ML26015A161
| ML26015A161 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Hatch, Vogtle, Farley  |
| Issue date: | 01/13/2026 |
| From: | John Lamb Plant Licensing Branch II |
| To: | Bates E Southern Nuclear Operating Co |
| Lamb J | |
| References | |
| EPID L-2025-LLQ-0002 | |
| Download: ML26015A161 (0) | |
Text
From:
John Lamb To:
Bates, Ernest F.
Cc:
Joyce, Ryan M.
Subject:
For Your Action - RAIs - SNC Fleet QATR to Integrate Vogtle 3 and 4 and Other Changes - Reduction in Commitment - Licensing Action Date:
Tuesday, January 13, 2026 10:51:00 AM
- Ernest,
By letter dated June 30, 2025 (Agencywide Document Access and Management Systems (ADAMS) Accession No.ML25210A592), Southern Nuclear Operating Company (SNC) requested approval of a proposed change to the SNC Quality Assurance Program (QAP) that results in a reduction in commitment in accordance with the requirements of Appendix B, Quality Assurance Criteria for Nuclear Power Plants and Fuel Reprocessing Plants, to Title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations (10 CFR) Part 50, Domestic Licensing of Production and Utilization Facilities, Section 50.54(a)(4) for Edwin I. Hatch Nuclear Plant (Hatch), Units1 and 2, Joseph M. Farley Nuclear Plant (Farley), Units1 and 2, Vogtle Electric Generating Plant (Vogtle), Units 1, 2, 3, and 4 as well as the associated independent spent fuel storage facilities (SNC Fleet). The SNC QAP is described in the Quality Assurance Topical Report (QATR) for Hatch, Units 1 and 2, Farley, Units 1 and 2, and Vogtle, Units 1 and 2, and by the Nuclear Development Quality Assurance Program (NDQAM) for Vogtle, Units 3 and 4. The proposed change would revise SNCs QAP by transitioning Vogtle, Units 3 and 4, QAP from the NDQAM and to integrate it into the SNC Fleet QATR.
The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) staff determined that additional information is needed to complete its review. The draft request for additional information (RAI) questions was emailed to SNC on December 23, 2025. On January 13, 2026, a clarifying call was held to discuss the draft RAI questions. SNC stated that it would respond to the RAI questions within 30 days of this email or by February 12, 2026.
Thanks.
John
REQUEST FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
By letter dated June 30, 2025 (Agencywide Document Access and Management Systems (ADAMS) Accession No.ML25210A592), Southern Nuclear Operating Company (SNC) requested approval of a proposed change to the SNC Quality Assurance Program (QAP) that results in a reduction in commitment in accordance with the requirements of Appendix B, Quality Assurance Criteria for Nuclear Power Plants and Fuel Reprocessing Plants, to Title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations (10 CFR) Part 50, Domestic Licensing of Production and Utilization Facilities, Section 50.54(a)(4) for Edwin I. Hatch Nuclear Plant (Hatch), Units1 and 2, Joseph M. Farley Nuclear Plant (Farley), Units1 and 2, Vogtle Electric Generating Plant (Vogtle), Units 1, 2, 3, and 4 as well as the associated independent spent fuel storage facilities (SNC Fleet). The SNC QAP is described in the Quality Assurance Topical Report (QATR) for Hatch, Units 1 and 2, Farley, Units 1 and 2, and Vogtle, Units 1 and 2, and by the Nuclear Development Quality Assurance Program (NDQAM) for Vogtle, Units 3 and 4. The proposed change would revise SNCs QAP by transitioning Vogtle, Units 3 and 4, QAP from the NDQAM and to integrate it into the SNC
Fleet QATR.
In its submittal, the proposed revision of the QATR consists of 21 Reductions in Commitment (RIC).
Reglatory Basis
The NRC staff reviewed the information provided in the QAPD against the Quality Assurance (QA) requirements of Appendix B to 10 CFR Part 50, and in accordance with the review guidance in Standard Review Plan (SRP) Section 17.5, Quality Assurance Program Description - Design Certification, Early Site Permit and New License Applicants, Revision
- 1. Based on this review, the NRC staff requests the following Request for Additional Information (RAI), as documented in the questions below, to complete its review.
RAI #1
In RIC 1 and RIC 2, a list of positions are removed in the QATR, including senior manager positions for:
Operations, Maintenance, Radiation protection, Environmental and chemistry, Industrial safety, Training, Engineering, Organizational effectiveness, Nuclear fuel, Central design engineering, Plant support engineering, Regulatory affairs director, Regulatory compliance, Licensing, Environmental, Security, and Emergency preparedness
In addition, the Vice President - Site position is also eliminated in Subsection 1.2.1.1.1.1.1 of the QATR.
The NRC staff requests SNC to clarify how the functions of these positions will still be accomplished after elimination of these positions.
RAI #2
In RIC 6, RIC 7, RIC 8, RIC 9, RIC 11.a, and RIC 11.b, Appendix A, Plant Review Board of the QATR is deleted.
The NRC staff requests SNC to clarify if there will still be a Plant Review Board. Without the Plant Review Board, how will the functions of the Plant Review Board still be accomplished?
RAI #3
In the QATR, Part II, Quality Assurance Program Details, Section 1, Organization, there is not a position of a Quality Assurance (QA) Manager. Subsection 1.3.1.1.3.1.1, Senior manager responsible for nuclear oversight states, in part, that [t]he senior manager responsible for nuclear oversight is responsible for SNC nuclear oversight activities using staffs located at corporate headquarters and at each of the operating plants. This includes ensuring implementation of the QA program in accordance with regulatory commitments.
The NRC staff requests SNC to clarify if this position of Senior Manager Responsible for
Nuclear Oversight is responsible for the implementation of the QAP.