ML24058A069
| ML24058A069 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Columbia  |
| Issue date: | 03/14/2024 |
| From: | Mahesh Chawla Plant Licensing Branch IV |
| To: | Schuetz R Energy Northwest |
| Chawla M | |
| References | |
| EPID L-2024-LLA-0011 | |
| Download: ML24058A069 (1) | |
Text
March 14, 2024 Mr. Robert Schuetz Chief Executive Officer Energy Northwest 76 North Power Plant Loop P.O. Box 968 Richland, WA 99352
SUBJECT:
COLUMBIA GENERATING STATION - SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION NEEDED FOR ACCEPTANCE OF REQUESTED LICENSING ACTION RE: LICENSE AMENDMENT REQUEST TO REVISE EMERGENCY PLAN (EPID L-2024-LLA-0011)
Dear Robert Schuetz:
By letter dated January 30, 2024 (Agencywide Documents Access and Management System (ADAMS) Accession No. ML24030A844), Energy Northwest submitted a license amendment request for Columbia Generating Station (Columbia). The proposed amendment would revise the Columbia Emergency Plan to reflect the updates contained in NUREG-0654/FEMA-REP-1, Criteria for Preparation and Evaluation of Radiological Emergency Response Plans and Preparedness in Support of Nuclear Power Plants, Revision 2, dated December 2019 (ML19347D139).
The purpose of this letter is to provide the results of the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) staffs acceptance review of this amendment 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.
Consistent with Section 50.90 of Title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations (10 CFR), an application for an amendment to a 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 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 your application and concluded that the information delineated in the enclosure to this letter is necessary to enable the staff to make an independent assessment regarding the acceptability of the proposed amendment in terms of regulatory requirements for the protection of public health and safety and the environment.
In order to make the application complete, the NRC staff requests that the licensee supplement the application to address the information requested in the enclosure by April 1, 2024. This will enable the NRC staff to begin its detailed technical review. If the information responsive to the NRC staffs request is not received by the above date, the application will not be accepted for
review pursuant to 10 CFR 2.101, and the NRC will cease its activities associated with the application. If the application is subsequently accepted for review, you will be advised of any further information needed to support the staffs detailed technical review by separate correspondence.
The information requested and associated timeframe in this letter were discussed with Richard Garcia of your staff on March 13, 2024.
If you have any questions regarding this matter, I may be reached at (301) 415-8371 or via email at Mahesh.Chawla@nrc.gov.
Sincerely,
/RA Samson Lee for/
Mahesh L. Chawla, Project Manager Plant Licensing Branch IV Division of Operating Reactor Licensing Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation Docket No. 50-397
Enclosure:
Supplemental Information Needed cc: Listserv
Enclosure SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION NEEDED LICENSE AMENDMENT REQUEST TO REVISE THE EMERGENCY PLAN ENERGY NORTHWEST COLUMBIA GENERATING STATION DOCKET NO. 50-397 By letter dated January 30, 2024 (Agencywide Documents Access and Management System (ADAMS) Accession No. ML24030A844), Energy Northwest submitted a license amendment request (LAR) for Columbia Generating Station (Columbia). The proposed amendment would revise the Columbia Emergency Plan to reflect the updates contained in NUREG-0654/FEMA-REP-1, Criteria for Preparation and Evaluation of Radiological Emergency Response Plans and Preparedness in Support of Nuclear Power Plants, Revision 2, dated December 2019 (ML19347D139).
Consistent with Section 50.90 of Title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations (10 CFR), an application for an amendment to a license (including the technical specifications) or construction permit 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 technical information required. This section stipulates that the submittal address the design and operating characteristics, unusual or novel design features, and principal safety considerations. Contrary to 10 CFR 50.90, the amendment request does not fully describe the changes requested.
Specifically, section 3.5, Analysis 5 - Current to Proposed Emergency Plan Comparison Analysis, of the LAR states, in part:
This analysis compares the current Emergency Plan to the proposed Emergency Plan.
The results of the comparison between the current Emergency Plan and the proposed Emergency Plan revealed the following deviations that could be considered potential reductions in effectiveness.
The LAR references the guidance from Regulatory Guide (RG) 1.219, Guidance on Making Changes to Emergency Plans for Nuclear Power Reactors (ML16061A104). RG 1.219 states, in part, that the application must include all emergency plan pages affected by the change and a forwarding letter identifying the change(s), the reason for the change(s), and the licensees basis for concluding that its emergency plan, as modified, continues to meet the planning standards in 10 CFR 50.47(b) and the requirements in Appendix E to 10 CFR Part 50
[Emergency Planning and Preparedness for Production and Utilization Facilities]. However, the application does not provide the differences between the content of the current emergency plan and the proposed emergency plan as well as an evaluation of these changes.
The following information is requested:
The application should identify and include all the changes from the current emergency plan to the proposed emergency plan.
ML24058A069 OFFICE NRR/DORL/LPL4/PM NRR/DORL/LPL4/LA NSIR/DPR/RLB/BC NAME MChawla PBlechman JQuichocho DATE 2/27/2024 2/27/2024 3/6/2024 OFFICE NRR/DORL/LPL/BC NRR/DORL/LPL4/PM NAME JRankin MChawla (SLee for)
DATE 3/6/2024 3/14/2024