Division of Operating Reactor Licensing Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation Docket No. 50-354 cc: Distribution via Listserv

• ML17222A118

'FFICE DORULPL 1/PM DORULPL 1/LA DORL/LPL 1/BC DORL/LPL 1/PM NAME LRenner LRonewicz JDanna LReaner DATE 08/11/17 08/11/17 08/16/17 08/16/17