ML26042A319
| ML26042A319 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Watts Bar  |
| Issue date: | 02/10/2026 |
| From: | Kimberly Green NRC/NRR/DORL/LPL2-2 |
| To: | Aboulfaida A Tennessee Valley Authority |
| Green K, NRR/DORL/LPL2-2 | |
| References | |
| EPIDL-2026-LLE-0003, EPID L-2026-LLE-0003 | |
| Download: ML26042A319 (0) | |
Text
From:
Kimberly Green To:
Aboulfaida, Amber Vendel Cc:
Hughes, Shawna; ext_russell_Wells; David Wrona
Subject:
Acceptance Review Results for Watts Bar Nuclear Plant Exemption Request related to 10 CFR 50.71(e)(4) (EPID L-2026-LLE-0003)
Date:
Tuesday, February 10, 2026 1:53:00 PM
Dear Ms. Aboulfaida:
By letter dated January 27, 2026 (Agencywide Documents Access and Management System Accession No. ML26027A270), the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) submitted an exemption request for the Watts Bar Nuclear Plant (WBN), Units 1 and 2.The request seeks a permanent exemption from the requirements of Title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations paragraph 50.71(e)(4) for submission of revisions and updates to the Final Safety Analysis Report (FSAR) for WBN, Units 1 and 2.
The purpose of this email is to provide the results of the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) staffs acceptance review of the exemption request. The acceptance review was performed to determine whether the scope and depth of the technical information was sufficient 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 10 CFR 50.12, the Commission may, upon application of any interested person or upon its own initiative, grant such exemptions from the requirements of the regulations in 10 CFR Part 50 as it determines are authorized by law, will not present an undue risk to the public health and safety, are consistent with the common defense and security, and special circumstances are present.
The NRC staff has reviewed your request and concluded that it includes technical information in sufficient detail to enable the NRC staff to complete its detailed technical review and make an independent assessment regarding the exemption request in terms of regulatory requirements and the protection of public health and safety and the environment.
Given the more limited scope and depth of the acceptance review compared to the detailed technical review, issues that affect the NRC staffs ability to complete the technical review may still be identified despite the acceptance review being deemed adequate. If additional information is needed, you will be notified by separate correspondence.
For this request, the staff used the Graded Estimate Method (GEM) for licensing actions, which was discussed with industry during a public workshop on August 5, 2025 (ML25217A212). Based on this approach, the staff estimates that this review will require 29 hours3.356481e-4 days <br />0.00806 hours <br />4.794974e-5 weeks <br />1.10345e-5 months <br /> and expects to complete it by August 30, 2026. This represents a reduction in resources based on past precedence.
These estimates are based on the staffs initial review of the request and could change, due to several factors including requests for additional information and unanticipated addition of scope to the review. If there are emergent complexities or challenges in our review that would cause changes to the initial forecasted completion date or significant changes in the forecasted hours, the reasons for the changes, along with the new estimates will be communicated, during our routine interactions.
If you have any questions, please contact me.
Kimberly Green Senior Project Manager Division of Operating Reactor Licensing Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission 301-415-1627