ML19241A220
| ML19241A220 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Issue date: | 09/23/2019 |
| From: | Maureen Wylie NRC/OCFO |
| To: | Palm N Electric Power Research Institute |
| smh | |
| References | |
| BWRVIP-329 | |
| Download: ML19241A220 (3) | |
Text
UNITED STATES NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION WASHINGTON, D.C. 20555-0001 September 23, 2019 Mr. Nathan Palm BWRVIP Program Manager Electric Power Research Institute 1300 West W.T. Harris Boulevard Charlotte, NC 28262
Dear Mr. Palm:
On behalf of the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC), I am responding to your letter dated August 22, 2019, requesting a fee waiver under Title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations (10 CFR) 170.11(a)(1)(ii) for NRC review of BWRVIP-329: BWR Vessel and Internals Project, Updated Probabilistic Fracture Mechanics Analyses for BWR Reactor Pressure Vessel Welds to Address Extended Operations.
The NRC has established regulations for the granting of fee exemptions under 10 CFR 170.11, Exemptions, which may be applied for in accordance with 10 CFR 170.5, Communications.
The NRC staff has reviewed your request based on the following regulations, 10 CFR 170.11(a)(1)(ii) and 10 CFR 170.11(a)(13):
10 CFR 170.11(a) No application fees, license fees, renewal fees, inspection fees, or special project fees shall be required for: (1) A special project that is a request/report submitted to the NRC . . . (ii) When the NRC, at the time the request/report is submitted, plans to use the information in response to an NRC request from the Office Director level or above to resolve an identified safety, safeguards, or environmental issue, or to assist the NRC in generic regulatory improvements or efforts (e.g. rules, regulatory guides, regulations, policy statements, generic letters, or bulletins).
10 CFR 170.11(a)(13) All fee exemption requests must be submitted in writing to the Chief Financial Officer in accordance with § 170.51, and the Chief Financial Officer will grant or deny such requests in writing.
In your letter you state that BWRVIP-329 provides a technical basis for an alternative to the BWR reactor pressure vessel weld examination requirements specified by the American Society of Mechanical EngineersSection XI, Examination Category B-A, Pressure Retaining Welds in Reactor Vessel. As stated in NUREG-2192, Revision 0, Standard Review Plan for Review of Subsequent License Renewal Applications for Nuclear Power Plants, Section 4.2.3.1.5, Elimination of Boiling Water Reactor Circumferential Weld Inspection, and Section 4.2.3.1.6, 1 10 CFR 170.5 provides that All communications concerning the regulations in this part should be addressed to the NRC's Chief Financial Officer, either by mail to the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Washington, DC 20555-0001; by hand delivery to the NRC's offices at 11555 Rockville Pike, Rockville, Maryland; or, where practicable, by electronic submission, for example, via Electronic Information Exchange, or CD-ROM.
N. Palm Boiling Water Reactor Axial Welds, approved technical alternatives for subsequent license renewal (SLR) have yet to be developed. If accepted for use by the NRC, BWRVIP-329 provides an alternative that could be applied by the NRC staff to eliminate the need for additional regulatory actions to address this issue in the context of 80-year operations. The methodology in BWRVIP-329 may be used at multiple sites requesting SLR, and by reviewing one methodology to assess multiple applications in individual SLRs, the NRC staff would benefit by having a significant reduction in time and resources.
The NRC staff concludes that EPRIs request for NRC review of BWRVIP-329: BWR Vessel and Internals Project, Updated Probabilistic Fracture Mechanics Analyses for BWR Reactor Pressure Vessel Welds to Address Extended Operations, meets the criteria under 10 CFR 170.11(a)(1)(ii) because the guidance will assist the NRC in generic regulatory improvements or efforts; therefore, the fee waiver request is approved.
If you have any technical questions regarding this matter, please contact Mr. Joseph Holonich at 301-415-7297. Please contact Ms. Jo Jacobs, of my staff, at 301-415-8388 for any fee-related questions.
Sincerely,
/RA/
Maureen E. Wylie Chief Financial Officer
ML19241A193 (package) ML19238A016 (incoming)
ML19241A220 (letter) *via e-mail Ticket: CFO-19-224 OFFICE OCFO/DOB/LFPT OCFO/DOB/LFPT NRR/DLP/PLPB NRR/DLP/PLPB NAME JJacobs WBlaney JHolonich* DMorey*
DATE 8/29/2019 08/29/19 08/29/19 08/29/19 OFFICE OGC OCFO/DOC/LAFBB OCFO/DOC/LAFBB OCFO/DOB/LFPT NAME CMcCann* JGibbs-Nicholson* MBlair* ARossi DATE 09/16/19 09/18/19 09/19/19 09/19/19 OFFICE OCFO/DOB OCFO/DOB DCFO CFO NAME JMartin SCoffin BFicks MEWylie DATE 09/19/19 09/20/19 09/20/19 09/23/19