83 FR 35029 - Southern Nuclear Operating Company, Inc.; Vogtle Electric Generating Plant, Units 3 and 4; Consistency and Clarification Changes to Annex Building, Auxiliary Building, and Basemat ITAAC

NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION

Federal Register Volume 83, Issue 142 (July 24, 2018)

Page Range		35029-35031
FR Document		2018-15783

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is granting an exemption to allow a departure from the certification information of Tier 1 of the generic design control document (DCD) and is issuing License Amendment Nos. 128 and 127 to Combined License (COL) Nos. NPF- 91 and NPF-92, respectively. The COLs were issued to Southern Nuclear Operating Company, Inc., and Georgia Power Company, Oglethorpe Power Corporation, MEAG Power SPVM, LLC, MEAG Power SPVJ, LLC, MEAG Power SPVP, LLC, and the City of Dalton, Georgia (the licensee); for construction and operation of the Vogtle Electric Generating Plant (VEGP) Units 3 and 4, located in Burke County, Georgia. The granting of the exemption allows the changes to Tier 1 information asked for in the amendment. Because the acceptability of the exemption was determined in part by the acceptability of the amendment, the exemption and amendment are being issued concurrently.

Federal Register, Volume 83 Issue 142 (Tuesday, July 24, 2018)

[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 142 (Tuesday, July 24, 2018)]
[Notices]
[Pages 35029-35031]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2018-15783]


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NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION

[Docket Nos. 52-025 and 52-026; NRC-2008-0252]


Southern Nuclear Operating Company, Inc.; Vogtle Electric 
Generating Plant, Units 3 and 4; Consistency and Clarification Changes 
to Annex Building, Auxiliary Building, and Basemat ITAAC

AGENCY: Nuclear Regulatory Commission.

ACTION: Exemption and combined license amendment; issuance.

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SUMMARY: The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is granting an 
exemption to allow a departure from the certification information of 
Tier 1 of the generic design control document (DCD) and is issuing 
License Amendment Nos. 128 and 127 to Combined License (COL) Nos. NPF-
91 and NPF-92, respectively. The COLs were issued to Southern Nuclear 
Operating Company, Inc., and Georgia Power Company, Oglethorpe Power 
Corporation, MEAG Power SPVM, LLC, MEAG Power SPVJ, LLC, MEAG Power 
SPVP, LLC, and the City of Dalton, Georgia (the licensee); for 
construction and operation of the Vogtle Electric Generating Plant 
(VEGP) Units 3 and 4, located in Burke County, Georgia.
    The granting of the exemption allows the changes to Tier 1 
information asked for in the amendment. Because the acceptability of 
the exemption was determined in part by the acceptability of the 
amendment, the exemption and amendment are being issued concurrently.

DATES: The exemption and amendment were issued on June 27, 2018.

ADDRESSES: Please refer to Docket ID NRC-2008-0252 when contacting the 
NRC about the availability of information regarding this document. You 
may obtain publicly-available information related to this document 
using any of the following methods:
     Federal Rulemaking Website: Go to http://www.regulations.gov and search for Docket ID NRC-2008-0252. Address 
questions about NRC dockets to Jennifer Borges, telephone: 301-287-
9127; email: [email protected]. For technical questions, contact 
the individual listed in the FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT section of 
this document.
     NRC's Agencywide Documents Access and Management System 
(ADAMS): You may obtain publicly-available documents online in the 
ADAMS Public Documents collection at http://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/adams.html. To begin the search, select ``ADAMS Public Documents'' and 
then 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, 301-415-4737, or by email to [email protected]. The 
ADAMS accession number for each document referenced (if it is available 
in ADAMS) is provided the first time that it is mentioned in this 
document. The request for the amendment and exemption was submitted by 
letter dated December 15, 2017 (ADAMS Accession No. ML17349A924), as 
supplemented by letter dated April 6, 2018 (ADAMS Accession No. 
ML18096A718).
     NRC's PDR: You may examine and purchase copies of public 
documents at the NRC's PDR, Room O1-F21, One

[[Page 35030]]

White Flint North, 11555 Rockville Pike, Rockville, Maryland 20852.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Chandu Patel, Office of New Reactors, 
U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Washington, DC 20555-0001; 
telephone: 301-415-3025; email: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Introduction

    The NRC is granting an exemption from paragraph B of section III, 
``Scope and Contents,'' of appendix D, ``Design Certification Rule for 
the AP1000,'' to part 52 of title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations 
(10 CFR), and issuing License Amendment Nos. 128 and 127 to COL Nos. 
NPF-91 and NPF-92, respectively, to the licensee. The exemption is 
required by paragraph A.4 of section VIII, ``Processes for Changes and 
Departures,'' appendix D, to 10 CFR part 52 to allow the licensee to 
depart from Tier 1 information. With the requested amendment, the 
licensee sought proposed changes to plant-specific DCD Tier 2 and Tier 
2* information and related changes to plant-specific Tier 1 
information, with corresponding changes to Inspections, Tests, 
Analyses, and Acceptance Criteria (ITAAC) in COL Appendix C. 
Specifically, the proposed changes clarify the thickness of the Nuclear 
Island Basemat, revise wall thicknesses and descriptions in the 
Auxiliary Building, and clarify floor thicknesses in the Annex 
Building.
    Part of the justification for granting the exemption was provided 
by the review of the amendment. Because the exemption is necessary in 
order to issue the requested license amendment, the NRC granted the 
exemption and issued the amendment concurrently, rather than in 
sequence. This included issuing a combined safety evaluation containing 
the NRC staff's review of both the exemption request and the license 
amendment. The exemption met all applicable regulatory criteria set 
forth in sections 50.12, 52.7, and section VIII.A.4 of appendix D to 10 
CFR part 52. The license amendment was found to be acceptable as well. 
The combined safety evaluation is available in ADAMS under Accession 
No. ML18138A252.
    Identical exemption documents (except for referenced unit numbers 
and license numbers) were issued to the licensee for VEGP Units 3 and 4 
(COL Nos. NPF-91 and NPF-92). The exemption documents for VEGP Units 3 
and 4 can be found in ADAMS under Accession Nos. ML18138A246 and 
ML18138A247, respectively. The exemption is reproduced (with the 
exception of abbreviated titles and additional citations) in Section II 
of this document. The amendment documents for COL Nos. NPF-91 and NPF-
92 are available in ADAMS under Accession Nos. ML18138A248 and 
ML18138A250, respectively. A summary of the amendment documents is 
provided in Section III of this document.

II. Exemption

    Reproduced below is the exemption document issued to VEGP Units 3 
and Unit 4. It makes reference to the combined safety evaluation that 
provides the reasoning for the findings made by the NRC (and listed 
under Item 1) in order to grant the exemption:
    1. In a letter dated December 15, 2017, as supplemented by letter 
dated April 6, 2018, the Southern Nuclear Operating Company (SNC) 
requested from the Commission an exemption to allow departures from 
Tier 1 information in the certified DCD incorporated by reference in 10 
CFR part 52, Appendix D, as part of license amendment request 17-040, 
``Consistency and Clarification Changes to Annex Building, Auxiliary 
Building and Basemat ITAAC.''
    For the reasons set forth in Section 3.2 of the NRC staff's Safety 
Evaluation, which can be found in ADAMS under Accession No. 
ML18138A252, the Commission finds that:
    A. The exemption is authorized by law;
    B. the exemption presents no undue risk to public health and 
safety;
    C. the exemption is consistent with the common defense and 
security;
    D. special circumstances are present in that the application of the 
rule in this circumstance is not necessary to serve the underlying 
purpose of the rule;
    E. the special circumstances outweigh any decrease in safety that 
may result from the reduction in standardization caused by the 
exemption; and
    F. the exemption will not result in a significant decrease in the 
level of safety otherwise provided by the design.
    2. Accordingly, SNC is granted an exemption from the certified DCD 
Tier 1 information, with corresponding changes to Appendix C of the 
Facility Combined License, as described in the licensee's request dated 
December 15, 2017, as supplemented by letter dated April 6, 2018. This 
exemption is related to, and necessary for the granting of License 
Amendment No. 128 (Unit 3) and No. 127 (Unit 4), which is being issued 
concurrently with this exemption.
    3. As explained in Section 5.0 of the NRC staff's Safety Evaluation 
(ADAMS Accession No. ML18138A252), this exemption meets the eligibility 
criteria for categorical exclusion set forth in 10 CFR 51.22(c)(9). 
Therefore, pursuant to 10 CFR 51.22(b), no environmental impact 
statement or environmental assessment needs to be prepared in 
connection with the issuance of the exemption.
    4. This exemption is effective as of the date of its issuance.

III. License Amendment Request

    By letter dated December 15, 2017 (ADAMS Accession No. 
ML17349A924), as supplemented by letter dated April 6, 2018 (ADAMS 
Accession No. ML18096A718), the licensee requested that the NRC amend 
the COLs for VEGP, Units 3 and 4, COL Nos. NPF-91 and NPF-92. The 
proposed amendment is described in Section I of this Federal Register 
notice.
    The Commission has determined for these amendments that the 
application complies with the standards and requirements of the Atomic 
Energy Act of 1954, as amended (the Act), and the Commission's rules 
and regulations. The Commission has made appropriate findings as 
required by the Act and the Commission's rules and regulations in 10 
CFR chapter I, which are set forth in the license amendment.
    A notice of consideration of issuance of amendment to facility 
operating license or COL, as applicable, proposed no significant 
hazards consideration determination, and opportunity for a hearing in 
connection with these actions, was published in the Federal Register on 
March 6, 2018 (83 FR 9555). No comments were received during the 30-day 
comment period.
    The Commission has determined that these amendments satisfy the 
criteria for categorical exclusion in accordance with 10 CFR 51.22. 
Therefore, pursuant to 10 CFR 51.22(b), no environmental impact 
statement or environmental assessment need be prepared for these 
amendments.

IV. Conclusion

    Using the reasons set forth in the combined safety evaluation, the 
staff granted the exemptions and issued the amendments that the 
licensee requested on December 15, 2017, as supplemented by letter 
dated April 6, 2018.
    The exemptions and amendments were issued on June 27, 2018, as part 
of a combined package to the licensee (ADAMS Accession No. 
ML18138A244).

    Dated at Rockville, Maryland, this 19th day of July 2018.


[[Page 35031]]


    For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.

Paul B. Kallan,
Acting Chief, Licensing Branch 4, Division of Licensing, Siting, and 
Environmental Analysis, Office of New Reactors.
[FR Doc. 2018-15783 Filed 7-23-18; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7590-01-P

35030 Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 142 / Tuesday, July 24, 2018 / Notices

White Flint North, 11555 Rockville exception of abbreviated titles and for categorical exclusion set forth in 10
Pike, Rockville, Maryland 20852. additional citations) in Section II of this CFR 51.22(c)(9). Therefore, pursuant to
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: document. The amendment documents 10 CFR 51.22(b), no environmental
Chandu Patel, Office of New Reactors, for COL Nos. NPF–91 and NPF–92 are impact statement or environmental
U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, available in ADAMS under Accession assessment needs to be prepared in
Washington, DC 20555–0001; telephone: Nos. ML18138A248 and ML18138A250, connection with the issuance of the
301–415–3025; email: Chandu.Patel@ respectively. A summary of the exemption.
nrc.gov. amendment documents is provided in
Section III of this document. 4. This exemption is effective as of the
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: date of its issuance.
II. Exemption
I. Introduction III. License Amendment Request
Reproduced below is the exemption
The NRC is granting an exemption
document issued to VEGP Units 3 and By letter dated December 15, 2017
from paragraph B of section III, ‘‘Scope
Unit 4. It makes reference to the (ADAMS Accession No. ML17349A924),
and Contents,’’ of appendix D, ‘‘Design
combined safety evaluation that as supplemented by letter dated April 6,
Certification Rule for the AP1000,’’ to
provides the reasoning for the findings 2018 (ADAMS Accession No.
part 52 of title 10 of the Code of Federal
made by the NRC (and listed under Item ML18096A718), the licensee requested
Regulations (10 CFR), and issuing
1) in order to grant the exemption: that the NRC amend the COLs for VEGP,
License Amendment Nos. 128 and 127 1. In a letter dated December 15, 2017,
to COL Nos. NPF–91 and NPF–92, Units 3 and 4, COL Nos. NPF–91 and
as supplemented by letter dated April 6, NPF–92. The proposed amendment is
respectively, to the licensee. The 2018, the Southern Nuclear Operating
exemption is required by paragraph A.4 described in Section I of this Federal
Company (SNC) requested from the
of section VIII, ‘‘Processes for Changes Register notice.
Commission an exemption to allow
and Departures,’’ appendix D, to 10 CFR departures from Tier 1 information in The Commission has determined for
part 52 to allow the licensee to depart the certified DCD incorporated by these amendments that the application
from Tier 1 information. With the reference in 10 CFR part 52, Appendix complies with the standards and
requested amendment, the licensee D, as part of license amendment request requirements of the Atomic Energy Act
sought proposed changes to plant- 17–040, ‘‘Consistency and Clarification of 1954, as amended (the Act), and the
specific DCD Tier 2 and Tier 2* Changes to Annex Building, Auxiliary Commission’s rules and regulations.
information and related changes to Building and Basemat ITAAC.’’ The Commission has made appropriate
plant-specific Tier 1 information, with For the reasons set forth in Section 3.2 findings as required by the Act and the
corresponding changes to Inspections, of the NRC staff’s Safety Evaluation, Commission’s rules and regulations in
Tests, Analyses, and Acceptance which can be found in ADAMS under 10 CFR chapter I, which are set forth in
Criteria (ITAAC) in COL Appendix C. Accession No. ML18138A252, the the license amendment.
Specifically, the proposed changes Commission finds that:
clarify the thickness of the Nuclear A notice of consideration of issuance
A. The exemption is authorized by
Island Basemat, revise wall thicknesses law; of amendment to facility operating
and descriptions in the Auxiliary B. the exemption presents no undue license or COL, as applicable, proposed
Building, and clarify floor thicknesses risk to public health and safety; no significant hazards consideration
in the Annex Building. C. the exemption is consistent with determination, and opportunity for a
Part of the justification for granting the common defense and security; hearing in connection with these
the exemption was provided by the D. special circumstances are present actions, was published in the Federal
review of the amendment. Because the in that the application of the rule in this Register on March 6, 2018 (83 FR 9555).
exemption is necessary in order to issue circumstance is not necessary to serve No comments were received during the
the requested license amendment, the the underlying purpose of the rule; 30-day comment period.
NRC granted the exemption and issued E. the special circumstances outweigh The Commission has determined that
the amendment concurrently, rather any decrease in safety that may result these amendments satisfy the criteria for
than in sequence. This included issuing from the reduction in standardization categorical exclusion in accordance
a combined safety evaluation containing caused by the exemption; and
the NRC staff’s review of both the with 10 CFR 51.22. Therefore, pursuant
F. the exemption will not result in a
exemption request and the license significant decrease in the level of safety to 10 CFR 51.22(b), no environmental
amendment. The exemption met all otherwise provided by the design. impact statement or environmental
applicable regulatory criteria set forth in 2. Accordingly, SNC is granted an assessment need be prepared for these
sections 50.12, 52.7, and section exemption from the certified DCD Tier amendments.
VIII.A.4 of appendix D to 10 CFR part 1 information, with corresponding IV. Conclusion
52. The license amendment was found changes to Appendix C of the Facility
to be acceptable as well. The combined Combined License, as described in the Using the reasons set forth in the
safety evaluation is available in ADAMS licensee’s request dated December 15, combined safety evaluation, the staff
under Accession No. ML18138A252. 2017, as supplemented by letter dated granted the exemptions and issued the
Identical exemption documents April 6, 2018. This exemption is related amendments that the licensee requested
(except for referenced unit numbers and to, and necessary for the granting of on December 15, 2017, as supplemented
license numbers) were issued to the
jstallworth on DSKBBY8HB2PROD with NOTICES

License Amendment No. 128 (Unit 3) by letter dated April 6, 2018.
licensee for VEGP Units 3 and 4 (COL and No. 127 (Unit 4), which is being
The exemptions and amendments
Nos. NPF–91 and NPF–92). The issued concurrently with this
exemption documents for VEGP Units 3 were issued on June 27, 2018, as part of
exemption.
and 4 can be found in ADAMS under 3. As explained in Section 5.0 of the a combined package to the licensee
Accession Nos. ML18138A246 and NRC staff’s Safety Evaluation (ADAMS (ADAMS Accession No. ML18138A244).
ML18138A247, respectively. The Accession No. ML18138A252), this Dated at Rockville, Maryland, this 19th day
exemption is reproduced (with the exemption meets the eligibility criteria of July 2018.

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Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 142 / Tuesday, July 24, 2018 / Notices 35031

For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission. faxing a request to 202–326–4042; or burden of this collection of information
Paul B. Kallan, calling 202–326–4040 during normal is 1,770 hours and $439,500.
Acting Chief, Licensing Branch 4, Division business hours. (TTY users may call the Section 303(k) of the Employee
of Licensing, Siting, and Environmental Federal relay service toll-free at 1–800– Retirement Income Security Act of 1974
Analysis, Office of New Reactors. 877–8339 and ask to be connected to (ERISA) and section 430(k) of the
[FR Doc. 2018–15783 Filed 7–23–18; 8:45 am] 202–326–4040.) The reportable events Internal Revenue Code of 1986 (Code)
BILLING CODE 7590–01–P
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CORPORATION General Counsel for Regulatory Affairs
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Document Created: 2018-07-24 00:10:10
Document Modified: 2018-07-24 00:10:10

Category		Regulatory Information
Collection		Federal Register
sudoc Class		AE 2.7: GS 4.107: AE 2.106:
Publisher		Office of the Federal Register, National Archives and Records Administration
Section		Notices
Action		Exemption and combined license amendment; issuance.
Dates		The exemption and amendment were issued on June 27, 2018.
Contact		Chandu Patel, Office of New Reactors, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Washington, DC 20555-0001; telephone: 301-415-3025; email: [email protected]
FR Citation		83 FR 35029