ML25344A465
| ML25344A465 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Issue date: | 12/16/2025 |
| From: | Ladonna Suggs NRC/RGN-II/DFRSS |
| To: | Shana Helton Office of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards |
| References | |
| Download: ML25344A465 (0) | |
Text
MEMORANDUM TO:
Shana Helton, Director Division of Fuel Management Office of Nuclear Materials Safety and Safeguards FROM:
LaDonna Suggs, Director Division of Fuels, Radiological Safety, and Safeguards Region II
SUBJECT:
CY2025 Fuels Inspection Program Deviation Request Purpose In accordance with Inspection Manual Chapter (IMC) 2600, Fuel Cycle Facility Operational Safety and Safeguards Inspection Program, Section 08.03, this memo is intended to document the inspection deviations to be exercised during calendar year (CY) 2025, as discussed and coordinated on November 20, 2025. These deviations are a result of the lapse in government appropriations from October 1st through November 12th, 2025. Affected inspections will be binned into one of four categories: deferred to CY 2026, cancelled, performed onsite with reduced scope, or partially performed remotely. The tables below detail the deviations and follow up actions.
Table 1: Deferred Inspections to 2026 Site Inspection Procedure Originally Scheduled Next Scheduled Solstice IP 86740: Inspection of Transportation Activities 9/29/2025 2026 BWXT IP 88070: Plant Modifications (Annual)*
10/6/2025 2026 Westinghouse IP 85401 through IP 85408:
Material Control & Accounting (per IMC 2683) 11/3/2025 2026 Westinghouse IP 88045: Effluent Control and Environmental Protection 11/17/2025 2026 Framatome IP 88055: Fire Protection 11/17/2025 2026 GNFA IP 81810: Protection of Safeguards Information IP 81340: Physical Protection of Shipments of Special Nuclear Material of Low Strategic Significance IP 81431: Fixed Site Physical Protection of Special Nuclear Material of Low Strategic Significance 10/07/2025 2026 December 16, 2025 Signed by Suggs, LaDonna on 12/16/25
S. Helton 2
Table 2: Cancelled Inspections Site Inspection Module Originally Scheduled Next Scheduled Solstice IP 88020: Operational Safety 10/6/2025 3/23/2026 Solstice IP 88070: Plant Modifications (Annual)*
10/6/2025 10/26/2026 BWXT IP 88020: Operational Safety 10/6/2025 5/4/2026 NFS IP 88015: Nuclear Criticality Safety 11/3/2025 4/27/2026 NFS IP 88070: Plant Modifications (Annual)*
11/3/2025 10/5/2026 Westinghouse IP 88020: Operational Safety 11/17/2025 4/6/2026 Framatome IP 88015: Nuclear Criticality Safety 11/17/2025 5/15/2026 Table 3: Performed Onsite with Reduced Scope in 2025 Site Inspection Module Originally Scheduled Now Scheduled Urenco IP 88072: Plant Modifications (Triennial)*
10/20/2025 12/1/2025 Table 4: Partially Performed Remotely in 2025 Site Inspection Module Originally Scheduled Urenco IP 88051: Evaluation of Exercises and Drills 10/6/2025 BWXT IP 88051: Evaluation of Exercises and Drills 10/27/2025 GNFA IP 88051: Evaluation of Exercises and Drills 10/27/2025
- Note: Starting in calendar year 2026, the two plant modifications procedures (IP 88070 Plant Modifications Annual and IP 88072 Plant Modifications Triennial) are being combined into a single inspection procedure that will be performed biennially at most fuel facilities.
Analysis and Recommendations The inspections in Table 1 are scheduled biennially or triennially. If not performed as originally scheduled in 2025, they would not be completed until 2027 or later. Because of the extended length of time between inspections, these will be rescheduled to be performed in 2026.
The inspections in Table 2 are performed at least annually, and as such, there is a high degree of confidence that reasonable assurance of adequate protection of public health and safety is maintained during any gap. Therefore, these inspections planned in 2025 will be cancelled.
The inspection in Table 3, Urencos triennial plant modifications inspection, will be performed in December 2025 with two inspectors instead of the normal three inspectors.
S. Helton 3
The inspections in Table 4 are the biennial graded emergency preparedness exercises. In these cases, each licensee performed its exercise, but NRC inspectors were unable to observe the exercises due to the lapse of appropriations. There is a significant degree of licensee effort involved in planning a graded emergency preparedness exercise. Given our ability to conduct a partial in-office review and the significant effort to reschedule, NRC staff will conduct in-office reviews of the available documentation to verify that each licensee met its emergency plan requirements. The results of these reviews will be documented in the sites next quarterly inspection report.
Conclusion For 2025, DFRSS is deviating from the core inspection program for the inspections listed in Tables 1 - 4.
Based on the results of inspections performed in 2025, and no safety significant reported event notifications during the shutdown period, DFRSS concluded that the most efficient and effective use of resources is to conduct those affected inspections in the manner described above as there continues to be reasonable assurance of adequate protection of public health and safety.
Should you have any questions concerning this memorandum, please contact Lindsey Cooke, Fuel Cycle Operations Engineer at 404-997-4836.
SUNSI Review X
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Non-Publicly Available OFFICE RII/DFRSS RII/DFRSS RII/DFRSS RII/DFRSS NAME L. Cooke N. Peterka E. Michel L. Suggs DATE 12/11/2025 12/12/2025 12/11/2025 12/16/2025