ML21029A345

COL Docs - FW: Question on 10 CFR 73.55 Applicability Milestone for Vrg

ML21029A345
Person / Time
Site:	Vogtle
Issue date:	01/29/2021
From:	NRC
To:	NRC/NRR/DNRL
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Download: ML21029A345 (5)

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From: Santos, Cayetano Sent: Friday, January 29, 2021 2:37 PM To: Vogtle PEmails

Subject:

FW: Question on 10 CFR 73.55 applicability milestone for VRG Attachments: Question to Staff on 73.55 Milestone Basis.pdf From: Kellenberger, Nicholas <X2NRKELL@SOUTHERNCO.COM>

Sent: Friday, January 15, 2021 11:21 AM To: King, Mike <Michael.King2@nrc.gov>

Cc: Roberts, Kelli Anne <KROBERTS@southernco.com>; Leighty, Steven <sleighty@southernco.COM>

Subject:

[External_Sender] Question on 10 CFR 73.55 applicability milestone for VRG

Mike, As discussed during the touchpoint call on Wednesday, attached is our question on 10 CFR 73.55(a)(4).

As I say in the attached, we dont think we will need to submit any licensing action related to the Protected Area. Our plan is still to establish the PA prior to 103(g), but as Kelli said during the December VRG, we still do not understand the Staffs regulatory basis for tying PA establishment to 103(g).

Thanks, Nick Kellenberger Site Licensing Supervisor Vogtle 3 and 4 phone: (706) 437-2333 mobile: (803) 391-9671

Hearing Identifier: Vogtle_COL_Docs_Public Email Number: 604 Mail Envelope Properties (MN2PR09MB52445610957728BB2421BF83E5B99)

Subject:

FW: Question on 10 CFR 73.55 applicability milestone for VRG Sent Date: 1/29/2021 2:36:49 PM Received Date: 1/29/2021 2:36:53 PM From: Santos, Cayetano Created By: Cayetano.Santos@nrc.gov Recipients:

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

Tracking Status: None Post Office: MN2PR09MB5244.namprd09.prod.outlook.com Files Size Date & Time MESSAGE 1067 1/29/2021 2:36:53 PM Question to Staff on 73.55 Milestone Basis.pdf 190859 Options Priority: Normal Return Notification: No Reply Requested: No Sensitivity: Normal Expiration Date:

SNCstillplanstoestablishthePApriortothe10CFR52.103(g)finding.Wedonotforeseeaneedto

requestanexemptionfrom10CFR73.55(a)(4)aspreviouslydiscussed.However,ifthatexemption

becomesanecessity,itisimportantthatSNCandtheStaffhaveacommonunderstandingofthe

regulatorybasisoftheapplicableregulation.AsrequestedattheDecemberVRG,SNCispreparingto

discussthistopicatthe1/21/21cVRGandwouldliketoreceivefeedbackonthequestionposedduring

the9/2/20cVRG(copiedbelow).The9/2meetingfollowedan8/27/20publicmeeting.Afterthe

9/2/20cVRGSNCidentifiedfurtherinformationfromtheCOLAreviewwhichisprovidedbelowand

substantiatesthepositionSNChascommunicatedtothestaffregardingthemilestoneofpriortoinitial

fuelloadbeingapplicabletotheapplicabilityof10CFR73.55.

Question:

SNCseekstounderstandtheregulatorybasistosupporttyingtheapplicabilityof10CFR73.55tothe10

CFR52.103(g)finding.SNCunderstandsthedefinitionofoperationalphasebutcannotfindatiefrom

theoperationalphaseto10CFR73.55.Also,SNCcannotfindsupportintheregulations,licensingbasis,

orregulatoryguidanceforthestaffsassertionthattheProtectedAreaexistsatthe10CFR52.103(g)

finding.

Background:



ThefollowinginformationisprovidedtorefreshthestaffonthediscussionsheldinAugustand

SeptemberandtoprovidehistoricalcorrespondencethatwasidentifiedaftertheSeptemberVRG.

8/27/20PublicMeeting

DuringthemeetingNRCstaffprovidedapresentation(ML20238C109)inwhichtheyprovidedtheir

interpretationofwhenthelicenseemustbeincompliancewith10CFR73.55.10CFR73.55(a)(4)

requiresimplementationof73.55priortofuelbeingallowedonsite(protectedarea).Thestaffstated

theprotectedareaexistsatthe10CFR52.103(g)findingbecauseallphysicalsecuritySSCrequiredby

regulationwillhavebeenconstructedandfoundacceptablebythestaff.Theystatedthat10CFR73.55

appliestopowerreactorsintheoperationalphase,andthatplantsareintheoperationalphasewhen

the52.103(g)findingismade.Therefore,10CFR73.55appliesuponthesetwoconditions:1)10CFR

52.103(g)findinghasbeenmadeand2)fuelassembliesarecontainedwithinthePAboundary.

DuringthemeetingSNCprovidedthepositionbasedonreviewofintheITAAC,SNMPP,andPSP,SNC

thatthelicensingbasis:

x AllowsforreceiptandstorageofSNMundertheSNMPPP;

x Oncenewfuelisstored,itmustremainprotectedinaccordancewiththeSNMPPPuntilthePAis

declaredoperationalinaccordancewith10CFR73.55;

x ProtectioninaccordancewiththeSNMPPPislimitedtothedefinedCAA;and

x OnceprotectionofSNMisrequiredoutsidetheboundsoftheSNMPPP,SNCmustmeetthe

requirementsinUFSARTable13.4201byhavinganoperationalprotectedareacompliantwith

allaspectsof10CFR73.55.

SNCsreviewoftheregulationsandrulemakingfor10CFR73.55foundnoclearanddocumented

regulatorytiebetween10CFR73.55andthe10CFR52.103(g)finding.

9/2/20cVRG

SNCprovidedadditionalinformationduringthemeetingandprovidedcommentsandquestionsonthe

staffspositionpresentedduringthe8/27/20publicmeeting.

NRCposition:AllphysicalsecuritySSCsrequiredtoimplementourPhysicalSecurityPlanarenotcovered

byITAAC

SNCcomment:Aslicensed,theUnit3ITAAConlycoverthreesidesofthePAboundary.PAisintegrated

forUnits1through3,ITAACdoesnotcoverUnit1&2SSCsortheintegrationactivities.TheNRC

acceptedsecurityUINsandthesubmittedICNsstate,TheVEGPUnit3PlantSecuritySystemITAACs

onlycovertheUnit3plantsecuritysystemdesigncommitmentscope.

NRCPosition:10CFR73.55appliestoplantsintheoperationalphase.

SNCComment:NRCsdraftandfinalRulefor10CFR73.55(RIN3150AG63)appeartobesilentonatie

of73.55totheoperationalphaseandtothe103(g)finding.

NRCPosition:TheprotectedareaexistswhentheSSCsareinstalledandtested.

SNCComment:Thedefinitionofprotectedareafrom10CFR73.2Definitions,Protectedareameansan

areaencompassedbyphysicalbarriersandtowhichaccessiscontrolled.

Thedefinitionrequiresmorethanjustthephysicalsecurityhardwarerequiredbyregulationtoexist

foraPAtoexist,controlofaccessmustbeimplementedforaPAtoexist.Theabilitytocontrolaccess

requirestheotheraspectsoftheprogramrequiredby73.55thatareoutsideofITAAC(e.g.,staffing,

training,procedures,etc.)

NRCPosition:Alternatively,licenseesmayrelyontheirNRCapproved10CFR73.67planstoprotect

specialnuclearmaterialpriortothe10CFR52.103(g)finding.

SNCComment:NotieswereidentifiedintheSNMPPPorPSPthattiestheirusetothe103(g)finding.No

limitationswereidentifiedintheregulationontheuseof73.67toprotectnewfuelafterthe103(g)

finding.

NUREG2124FinalCOLASER,section1.5.5discussesthetransitionfromtheSNMPPPunder73.67tothe

73.55PAusingthefollowinglanguage:

TheapplicantalsostatedthatoncethePAisdeclaredoperationalinaccordancewith10CFR

73.55(a)(4),theannex[containingtheSNMPPP]wouldnolongerberequiredandcouldberemovedin

accordancewith10CFR50.54(p).

ThistypeoflanguagetyingthesunsettingoftheSNMPPPtothedeclarationofanoperationalPAunder

73.55isrepeatedthreetimes

Informationidentifiedafterthe9/2/20cVRG

DuringtheCOLAreviewtheNRCaskedRAI13.06VR2whichasked,inpart,

IntheabsenceofexistingNRCregulationregardingthetimingforprovidinganoperationalPA,

identifytheappropriatemilestonefordeclarationofanoperationalPAandimplementationof

the§73.55requirements,andspecifyanacceptableregulatoryframeworkforassuringthe

licensee'sadherencetothismilestoneactivity.

SNCresponsetothisportionoftheRAI,

IntheabsenceofexistingNRCregulationregardingthetimingforprovidinganoperationalPA,

theapplicantproposestheadditionofanewlicenseconditiontoprovideassuranceofthe

licensee'sadherencetothismilestoneactivity.Thismilestonewouldspecifythatnewfuelas

SNMmaybereceivedandstoredinacontrolledaccessarea(CAA)inaccordancewiththe

requirementsof10CFR73.67,untilsuchtimeasanoperationalPAthatsatisfiesthe

requirementsof10CFR73.55(e)(8)isestablished.BecauseSNMwillbestoredinsidetheCAA,

whichisentirelyencompassedwithintheboundaryoftheproposedPA,upondeclarationofan

operationalPA,theremainingrequirementsof10CFR73.55shallbeimplemented.ThePAshall

beestablishedanddeclaredoperationalpriortoinitialfuelload.

VogtleCOLAPart10wasrevisedinCOLARevision8toincludethisproposedlicensecondition:

ThelicenseeshallreceiveandstorenewfuelasSNMinacontrolledaccessarea(CAA)in

accordancewiththerequirementsof10CFR73.67,untilsuchtimeasanoperationalprotected

area(PA)thatsatisfiestherequirementsof10CFR73.55(e)(8)isestablished.Ifnewfuelis

alreadystoredinaCAAthatiswithintheboundaryoftheproposedPA,thenupondeclaration

ofanoperationalPA,theremainingrequirementsof10CFR73.55shallbeimplemented.ThePA

shallbeestablishedanddeclaredoperationalpriortoinitialfuelload.

(SNCletterND110313,ADAMSAccessionNo.ML110660153)

WhiletheproposedlicenseconditiondidnotendupintheCOL,SNCcannotfindanystaffresponse

rejectingtheinformationprovidedinthedocketedcorrespondencefromtheCOLA.

ThisresponsewasbasedontheguidancefoundinRG5.76whichties10CFR73.55applicabilitytowhen

thePAboundarymeets10CFR73.55(e)(8)andtheprotectedareabeingdeclaredoperationalnottothe

10CFR52.103(g)finding.

(U)Exceptformixedoxide(MOX)fuelassemblies,theCommissionrequirementsof10CFR73.67,

LicenseeFixedSiteandInTransitRequirementsforthePhysicalProtectionofSpecialNuclear

MaterialofModerateandLowStrategicSignificance,applyandmustbemetuntilfuelassemblies

arereceivedinsideanoperationalprotectedarea.Consistentwith10CFR73.55(a)(4),applicantsfor

anoperatinglicenseundertheprovisionsof10CFRPart50,orholdersofaCOLundertheprovisions

of10CFRPart52,shallimplementtherequirementsof10CFR73.55beforespecialnuclearmaterial

(SNM)intheformoffuelassembliesareallowedonsite(intheprotectedarea).Anacceptable

methodtomeetthisrequirementisforlicenseestodeterminewhentheprotectedareameetsthe

requirementsof10CFR73.55(e)(8).Whenthisisaccomplishedandtheprotectedareahasbeen

declaredoperational,therequirementsof73.55(a)(4)apply.

Whilethisguidancedoesnotreference10CFR52.103(g)orfuelloaditisconsistentwithSNCscurrent

positionandSNCs2011RAIresponse.