Text

Transmittal of 2015 Annual Non-Radiological Environmental Operating Report
	ML16119A507
Person / Time
Site:	Diablo Canyon
Issue date:	04/28/2016
From:	Welsch J; Pacific Gas & Electric Co
To:	; Document Control Desk, Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation
References
	DCL-16-055
	Download: ML16119A507 (7)
	v • d • e

Pacific Gas and Electric Company if}

James M. Welsch Diablo Canyon Power Plant Vice President, Nuclear Generation P.O. Box 56 Avila Beach, CA 93424 805.545.3242 E-Mail: JMW1 @pge.com April 28, 2016 PG&E Letter DCL-16-055 U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission ATTN: Document Control Desk Washington, DC 20555-0001 Docket No. 50-275, OL-DPR-80 Docket No. 50-323, OL-DPR-82 Diablo Canyon Power Plant, Units 1 and 2 2015 Annual Non-radiological Environmental Operating Report

Dear Commissioners and Staff:

Enclosed is the 2015 Annual Non-radiological Environmental Operating Report for Diablo Canyon Power Plant, Units 1 and 2, submitted in accordance with Subsection 5.4.1 of the Environmental Protection Plan, Appendix 8, of the Facility Operating Licenses DPR-80 and DPR-82.

Pacific Gas and Electric Company makes no new or revised regulatory commitments (as defined by NEI 99-04) in this letter.

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'=~ "Si..rro:e;/A..t#ec..sU-1 James M. Welsch Enclosure cc/enc: Marc L. Dapas, NRC Region IV Administrator John M. Robertson, Executive Officer CRWQCB Central Coast Region John P. Reyno~o, NRC Acting Senior Resident Inspector Balwant K. Singal, NRR Senior Project Manager Diablo Distribution A member of the STARS (Strategic Teaming and Resource Sharing) Alliance Callaway

Diablo Canyon

Palo Verde

Wolf Creek

Enclosure PG&E Letter DCL-16-055 2015 ANNUAL NON-RADIOLOGICAL ENVIRONMENTAL OPERATING REPORT DIABLO CANYON POWER PLANT, UNITS 1 AND 2 Pacific Gas & Electric Company April2016

Enclosure PG&E Letter DCL-16-055

1. Introduction Pacific Gas and Electric (PG&E) has prepared the 2015 Annual Non-radiological Environmental Operating Report in accordance with the Environmental Protection Plan (EPP), Appendix 8, of Facility Operating Licenses DPR-80 and DPR-82 for Diablo Canyon Power Plant (DCPP), Units 1 and 2. The report describes implementation of the EPP per the routine reporting requirements of EPP Subsection 5.4.1. PG&E remains committed to minimizing the environmental impact of operating DCPP.

2. Environmental Monitoring 2.1. Aquatic Issues Aquatic issues are addressed by the effluent limitations and receiving water monitoring/reporting requirements contained in the DCPP National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit. The NPDES permit includes applicable requirements of the California State Water Resources Control Board*s Ocean Plan and Thermal Plan.

2.1.1. Routine Influent and Effluent Monitoring During 2015, DCPP submitted quarterly NPDES reports containing routine influent and effluent monitoring data and permit compliance summaries to the Central Coast Regional Water Quality Control Board (CCRWQCB). The reports were submitted electronically during the month following the end of each quarter via the California Integrated Water Quality System (CIWQS),,an internet database application.

DCPP also submitted an annual NPDES report for 2015 to the CCRWQCB in February 2016 via the CIWQS application. The annual report _contained monitoring data summaries in tabular and graphical form, and a summary of permit compliance and corrective actions, as applicable, for 2015. Copies of the quarterly and annual reports were submitted concurrently in hardcopy format to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC).

2.1.2. Receiving Water Monitoring Program The NPDES Receiving Water Monitoring Program (RWMP), required by the CCRWQCB, included the ecological monitoring, temperature measurements, and State Mussel Watch activities.

Environmental monitoring programs have recorded biological changes in the discharge area since plant start-up. These programs monitor intertidal and subtidal communities of invertebrates, algae, and fish in the discharge cove and at stations north and south of DCPP. During 2015, environmental monitoring continued under the revised RWMP.

The revised RWMP continued historical monitoring tasks, including 1

Enclosure PG&E Letter DCL-16-055 temperature monitoring, State Mussel Watch activities, and intertidal and subtidal surveys (with additional stations and increased sampling frequencies).

The NPDES permit remains under administrative extension. In 2000, DCPP reached a tentative agreem'ent with CCRWQCB staff, which addressed current and future impacts on receiving waters from ongoing power plant cooling water discharge. This agreement, and the associated NPDES permit renewal application, did not receive the expected approvals from the CCRWQCB in July 2003. Currently, final resolution of outstanding issues related to receiving water impacts, as well as NPDES permit renewal, remain pending. Based on the tentative agreement, future receiving water monitoring requirements will be significantly reduced or potentially eliminated upon approval of a renewed NPDES permit. Power plant wastewater discharge effluent monitoring would continue under a revised NPDES permit.

PG&E Letter No. DCL-2015-523, "PG&E Diablo Canyon Power Plant (DCPP) Receiving Water Monitoring Program 2014 Annual Report,"

dated April 29, 2015, submitted the NPDES Receiving Water Monitoring Program: 2014 Annual Report. PG&E Letter No.

DCL-2016-518, "PG&E Diablo Canyon Power Plant (DCPP) Receiving Water Monitoring Program 2015 Annual Report," dated April27, 2016, submitted the NPDES Receiving Water Monitoring Program: 2015 Annual Report.

2.1.3. Thermal Effects Study DCPP submitted the final thermal effects comprehensive assessment report to the CCRWQCB and the NRC in PG&E Letter DCL-98-585, "Re: PG&E Diablo Canyon Submittal - Diablo Canyon Thermal Effects Analysis Report Chapter 2- Assessment of Thermal Effects,"

dated November 5, 1998.

2.1.4. 316(b) Studies PG&E Letter No. DCL-2000-514, "Re: PG&E Diablo Canyon Submittal

- Diablo Canyon Power Plant - 316(b) Demonstration Report" submitted the final 316(b) report to the CCRWQCB and the NRC on March 1, 2000.

2.2. Terrestrial Issues 2.2.1. Herbicide Application and Erosion Control Herbicides are used as one component of an overall land vegetation management program that includes transmission line corridors and rights-of-way. The company continues to use only Environmental 2

Enclosure PG&E Letter DCL-16-055 Protection Agency (EPA) and/or state-approved herbicides and applies them in accordance with all applicable regulations.

Another component of the vegetation management program is mastication. Mastication is utilized to reduce fuel loads, create fire breaks, maintain line clearance, and increase line of sight in rights-of-ways. Mastication is a vegetation management tool that reduces ground disturbance and is effective at controlling vegetation when used in conjunction with herbicides.

PG&E continues to implement erosion control activities at the plant site and in the transmission line corridors as part of an overall land management program. These erosion control activities consist of routine maintenance and prevention efforts performed periodically on an as-needed basis, including seasonal storm and wildfire damage repair.

2.2.2. Preservation of Archaeological Resources A. CA-SL0-2 Site Management Archaeological site CA-SL0-2 is managed in compliance with the Archaeological Resource Management Plan (ARMP) and DCPP Interdepartmental Administrative Procedure EV1.1D2, "CA-SL0-2 Site Management." All projects undertaken within site CA-SL0-2, or immediately adjacent, are reviewed to determine whether archaeological deposits associated with the site are present and, if so, an impact assessment is completed. PG&E would invoke the notification, monitoring and mitigation procedures identified in the ARMP if a project-related impact is identified.

The annual photo-monitoring of CA-SL0-2 was completed on October 12, 2015 by the PG&E Senior Cultural Resource Specialist.

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Enclosure PG&E Letter DCL-16-055 The overall condition of site CA-SL0-2 is stable, with the exception of areas on the western and southwestern margins of the site that are subject to natural erosion of the marine terrace. In addition, erosion of the steep road cut on the eastern margin of the site continues at a gradual pace despite soil stabilization and revegetation work completed in late 2011 . Nonetheless, no significant changes were observed since the last monitoring event completed in 2014. The barriers in place along the established road ways have proven effective in keeping vehicular traffic off of sensitive portions of the site and restricting traffic to previously disturbed areas. The signage around site CA-SL0-2 is in place and in very good shape, instructing all visitors to contact DCPP Management prior to entering the controlled site boundary.

Dense vegetation that covers much of the site has stabilized loose soil, limiting erosion and obscuring surface artifacts. Localized erosion along Diablo Creek Road may be addressed through revegetation measures during the fall of 2016 if enough moisture is forecast to sustain the plantings. The gradual loss of deposits along portions of the marine terrace subject to natural erosion is being monitored.

B. Northern Chumash Correspondence Over the course of 2015, PG&E corresponded and met with representatives of the local Northern Chumash community in connection with projects and land stewardship initiatives unrelated to the management of CA-SL0-2. No Native American site visits were made to CA-SL0-2 in 2015.

3. Unusual or Important Environmental Events There were no unusual or important environmental events during 2015.

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