ML19234A122

Acceptance Review: Susquehanna Units 1 and 2 License Amendment Request for TSTF-535

ML19234A122
Person / Time
Site:	Susquehanna
Issue date:	08/19/2019
From:	Tanya Hood Plant Licensing Branch 1
To:	Cimorelli K Susquehanna, Talen Energy
Hood T, 415-1387
References
EPID L-2019-LLA-0154
Download: ML19234A122 (2)

Text

From: Hood, Tanya To: Kevin.Cimorelli@TalenEnergy.com Cc: Krick, Melisa; Jurek, Shane

Subject:

Acceptance Review: Susquehanna Units 1 and 2 License Amendment Request for TSTF-535 Date: Monday, August 19, 2019 8:14:00 AM

SUBJECT:

SUSQUEHANNA STEAM ELECTRIC STATION, UNITS 1 AND 2 -

ACCEPTANCE OF REQUESTED LICENSING ACTION RE: LICENSE AMENDMENT REQUEST TO REVISE TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS TO ADOPT TSTF-535, REVISION 0, REVISE SHUTDOWN MARGIN DEFINITION TO ADDRESS ADVANCED FUEL DESIGNS. (EPID: L-2019-LLA-0154)

By letter dated July 15, 2019 (Agencywide Documents Access and Management System (ADAMS) Accession No. ML19196A270), Susquehanna Nuclear, LLC (the licensee) submitted a license amendment request (LAR) for Susquehanna Steam Electric Station (SSES), Units 1 and 2. The proposed LAR would revise the Technical Specification definition of Shutdown Margin (SDM) to require calculation of the SDM at a reactor moderator temperature of 68°F or a higher temperature that represents the most reactive state throughout the operating cycle. The proposed changes are based on Technical Specification Task Force (TSTF) Traveler TSTF-535, Revision 0, Revise Shutdown Margin Definition to Address Advanced Fuel Designs.

The purpose of this e-mail is to provide the results of the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) staffs 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 TSs) 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 request 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 be instances in which issues that impact the NRC staffs ability to complete the detailed technical review are identified despite completion of an adequate acceptance review. You will be advised of any further information needed to support the NRC staffs detailed technical review by separate correspondence.

Based on the information provided in your submittal, the NRC staff has estimated that this licensing request will take approximately 176 hours7.333 days <br />1.048 weeks <br />0.241 months <br /> to complete. The NRC staff expects to complete this review in approximately 6 months, which is February 29, 2020. 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, the reasons for the changes, along with the new estimates, will be communicated during the routine interactions with the assigned project manager.

These estimates are based on the NRC staffs 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 questions regarding this matter, please contact me at 301-415-1387 or by e-mail.

Tanya E. Hood Project Manager Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission 11555 Rockville Pike Rockville, Maryland 20852-2738 301-415-1387 Tanya.Hood@nrc.gov