ML25239A068

Enclosure 3 - 8-26-25 Meeting Summary Regarding Entergy Operations, Inc., Plans to Renew the Grand Gulf Early Site Permit

ML25239A068
Person / Time
Site:	05200009
Issue date:	08/28/2025
From:	Carolyn Lauron NRC/NRR/DNRL/NRLB
To:	Jardaneh M NRC/NRR/DNRL/NRLB
Shared Package
ML25239A063	List: ML25239A068
References
Download: ML25239A068 (1)

Text

Enclosure 3 U.S. NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION

SUMMARY

OF THE AUGUST 26, 2025, PUBLIC MEETING WITH ENTERGY OPERATIONS, INC.

TO DISCUSS PLANS TO RENEW THE GRAND GULF EARLY SITE PERMIT Meeting Summary The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) held an observation public meeting on August 26, 2025, with representatives from Entergy Operations, Inc. (Entergy) to discuss its plans to renew the Grand Gulf Early Site Permit (ESP). Entergy plans to submit its ESP renewal application following the Nuclear Energy Institute (NEI) guidance in Appendix A of NEI 25-06, Revision 0, for implementing the Early Site Permit (ESP) renewal requirements in Title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations (10 CFR) Part 52, Licenses, Certifications, and Approvals for Nuclear Power Plants.1 The hybrid public meeting had attendees from Entergy, the public, and NRC staff. No decisions or commitments were made during the public meeting.

The NRC issued the public meeting notice on August 8, 2025, and posted it on the NRC public meeting website.2 The NRC updated the meeting details on the NRC public meeting website with the Entergy presentation materials.3 Michele Sampson, Director of the Division of New and Renewed Licenses at the NRC provided opening remarks to express the importance of the meeting discussion to understand plans to renew the Grand Gulf ESP.

Phil Couture from Entergy presented the plans to renew the Grand Gulf ESP using the guidelines in Appendix A of NEI 25-06. The following summarizes the key points from the presentation:

The NRC issued the Grand Gulf ESP (ESP-002) on April 5, 2007, for a 20-year term expiring on April 5, 2027. The ESP has not been used to support a combined license (COL) or construction permit (CP).

The regulations in 10 CFR 52.29(a) require submission of the Grand Gulf ESP renewal application by April 4, 2026. Entergy noted that it submitted an exemption to submit its 1

Letter from S. Klein to M. Sampson, NEI Guidance for Implementing the Requirements of 10 CFR Part 52 for Early Site Permit Renewal, dated June 9, 2025, Agencywide Documents and Access Management System (ADAMS) Accession No. ML25171A132.

2 U.S. NRC, 08/26/2025 Public Meeting with Entergy Operations to Discuss Plans to Renew Grand Gulf Early Site Permit, dated August 8, 2025, ML25220A003. Public Meeting Schedule: Meeting Details l NRC.gov 3

Entergy Operations, Inc., 8-26-25 Presubmittal Public Meeting Slides - Grand Gulf Early Site Permit Renewal, dated August 26, 2025, ML25223A232.

2 renewal application no later than 45 days prior to the ESP expiration date, and that the NRC granted the exemption.4 Entergy described its intent to submit a 20-year ESP renewal application following the Appendix A approach in NEI 25-06 that includes an exemption request from the requirements to bring up to date the information and data contained in the original ESP.

In addition, Energy commented that it submitted a request for a fee waiver for its renewal application review in accordance with 10 CFR 170.11(b) because it anticipates being the first ESP renewal application using the guidance in NEI 25-06 and that its application review will assist the NRC in implementing generic regulatory improvements or efforts.5 Entergy noted that NEI submitted its ESP renewal guidelines in NEI 25-06 for NRC review and endorsement on June 9, 2025, and discussed the topic with the NRC in a public meeting on July 22, 2025.6, 7 Following the public meeting, the NRC responded that it agrees with the high-level concepts in NEI 25-06 and that an industry pilot of the Appendix A approach would be an effective next step.8 Entergy closed its presentation with plans to submit its ESP renewal application in September 2025 with a request for NRC approval in 4 months from the submittal date.

The following summarizes the NRC staff questions on the presentation and the Entergy responses.

The NRC staff asked what is in 10 CFR 52.79 that would require an update of the ESP referenced in a COL. The NRC staff clarified that 10 CFR 52.79 includes the requirements for a COL application referencing an ESP and the rationale in NEI 25-06 for the exemption approach to ESP renewal is based on a subsequent update of the ESP information in a future COL application. Entergy responded that it would consider the question.

The NRC staff asked how the ESP finality provisions in 10 CFR 52.39 would work for a COL application if the ESP renewal did not include updated information. Entergy responded that it would consider the question.

The NRC staff asked Entergy to consider what types of information in an ESP would need to be updated to support a COL application to preserve the finality in the ESP to ensure renewal in a timeframe for a future COL application. The NRC asked a follow-up question on whether Entergys plans for a future ESP update would include an 4

Letter from J. Glisan to P. Couture, Exemption from the Requirements Related to Submission of Early Site Permit Renewal Application, dated August 18, 2025, ML25218A052.

5 Letter from P. Couture, Entergy, Operations, Inc., Entergy Operations, Inc., - Letter-of-Intent to Submit a Request for Renewal of ESP-002 and Request for NRC Fee Waiver, Dated August 14, 2025, ML25226A204.

6 NEI, Industry Guideline for Early Site Permit (ESP) Renewal (NEI 25-06), dated July 22, 2025, ML25198A359.

7 U.S. NRC, 7-22-25 Meeting Summary regarding Nuclear Energy Institute NEI Early Site Permit Renewal Guidance NEI 25-06, dated August 15, 2025, ML25211A165.

8 Letter from M. Sampson to S. Klein, NRC Response to NEI Letter regarding NEI 25-06, Revision 0, Industry Guideline for Implementing the Requirements of 10 CFR Part 52 for Early Site Permit Renewal, dated July 28, 2025, ML25209A488.

3 environmental report and Entergy confirmed that than an environmental report would be part of its ESP update.

The NRC staff requested clarification on how a COL application referencing an ESP would address certain analyses that might be affected by a change in population around the site. Entergy responded that if the ESP is used, a proper analysis would be provided at that time.

The NRC staff asked Entergy to consider the timeline for updating the ESP to support a future COL application or to update information in the COL application.

There were no questions or comments from members of the public.

The meeting adjourned at 2:35 PM.