ML25182A151
| ML25182A151 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | 05000615 |
| Issue date: | 07/09/2025 |
| From: | Allen Fetter NRC/NRR/DNRL/NLIB |
| To: | Hunnewell S Tennessee Valley Authority |
| Shared Package | |
| ML25182A150 | List: |
| References | |
| CAC 001912, EPID L-2025-CPS-0001 [through 0017]) | |
| Download: ML25182A151 (3) | |
Text
July 9, 2025 Scott Hunnewell Vice President, New Nuclear Program Tennessee Valley Authority 1101 Market Street Chattanooga, TN 37402
SUBJECT:
TENNESSEE VALLEY AUTHORITY - ACCEPTANCE FOR DOCKETING OF PART TWO OF THE APPLICATION FOR A CONSTRUCTION PERMIT AT THE CLINCH RIVER NUCLEAR SITE (CAC/DOCKET/EPID: 001912/050-000615/
L-2025-CPS-0001 [through 0017])
Dear Mr. Hunnewell:
By letters dated April 28, 2025 (Agencywide Documents Access and Management System (ADAMS) Accession No. ML25118A209) and May 20, 2025 (ML25140A062), Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) submitted both parts of an application for a construction permit (CP) to the U.S.
Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC or Commission), which, if granted, would allow TVA to construct a nuclear power plant facility, based on the GE Hitachi (GEH) BWRX-300 reactor design, at the Clinch River Nuclear Site in Roane County, Tennessee.
The NRC staff acknowledged receipt of both of TVAs two-part application for a CP under Title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations (10 CFR) Part 50 in the Federal Register (90 FR 24425) on June 10, 2025 (ML25133A184) and NRC accepted the first part of the application for docketing on June 12, 2025 (ML25156A058).
The NRC staff performed an acceptance review of the second part of TVAs application for a CP in accordance with the agencys regulations and procedures and determined that the submitted portion of the application is complete and acceptable for docketing and detailed technical review. The docket number already assigned to this project is 50-0615 and this docket number should be included in all future correspondence.
The NRC staffs goal is to conduct an efficient, high-quality safety review applying available insights associated with the agencys risk-informed decision-making principles during its review of the CP application. The safety review supports the issuance of a final safety evaluation report by December 14, 2026 (i.e., 17 months from docketing). This date could change due to several factors, such as the timeframe for resolution of complex technical issues, unanticipated changes to the scope of the review or design changes. In addition, the NRC staff notes that there are several licensing topical reports (TRs) referenced in the CP application that are still under NRC review and TVA also identified (in Section 1.5 of the preliminary safety evaluation report) that further technical information needed to support issuance of the CP is expected to be submitted to NRC between September and November 2025. The proposed schedule is dependent on the timely completion of needed TRs and submittal of the further technical information.
Scott Hunnewell The schedule is also based, in part, on TVAs commitment to provide timely responses to Requests for Additional Information (RAIs). The applicant is also expected to provide support determined necessary by the NRC staff in a timely and organized manner during technical audits. To achieve this schedule, the NRC staff intends to engage TVA frequently during the permit review to address review progress and emerging technical issues. Delays in the NRC staffs receipt of necessary information could result in changes to the review schedule. The NRC requests that TVA inform the NRC staff in writing, as early as possible, in the event that potential delays arise in its support of the schedule.
The NRC staff will provide a detailed schedule for the completion of the safety and environmental reviews of the application in separate correspondence, to include key milestones and resource estimates.
Following the issuance of this letter, a notice will be forwarded to the Federal Register informing the public of the docketing of TVAs complete CP application for detailed review by the staff and the associated opportunity for a hearing on the contents of the application.
If you have any questions, please contact Allen Fetter at 301-415-8556 or by email at allen.fetter@nrc.gov; and Stacy Joseph at 301-415-3256 or by email at stacy.joseph@nrc.gov.
Sincerely,
/RA/
Allen Fetter, Senior Project Manager New Reactor Licensing and Infrastructure Branch Division of New and Renewed Licenses Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation Docket No.: 50-0615 cc: GovDelivery.com
Letter: ML25182A151 via-Email NRR-106 OFFICE DNRL/NLIB:PM DNRL/NLIB:LA REFS/EPMB:PM REFS/EPMB3 DNRL/NLIB:
BC DNRL/NLIB:PM NAME AFetter SGreen*
MNagel*
DBarnhurst*
MJardaneh*
AFetter DATE 07/01/2025 07/01/2025 07/01/2025 07/01/2025 07/07/2025 07/09/2025