ML20086N776

COL Docs - Acceptance Letter - Request for Exemption from 10 CFR Part 50, Appendix E Exercise Requirements for Vogtle Electric Generating Plant Unit 4

ML20086N776
Person / Time
Site:	Vogtle
Issue date:	03/26/2020
From:	NRC
To:	NRC/NRR/DNRL
References
Download: ML20086N776 (4)

Text

From: Schiller, Alina Sent: Thursday, March 26, 2020 4:13 PM To: Vogtle PEmails

Subject:

Acceptance letter - Request for exemption from 10 CFR Part 50, Appendix E Exercise Requirements for Vogtle Electric Generating Plant Unit 4 Attachments: Acceptance letter - Request for exemption from part 50 App E for Vogtle Unit 4.pdf

Hello, Please see attached acceptance letter for request for exemption from 10 CFR Part 50, Appendix E exercise requirements for VEGP Unit 4.

Thank you, Alina Schiller Project Manager Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation Vogtle Project Office O-13 C10 301-415-8177

Hearing Identifier: Vogtle_COL_Docs_Public Email Number: 551 Mail Envelope Properties (MN2PR09MB5769007E066ACDBC32E3193F96CF0)

Subject:

Acceptance letter - Request for exemption from 10 CFR Part 50, Appendix E Exercise Requirements for Vogtle Electric Generating Plant Unit 4 Sent Date: 3/26/2020 4:13:11 PM Received Date: 3/26/2020 4:13:13 PM From: Schiller, Alina Created By: Alina.Schiller@nrc.gov Recipients:

"Vogtle PEmails" <Vogtle.PEmails@nrc.gov>

Tracking Status: None Post Office: MN2PR09MB5769.namprd09.prod.outlook.com Files Size Date & Time MESSAGE 316 3/26/2020 4:13:13 PM Acceptance letter - Request for exemption from part 50 App E for Vogtle Unit 4.pdf 164619 Options Priority: Normal Return Notification: No Reply Requested: No Sensitivity: Normal Expiration Date:

UNITED STATES NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION WASHINGTON, D.C. 20555-0001 March 26, 2020 Mr. Brian H. Whitley, Director Regulatory Affairs Southern Nuclear Operating Company, Inc.

3535 Colonnade Parkway BIN B237 Birmingham, AL 35243

SUBJECT:

ACCEPTANCE REVIEW OF SOUTHERN NUCLEAR OPERATING COMPANYS REQUEST FOR EXEMPTION FROM 10 CFR PART 50, APPENDIX E EXERCISE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE VOGTLE ELECTRIC GENERATING PLANT, UNIT 4 (EPID L-2020-LLE-0012)

Dear Mr. Whitley:

By letter dated March 6, 2020 (Agencywide Documents Access and Management System (ADAMS) Accession No. ML20066G902), Southern Nuclear Operating Company (SNC) submitted an exemption request for the Vogtle Electric Generating Plant (VEGP), Unit 4. The proposed exemption to 10 CFR Part 50, Appendix E, Section IV.F.2.a.iii would eliminate the requirement to perform an emergency preparedness exercise at VEGP Unit 4 prior to initial fuel load by allowing Unit 4 to credit the VEGP Unit 3 exercise.

The purpose of this letter is to provide the results of the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) staffs acceptance review of this exemption 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.

Pursuant to Section 50.12(a) of the 10 CFR, the applicant shall demonstrate that (1) the proposed exemption request is authorized by law, will not present an undue risk to the public health and safety, and is consistent with the common defense and security, and (2) special circumstances are present.

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 exemption 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.

SNC has requested NRC staffs approval of this exemption request by December 31, 2020.

The NRC staff intends to complete this licensing action by December 31, 2020. Based on the information provided in your submittal, the NRC staff has estimated that this licensing request

will take approximately 280 hours0.00324 days <br />0.0778 hours <br />4.62963e-4 weeks <br />1.0654e-4 months <br /> to complete. 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, and unanticipated addition of scope to the review. If there are emergent complexities or challenges in our review that would cause changes to the initial forecast completion date or significant changes in the forecast hours, the reasons for the changes, along with the new estimates, will be communicated during the routine interactions.

If you have any questions, please contact me at (301) 415-8177 or Alina.Schiller@nrc.gov.

Sincerely, Alina Schiller Project Manager Vogtle Project Office Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation Docket No.: 52-026