ML24089A228

– Acceptance of Requested Licensing Action License Amendment Request to Revise Columbia Generating Station Emergency Plan

ML24089A228
Person / Time
Site:	Columbia
Issue date:	04/15/2024
From:	Mahesh Chawla Plant Licensing Branch IV
To:	Schuetz R Energy Northwest
Chawla M
References
EPID L-2024-LLA-0011
Download: ML24089A228 (1)

Text

April 15, 2024

Robert Schuetz Chief Executive Officer Energy Northwest MD 1023 76 North Power Plant Loop P.O. Box 968 Richland, WA 99352

SUBJECT:

COLUMBIA GENERATING STATION - ACCEPTANCE OF REQUESTED LICENSING ACTION RE: LICENSE A M E N D M E N T REQUEST TO REVISE COLUMBIA GENERATING STATION EMERGENCY PLAN (EPID L-2024-LLA-0011)

Dear Robert Schuetz:

By letter dated January 30, 2024 (Agencywide Documents Access and Management System (ADAMS) Accession No. ML24030A844), supplemented by letter dated March 20, 2024 (ML24081A193), Energy Northwest (the licensee) submitted a license amendment request for Columbia Generating Station (Columbia). The proposed amendment would revise the Columbia Emergency Plan to reflect the updates contained in NUREG-0654/FEMA-REP-1, Criteria for Preparation and Evaluation of Radiological Emergency Response Plans and Preparedness in Support of Nuclear Power Plants, Revision 2, dated December 2019 (ML19347D139).

The purpose of this letter is to provide the results of the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) staffs acceptance rev iew of this amendment request. The acceptance review was performed to determine if there is sufficient technical information in scope and depth to allow the 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.

By letter dated March 14, 2024 (ML24058A069), the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) staff provided the results of the a cceptance review as Unacceptable with Opportunity to Supplement, and included the request for supplemental information. In order to make the license amendment applicat ion complete, the NRC staff requested that the licensee supplement the application to address the information requested to enable the NRC staff to begin its detailed technical review. By letter dated March 20, 2024, the licensee submitted the requested supplemental information.

Consistent with Section 50.90 of Title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations (10 CFR), an application for an amendment to a license (inclu ding the technical specifications) must fully describe the changes requested, and following as far as applicable, the form prescribed for R. Schuetz

original applications. Section 50.34 of 10 CFR addresses the content of technical information required. This section stipulates that the submittal address the design and operating characteristics, unusual or novel design features, and principal safety considerations.

The NRC staff has reviewed your application and concluded that it does provide technical information in sufficient detail to enable the st aff to complete its detailed technical review and make an independent assessment regarding the acceptability of the proposed amendment 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 staffs ability to complete the deta iled technical review are identified despite completion of an adequate acceptance review. You will be advised of any further information needed to support the staffs detailed technical review by separate correspondence.

Based on the information provided in y our submittal and discussions during the pre-licensing meeting on October 5, 2023, the NRC staff has estimated that this licensing request will take approximately 350 hours0.00405 days <br />0.0972 hours <br />5.787037e-4 weeks <br />1.33175e-4 months <br /> to complete. The NRC staff expects to complete this review in approximately 12 months, which is April 15, 2025. 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, unanticipated addition of scope to the review, and review by NRC advisory committees or hearing-related activities. 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 regarding this matter, I may be reached at (301) 415-8371 or via email at Mahesh.Chawla@nrc.gov.

Sincerely,

/RA/

Mahesh L. Chawla, Project Manager Plant Licensing Branch IV Division of Operating Reactor Licensing Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation

Docket No. 50-397

cc: Listserv

ML24089A228 OFFICE NRR/DORL/LPL4/PM NRR/DORL/LPL4/LA NSIR/DPR/RLB NAME MChawla PBlechman JQuichocho (KMott for)

DATE 3/29/2024 4/2/2024 4/3/2024 OFFICE NRR/DORL/LPL/BC NRR/DORL/LPL4/PM NAME JRankin MChawla DATE 4/15/2024 4/15/2024