ML18135A409

Acceptance for Review of Request for Alternative RR-V-12 Regarding Main Steam SRV Testing (EPID No. L-2018-LLR-0054)

ML18135A409
Person / Time
Site:	Hatch
Issue date:	05/11/2018
From:	Hall J R Plant Licensing Branch III
To:	Coleman J M Southern Nuclear Operating Co
Hall J R
References
EPID L-2018-LLR-0054
Download: ML18135A409 (2)

Text

From: Hall, Randy To: JAMIEMCO@SOUTHERNCO.COM Cc: Ken McElroy

Joyce, Ryan M. (RMJOYCE@southernco.com)

Subject:

Hatch Nuclear Plant Units 1 & 2 - Acceptance for Review of Request for Alternative RR-V-12 regarding Main Steam SRV Testing (EPID No. L-2018-LLR-0054)

Date: Friday, May 11, 2018 8:33:00 AM May 11, 2018 Ms. Jamie M. Coleman Licensing Manager Southern Nuclear Operating Company

Dear Jamie,

By letter dated April 9, 2018 (Agencywide Documents Access and Management System Accession No. ML18099A146), the Southern Nuclear Operating Company, Inc. (SNC, the licensee) submitted a request for alternative to the requirements of ASME OM Code, 2004 Edition through the 2006 Addenda, for the Edwin I. Hatch Nuclear Plant, Units 1 and 2. The ASME OM Code requires that Class 1 pressure relief valves shall be tested at least once every 5 years, with a minimum of 20% of the valves from each valve group required to be tested within any 24-month period. SNC's proposed alternative RR-V-12 would extend the frequency for testing all main steam safety relief valves (SRV) for each unit from once every 5 years to once every three refueling cycles (i.e., six years), as allowed by Code Case OM-17. Pursuant to 10 CFR 50.55a(z)(2), SNC is requesting NRC authorization of this alternative on the basis that compliance with the specified requirements would result in a hardship or unusual difficulty without a compensating increase in the level of quality and safety. The purpose of this email is to provide the results of the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) staff's acceptance review of this request for alternative to the ASME Code requirements.

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. 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 staff's 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 that this licensing request will take approximately 100 hours0.00116 days <br />0.0278 hours <br />1.653439e-4 weeks <br />3.805e-5 months <br /> to complete.

The NRC staff expects to complete this review within 9 months, which is generally consistent with your requested approval date of January 25, 2019.

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 staff's initial review of the application and they could change, due to several factors including requests for additional information, unanticipated addition of scope to the review, and review by NRC advisory committees or hearing-related activities.

If you have any questions, please contact me at (301) 415-4032. Sincerely, Randy Hall, Senior Project Manager Plant Licensing Branch II-1 Division of Operating Reactor Licensing Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation USNRC (301) 415-4032 Randy.Hall@nrc.gov