ML25353A002
| ML25353A002 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Columbia  |
| Issue date: | 12/18/2025 |
| From: | Mahesh Chawla NRC/NRR/DORL/LPL4 |
| To: | Collis T Energy Northwest |
| Chawla M, NRR/DORL/LPL4 | |
| References | |
| EPID L-2025-LLR-0094 | |
| Download: ML25353A002 (0) | |
Text
From:
Mahesh Chawla To:
Collis, Tracey M.
Cc:
Tony Nakanishi; Michael Mahoney; Thomas Scarbrough; John Dixon; Alfred Sanchez; Christopher Highley; Jason Brodlowicz
Subject:
LIC-109 Acceptance email for Columbia - Relief Request for the Fifth Interval Inservice Testing - EPID: L-2025-LLR-0094 Date:
Thursday, December 18, 2025 12:26:00 PM
Dear Ms Collis,
By letter dated November 20, 2025 (Agencywide Documents Access and Management System (ADAMS) Accession No. ML25324A369), Energy Northwest (the licensee) submitted a relief request for the fifth interval of the Inservice Testing (IST) Program at Columbia Generating Station. Energy Northwest has requested relief from performing the verification position indication (VPI) testing at the two-year frequency mandated by ISTC-3700. The basis of the relief is that the proposed alternative would provide an acceptable level of quality and safety. The purpose of this e-mail is to provide the results of the U.S.
Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) staffs acceptance review of this relief 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.
Pursuant to Sections 50.55a(z)(1) and 50.55a(z)(2) of Title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations (10 CFR), the applicant shall demonstrate that the proposed alternatives would provide an acceptable level of quality and safety, or that compliance with the specified requirements of Section 50.55a would result in hardship or unusual difficulty without a compensating increase in the level of quality or safety. The NRC staff has reviewed the licensees 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 change 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, the licensee will be advised by separate correspondence.
Applying the NRC staffs Graded Estimate Method, the NRC staffs estimate for this review is 50 hours5.787037e-4 days <br />0.0139 hours <br />8.267196e-5 weeks <br />1.9025e-5 months <br /> (approximately 20% reduction from historical averages). The NRC staff expects to complete the review by April 30, 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 changes along with updated estimates will be communicate 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. Additional delay may occur if the submittal is provided to the NRC in advance or in parallel with industry program initiatives or pilot applications.
If you have any questions, please contact me.
Mahesh(Mac) Chawla, Project Manager Licensing Branch LPL4 Division of Operating Reactor Licensing Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation Phone: (301) 415-8371 Email: Mahesh.Chawla@nrc.gov