ML25261A066
| ML25261A066 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Oconee  |
| Issue date: | 09/18/2025 |
| From: | Shawn Williams Plant Licensing Branch II |
| To: | Treadway R Duke Energy Carolinas |
| Williams S | |
| References | |
| EPID L-2025-LLA-0136 | |
| Download: ML25261A066 (1) | |
Text
From:
Shawn Williams To:
Treadway, Ryan I Cc:
Vaughan, Jordan L; Michael Markley
Subject:
Oconee Nuclear Station, Units 1, 2 and 3 - Acceptance of Requested Licensing Action Re: License Amendment Request to Revise TS 5.5.2 for Permanent Extension of Type A and Type C Leak Rate Test Frequencies (EPID L-2025-LLA-0136)
Date:
Thursday, September 18, 2025 7:20:57 AM
Dear Mr. Treadway,
By letter dated August 19, 2025 (Agencywide Documents Access and Management System (ADAMS) Accession No. ML25232A073), Duke Energy Carolinas, LLC, (the licensee, Duke Energy) submitted a license amendment for Oconee Nuclear Station, Units 1, 2, and 3.
Specifically, the proposed change revises Technical Specification (TS) 5.5.2, Containment Leakage Rate Testing Program," for Permanent Extension of Type A and Type C Leak Rate Test Frequencies.
The purpose of this e-mail 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 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 amendment 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.
The NRC staff reviewed eight similar precedents from 2019 to 2023. On average, these reviews required 489 hours0.00566 days <br />0.136 hours <br />8.085317e-4 weeks <br />1.860645e-4 months <br /> and about one year to complete. Building on experience from past reviews, the NRC is targeting a 45% reduction in estimated hours compared to historical averages and
aiming to complete the review in roughly six months after acceptance. This reduction is consistent with NRC guidance that, when an application follows an approved precedent or NRC-approved methodology without deviation, the technical review should focus primarily on site-specific aspects. In such cases, confirmatory analyses may be limited to spot checks, and certain areas may receive a less rigorous review than in the past. The emphasis will instead be on evaluating new or different information that has not been previously addressed.
Based on this approach, the estimate for this review is 269 hours0.00311 days <br />0.0747 hours <br />4.447751e-4 weeks <br />1.023545e-4 months <br /> and 7 months, with an expected completion date of March 18, 2026.
If emergent complexities or challenges arise during the NRC staffs review that affect the initial forecasted completion date or result in significant changes to the estimated review hours, the reasons for those changesalong with updated estimateswill be communicated during routine interactions with the assigned project manager. These estimates are based on the NRC staffs initial review of the application and may change due to several factors, including requests for additional information, unanticipated expansion of the review scope, hearing-related activities, or if the submittal is provided to the NRC in advance of or concurrently with industry program initiatives or pilot applications.
If you have any questions, please contact Shawn.Williams@nrc.gov.
Shawn Williams, Senior Project Manager Plant Licensing Branch 2-1 Division of Operating Reactor Licensing Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation 301-415-1009
Docket Nos.
50-269, 50-270, 50-287
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