ML25342A326
| ML25342A326 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Hatch, Vogtle, Farley  |
| Issue date: | 12/09/2025 |
| From: | John Lamb Plant Licensing Branch II |
| To: | Southern Nuclear Operating Co |
| Lamb J | |
| Shared Package | |
| ML25342A339 | List: |
| References | |
| EPID L-2025-LRM-0141 | |
| Download: ML25342A326 (0) | |
Text
December 9, 2025 LICENSEE:
Southern Nuclear Operating Company, Inc.
FACILITY:
Edwin I. Hatch Nuclear Plant, Units 1 and 2 Joseph M. Farley Nuclear Plant, Units 1 and 2 Vogtle Electric Generating Plant, Units 1 and 2
SUBJECT:
SUMMARY
OF DECEMBER 3, 2025, OBSERVATION PRE-SUBMITTAL MEETING HELD WITH SOUTHERN NUCLEAR OPERATING COMPANY, INC.,
REGARDING A PROPOSED LICENSE AMENDMENT REQUEST TO REVISE THE 10 CFR 50.69 CATEGRIZATION PROCESS TO ADOPT THE ENHANCED RISK-INFORMED CATEGORIZATION METHODOLOGY FOR PRESSURE BOUNDARY FOR EDWIN I. HATCH NUCLEAR PLANT, UNITS 1 AND 2, JOSEPH M. FARLEY NUCLEAR PLANT, UNITS 1 AND 2, AND VOGTLE ELECTRIC GENERATING PLANT, UNITS 1 AND 2 (EPID L-2025-LRM-0141)
On December 3, 2025, an Observation meeting was held between the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) and representatives of Southern Nuclear Operating Company, Inc. (SNC, the licensee). The purpose of the meeting was for SNC to describe its plan to submit a license amendment request (LAR) for Edwin I. Hatch Nuclear Power Plant (Hatch), Units 1 and 2, Joseph M. Farley Nuclear Power Plant, Units 1 and 2, and Vogtle Electric Generating Plant (Vogtle), Units 1 and 2.
SNC is proposing to revise the license conditions to reflect the use of the enhanced risk-informed categorization methodology for pressure boundary components, as part of the Title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations (10 CFR), Section 50.69, Risk-informed categorization and treatment of structures, systems and components for nuclear power reactors, categorization process.
A list of attendees is provided as an Enclosure.
On November 19, 2025 (Agencywide Documents and Access Management System (ADAMS)
Accession No. ML25323A120, the meeting was noticed on the NRC public webpage.
The NRC staff opened the meeting with introductory remarks and a call of the attendees.
The SNC representative presented slides contained in ML25336A068.
SNC representatives discussed the following topics: (1) background, (2), proposed change, (3) enhanced passive methodology, (4) LAR overview, (5) schedule, and (6) discussion.
On August 17, 2023, the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) requested NRC review and approval of Technical Report (TR) 3002025288, Enhanced Risk-Informed Categorization Methodology for Pressure Boundary Components (ML23234A266).
On July 15, 2025, the NRC issued a Safety Evaluation (ML25168A015) approving the enhanced passive methodology for use in 10 CFR 50.69 categorization.
The proposed SNC license condition would allow systems, structures, and components (SSC) categorizations previously completed using the ANO-2 passive methodology to remain valid until the plant-level evaluation is completed using the enhanced approach.
SNC will not be permitted to choose between passive categorization methodologies. Once the plant-level evaluation is complete, use of the ANO-2 approach will be suspended.
The proposed SNC LAR will summarize application of the enhanced risk-informed categorization methodology for pressure boundary components, as described in EPRI 3002033536.
SNC representative stated that the proposed LAR is expected to be submitted to the NRC in the first quarter of 2026, with a 60-day implementation period.
Discussion The NRC staff asked the following questions:
How long does each phase take to complete?
Will a phase be performed in parallel for each unit?
Have there been any modifications or upgrades requiring a peer review?
When will SNC request that the LAR be completed?
Closing Remarks There were four members of the public in attendance.
The NRC staff did not make any regulatory decisions during the meeting. Once received, the NRC staff will perform a thorough review of the proposed LAR. The NRC staff will make any regulatory decisions in writing in a timely manner. Public Meeting Feedback forms were available, but no comments were received.
The meeting adjourned at 9:20 am Eastern Time (ET).
Please direct any inquiries to me at John.Lamb@nrc.gov or 301-415-3100.
/RA/
John G. Lamb, Senior Project Manager Plant Licensing Branch, II-1 Division of Operating Reactor Licensing Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation Docket Nos. 50-321, 50-366, 50-348, 50-364, 50-424 and 50-425
Enclosure:
List of Attendees cc: Listserv
Enclosure LIST OF ATTENDEES DECEMBER 3, 2025, PRE-SUBMITTAL MEETING WITH SOUTHERN NUCLEAR COMPANY REGARDING A PROPOSED LICENSE AMENDMENT REQUEST TO CHANGE 10 CFR 50.69 CATEGRIZATION PROCESS TO ADOPT THE ENHANCED RISK-INFORMED CATEGORIZATION METHODOLOGY FOR PRESSURE BOUNDARY EDWIN I. HATCH NUCLEAR PLANT, UNITS 1 AND 2 JOSEPH M. FARLEY NUCLEAR PLANT, UNITS 1 AND 2, VOGTLE ELECTRIC GENERATING PLANT, UNITS 1 AND 2 ATTENDEE REPRESENTING John G. Lamb U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC)
Mike Markley NRC Andrea Russell NRC Jay Robinson NRC Malcolm Patterson NRC Shivani Mehta NRC Bob Pascarelli NRC Dawnmathews Kalathiveettil NRC Ed Miller NRC Ching Ng NRC Ben Rothschadl Southern Nuclear Operating Company (SNC)
Ryan Joyce SNC Carrie Gilbreath SNC Justin Wheat SNC Adam Quarles SNC Wes Sparkman SNC Jonathan Register SNC Charles Taylor Tennessee Valey Authority (TVA)
Gerry Kindred TVA Bob Post Enercon Stephen Dinsmore Public
PKG - ML25342A339 Meeting Notice - ML25323A120 SNC Slides - ML25366A068 Meeting Summary - ML25342A326 OFFICE DORL/LPL2-1/PM DORL/LPL2-1/LA DSS/STSB/BC DORL/LPL2-1/BC DORL/LPL2-1/PM NAME JLamb SLent SMehta MMarkley JLamb DATE 12/04/2025 12/09/2025 12/09/2025 12/09/2025 12/09/2025