ML25027A391
| ML25027A391 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Mcguire, Catawba, McGuire  |
| Issue date: | 02/04/2025 |
| From: | Minzer J Plant Licensing Branch II |
| To: | Duke Energy Carolinas, Duke Energy Progress |
| Jordan, N | |
| Shared Package | |
| ML25027A402 | List: |
| References | |
| EPID L-2024-LRM-0147 | |
| Download: ML25027A391 (6) | |
Text
February 4, 2025 LICENSEE:
Duke Energy Carolinas, LLC FACILITIES: Catawba Nuclear Station, Unit Nos. 1 and 2; McGuire Nuclear Station, Unit Nos. 1 and 2
SUBJECT:
SUMMARY
OF JANUARY 16, 2025, OBSERVATIONAL PRE-SUBMITTAL MEETING HELD WITH DUKE ENERGY ON PLANNED LICENSE AMENDMENT REQUESTS REGARDING THE ADOPTION OF PAD5TM CODE, FSLOCA, AND THE USE OF AXIOMTM FUEL ROD CLADDING (EPID L-2024-LRM-0147)
On January 16, 2025, an Observational public meeting was held between the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) and representatives of Duke Energy Carolinas, LLC (Duke Energy or the licensee). The purpose of the meeting was to discuss planned license amendment requests (LARs) to adopt the Performance Analysis and Design Model (PAD5TM)
Code, the FULL SPECTRUMTM Loss-of-Coolant Accident Methodology (FSLOCA), and AXIOMTM Fuel Rod Cladding (with associated exemption request) for Catawba Nuclear Station (Catawba), Units 1 and 2 and McGuire Nuclear Station (McGuire), Units 1 and 2 facilities.
The meeting notice and agenda, dated December 16, 2024, is available in the Agencywide Documents Access and Management System (ADAMS) Accession No. ML24351A030. The licensee presented slides that are available at ADAMS Accession No. ML25014A014.
A list of attendees is provided in the Enclosure.
The NRC staff opened the meeting with introductory remarks and a roll call of the attendees.
Following introductions and opening remarks, the licensee presented information contained in the meeting slides on the background, proposed strategy, reason for the proposed changes, proposed Technical Specification (TS) changes, schedule, and applicable regulatory requirements and guidance.
The NRC staff held a pre-submittal meeting on October 28, 2024, with Duke Energy regarding the same planned LARs, during which the licensee proposed a singular LAR to adopt PAD5TM Code, FSLOCA methodology, and AXIOMTM Fuel Rod Cladding (ML24302A070). During the January 16, 2025, pre-submittal meeting, the licensee proposed a strategy to separate the LARs to support adoption of necessary Topical Reports and limits to support utilization of AXIOM-clad fuel.
The NRC staff noted that the licensee proposed an aggressive review schedule and suggested the following points:
Duke Energy should consider all related precedents and incorporate any lessons learned and requests for additional information (RAIs) from those LAR reviews.
NRC would expect to perform regulatory audits, and Duke Energy should anticipate the needs for robust support to NRC staff during any potential virtual-audits and/or in-person audits.
Duke Energy should maintain an open line of communication between the licensees staff and the NRC licensing Project Manager. NRC staff encouraged the licensee to communicate any possible shifts in their internal schedule or available technical information.
Another public meeting would be beneficial closer to the planned submission date if any other relevant technical information changes or becomes available.
Requests for Additional Information (RAI) should be answered in a timely manner to make the expedited schedule feasible.
The NRC staff asked the following questions:
Why does the licensee intend to remove Zircalloy from TS 4.2.1? Does the proposed change apply to all the Catawba and McGuire Units?
How would the proposed TS 2.1.1.2 change be applicable to Catawba Unit 2 TSs since the amendment for this unit is currently scheduled to be implemented in Spring of 2027?
Do the proposed changes to TS 5.6.6.5.b apply to all the Catawba and McGuire Units?
More discussion may be needed on the proposed timeline.
What would be the impacts and what are the contingency plans if the the review schedule becomes too onerous or unfeasible?
Does Duke Energy plan any deviations from other LARs of a similar technical nature?
Are there any site-specific differences between the plants that will affect the LARs?
How are the implementations of the sequenced LARs reliant on each other? Does the PAD5 related LAR rely on approval of the subsequent LARs, or do the subsequent LARs involving AXIOM and FSLOCA rely on the approval of the PAD5 LAR?
Are there any Accident Tolerant Fuel features associated with the proposed changes?
The NRC staff then closed the business portion of the meeting.
There was one member of the public in attendance.
The NRC staff did not make any regulatory decisions during the meeting.
Please direct any inquiries to me at 301-415-0610, or Jack.Minzerbryant@nrc.gov.
Sincerely,
/RA/
Jack Minzer Bryant, Project Manager Plant Licensing Branch II-1 Division of Operating Reactor Licensing Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation Docket Nos. 50-369, 50-370, 50-413 and 50-414
Enclosure:
List of Attendees cc: Listserv
Enclosure LIST OF ATTENDEES JANUARY 16, 2025, PUBLIC MEETING WITH DUKE ENERGY ON PLANNED LICENSE AMENDMENT REQUESTS REGARDING THE ADOPTION OF PAD5TM CODE, FSLOCA, AND THE USE OF AXIOMTM FUEL ROD CLADDING CATAWBA NUCLEAR STATION, UNITS 1 AND 2; MCGUIRE NUCLEAR STATION, UNITS 1 AND 2 Name Organization Jack Minzer Bryant U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC)
Aida Rivera-Varona NRC Darrell Murdock NRC Kevin Heller NRC Michael Mahoney NRC Michael Markley NRC John Kloss NRC Ravi Grover NRC Gokul Vasudevamurthy NRC Richard Fu NRC Robert Beaton NRC Hanry Wagage NRC Vic Cusmano NRC Shawn Williams NRC Dennis Earp, Jr.
Duke Energy Carolinas, LLC, and Duke Energy Progress, LLC (Duke)
Ryan Treadway Duke Jeff Abbott Duke Mike Blom Duke Eric Geyer Duke Geoff Pihl Duke Stanley Hayes Duke Charles Stroupe Duke Mark Handrick Duke Kevin Houston Duke Ethan Arnold Duke Joshua Duc Duke Nicole Edwards Duke Terrell Felder Duke Richard Skowron Duke Christina DeLuca Westinghouse Jean-Dominique LeGarrec Westinghouse Aaron Everhard Westinghouse James Smith Westinghouse Ernest Bates Southern Nuclear Company
Package: ML25027A402 Meeting Notice: ML24351A030 Meeting Summary: ML25027A391 OFFICE NRR/DORL/LPL2-1/PM NRR/DORL/LPL2-1/LA NRR/DSS/STSB/BC NAME JMinzerBryant KZeleznock SMehta DATE 1/27/2025 1/29/2025 2/3/2025 OFFICE NRR/DSS/SCPB/BC NRR/DSS/SNSB/BC NRR/DSS/SFNB/BC NAME MValentin DMurdock SKrepel DATE 1/31/2025 2/4/2025 1/31/2025 OFFICE NRR/DORL/LPL2-1/BC NRR/DORL/LPL2-1/PM NAME MMarkley JMinzerBryant DATE 2/4/2025 2/4/2025