ML21069A331

Acceptance of Requested Licensing Action Re Independent Spent Fuel Storage Installation Only Emergency Plan

ML21069A331
Person / Time
Site:	Pilgrim
Issue date:	03/15/2021
From:	Amy Snyder Reactor Decommissioning Branch
To:	Sterdis A Holtec Decommissioning International
Snyder A
References
EPID L-2021-LLA-0021
Download: ML21069A331 (4)

Text

March 15, 2021 Andrea L. Sterdis, Vice President Regulatory and Environmental Affairs Holtec Decommissioning International, LLC Krishna P. Singh Technology Campus 1 Holtec Blvd.

Camden, NJ 08104

SUBJECT:

PILGRIM NUCLEAR POWER STATION - ACCEPTANCE OF REQUESTED LICENSING ACTION RE: INDEPENDENT SPENT FUEL STORAGE INSTALLATION ONLY EMERGENCY PLAN (EPID: L-2021-LLA-0021)

Dear Ms. Sterdis:

By letter dated February 18, 2021 (Agencywide Documents Access and Management System

[ADAMS] Accession No. ML21049A192), Holtec Decommissioning International, LLC (HDI) submitted a license amendment request for the Pilgrim Nuclear Power Station (PNPS) pursuant to the provisions of Title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations (10 CFR) Section 50.90, Application for amendment of license, construction permit, or early site permit.

In its request, HDI states that in support of this condition, revisions to the PNPS Emergency Plan and associated Emergency Action Level (EAL) Scheme are proposed to comport with the requirements for a facility configuration with all spent nuclear fuel in dry storage within an Independent Spent Fuel Storage Installation (ISFSI). The HDI staff explains that the reason for this proposed amendment request is to obtain U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) approval of the PNPS ISFSI Only Emergency Plan and associated EAL Scheme and that the proposed changes are being submitted to the NRC for approval prior to implementation, as required under 10 CFR 50.54(q)(4).

Also, HDI notes that by letter dated March 31, 2020 (ADAMS Accession No. ML20091M858),

HDI provided an updated decommissioning schedule indicating that off-load of the Pilgrim spent fuel pool and transfer of the spent fuel to the ISFSI is expected to be completed in early 2022.

However, HDI requests approval of the proposed emergency plan by September 30, 2021. The HDI staff indicates in its request that based on lessons learned from the Spring 2020 PNPS Spent Fuel Dry Cask Campaign and ongoing Oyster Creek Spent Fuel Dry Cask Transfers, HDI anticipates completion of PNPS spent fuel transfer in November of 2021.

The purpose of this letter is to provide the results of the NRC staffs acceptance review of this license amendment request. The NRC staff has completed its acceptance review of this license amendment request. The acceptance review was performed to determine if there is enough 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.

A. Sterdis 2 Consistent with Section 50.90 of 10 CFR, an amendment request to the license must fully describe the changes requested, and following as far as applicable, the form prescribed for original application. 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 enough detail to enable the NRC staff to initiate a 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. If additional information is needed, you will be advised through separate correspondence on or about July 13, 2021, and a response will be due 30 days from the receipt of the request for additional information.

The NRC staff expects to complete this review by September 30, 2021 (approximately 150 hours0.00174 days <br />0.0417 hours <br />2.480159e-4 weeks <br />5.7075e-5 months <br />). If there are emergent complexities or challenges in our review, such as, multiple rounds of RAIs, unanticipated addition of scope to the review, or hearing-related activities, that would cause changes to the initial forecasted completion date, the reasons for the changes, along with a new estimate, will be communicated during the routine interactions with the assigned project manager. The associated notice of consideration of issuance of amendment to facility operating license, proposed no significant hazards consideration determination, and opportunity for a hearing is scheduled to be published in NRCs Biweekly Notice in the Federal Register on April 20, 2021.

In accordance with 10 CFR 2.390 of the NRCs Agency Rules of Practice and Procedure, a copy of this letter will be available electronically for public inspection in the NRC Public Document Room or from the Publicly Available Records component of ADAMS. ADAMS is accessible from the NRC website at http://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/adams.html.

A. Sterdis 3 If you have any questions, please contact me, at 301-415-6822 or via e-mail at amy.snyder@nrc.gov.

Sincerely, Signed by Snyder, Amy on 03/15/21 Amy M. Snyder, Senior Project Manager Reactor Decommissioning Branch Division of Decommissioning, Uranium Recovery, and Waste Programs Office of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards Docket Nos. 50-293 and 72-1044 cc: Listserv

Ltr ML21069A331 OFFICE NMSS/DUWP/RDB NMSS/DUWP/RDB OEDO NMSS/DUWP/RDB NAME ASnyder AS BWatson BW JQuichocho JQ ASnyder AS DATE Mar 11, 2021 Mar 11, 2021 Mar 15, 2021 Mar 15, 2021