ML23116A149

NRR E-mail Capture - Acceptance Review Results for Watts Bar Nuclear Plant, Units 1 and 2, License Amendment Request to Increase the Number of Tritium Producing Burnable Absorber Rods

ML23116A149
Person / Time
Site:	Watts Bar
Issue date:	04/21/2023
From:	Kimberly Green Plant Licensing Branch II
To:	Wells R Tennessee Valley Authority
References
L-2023-LLA-0039
Download: ML23116A149 (3)

Text

From: Kimberly Green Sent: Friday, April 21, 2023 3:14 PM To: Wells, Russell Douglas

Subject:

Acceptance Review Results for Watts Bar Nuclear Plant, Units 1 and 2, License Amendment Request to Increase the Number of Tritium Producing Burnable Absorber Rods (EPID L-2023-LLA-0039)

Dear Mr. Wells:

By letter dated March 20, 2023 (Agencywide Documents Access and Management System Accession No. ML23079A270), Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) submitted a license amendment request (LAR) for the Watts Bar Nuclear Plant (Watts Bar), Units 1 and 2. The proposed amendments would revise Watts Bar, Units 1 and 2, Technical Specification (TS) 4.2.1, Fuel Assemblies, to change the number of tritium producing burnable absorber rods (TPBARs) that can be irradiated from 1,792 to 2,496 for each Watts Bar unit. The LAR also proposes supporting changes to Watts Bar, Units 1 and 2, TS 5.9.6, Reactor Coolant System (RCS) PRESSURE AND TEMPERATURE LIMITS REPORT (PTLR).

Also included in the submittal is a request for approval of a revision to the reactor vessel surveillance capsule removal schedule for Watts Bar, Units 1 and 2.

The purpose of this email is to provide the results of the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) staffs acceptance review of the proposed LAR. The acceptance review was performed to determine if there is sufficient 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.

Consistent with Section 50.90 of Title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations (10 CFR), an amendment to the license (including the technical specifications) must fully describe the changes requested, and following as far as applicable, the form prescribed for original applications. Section 50.34 of 10 CFR addresses the content of applications regarding the 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 TVAs LAR and concluded that it does provide technical information in sufficient detail to enable the NRC staff to complete its detailed technical review and make an independent assessment regarding the acceptability of the proposed amendments in terms of regulatory requirements and the protection of public health and safety and the environment. However, during the staffs acceptance review, it identified the need for the following additional information, which are not considered sufficiency items:

• Description of impact on Watts BAR, Units 1 and 2 core nuclear design due to increasing the number of TPBARs to 2,496

• Description of impact on poison (absorber other than TPBARs) due to increasing the number of TPBARs to 2,496

The NRC staff believes that early identification of the above information needs will allow for the timely provision and review of the information and potentially eliminate the need for multiple rounds of request for additional information. Formal communication of the staffs information needs identified above will be forthcoming.

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 by separate correspondence.

Based on the information provided in TVAs LAR, the NRC staff has estimated that this licensing request will take approximately 800 hours0.00926 days <br />0.222 hours <br />0.00132 weeks <br />3.044e-4 months <br /> to complete and that the review can be completed by April 21, 2024. These estimates are based on the staffs initial review of the application. If there are emergent challenges in our review that would cause changes to the initial forecasted completion date or significant changes in the forecasted hours, the reasons for the changes, along with the new estimates will be communicated, during the routine interactions.

If you have any questions, please contact me at (301) 415-1627.

Sincerely, Kimberly Green, Senior Project Manager Plant Licensing Branch II-2 Division of Operating Reactor Licensing Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation

Hearing Identifier: NRR_DRMA Email Number: 2056

Mail Envelope Properties (DM6PR09MB546285D1A63DE4FBC8BAB4348F609)

Subject:

Acceptance Review Results for Watts Bar Nuclear Plant, Units 1 and 2, License Amendment Request to Increase the Number of Tritium Producing Burnable Absorber Rods (EPID L-2023-LLA-0039)

Sent Date: 4/21/2023 3:13:32 PM Received Date: 4/21/2023 3:13:00 PM From: Kimberly Green

Created By: Kimberly.Green@nrc.gov

Recipients:

"Wells, Russell Douglas" <rdwells0@tva.gov>

Tracking Status: None

Post Office: DM6PR09MB5462.namprd09.prod.outlook.com

Files Size Date & Time MESSAGE 4235 4/21/2023 3:13:00 PM

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