ML25350C176
| ML25350C176 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Vallecitos Nuclear Center, 07000754, Vallecitos File:GEH Hitachi icon.png |
| Issue date: | 12/16/2025 |
| From: | State S NorthStar Vallecitos |
| To: | Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation, Document Control Desk, Office of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards |
| References | |
| NSV 25-024 | |
| Download: ML25350C176 (0) | |
Text
NorthStar Vallecitos, LLC 6705 Vallecitos Road Sunol, CA 94586 www.NorthStar.com Scott E. State, P.E., CEO/CNO sstate@NorthStar.com 212.951.3660 10 CFR 50.82(a)(9)
NSV 25-024 December 16, 2025 ATTN: Document Control Desk U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Washington, DC 20555-0001
SUBJECT:
Initial Decommissioning Funding Status Report Vallecitos Nuclear Center Docket Nos. 50-70, 50-73, 50-183 and 70-754 License Nos. TR-1, R-33, DR-10 and SNM-960
REFERENCES:
- 1. Letter, USNRC to NSV, "Issuance of Conforming License Amendments Related to Order Approving Transfer of the Vallecitos Nuclear Center Licenses (EPID 2023-LLO-0002)," dated March 14, 2025, (ML24053A122, ML24053A121 and ML24046A092).
- 2. Letter, USNRC to GEHA Regulatory Affairs., Order Approving Transfer of the Vallecitos Nuclear Center Licenses and Conforming License Amendment (EPID L-2023-LLO-0002), dated April 25, 2024 (ML24039A019).
- 3. Letter, USNRC to NSV, " Vallecitos Boiling Water Reactor Request for Exemption form License Termination Requirements in 10 CFR 20 and Request for License Termination - Approval, dated August 27, 2025 (ML25199A097 and ML25199A099)
On March 14th, 2025, the Vallecitos Nuclear Center Licenses were transferred from GE Hitachi Nuclear Energy to NorthStar Vallecitos, LLC (NSV) (Reference 1). Subsequent to the transfer, a request from the Staff was received regarding the trust fund amounts available for the completion of the license termination of the Vallecitos Boiling Water Reactor (VBWR) and Empire State Atomic Development Agency (ESADA) Vallecitos Experimental Superheat Reactor (EVESR) licenses1.
Consistent with the cost estimates provided in the license transfer application, the below table identifies that $10.970 and $15.999 (millions) is required to complete the decommissioning of the two subject licenses. The table below also identifies that this amount is currently in the trust fund and that the decommissioning of these two licenses does not depend upon a 2% rate of return on the trust.
Consistent with the license transfer application, Pre-Close activities were completed by NSV and paid for by GEH. This Pre-Close work primarily involved the removal and burial of the VBWR vessel.
1 The VBWR license was terminated on August 27, 2025 and the in-situ radioactive material was transferred to the EVESR license (Reference 3). The annual cash flow analysis in the below table reports out on expenses of the VBWR and EVESR as separate pay items (projects).
NSV 25-024 / Page 2 of 3 Vallecitos Nuclear Center - PROMPT DECON Methodology Annual Cash Flow Analysis - Total License Termination and Site Restoration (Thousands of Period of Performance Dollars) - See column definitions below Column 1 Column 2 Column 3 Column 4 Column 5 Column 6 Column 7 Column 8 Column 9 Column 10 Column 11 Column 12 Year VBWR EVESR GETR NTR SNM-960 and CA-017 Hot Cells, Labs, Hillside Storage, Waste Evaporator, Bldg. 340 SITE and FACILITY MANAGEMENT Total Expenses Beginning of Period Funded Balance Withdrawals Net Incremental Contributions &
(Distributions)
Annual Earnings on Fund End-Of-Year Fund Balance Pre-Close
$2,725
$31
$321
$0
$0
$0
$3,077
$115,000
$3,077
$0
$0
$111,923 2025
$7,351
$486
$0
$0
$4,444
$2,247
$14,528
$111,923
$14,528
$0
$1,948
$99,343 2026
$894
$8,429
$8,455
$0
$15,299
$2,720
$35,797
$99,343
$35,797
$0
$1,271
$64,817 2027
$0
$6,947
$9,188
$3,030
$8,190
$2,839
$30,195
$64,817
$30,195
$0
$692
$35,315 2028
$0
$106
$1,615
$2,433
$8,992
$2,839
$15,986
$35,315
$15,986
$0
$387
$19,716 2029
$0
$0
$108
$107
$531
$710
$1,456
$19,716
$1,456
$0
$365
$18,624 2030
$0
$0
$0
$0
$13,961
$0
$13,961
$18,624
$13,961
$0
$4,663 TOTAL
$10,970
$15,999
$19,688
$5,571
$51,418
$11,354
$115,000
$115,000
$115,000
$0
$4,663
$4,663 Column Definitions Column 1 - Reflects the Total Annual License Termination Plan cost or VBWR in period of performance dollars Column 2 - Reflects the Total Annual License Termination Plan cost for EVESR in period of performance dollars Column 3 - Reflects the Total Annual License Termination Plan cost for GETR in period of performance dollars Column 4 - Reflects the Total Annual License Termination Plan cost for NTR in period of performance dollars Column 5 - Reflects the Total Annual License Termination Plan cost for SNM-960 and CA-017 Hot Cells, Labs, Hillside Storage, Waste Evaporator, Bldg. 340 in period of performance dollars Column 6 - Reflects the Total Annual License Termination Plan cost for Site and Facility Management in period of performance dollars Column 7 - Reflects the Total Annual License Termination Plan costs for the Vallecitos Nuclear Center in period of performance dollars Column 8 - Reflects the Beginning Trust Fund Balance for the period Column 9 - Reflects Total Withdrawals from the Trust Fund for the period Column 10 - Reflects Net NorthStar Contributions / (Distributions) for the period Column 11 - Reflects earnings on funds remaining in the trust. A 2% Earnings rate is used over a 0% cost escalation rate.
Column 12 - Reflects Fund Balance on December 31 of each year (Column 8 minus Column 9 plus Column 10 plus Column 11)
NSV 25-024 / Page 3 of 3 The above table reflects the trust fund as of the date of the license transfer (March 14, 2025). As per the conforming amendment issued in the order authorizing the transfer of the licenses; pending the completion of the final radiation surveys that demonstrate that residual radioactivity has been reduced to a level that permits termination of the VBWR and EVESR licenses, NSV will annually submit to the NRC, by March 31, a decommissioning financial assurance status report consistent with 10 CFR 50.82(a)(8)(v) and 10 CFR 50.82(a)(8)(vi).
The above table documents that the requirements of 10 CFR 50.75 for decommissioning funding assurance for the EVESR and VBWR remain satisfied.
This letter contains no new regulatory commitments.
Should you have any questions concerning this letter, or require additional information, please contact Mr. Thomas B. Silko at (802) 451-5354, Ext 2506.
Sincerely, NorthStar Vallecitos, LLC Scott E. State, P.E., CEO/CNO cc: Director, Office of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Washington, DC 20555 Regional Administrator, Region 4 U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission 1600 East Lamar Boulevard Arlington, Texas 76011-4511 Radioactive Materials Licensing Section, Radiologic Health Branch, California Department of Public Health NorthStar Vallecitos, LLC