ML18135A409

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)

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, RandyTo:JAMIEMCO@SOUTHERNCO.COMCc: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 MainSteam SRV Testing (EPID No. L-2018-LLR-0054)Date:Friday, May 11, 2018 8:33:00 AM May 11, 2018 Ms. Jamie M. ColemanLicensing ManagerSouthern Nuclear Operating Company

Dear Jamie,

By letter dated April 9, 2018 (Agencywide Documents Access and Management SystemAccession No. ML18099A146), the Southern Nuclear Operating Company, Inc. (SNC, thelicensee) submitted a request for alternative to the requirements of ASME OM Code, 2004Edition 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 leastonce every 5 years, with a minimum of 20% of the valves from each valve group required tobe tested within any 24-month period. SNC's proposed alternative RR-V-12 would extendthe frequency for testing all main steam safety relief valves (SRV) for each unit from onceevery 5 years to once every three refueling cycles (i.e., six years), as allowed by CodeCase OM-17. Pursuant to 10 CFR 50.55a(z)(2), SNC is requesting NRC authorization ofthis alternative on the basis that compliance with the specified requirements would result ina hardship or unusual difficulty without a compensating increase in the level of quality andsafety. The purpose of this email is to provide the results of the U.S. Nuclear RegulatoryCommission (NRC) staff's acceptance review of this request for alternative to the ASMECode requirements. The acceptance review was performed to determine if there issufficient technical information in scope and depth to allow the NRC staff to complete itsdetailed technical review. The acceptance review is also intended to identify whether theapplication has any readily apparent information insufficiencies in its characterization of theregulatory requirements or the licensing basis of the plant. The NRC staff has reviewed your application and concluded that it does provide technicalinformation in sufficient detail to enable the NRC staff to complete its detailed technicalreview and make an independent assessment regarding the acceptability of the proposedalternative in terms of regulatory requirements and the protection of public health andsafety and the environment. Given the lesser scope and depth of the acceptance review ascompared to the detailed technical review, there may be instances in which issues thatimpact the NRC staff's ability to complete the detailed technical review are identifieddespite 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 thislicensing 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 tocomplete 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 ourreview that would cause changes to the initial forecasted completion date or significantchanges in the forecasted hours, the reasons for the changes, along with the newestimates, will be communicated during the routine interactions with the assigned projectmanager. These estimates are based on the NRC staff's initial review of the application and theycould change, due to several factors including requests for additional information,unanticipated addition of scope to the review, and review by NRC advisory committees orhearing-related activities. If you have any questions, please contact me at (301) 415-4032. Sincerely, Randy Hall, Senior Project ManagerPlant Licensing Branch II-1Division of Operating Reactor LicensingOffice of Nuclear Reactor RegulationUSNRC(301) 415-4032Randy.Hall@nrc.gov