ML25157A137

Email Dated 6/6/25 from Ngarcia Santos (NRC) to Lschichlein (Gnf), Acceptance of the Application for Revision 11 of Model No. Npc with Observation on the Structural Evaluation (Docket No. 71-9294)

ML25157A137
Person / Time
Site:	07109294
Issue date:	06/06/2025
From:	Garcia-Santos N Storage and Transportation Licensing Branch
To:	Schichlein L Global Nuclear Fuel
Shared Package
ML25157A136	List: ML25157A137 ML25157A139
References
CAC 001029, EPID L-2025-LLA-0079
Download: ML25157A137 (1)

Text

From:

Norma Garcia Santos To:

lisa.schichlein@ge.com Cc:

Yoira Diaz Sanabria; Lisa Regner; Bharatkumar Patel

Subject:

Acceptance of Revision of Model No. NPC (Docket No. 71-9294)

Date:

Friday, June 6, 2025 3:05:00 PM Attachments:

Email_Attachment_Acceptance_with_Observation_NPC.pdf

Dear Ms. Schichlein:

By letter dated April 4, 2025 (Agencywide Documents Access and Management System

[ADAMS] Package Accession No. ML25094A051), you submitted an application to the U.S.

Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) for the revision of the Model No. New Powder Container (NCP) certificate of compliance (CoC) No. 9294. In your application, you requested the following changes:

1. Increase the enrichment up to 8 weight percent (wt.%) of Uranium-235 (U-235).

2. Increase the allowed quantity (mass) of uranium per shipment.

3. Add a requirement for all uranium compounds transported in the NPC to be placed in a polyurethane bottle prior to placement within the inner containment canister assembly.

The purpose of this e-mail is to provide you the results of the NRC staffs (the staff thereafter) acceptance review of this proposed action request. The staff determined that the application contains sufficient technical information to allow the staff to complete a detailed technical review. The acceptance review is also intended to identify any readily apparent deficiencies related to the characterization of the regulatory requirements or package certification basis.

The staff reviewed your application and concluded that it includes technical information in sufficient detail to enable the staff to complete its detailed technical review and make an independent assessment regarding the acceptability of the proposed request in terms of regulatory requirements and the protection of public health and safety and the environment.

Given the more limited scope and depth of the acceptance review compared to the detailed technical review, issues that affect the staffs ability to complete the technical review may still be identified despite the acceptance review being deemed adequate. If additional information is needed, you will be notified by separate correspondence.

The document attached to this e-mail includes a staffs observation related to the structural evaluation. The staff included an observation to allow you to start earlier on items containing the potential to be asked at a later date. Responses to observations are not required for staff to begin a detailed technical review. Observations are not the result of a detailed technical review

and may be resolved once staff begins a detailed review.

The staff determined, based on historical data, thatthe technical review may require approximately 345 hours0.00399 days <br />0.0958 hours <br />5.704365e-4 weeks <br />1.312725e-4 months <br /> and 8 months. To support a more efficient process, the NRC is setting a goal of completing a review in 15% less time and level of effort. Based on that, the staff estimate for this review is approximately 295 hours0.00341 days <br />0.0819 hours <br />4.877645e-4 weeks <br />1.122475e-4 months <br /> and 7 months. The schedule includes the issuance, if needed, of a request for additional information (RAI) by July 2025, and receiving your response by August 2025. The staff expects to complete the formal review and issue a certificate by October 2025. These estimates are based on the staffs initial review of the application and may change due to several factors, including, unanticipated expansion of the review scope involvement, or if the submittal is provided to the NRC in advance of or concurrently with industry program initiatives or pilot applications.

The schedule, above, is also based, in part, on GNF providing RAI responses by the timeline specified, unless another date is agreed upon, RAI responses resolving issues with limited need for follow-up RAIs, and clarification calls being scheduled and conducted promptly, and any additional supporting non-docketed information being provided timely.

To achieve this schedule, the staff intends to engage GNF frequently to resolve emergent issues or challenges that may arise during the staffs review that affect the initial forecasted completion date or result in significant changes to the estimated review hours. The reasons for those changes, along with updated estimates, will be communicated during routine interactions with the assigned project manager and documented accordingly. Should the review experience a delay for other reasons, the staff will endeavor to make up the time within the schedule.

Your submittal has been assigned Cost Activity Code (CAC)/Enterprise Project Identification Number (EPID) [001029/L-2025-LLA-0079]. Please reference this number and Docket No. 71-9294 in any future correspondence associated with this request.

In accordance with Title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations, Section 2.390 of the NRCs Agency Rules of Practice and Procedure, a copy of this e-mail will be available electronically for public inspection in the NRC Public Document Room or from the Publicly Available Records component of the NRCs ADAMS. ADAMS is accessible from the NRC Web site at http://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/adams.html (the Public Electronic Reading Room).

If you have any questions, please contact me.

Sincerely,

Norma Garcia Santos Project Manager U.S. NRC Email: Norma.GarciaSantos@nrc.gov Phone No. 301-415-6999