ML23065A073
| ML23065A073 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Vogtle  |
| Issue date: | 03/17/2023 |
| From: | Gleaves W NRC/NRR/VPOB |
| To: | |
| References | |
| LAR-23-005 | |
| Download: ML23065A073 (1) | |
Text
March 17, 2023 LICENSEE: Southern Nuclear Operating Company FACILITY: Vogtle Electric Generating Plant, Unit 4
SUBJECT:
SUMMARY
OF MARCH 2, 2023, MEETING WITH SOUTHERN NUCLEAR OPERATING COMPANY On March 2, 2023, at 9:30 a.m. Eastern Standard Time (EST), the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) held a virtual public meeting with representatives of Southern Nuclear Operating Company (SNC or the licensee). The purpose of the meeting was to have a technical exchange for Vogtle Electric Generating Plant (Vogtle), Unit 4. The technical exchange was regarding a potential license amendment request (LAR) for changes to the technical specifications (TS) prior to initial criticality. The presentation slides are in the NRCs Agencywide Documents Access and Management System (ADAMS) at Accession No. ML23055A040. The meeting notice and agenda are available in ADAMS (ML23055B033). A list of attendees is enclosed. SNC presented the slides and discussed comments with the NRC staff.
Below is a summary of the meeting:
There were approximately 39 participants on the call, including NRC staff, SNC staff and contractors, and the public.
SNC stated that as a learning organization, this potential LAR is a result of lessons learned from the recent challenges for Vogtle Unit 3 startup to be applied at Vogtle Unit 4.
Schedule or need dates would be discussed at a future pre-submittal meeting.
SNC stated that it recently submitted two LARs for Vogtle Unit 3 in order to facilitate repairs for the Automatic Depressurization System Stage 4 system and for a leaking valve on the injection line for the Incontainment Refueling Water storage tank. SNC noted that since they currently do not use startup technical specifications, these LARs were made necessary to allow repairs to be made to Vogtle Unit 3 prior to startup where the TS would require actions that would have taken time to accomplish without safety benefit such as defueling the reactor.
SNC wanted to establish the safety bases that support a particular set of TS for the period prior to initial criticality and another set of TS that apply following initial criticality. The safety bases for the TS applicable prior to initial criticality assume no core decay heat, no core fission products, the core remains submerged under borated water at a reduced temperature (<200ºF) and that inadvertent boron dilution is prevented. These safety bases include the necessary support systems such as the Protection and Safety Monitoring System and direct current (DC) power, inverters, and heat sink.
SNC discussed a combination of changes to the license conditions and TSs whereby the applicability of certain TS prior to initial criticality would be identified.
The NRC staff asked about the term remainder in the slide on page nine titled Unit 4 Potential LAR- Approach as to its correct meaning. SNC clarified that it does not mean the
2 balance of the TS but was intended to mean all the TS would apply. In addition, the list TBD would include a list of TS limiting conditions for operation and modes of applicability however this work has not been finalized.
The NRC asked about the meaning of fully effective versus effective for the tentative combined license (COL) Condition 2.D.(9) markup. SNC clarified that the term fully effective really meant permanently.
The NRC staff noted that SNCs proposal to place the conditions of applicability of the TS in a license condition, it is unclear whether the requirements of 10 CFR 50.36 would be met.
The NRC staff stated that startup TS could be created that apply prior to a certain milestone (such as prior to entry to Mode 3 or initial criticality) and then the COL TS could apply after this milestone.
Members of the public were in attendance, however, there were no questions or comments. The staff did not receive any Public Meeting Feedback forms. The meeting ended at 10:17 a.m.
EST.
Please direct any inquiries to me at 301415-5848 or Bill.Gleaves@nrc.gov.
Sincerely, Signed by Gleaves, William on 03/17/23 William (Billy) Gleaves, Senior Project Manager Vogtle Project Office Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation Docket No. 52026
Enclosure:
List of Attendees cc: Listserv
LIST OF ATTENDEES March 2, 2023, NRC Meeting with Southern Nuclear Operating Company Name Organization Billy Gleaves Christopher Welch Victor Hall Rob Elliott Pravin Sawant NRC Tanny Santos Jim Gaslevic Michael Spencer Craig Harbuck Garry Armstrong Omar Lopez-Santiago Andrea Johnson NRC/Region II Nicole Coovert Robert Mathis Amy Chamberlain Keith Dorsey William Garrett Eddie Grant Thomas Kindred Daniel Williamson Matthew Leonard Jennifer Baker TJ Corder Ashley Black Megan Durse Southern Nuclear Operating Company and Benjamin Lantz Contractors Chris Sommer Zac Harper Ryan Hoover David Huegel David McDevitt Ryan Rossman Tom Joseph Nataly Rogers Terry Siscarello Ian Wise Chuck Rockoff Jana Bergman Members of the Public William Jacobs Enclosure
ML23065A073 OFFICE NRR/VPO/VPOB NRR/VPO/VPOB NRR/VPO/VPOB NRR/VPO/VPOB NAME WGleaves WG RButler RB CSantos CS VHall VH DATE Mar 7, 2023 Mar 14, 2023 Mar 16, 2023 Mar 16, 2023 OFFICE NRR/VPO/VPOB NAME WGleaves WG DATE Mar 17, 2023