ML25342A019
| ML25342A019 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Byron, Braidwood  |
| Issue date: | 12/05/2025 |
| From: | Scott Wall NRC/NRR/DORL/LPL3 |
| To: | Seawright B Constellation Nuclear |
| Wall S, NRR/DORL/LPL3 | |
| References | |
| EPID L-2025-LLA-0172 | |
| Download: ML25342A019 (0) | |
Text
From:
Scott Wall To:
Seawright, Brian A: (Constellation Nuclear)
Cc:
Steinman, Rebecca L:(Constellation Nuclear)
Subject:
Constellation Energy Generation, LLC - Braidwood and Byron Request - Acceptance of License Amendment Request to Revise Limiting Conditions Supporting Transitioning to Framatome GAIA Fuel (EPID No. L-2025-LLA-0172)
Date:
Friday, December 5, 2025 3:09:48 PM By letter November12,2025 (Agencywide Documents Access and Management System Accession No. ML25318B206), Constellation Energy Generation, LLC (CEG, the licensee) submitted license amendment requests for the following sites:
Braidwood Station, Units 1 and 2 (Braidwood)
Byron Station, Units 1 and 2 (Byron)
The proposed amendments would modify the methodology previously approved for Braidwood and Byron to transition to Framatome GAIA fuel.
The purpose of this e-mail is to provide the results of the NRC staffs acceptance review of these amendment requests. 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. Consistent with 10 CFR 50.90, an amendment to the license (including the technical specifications) must fully describe the changes requested, and following as far as applicable, the form prescribed for 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 provides technical information in sufficient detail to enable the staff to complete its detailed technical review and make an independent assessment regarding the acceptability of the request 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 detailed 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.
The NRC staff has evaluated precedence related to this request. Due to the limited amount of specific precedent, to support a schedule or hour estimate the NRC staff based its estimate on the information provided in your submittal. To support a more efficient process, the NRC is setting a goal of achieving at least 15% improvement (e.g., reduction). Based on that, our estimate for this review is 225 hours0.0026 days <br />0.0625 hours <br />3.720238e-4 weeks <br />8.56125e-5 months <br /> and the staff expects to complete the review by March 6, 2026 (3 months). 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, and unanticipated addition of scope to the review. Additional delay may occur if the submittal is provided to the NRC in advance or in parallel with industry program initiatives or pilot applications.
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.
If you have any questions, please contact me at (301) 415-2855 or e-mail at Scott.Wall@nrc.gov.
Scott P. Wall Senior Project Manager Division of Operating Reactor Licensing Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation 301.415.2855 Scott.Wall@nrc.gov