90 FR 93 pgs. 20689-20691 - Southern Nuclear Operating Company, Inc.; Vogtle Electric Generating Plant, Unit 4; License Amendment Application
Type: NOTICEVolume: 90Number: 93Pages: 20689 - 20691
Pages: 20689, 20690, 20691Docket number: [Docket No. 52-026; NRC-2025-0085]
FR document: [FR Doc. 2025-08608 Filed 5-14-25; 8:45 am]
Agency: Nuclear Regulatory Commission
Official PDF Version: PDF Version
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NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION
[Docket No. 52-026; NRC-2025-0085]
Southern Nuclear Operating Company, Inc.; Vogtle Electric Generating Plant, Unit 4; License Amendment Application
AGENCY:
Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
ACTION:
Opportunity to comment, request a hearing, and petition for leave to intervene.
SUMMARY:
The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is considering issuance of an amendment to Combined License No. NPF-92, issued to Southern Nuclear Operating Company, Inc. (SNC, the licensee), for operation of the Vogtle Electric Generating Plant (VEGP), Unit 4. The proposed license amendment would add a Note to VEGP, Unit 4, Technical Specification (TS) 3.7.6, "Main Control Room Emergency Habitability System (VES)," Action, Condition F to allow a one-time allowance to provide time to repair VES bottled air system valve leakage. More specifically, the proposed Note would allow a one-time 72-hour delay for the initiation of Required Actions F.1 and F.2 Completion Times for VES air system leakage repairs.
DATES:
Submit comments by June 16, 2025. Request for a hearing or petitions for leave to intervene must be filed by July 14, 2025.
ADDRESSES:
You may submit comments by any of the following methods; however, the NRC encourages electronic comment submission through the Federal rulemaking website.
• Federal rulemaking Website: Go to https://www.regulations.gov and search for Docket ID NRC-2025-0085. Address questions about Docket IDs in Regulations.gov to Bridget Curran; telephone: 301-415-1003; email: Bridget.Curran@nrc.gov. For technical questions, contact the individual listed in the For Further Information Contact section of this document.
• Mail comments to: Office of Administration, Mail Stop: TWFN-7-A60M, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Washington, DC 20555-0001, ATTN: Program Management, Announcements and Editing Staff.
For additional direction on obtaining information and submitting comments, see "Obtaining Information and Submitting Comments" in the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section of this document.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Zachary M. Turner, Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Washington, DC 20555-0001; telephone: 301-415-2258; email: Zachary.Turner@nrc.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
I. Obtaining Information and Submitting Comments
A. Obtaining Information
Please refer to Docket ID NRC-2025-0085 when contacting the NRC about the availability of information for this action. You may obtain publicly available information related to this action by any of the following methods:
• Federal Rulemaking Website: Go to https://www.regulations.gov and search for Docket ID NRC-2025-0085.
• NRC's Agencywide Documents Access and Management System (ADAMS): You may obtain publicly available documents online in the ADAMS Public Documents collection at https://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/adams.html. To begin the search, select "Begin Web-based ADAMS Search." For problems with ADAMS, please contact the NRC's Public Document Room (PDR) reference staff at 1-800-397-4209, at 301-415-4737, or by email to PDR.Resource@nrc.gov. The license amendment request to add a one-time allowance to TS 3.7.6 for VEGP, Unit 4, is available in ADAMS under Accession No. ML25121A336.
• NRC's PDR: The PDR, where you may examine and order copies of publicly available documents, is open by appointment. To make an appointment to visit the PDR, please send an email to PDR.Resource@nrc.gov or call 1-800-397-4209 or 301-415-4737, between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. eastern time (ET), Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays.
B. Submitting Comments
The NRC encourages electronic comment submission through the Federal rulemaking website ( https://www.regulations.gov ). Please include Docket ID NRC-2025-0085 in your comment submission.
The NRC cautions you not to include identifying or contact information that you do not want to be publicly disclosed in your comment submission. The NRC will post all comment submissions at https://www.regulations.gov as well as enter the comment submissions into ADAMS. The NRC does not routinely edit comment submissions to remove identifying or contact information.
If you are requesting or aggregating comments from other persons for submission to the NRC, then you should inform those persons not to include identifying or contact information that they do not want to be publicly disclosed in their comment submission. Your request should state that the NRC does not routinely edit comment submissions to remove such information before making the comment submissions available to the public or entering the comment into ADAMS.
II. Introduction
The NRC is considering issuance of an amendment to Combined License No. NPF-92, issued to SNC, for operation of the VEGP, Unit 4, located in Burke County, GA.
[top] The proposed license amendment would add a Note to VEGP, Unit 4, TS 3.7.6, "Main Control Room Emergency Habitability System (VES)," Action, Condition F to allow a one-time allowance to provide time to repair VES bottled air system valve leakage. The Note would extend the initiation of Required Actions F.1 and F.2 Completion Times from discovery of Condition F entry when Condition F entry is a result of VES air system leakage repairs. The one-time allowance would expire upon entry into MODE 4
In order to approve the proposed license amendment, the NRC would need to make the findings required by the Atomic Energy Act of 1954, as amended (the Act), and NRC's regulations. The NRC staff's determination on this license amendment request, including, if appropriate, these findings, will be published once the staff has completed its safety review.
The NRC has made a proposed determination that the license amendment request involves no significant hazards consideration (NSHC). Under the NRC's regulations in 10 CFR 50.92, "Issuance of amendment," this means that operation of the facility in accordance with the proposed amendment would not (1) involve a significant increase in the probability or consequences of an accident previously evaluated; or (2) create the possibility of a new or different kind of accident from any accident previously evaluated; or (3) involve a significant reduction in a margin of safety. As required by 10 CFR 50.91(a), "Notice for public comment," the licensee has provided its analysis of the issue of NSHC, which is presented as follows:
1. Does the proposed change involve a significant increase in the probability or consequences of an accident previously evaluated?
Response: No.
The proposed change does not affect the previously evaluated accident probability because the Updated Final Safety Analysis Report, Chapter 15, initiating events for analyzed accidents do not change. The VES is not considered an accident initiator. The proposed changes do not adversely affect accident initiators or precursors, and do not alter the design assumptions, conditions, or configuration of the plant or the manner in which the plant is operated or maintained.
Therefore, the proposed change does not result in any increase in probability of an analyzed accident occurring.
The proposed change does not impact the nuclear island nonradioactive ventilation system (VBS) ability to protect control room personnel from radiological consequences. The proposed change provides that the main control room will continue to protect the control room personnel in meeting General Design Criterion's (GDC) 19 dose limits. Thus, the consequences of the accidents previously evaluated are not adversely affected.
Therefore, the proposed change does not involve a significant increase in the probability or consequences of an accident previously evaluated.
2. Does the proposed change create the possibility of a new or different kind of accident from any accident previously evaluated?
Response: No.
The proposed change does not involve the installation of any new or different type of equipment or a change to the methods governing normal plant operation. The proposed changes continue to provide the functional capability for previously evaluated accidents and anticipated operational occurrences. The proposed change does not adversely impact the function of any related systems, and thus, the changes do not introduce a new failure mode, malfunction, or sequence of events that could adversely affect safety or safety-related equipment.
Therefore, the proposed change will not create the possibility of a new or different kind of accident from any accident previously evaluated.
3. Does the proposed change involve a significant reduction in a margin of safety?
Response: No.
Margins of safety are established in the design of components, the configuration of components to meet certain performance parameters, and in the establishment of setpoints to initiate alarms or actions. The proposed amendment does not alter the design or configuration of the VES or VBS. The proposed change does not change the function of the related systems. The proposed change was evaluated and demonstrated that the control room habitability during analyzed events remains.
Therefore, the proposed change does not involve a significant reduction in a margin of safety.
Based on the preceding, the licensee concluded that the proposed amendment does not involve a significant hazards consideration under the standards set forth in 10 CFR 50.92(c), and, accordingly, the licensee concluded a finding of "no significant hazards consideration" is justified.
The NRC staff has reviewed the licensee's analysis and, based on this review, it appears that the three standards of 10 CFR 50.92(c) are satisfied. Therefore, the NRC staff proposes to determine that the license amendment request involves an NSHC.
The NRC is seeking public comments on this proposed determination that the license amendment request involves NSHC. Any comments received within 30 days after the date of publication of this notice will be considered in making any final determination.
Normally, the Commission will not issue the amendment until the expiration of 60 days after the date of publication of this notice. The Commission may issue the license amendment before expiration of the 60-day notice period if the Commission concludes the amendment involves NHSC. In addition, the Commission may issue the amendment prior to the expiration of the 30-day comment period if circumstances change during the 30-day comment period such that failure to act in a timely way would result, for example, in derating or shutdown of the facility. If the Commission takes action prior to the expiration of either the comment period or the notice period, it will publish a notice of issuance in the Federal Register . If the Commission makes a final NSHC determination, any hearing will take place after issuance. The Commission expects that the need to take this action will occur very infrequently.
III. Opportunity To Request a Hearing and Petition for Leave To Intervene
Within 60 days after the date of publication of this notice, any person (petitioner) whose interest may be affected by this action may file a request for a hearing and petition for leave to intervene (petition) with respect to the action. Petitions shall be filed in accordance with the Commission's "Agency Rules of Practice and Procedure" in 10 CFR part 2. Interested persons should consult 10 CFR 2.309. If a petition is filed, the presiding officer will rule on the petition and, if appropriate, a notice of a hearing will be issued.
Petitions must be filed no later than 60 days from the date of publication of this notice in accordance with the filing instructions in the "Electronic Submissions (E-Filing)" section of this document. Petitions and motions for leave to file new or amended contentions that are filed after the deadline will not be entertained absent a determination by the presiding officer that the filing demonstrates good cause by satisfying the three factors in 10 CFR 2.309(c)(1)(i) through (iii).
[top] If a hearing is requested and the Commission has not made a final determination on the issue of NSHC, the Commission will make a final determination on the issue of NSHC, which will serve to establish when the hearing is held. If the final determination is that the amendment request involves NSHC, the Commission may issue the amendment and make it immediately effective, notwithstanding the request for a hearing. Any hearing
A State, local governmental body, Federally recognized Indian Tribe, or designated agency thereof, may submit a petition to the Commission to participate as a party under 10 CFR 2.309(h) no later than 60 days from the date of publication of this notice. Alternatively, a State, local governmental body, Federally recognized Indian Tribe, or designated agency thereof may participate as a non-party under 10 CFR 2.315(c).
For information about filing a petition and about participation by a person not a party under 10 CFR 2.315, see ADAMS Accession No. ML20340A053 ( https://adamswebsearch2.nrc.gov/webSearch2/main.jsp?AccessionNumber=ML20340A053 ) and on the NRC's public website at https://www.nrc.gov/about-nrc/regulatory/adjudicatory/hearing.html#participate.
IV. Electronic Submissions (E-Filing)
All documents filed in NRC adjudicatory proceedings, including documents filed by an interested State, local governmental body, Federally recognized Indian Tribe, or designated agency thereof that requests to participate under 10 CFR 2.315(c), must be filed in accordance with 10 CFR 2.302. The E-Filing process requires participants to submit and serve all adjudicatory documents over the internet, or in some cases, to mail copies on electronic storage media, unless an exemption permitting an alternative filing method, as further discussed, is granted. Detailed guidance on electronic submissions is located in the "Guidance for Electronic Submissions to the NRC" (ADAMS Accession No. ML13031A056) and on the NRC's public website at https://www.nrc.gov/site-help/e-submittals.html.
To comply with the procedural requirements of E-Filing, at least 10 days prior to the filing deadline, the participant should contact the Office of the Secretary by email at Hearing.Docket@nrc.gov, or by telephone at 301-415-1677, to (1) request a digital identification (ID) certificate, which allows the participant (or its counsel or representative) to digitally sign submissions and access the E-Filing system for any proceeding in which it is participating; and (2) advise the Secretary that the participant will be submitting a petition or other adjudicatory document (even in instances in which the participant, or its counsel or representative, already holds an NRC-issued digital ID certificate). Based upon this information, the Secretary will establish an electronic docket for the proceeding if the Secretary has not already established an electronic docket.
Information about applying for a digital ID certificate is available on the NRC's public website at https://www.nrc.gov/site-help/e-submittals/getting-started.html. After a digital ID certificate is obtained and a docket created, the participant must submit adjudicatory documents in Portable Document Format. Guidance on submissions is available on the NRC's public website at https://www.nrc.gov/site-help/electronic-sub-ref-mat.html. A filing is considered complete at the time the document is submitted through the NRC's E-Filing system. To be timely, an electronic filing must be submitted to the E-Filing system no later than 11:59 p.m. ET on the due date. Upon receipt of a transmission, the E-Filing system time-stamps the document and sends the submitter an email confirming receipt of the document. The E-Filing system also distributes an email that provides access to the document to the NRC's Office of the General Counsel and any others who have advised the Office of the Secretary that they wish to participate in the proceeding, so that the filer need not serve the document on those participants separately. Therefore, applicants and other participants (or their counsel or representative) must apply for and receive a digital ID certificate before adjudicatory documents are filed to obtain access to the documents via the E-Filing system.
A person filing electronically using the NRC's adjudicatory E-Filing system may seek assistance by contacting the NRC's Electronic Filing Help Desk through the "Contact Us" link located on the NRC's public website at https://www.nrc.gov/site-help/e-submittals.html, by email to MSHD.Resource@nrc.gov, or by a toll-free call at 1-866-672-7640. The NRC Electronic Filing Help Desk is available between 9 a.m. and 6 p.m., ET, Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays.
Participants who believe that they have good cause for not submitting documents electronically must file an exemption request, in accordance with 10 CFR 2.302(g), with their initial paper filing stating why there is good cause for not filing electronically and requesting authorization to continue to submit documents in paper format. Such filings must be submitted in accordance with 10 CFR 2.302(b)-(d). Participants filing adjudicatory documents in this manner are responsible for serving their documents on all other participants. Participants granted an exemption under 10 CFR 2.302(g)(2) must still meet the electronic formatting requirement in 10 CFR 2.302(g)(1), unless the participant also seeks and is granted an exemption from 10 CFR 2.302(g)(1).
Documents submitted in adjudicatory proceedings will appear in the NRC's electronic hearing docket, which is publicly available at https://adams.nrc.gov/ehd, unless excluded pursuant to an order of the presiding officer. If you do not have an NRC-issued digital ID certificate as previously described, click "cancel" when the link requests certificates and you will be automatically directed to the NRC's electronic hearing docket where you will be able to access any publicly available documents in a particular hearing docket. Participants are requested not to include personal privacy information such as social security numbers, home addresses, or personal phone numbers in their filings unless an NRC regulation or other law requires submission of such information. With respect to copyrighted works, except for limited excerpts that serve the purpose of the adjudicatory filings and would constitute a Fair Use application, participants should not include copyrighted materials in their submission.
For further details with respect to this action, see the application for license amendment dated May 1, 2025 (ADAMS Accession No. ML25121A336).
Attorney for licensee: Millicent Ronnlund, Vice President and General Counsel for Southern Nuclear Operating Co., Inc., P.O. Box 1295, Birmingham, AL 35201-1295.
NRC Branch Chief: Michael Markley.
Dated: May 9, 2025.
For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
Zachary Turner,
Project Manager, Plant Licensing Branch 2-1, Division of Operating Reactor Licensing, Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation.
[FR Doc. 2025-08608 Filed 5-14-25; 8:45 am]
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