ML21197A139

GE-Hitachi Nuclear Energy of Americas LLC - Regulatory Audit the Reactor Description, Radiation Protection, and Accidental Analysis in the Operating License Application

ML21197A139
Person / Time
Site:	Vallecitos Nuclear Center
Issue date:	07/26/2021
From:	Duane Hardesty NRC/NRR/DANU/UNPL
To:	Feyrer M GE-Hitachi Nuclear Energy Americas
Hardesty D
Shared Package
ML21197A121	List: ML21197A137 ML21197A139
References
EPID L-2020-RNW-0038
Download: ML21197A139 (6)

Text

July 26, 2021 Mr. Matthew Feyrer, Site Manager GE Hitachi Nuclear Energy Vallecitos Nuclear Center 6705 Vallecitos Road Sunol, CA 94586

SUBJECT:

GE-HITACHI NUCLEAR ENERGY AMERICAS LLC - REGULATORY AUDIT RE: THE REACTOR DESCRIPTION, RADIATION PROTECTION, AND ACCIDENT ANALYSIS IN THE OPERATING LICENSE APPLICATION (EPID L-2020-RNW-0038)

Dear Mr. Feyrer:

By letter dated November 19, 2020 (Agencywide Documents Access and Management System (ADAMS) Accession No. ML21053A071), GE-Hitachi Nuclear Energy Americas LLC applied for renewal of Facility Operating License No. R-33 for the Nuclear Test Reactor in accordance with the requirements contained in Title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations Part 50, Domestic Licensing of Production and Utilization Facilities.. The requested licensing action would renew the facility operating license for a period of 20 years.

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) staff will conduct a virtual regulatory audit in two sessions beginning on July 28, 2021, and continue, as necessary, on August 4, 2021, to gain a better understanding of the application and any proposed changes to the facility. This audit on the reactor description, radiation protection program, and accident analyses may include review of documentation, and discussions with facility personnel and management. The audit plan in Enclosure 1 provides additional details of the objective and scope of the audit. To facilitate an efficient audit, please provide ready access to the necessary documentation identified in the audit topics as part of Enclosure 2 (ADAMS Accession No. ML21197A137).

Following completion of this audit, the NRC staff will provide an audit summary. The summary will include a description of any information identified during the audit that will need to be docketed to supplement the application and allow the NRC staff to continue its review.

M. Feyrer If you have any questions, please contact me at (301) 415-3724, or by electronic mail at Duane.Hardesty@nrc.gov.

Sincerely,

/RA/

Duane A. Hardesty, Senior Project Manager Non-Power Production and Utilization Facility Licensing Branch Division of Advanced Reactors and Non-Power Production and Utilization Facilities Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation Docket No.50-073 License No. R-33

Enclosures:

As stated cc: See next page

GE-Hitachi Nuclear Energy Americas LLC Docket No.50-073 cc:

Jeffrey Smyly, Manager Regulatory Compliance GE Hitachi Nuclear Energy Vallecitos Nuclear Center 6705 Vallecitos Road Sunol, CA 94586 Thomas McConnell, Manager Nuclear Test Reactor GE Hitachi Nuclear Energy Vallecitos Nuclear Center 6705 Vallecitos Road Sunol, CA 94586 Scott Murray, Manager Facility Licensing GE Hitachi Nuclear Energy 3901 Castle Hayne Road Wilmington, NC 28401 David Heckman, Vallecitos Reg Affairs & Licensing Lead GE Hitachi Nuclear Energy Vallecitos Nuclear Center 6705 Vallecitos Road Sunol, CA 94586 Commissioner California Energy Commission 1516 Ninth Street, MS-34 Sacramento, CA 95814 California Department of Health ATTN: Chief Radiologic Health Branch P.O. Box 997414, MS 7610 Sacramento, CA 95899-7414 Test, Research and Training Reactor Newsletter Attention: Ms. Amber Johnson Dept of Materials Science and Engineering University of Maryland 4418 Stadium Drive College Park, MD 20742-2115

ML21197A121 (Package);

ML21197A139 (Audit Plan, Enclosure 1);

ML21197A137 (Enclosure 2) concurred via email NRR-106 OFFICE NRR/DANU/UNPL/PM NRR/DANU/UNPL/LA NRR/DANU/UNPL/BC NRR/DANU/UNPL/PM NAME DHardesty NParker JBorromeo DHardesty DATE 07/17/2021 07/20/2021 07/23/2021 07/26/2021 OFFICE OF NUCLEAR REACTOR REGULATION REGULATORY AUDIT PLAN REGARDING RENEWAL OF FACILITY OPERATING LICENSE NO. R-33 GE-HITACHI NUCLEAR ENERGY AMERICAS LLC NUCLEAR TEST REACTOR DOCKET NO.50-073

Background

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) staff is continuing its review of the GE-Hitachi Nuclear Energy Americas LLC, Nuclear Test Reactor (NTR) license renewal application (LRA),

dated November 19, 2020 (Agencywide Documents Access and Management System (ADAMS) Accession No. ML21053A071). This regulatory audit is intended to assist the NRC staff in its review of the LRA.

Regulatory Bases for the Audit The purpose of this audit is to determine if the licensees proposed LRA to renew the operating license for 20 years continues to meet all the applicable regulatory requirements of Title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations and addresses applicable guidance provided in NUREG-1537, Guidelines for Preparing and Reviewing Applications for the Licensing of Non-Power Reactors, Part 1, Format and Content, and Part 2, Standard Review Plan and Acceptance Criteria, (ADAMS Accession Nos.: ML042430055 and ML042430048, respectively).

Regulatory Scope for the Audit The NRC staff will review the NTR final safety analysis report (FSAR), technical specification (TS) requirements, and supporting reference documentation related to reactor description and accident analysis and review processes and procedures that help to ensure safe operation of the NTR facility. This audit will provide information necessary to complete the NRC staffs evaluation of the LRA in these areas. In addition, the regulatory audit may identify additional information that will be required to be docketed to support the basis of the licensing decision and will allow NRC staff to more efficiently gain insights on the license renewal and power increase.

Information Needed for the Audit NTR staff should be prepared to support the NRC staff by having the current and proposed FSAR, and TSs available on the document portal. Any relevant Operating Procedures should also be readily available to the NRC staff, upon request. Additionally, the licensee should be prepared to provide supporting documents and reports, calculations, and computer code verification to support the analysis documented in the FSAR, bases for TSs, or rationale for any required plans and procedures.

Enclosure 1

Audit Team The NRC staff performing this audit will be:

• Duane Hardesty (Audit Leader and Project Manager)

• Diana Woodyatt (Technical Reviewer)

• Richard Clement (Technical Reviewer)

• Zachary Gran (Technical Reviewer)

• Adam Rau (Technical Reviewer)

• William Richards (Technical Reviewer)

Audit Team Logistics The audit will initially be held on July 28, 2021, and August 4, 2021, for discussion on the NTR reactor description, radiation protection program, and accident analysis. The audit may be extended, as needed, until the NRC staff has an adequate understanding of the issues to be addressed to facilitate the continued review of the LRA. Audit activities may be conducted as teleconference or video conference supported activities as appropriate and efficient to the gathering of information by the NRC staff. The audit period may be reduced or extended, dependent on the progress in addressing audit questions. Additional audit activities may be planned, as necessary, to support the understanding of information necessary to complete the review of the LRA. It is expected that more interaction will be needed to identify information requests to support continued review of the LRA.

Deliverables At the completion of the regulatory audit the NRC staff will prepare a regulatory audit summary, which will be issued within 90 days after the audit concludes. The regulatory audit summary will include the documents reviewed, the audit activities, and any requests for additional information that were discussed or that will be issued based on the audit, as applicable.

Audit Topics and Questions:

The topics and questions for discussion during the regulatory audit are primarily based on the regulatory audit topics (ADAMS Accession No. ML21197A137).

Proposed Audit Schedule (Eastern Daylight Time)

Wednesday, July 28, 2021 1:00 PM Entrance meeting and introductions 1:15 PM Audit discussions 2:00 PM Break 2:15 PM Resume Audit 3:15 PM Summary of meeting 3:30 PM End audit for the day Wednesday, August 4, 2021 1:00 PM Resume Audit 2:15 PM NRC Staff Caucus 2:30 PM Exit Meeting 3:00 PM Conclude Audit