ML21265A247

GEH - Supplemental Information Supporting GE Nuclear Test Reactor License Renewal Audit Questions and Responses

ML21265A247
Person / Time
Site:	Vallecitos Nuclear Center (R-033)
Issue date:	09/22/2021
From:	Heckman D GE-Hitachi Nuclear Energy Americas
To:	Document Control Desk, Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation
Shared Package
ML21265A246	List: ML21265A247 ML21265A249
References
M210108
Download: ML21265A247 (3)

Text

US NRC September 22, 2021 M210108 Page 1 of 2



AffidavitPage1of2

AFFIDAVIT I, David J. Heckman, state as follows:

(1)

I am the Regulatory Affairs / Licensing Lead, of the Vallecitos Nuclear Center, GE Hitachi Nuclear Energy Americas, L.L.C. (GEH) and have been delegated the function by GEH of reviewing the information described in paragraph (2) which is sought to be withheld in Attachment 2 to GEHs letter, M210108, David Heckman to USNRC entitled GEH Supplemental Information Supporting GE Nuclear Test Reactor License Renewal Audit

- Computer Files and have been authorized to apply for its withholding.

(2) GEH proprietary information is contained in Attachment 2 to this letter and is identified by the statement GEH Proprietary Information.

(3)

In making this application for withholding of proprietary information of which it is the owner or licensee, GEH relies upon the exemption from disclosure set forth in the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), 5 USC Sec. 552(b)(4), and the Trade Secrets Act, 18 USC Sec. 1905, and NRC regulations 10 CFR 9.17(a)(4), and 2.390(a)(4) for trade secrets (Exemption 4). The material for which exemption from disclosure is here sought also qualifies under the narrower definition of trade secret, within the meanings assigned to those terms for purposes of FOIA Exemption 4 in, respectively, Critical Mass Energy Project v. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, 975 F2d 871 (DC Cir. 1992), and Public Citizen Health Research Group v. FDA, 704 F2d 1280 (DC Cir. 1983).

(4)

The information sought to be withheld is considered to be proprietary for the reasons set forth in paragraphs (4)a. and (4)b. Some examples of categories of information that fit into the definition of proprietary information are:

a.

Information that discloses financial, a process, method, or apparatus, including supporting data and analyses, where prevention of its use by GEHs competitors without license from GEH constitutes a competitive economic advantage over GEH and/or other companies.

b.

Information that, if used by a competitor, would reduce their expenditure of resources or improve their competitive position in the design, manufacture, shipment, installation, assurance of quality, or licensing of a similar product.

(5)

To address 10 CFR 2.390(b)(4), the information sought to be withheld is being submitted to the NRC in confidence. The information is of a sort customarily held in confidence by GEH and is in fact so held. The information sought to be withheld has, to the best of my knowledge and belief, consistently been held in confidence by GEH, not been disclosed publicly, and not been made available in public sources. All disclosures to third parties, including any required transmittals to the NRC, have been made, or must be made, pursuant to regulatory provisions or proprietary and/or confidentiality agreements that provide for maintaining the information in confidence. The initial designation of this information as proprietary information, and the subsequent steps taken to prevent its unauthorized disclosure are as set forth in the following paragraphs (6) and (7).

(6)

Initial approval of proprietary treatment of a document is made by the manager of the originating component, who is the person most likely to be acquainted with the value and sensitivity of the information in relation to industry knowledge, or who is the person most likely to be subject to the terms under which it was licensed to GEH. Access to such documents within GEH is limited to a need to know basis.

(7)

The procedure for approval of external release of such a document typically requires review by the staff manager, project manager, principal scientist, or other equivalent authority for technical content, competitive effect, and determination of the accuracy of the proprietary designation. Disclosures outside GEH are limited to regulatory bodies, customers, and potential customers, and their agents, suppliers, and licensees, and others with a legitimate need for the information, and then only in accordance with appropriate regulatory provisions or proprietary and/or confidentiality agreements.