ML24057A087

NRR E-mail Capture - Acceptance Review - Alternative Request for Explosively Actuated Valves at Vogtle, Units 3 and 4

ML24057A087
Person / Time
Site:	Vogtle
Issue date:	02/23/2024
From:	John Lamb Plant Licensing Branch II
To:	Lowery K Southern Nuclear Operating Co
References
Download: ML24057A087 (3)

Text

From: John Lamb Sent: Friday, February 23, 2024 7:10 PM To: Lowery, Ken G.

Cc: Joyce, Ryan M.

Subject:

Acceptance Review - Alternative Request for Explosively Actuated Valves at Vogtle, Units 3 and 4

Ken,

By letter dated February 15, 2024 (Agencywide Documents Access and Management System Accession No. ML24046A230), Southern Nuclear Operating Company (SNC, the licensee) submitted an alternative request for Vogtle Electric Generating Plant (Vogtle), Units 3 and 4.

SNC proposes to modify the requirement to test and replace at least 20-percent of the pyrotechnic charges used in explosively actuated valves at least once every two years for the first refueling outages for Vogtle, Units 3 and 4, by requesting an allowance to skip the first refueling outages (RFOs) occurrence of testing, with increased testing and replacement during the second RFO refueling outage for Vogtle, Units 3 and 4.

The purpose of this e-mail is to provide the results of the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) staffs acceptance review of this alternative request. 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.

Pursuant to Sections 50.55a(f)(6), Actions by the Commission for evaluating impractical and augmented IST Code requirements, of Title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations (10 CFR),

SNC shall demonstrate that the Code requirements are impractical. The Commission may grant relief and may impose such alternative requirements as it determines are authorized by law, will not endanger life or property or the common defense and security, and are otherwise in the public interest, giving due consideration to the burden upon the licensee that could result if the requirements were imposed on the facility. In the letter dated February 15, 2024, SNC requests relief under 10 CFR 50.55a(f)(6) from the regulatory requirement to perform sample testing of squib valve charges in ASME OM Code, Subsection ISTC, paragraph ISTC-5260(c) and (e)(4),

at the next refueling outage for Vogtle, Units 3 and 4, as impractical. The NRC staff cannot determine that the OM Code is impractical; therefore, the NRC staff will review the request under 10 CFR 50.55a(z)(2) as a hardship based on the required charges not being available at the next RFO.

The NRC staff has reviewed your application 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 alternative request in terms of regulatory requirements and the protection of public health and safety and the environment. 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 your submittal and discussions during the pre-licensing meeting on January 24, 2024 (ML24025A137), the NRC staff has estimated that this licensing request will take approximately 200 hours0.00231 days <br />0.0556 hours <br />3.306878e-4 weeks <br />7.61e-5 months <br /> to complete. The NRC staff expects to complete this review by October 11, 2024. If there are emergent complexities or 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 with the assigned project manager.

These estimates are based on the NRC staffs initial review of the application, and they could change, due to several factors including requests for additional information, and unanticipated addition of scope to the review. Additional delay may occur if the submittal is provided to the NRC in advance or in parallel with industry program initiatives or pilot applications.

If you have any questions, please contact me.

John G. Lamb, Senior Project Manager Branch LPL2-1 Division of Operating Reactor Licensing Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation Hearing Identifier: NRR_DRMA Email Number: 2410

Mail Envelope Properties (MN2PR09MB50844A96FA99046BA88BC0D6FA542)

Subject:

Acceptance Review - Alternative Request for Explosively Actuated Valves at Vogtle, Units 3 and 4 Sent Date: 2/23/2024 7:10:14 PM Received Date: 2/23/2024 7:10:00 PM From: John Lamb

Created By: John.Lamb@nrc.gov

Recipients:

"Joyce, Ryan M." <RMJOYCE@southernco.com>

Tracking Status: None "Lowery, Ken G." <KGLOWERY@southernco.com>

Tracking Status: None

Post Office: MN2PR09MB5084.namprd09.prod.outlook.com

Files Size Date & Time MESSAGE 4339 2/23/2024 7:10:00 PM

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