ML26048A297
| ML26048A297 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | 99902037 |
| Issue date: | 02/18/2026 |
| From: | Leslie Fields Licensing Processes Branch |
| To: | Holderbaum C, Olinski D Westinghouse |
| Fields L, NRR/DORL/LLPB | |
| References | |
| WCAP-15987 | |
| Download: ML26048A297 (0) | |
Text
1 Leslie Fields From:
Leslie Fields Sent:
Wednesday, February 18, 2026 12:06 PM To:
Olinski, Dewey C.; 'Holderbaum, Chad M.'
Cc:
'Andrachek, James'; Jay Collins; Matthew Mitchell; Stephen Cumblidge; Eric Focht; Jay Wallace; Damaris Marcano
Subject:
NRC Email Notification of WCAP-15987 Review Schedule Changes and Status Update
Dear Mr. Olinski,
By letter dated April 25, 2025 (Agencywide Documents Access and Management System (ADAMS) Accession No. ML25115A210), the Pressurized Water Reactor Owners Group submitted Topical Report WCAP-15987-NP, Supplement 1 to Revision 2, Technical Basis for Extending the Dye Penetrant Examination Frequency for the Embedded Flaw Process for Repair of Reactor Vessel Head Penetration (ADAMS Accession No. ML040290241).
This email provides notification and documentation of NRCs review schedule changes and status updates for the Westinghouse Topical Report WCAP-15987-NP, Supplement 1 to Revision 2.
NRC REVIEW OF EXPERT PANEL DATA As of 2/11/2026, the NRC staff has performed an initial review of the preliminary results of the data analysis by the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) Alloy 690 Expert Review Panel (Expert Panel).
The timeline of interactions for NRCs analysis and discussion of the EPRI Expert Panel results is shown in the table below. PM status calls were also held between NRC and PWROG to discuss proposed changes to the review schedule based on the preliminary results of the EPRI Expert Panel.
NRC REVIEW CONTIGENCY NRC staff consistently communicated that this topical report review is contingent upon the EPRI Expert Panel analysis and the NRCs review of the data. NRC presented this contingency in its May 29, 2025, acceptance review letter (ADAMS Accession No. ML26048A541) where it states that the topical report review of the WCAP-15987 submittal is bound to the completion of data analysis by the EPRI Expert Panel. The data analysis is associated with Factors of Improvement (FOI) for Alloy 52/152 weld dilution crack growth rates.
IMPACT ON THE NRC REVIEW SCHEDULE At this time, EPRI is continuing its analytical review of the data to finalize their analysis (the timeframe to finalize the data has yet to be determined and the circumstances to complete the analysis are beyond our control). However, during NRCs review of the preliminary data from EPRI, NRC identified that the differences DATE NRC TECHNICAL REVIEW PHASE ACTIVITIES 12/2/25 to 12/5/25 NRC attends EPRI Alloy 690 public meeting including the EPRI Expert Panel business meeting 1/23/26 NRC obtains EPRI Expert Panel data 1/29/26 NRC PM status call with vendor 2/09/26 NRC PM status call with vendor follow-up
2 between the EPRI Expert Panels preliminary results and PWROGs topical report submittal will require additional work for PWROG to justify the data and NRC to verify the data. Therefore, the milestone dates set in the current review schedule need to be reconsidered. Please note that, as stated above, NRC staffs review of the EPRI Expert Panel final analysis would be necessary for the review of the current submittal. As such, the NRCs transmittal dates communicated by email on December 18, 2025, (ADAMS Accession No. ML25148A443) as follows: 1) April 30, 2026 for the draft safety evaluation, and 2) June 5, 2026 for the final safety evaluation, are no longer valid.
RESPONSE REQUESTED With respect to this email communication, please provide PWROGs feedback/response letter to NRC no later than two weeks from the date of this email.
This email will be placed in ADAMS via Accession No. ML26048A297, and made publicly available two days from the date of this email. If you have questions regarding this matter, please contact me via email or by phone at (301) 415-1186.
Very respectfully, Leslie C. Fields, US NRC leslie.fields@nrc.gov