ML23026A325

GE-Hitachi Nuclear Energy Americas, LLC - Report on the Regulatory Audit Nuclear Test Reactor Technical Specifications in Support of the License Renewal Application Review

ML23026A325
Person / Time
Site:	Vallecitos Nuclear Center
Issue date:	01/27/2023
From:	Duane Hardesty NRC/NRR/DANU/UNPL
To:	Pedley C GE-Hitachi Nuclear Energy Americas
Hardesty D
References
EPID L-2020-RNW-0038
Download: ML23026A325 (4)

Text

January 27, 2023 Mr. Charles Pedley, Site Manager GE Hitachi Nuclear Energy Vallecitos Nuclear Center 6705 Vallecitos Road Sunol, CA 94586

SUBJECT:

GE-HITACHI NUCLEAR ENERGY AMERICAS, LLC - REPORT ON THE REGULATORY AUDIT RE: NUCLEAR TEST REACTOR TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS IN SUPPORT OF THE LICENSE RENEWAL APPLICATION REVIEW (EPID L-2020-RNW-0038)

Dear Mr. Pedley:

By letter dated November 19, 2020, (Agencywide Documents Access and Management System (ADAMS) Accession No. ML21053A071), GE-Hitachi Nuclear Energy Americas, LLC, submitted a license renewal application (LRA) for a 20-year renewal of Facility Operating License No.

R-33 for the Nuclear Test Reactor.

Enclosed is a report on the regulatory audit conducted by staff of the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) from August 15, 2022 to January 25, 2023, in connection with its review of the application. The audit report does not make any licensing conclusions or findings, but it is part of the administrative record of the NRC staffs review of the LRA and may provide information supporting the NRC staffs safety evaluation. The audit followed the plan provided by letter dated August 10, 2022 (ADAMS Accession No. ML22221A199), unless otherwise noted in the enclosed report.

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

Sincerely, Signed by Hardesty, Duane on 01/27/23 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

Enclosure:

As stated Cc: See next page

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

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

ML23026A325 NRR-088 OFFICE NRR/DANU/UNPL/PM NRR/DANU/UNPL/BC NRR/DANU/UNPL/PM NAME DHardesty JBorromeo DHardesty DATE 1/26/2023 1/27/2023 1/27/2023 OFFICE OF NUCLEAR REACTOR REGULATION REGULATORY AUDIT REPORT REGARDING LICENSE RENEWAL FACILITY OPERATING LICENSE NO. R-33 GE-HITACHI NUCLEAR ENERGY AMERICAS LLC NUCLEAR TEST REACTOR DOCKET NO.50-073 Location: U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Headquarters, Rockville, MD Dates: August 15, 2022 - January 25, 2023 Audit Team Members:

Duane Hardesty (Audit Leader and Technical Reviewer)

Linh Tran (Technical Reviewer)

Geoff Wertz, (Technical Reviewer)

Licensee Representatives: David Heckman, GEH

Background

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) staff is continuing its review of the GE-Hitachi Nuclear Energy Americas, LLC (GEH) Nuclear Test Reactor (NTR) license renewal application (LRA) dated November 19, 2020 (Agencywide Documents Access and Management System)

Accession No. ML21053A071). This regulatory audit is intended to close technical gaps identified during the review of review of Chapter 14, as well as promote clarity of the GEH NTR Technical Specifications (TSs).

This report summarizes the regulatory audit conducted by staff of the NRC staff from August 15, 2022 to January 25, 2023 in connection with its review of the LRA. The audit report does not make any licensing conclusions or findings, but it is part of the administrative record of the NRC staffs review of the application and may provide information supporting the NRC staffs safety evaluation. The audit followed the plan provided by letter dated August 10, 2022 (ADAMS Accession No. ML22221A199), unless otherwise noted in the enclosed report.

Audit Activities The NRC audit team conducted the audit through virtual video-teleconferences. The NRC audit team opened the audit with an entrance meeting conducted on August 15, 2022, and participated in routine video teleconferences with the licensee throughout the audit period. The licensee provided requested information using an internet portal which allowed only the NRC audit team members to view the information.

Enclosure

The documents reviewed are as follows:

CP 23-002 M220XXX GEH NTR Tech Specs Rev 5 Enclosure 4.pdf (various revisions)

CP 23-002 M220-XXX GEH NTR TS & SAR Supplemental Enclosure 1.pdf Requests for Supplemental Information The NRC audit team requested that the licensee supplement the following on the docket.

Final draft proposed GEH NTR technical specifications.

Final draft proposed TS and & SAR Supplemental Enclosure (roadmap)

Exit Briefing On January 25, 2023, the audit team held an exit briefing with the licensee representatives, including David Heckman, and other members of the GEH NTR staff. The NRC staff requested that the proposed final draft TSs and TS and SAR Supplemental Enclosure be submitted on the docket in support of the NRC staff review of the license renewal application. No disagreements were noted.

Deviations from the Audit Plan None.