ML26043A414
| ML26043A414 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Farley, Vogtle  |
| Issue date: | 02/11/2026 |
| From: | John Lamb Plant Licensing Branch II |
| To: | Rothschadl B, Sparkman W Southern Nuclear Operating Co |
| Turner, Zachary | |
| References | |
| EPID L-2026-LLR-0007 | |
| Download: ML26043A414 (0) | |
Text
From:
John Lamb To:
Rothschadl, Benjamin T.; Sparkman, Wesley A.
Cc:
Joyce, Ryan M.
Subject:
FYI - Acceptance Review - Farley 1 and 2 and Vogtle 1 and 2 - Alternative Request to Use a Later Edition of the Code (L-2026-LLR-0007)
Date:
Wednesday, February 11, 2026 5:44:00 PM Ben and Wes,
By letter dated February 6, 2026 (ML26037A274), Sothern Nuclear Operating Company (SNC, the Commission) submitted an alternative request for Joseph M. Farley Nuclear Plant (Farley), Units 1 and 2, and Vogtle Electric Generating Plant (Vogtle), Units 1 and 2.
SNC requests U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) approval to use the provisions of a later edition of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) Boiler and Pressure Vessel (B&PV) Code,Section XI, incorporated by reference in 10 CFR 50.55a(a)
(1)(ii), for Farley, Units 1 and 2, and Vogtle, Units 1 and 2.
Specifically, SNC requests approval to use the 2019 Edition of the ASME B&PV Code,Section XI, in its entirety for inservice inspection (ISI).
The purpose of this e-mail is to provide the results of the NRC staffs acceptance review of this alternative 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 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 alternative 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.
Based on the information provided in your submittal, the NRC staff has estimated, using the GEM process for a limited review, that this licensing request will take approximately 43 hours4.976852e-4 days <br />0.0119 hours <br />7.109788e-5 weeks <br />1.63615e-5 months <br /> to complete. The NRC staff expects, using the GEM process for a limited review, to complete this review by July 1, 2026. 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 the routine interactions with the assigned project manager.
These estimates are based on the NRC staffs initial review of the application and they could change, due to several factors including requests for additional information, and unanticipated addition of scope to the review. 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.
John G. Lamb, Senior Project Manager Plant Licensing Branch II-1 Division of Operating Reactor Licensing Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation