ML20190A018

Summary of Meeting Regarding the Vogtle Readiness Group

ML20190A018
Person / Time
Site:	Vogtle
Issue date:	07/08/2020
From:	Michael Webb NRC/NRR/VPOB
To:	Victor Hall NRC/NRR/VPOB
M. Webb
References
Download: ML20190A018 (10)

Text

July 8, 2020 MEMORANDUM TO: Victor E. Hall, Chief Vogtle Project Office Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation FROM: Michael Webb, Senior Reactor Operations Engineer /RA/

Vogtle Project Office Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation

SUMMARY

OF JUNE 18, 2020, PUBLIC MEETING TO DISCUSS THE VOGTLE READINESS GROUP On June 18, 2020, the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) staff held a virtual Category 3 public meeting to discuss the Vogtle Readiness Group (VRG), an internal working group established to provide oversight and coordination of NRC activities up to and including the transition to operations at Vogtle Electric Generating Plant (Vogtle), Units 3 and 4.

The meeting notice can be found in the Agencywide Documents Access and Management System (ADAMS) Accession No. ML20167A006. The meeting notice was also posted on the NRC public website. Enclosures 1 and 2 are the meeting agenda and attendance list for the meeting, respectively. The NRC staff presentation can be found at ADAMS Accession No. ML20162A124. The staff presentation is summarized below.

The NRC instituted the VRG in 2017. Members of the VRG include the Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation (NRR), Region II, Office of Office of Nuclear Security and Incident Response (NSIR), and Office of the General Counsel (OGC). The VRG has three focus areas:

licensing; Inspections, Tests, Analyses, and Acceptance Criteria (ITAAC); and inspection.

Licensing actions for Vogtle Units 3 and 4 include amendments, exemptions, and code alternatives. The staff has completed processing of 198 licensing actions, has five licensing actions under review, and expects to receive three future requests.

ITAAC are a part of the Vogtle 3 and 4 combined licenses (COLs) and provide reasonable assurance that, if the inspections, tests, and analyses are performed and the acceptance criteria met, the facilities have been constructed and will be operated in conformity with the COLs, the provisions of the Atomic Energy Act, and the Commissions rules and regulations.

The COL holder for Vogtle Units 3 and 4, Southern Nuclear Operating Company (SNC, or the licensee), must notify the NRC that prescribed inspections, tests, and analyses have been performed and that the prescribed acceptance criteria have been met; these notifications are CONTACT: Michael Webb, NRR/VPO (301) 415-1347

V. Hall referred to as ITAAC Closure Notifications (ICNs). NRC regulations further require that if the licensee has not provided, by the date 225 days before the scheduled date for initial loading of fuel, notification for all the ITAAC, then the licensee must notify the NRC that the prescribed inspections, tests, or analyses will be performed and that the prescribed inspections, tests, analyses will be met prior to operations; this notification is referred to as an Uncompleted ITAAC Notification (UIN). SNC has submitted individual UINs for each ITAAC that had not been completed prior to 225 days before scheduled fuel load. As of the date of the meeting, SNC had submitted 136 ICNs; NRC staff had verified 134 and had two ICNs under review. SNC had submitted 263 UINs that will require follow-on ICNs.

The goal of construction inspection is to verify, through key oversight functions, that the facility licensing basis is maintained from COL issuance through construction completion. Inspections are conducted to verify completion of the prioritized ITAAC as well as the development and implementation of construction and operational programs. Reactive and supplemental inspections are also used when appropriate. So far, the NRC staff has performed over 25,000 hours0 days <br />0 hours <br />0 weeks <br />0 months <br /> of direct inspection at Vogtle Unit 3.

Upon completion of construction, inspection of Vogtle Units 3 and 4 will transition to the Reactor Oversight Process (ROP). The passive design of the AP1000 resulted in an inspection procedure reassessment resulting in a unique Vogtle Units 3 and 4 ROP for an AP1000. The robust baseline inspection program, including on site resident inspectors, will incorporate AP1000 into the structure of the current fleet of plants with limited modifications to account for the differences in design. The NRC staff identified common sense adjustments to the AP1000 inspection size because of the overall simplicity of the design, emphasis on passive components, and enhancements to safety.

NRC regulations require, under Title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations (10 CFR) Part 52 Section 99(c)(4) (10 CFR 52.99(c)(4)), that the licensee shall notify the NRC that all ITAAC are complete. The licensee shall not operate the facility until the Commission makes a finding that all acceptance criteria are met under 10 CFR 52.103(g). By Commission policy, this finding, referred to as the 52.103(g) finding, has been delegated to the staff. Approximately 3 months before the anticipated receipt of the All ITAAC Complete notification, the staff will send an initial memorandum to the Commission providing the status of ITAAC closure, NRC inspection activities for construction and operational programs, and licensing activities as well as any challenges to completion of the 10 CFR Part 52 process. Based on a projected November 23, 2020, initial fuel load for Vogtle Unit 3, the staff anticipates sending the initial memorandum in mid-August. When the staff receives the All ITAAC Complete notification from SNC, it will issue a final memorandum notifying the Commission that the staff is prepared to find that the acceptance criteria are met. This memorandum will inform the Commission that all ITAAC notification reviews and supporting inspection activities have been completed. The memorandum will also inform the Commission of updates to the status of operational program implementation, and of the staffs intent to notify the licensee and publish a Federal Register notice (FRN) when the 10 CFR 52.103(g) finding is made. The staff expects that the time from receipt of SNCs All ITAAC Complete notification until it makes its 52.103(g) finding will be no more than 17 days.

V. Hall Following the discussions of the three focus areas, the NRC demonstrated how to find information on the NRC public webpage for the VRG as well as Vogtle Units 3 and Vogtle Units 4 information pages.

At the conclusion of the discussion, there was an opportunity for the public to provide comments and ask questions. The NRC staff answered questions received from members of the public.

Enclosures:

As stated cc w/encls: See next page

ML20190A018 *via e-mail NRC-001 OFFICE PM: NRR/VPO LA: NRR/VPO BC: NRR/VPO NAME MWebb* RButler* VHall*

DATE 7/8/20 7/8/20 7/6/20 AGENDA FOR PUBLIC MEETING U.S. NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION (NRC)

Thursday, June 18, 2020 Teleconference 9:00 a.m. - 10:30 a.m.

PURPOSE: The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) will hold an open forum to discuss the NRC Vogtle Readiness Group's (VRG) activities to support Vogtle Electric Generating Plant, Units 3 and 4 Construction.

OPEN Time Topic Led By 9:00 a.m. Opening Remarks NRC 9:10 a.m. NRC Presentation on VRG Activities NRC 9:30 a.m. Open Forum Discussion NRC/Public 10:30 a.m. Adjourn NRC Enclosure 1

PUBLIC MEETING U.S. NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION Thursday, June 18, 2020 Teleconference 9:00 a.m. - 10:30 a.m.

List of Attendees Name Representing the Nuclear Regulatory Commission Mike King Marissa Bailey Eric Bowman Rob Krsek Steve Ruffin Shakur Walker Brian Thomas Victor Hall Nicole Coovert Bradley Davis Tom Hipschman Rebecca Richardson Steve Rose Joe Anderson Dan Barss Bob Bernardo Scott Burnell Paul Carman Evan Davidson Eric Duncan Jason Eargle Tom Fredette Billy Gleaves Jim Gaslevic Treyvon Griffin Roger Hannah Patrick HeherRay Hoffman Olivier Lareynie Bruce Musico Jennie Rankin Niry Simonian Michael Webb Chris Welch Enclosure 2

Representing the Public Georgia Power IBEX Engineering Axgio Freeman William Freebairn James Keene Rosa Liou Theodore Nichol Adrian Tickle J Weathersby Jeff Wilson Molly Two Guests Four Wireless Guests Note: All participated via teleconference.

2

Vogtle Mailing List (Revised 4/7/2020) cc:

Resident Manager Resident Inspector Oglethorpe Power Corporation Vogtle Plant Units 3 & 4 Alvin W. Vogtle Nuclear Plant 8805 River Road 7821 River Road Waynesboro, GA 30830 Waynesboro, GA 30830 Mr. Barty Simonton Office of the Attorney General Team Leader 40 Capitol Square, SW Environmental Radiation Program Atlanta, GA 30334 Air Protection Branch Environmental Protection Division Southern Nuclear Operating Company 4244 International Parkway, Suite 120 Document Control Coordinator Atlanta, GA 30354-3906 3535 Colonnade Parkway Birmingham, AL 35243 Brian H. Whitley Regulatory Affairs Director Anne F. Appleby Southern Nuclear Operating Company Olgethorpe Power Corporation 3535 Colonnade Parkway, BIN N-226-EC 2100 East Exchange Place Birmingham, AL 35243 Tucker, GA 30084 Mr. Michael Yox County Commissioner Site Regulatory Affairs Director Office of the County Commissioner Vogtle Units 3 & 4 Burke County Commission 7825 River Road, Building 302 (ESB)

Waynesboro, GA 30830 Bin 6031 Waynesboro, GA 30830 Mr. Wayne Guilfoyle Commissioner District 8 Augusta-Richmond County Commission 4940 Windsor Spring Rd Hephzibah, GA 30815 Gwendolyn Jackson Burke County Library 130 Highway 24 South Waynesboro, GA 30830 Mr. Reece McAlister Executive Secretary Georgia Public Service Commission Atlanta, GA 30334 Page 1 of 3 3

Vogtle Mailing List Email aagibson@southernco.com (Amanda Gibson) acchambe@southernco.com (Amy Chamberlian) gam@nei.org (Gia Montserrat)

Lindsay@georgiawand.org (Lindsay Harper) bhwhitley@southernco.com (Brian Whitley)

Bill.Jacobs@gdsassociates.com (Bill Jacobs) corletmm@westinghouse.com (Michael M. Corletti) crpierce@southernco.com (C.R. Pierce) dahjones@southernco.com (David Jones) david.hinds@ge.com (David Hinds) david.lewis@pillsburylaw.com (David Lewis) dlfulton@southernco.com (Dale Fulton) ed.burns@earthlink.net (Ed Burns) edavis@pegasusgroup.us (Ed David)

G2NDRMDC@southernco.com (SNC Document Control)

George.Taylor@opc.com (George Taylor) harperzs@westinghouse.com (Zachary S. Harper) james1.beard@ge.com (James Beard)

JHaswell@southernco.com (Jeremiah Haswell) jim@ncwarn.org (Jim Warren)

John.Bozga@nrc.gov (John Bozga)

Joseph_Hegner@dom.com (Joseph Hegner) karlg@att.net (Karl Gross) kmstacy@southernco.com (Kara Stacy) kroberts@southernco.com (Kelli Roberts)

KSutton@morganlewis.com (Kathryn M. Sutton) kwaugh@impact-net.org (Kenneth O. Waugh) markus.popa@hq.doe.gov (Markus Popa) mdmeier@southernco.com (Mike Meier) media@nei.org (Scott Peterson)

Melissa.Smith@Hq.Doe.Gov (Melissa Smith) mike.price@opc.com (M.W. Price)

MKWASHIN@southernco.com (MKWashington) mphumphr@southernco.com (Mark Humphrey)

MSF@nei.org (Marvin Fertel) nirsnet@nirs.org (Michael Mariotte)

Nuclaw@mindspring.com (Robert Temple)

Paul@beyondnuclear.org (Paul Gunter) pbessette@morganlewis.com (Paul Bessette) ppsena@southernco.com (Peter Sena,III) r.joshi15@comcast.net (Ravi Joshi) rwink@ameren.com (Roger Wink) sabinski@suddenlink.net (Steve A. Bennett)

Michelle@cleanenergy.org (Michelle Powell)

Page 2 of 3 4

Vogtle Mailing List sblanton@balch.com (Stanford Blanton)

Shiva.Granmayeh@hq.doe.gov (Shiva Granmayeh) sjackson@meagpower.org (Steven Jackson) sjones@psc.state.ga.us (Shemetha Jones) skauffman@mpr.com (Storm Kauffman) slieghty@southernco.com (Steve Leighty) sroetger@psc.state.ga.us (Steve Roetger) syagee@southernco.com (Stephanie Agee)

TomClements329@cs.com (Tom Clements)

Vanessa.quinn@dhs.gov (Vanessa Quinn) vcsummer2n3@gmail.com (Brian McIntyre) wayne.marquino@gmail.com (Wayne Marquino) weave1dw@westinghouse.com (Doug Weaver)

William.Birge@hq.doe.gov (William Birge)

X2edgran@southernco.com (Eddie R. Grant)

X2hagge@southern.com (Neil Haggerty)

X2dwwill@southernco.com (Daniel Williamson)

Page 3 of 3 5