ML042780535

Vermont Yankee - NRC Staff Answer to Request for Hearing of New England Coalition

ML042780535
Person / Time
Site:	Vermont Yankee
Issue date:	09/29/2004
From:	Higgins M, Poole B, Robert Weisman NRC/OGC
To:	Atomic Safety and Licensing Board Panel
Byrdsong A T
References
50-271-OLA, ASLBP 04-832-02-OLA, RAS 8549
Download: ML042780535 (26)

Text

September 29, 2004 UNITED STATES OF AMERICA NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION BEFORE THE ATOMIC SAFETY AND LICENSING BOARD In the Matter of )

ENTERGY NUCLEAR VERMONT YANKEE ) Docket No. 50-271-OLA LLC and ENTERGY NUCLEAR )

OPERATIONS, INC. ) ASLBP No. 04-832-02-OLA (Vermont Yankee Nuclear Power Station) )

NRC STAFF ANSWER TO REQUEST FOR HEARING OF NEW ENGLAND COALITION INTRODUCTION Pursuant to 10 C.F.R. § 2.309(h)(1), the Staff of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission

("NRC" or "Commission") hereby answers the "New England Coalition's Request for Hearing, Demonstration of Standing, Discussion of Scope of Proceeding and Contentions" ("Petition"). As discussed below, the Staff does not contest the standing of the New England Coalition ("NEC" or TPetitioner") to seek a hearing in this matter. Further, for the reasons set forth below, the Staff opposes admission of NEC's proposed contentions, with the exception of Proposed Contention 4.

BACKGROUND By letter dated September 10, 2003, Entergy Vermont Yankee, LLC and Entergy Nuclear Operations, Inc. (collectively, "Entergy" or "Applicant") submitted an application for an amendment to the operating license for the Vermont Yankee Nuclear Power Station ("VYNPS").' The proposed amendment would change the VYNPS operating license to increase the maximum authorized power level from 1593 megawatts thermal ("MWt") to 1912 MWt. This requested change, I See Letter from J.K. Thayer, Entergy, to the NRC Document Control Desk, "Vermont Yankee Nuclear Power Station, License No. DPR-28 (Docket No. 50-271), Technical Specification Proposed Change No. 263, Extended Power Uprate," dated September 10, 2003 (uApplication").

designated an "extended power uprate ("EPU")," 2 represents an increase of approximately twenty percent above the current maximum authorized power level. The proposed amendment would also change the VYNPS technical specifications to provide for implementing uprated power operation.

On July 1, 2004, the NRC published in the Federal Register a notice of consideration of issuance of the proposed amendment and opportunity for a hearing.' In response to this notice, NEC timely filed its Petition on August 30, 2004.4 DISCUSSION I. Leqal Standards A. Legal Standards Governing Standing Any person who requests a hearing or seeks to intervene in a Commission proceeding must demonstrate that he or she has standing to do so. Section 189a. of the Atomic Energy Act of 1954, as amended ("AEA"), 42 U.S.C. § 2239(a), instructs the Commission to grant a hearing upon the request of "any person whose interest may be affected by the proceeding." Commission regulations require that a petitioner demonstrate standing under the provisions of 2 Power uprates are categorized based on the magnitude of the power increase and the methods used to achieve the increase. "Measurement uncertainty recapture" uprates result in power level increases that are generally less than 2 percent add are achieved by implementing enhanced techniques for measuring reactor power. "Stretch power" uprates typically result in power level increases that are up to 7 percent and do not generally involve major plant modifications. EPUs result in power level increases that are greater than stretch power uprates and may involve significant modifications to major balance-of-plant equipment such as the high pressure turbines, condensate pumps and motors, main generators, and/or transformers.

3 See Entergy Nuclear Vermont Yankee, LLC and Entergy Nuclear Operations, Inc.; Notice of Consideration of Issuance of Amendment to Facility Operating License and Opportunity for a Hearing, 69 Fed. Reg. 39,976 (July 1, 2004).

4 The certificate of service indicates that the Petition was filed by both first-class and electronic mail on August 30,2004. The Staff's e-mail records indicate that the electronic filing was transmitted to the Staff on August 31, 2004. Therefore, the Staff considers the Petition to be timely filed by first-class mail on August 30,2004, and calculated its response time accordingly, pursuant to 10 C.F.R. § 2.306.

10 C.F.R. § 2.309(d) and proffer at least one admissible contention. 10 C.F.R. § 2.309(a).

Section 2.309(d) requires that a petition or request to intervene state the following:

(i) the name, address and telephone number of the requester or petitioner; (ii) the nature of the requestor's/petitioner's right under the Act to be made a party to the proceeding; (iii) the nature and extent of the requestor's/petitioner's property, financial or other interest in the proceeding; and (iv) the possible effect of any decision or order that may be issued in the proceeding on the requestor's/petitioner's interest.

The Commission traditionally looks to judicial concepts of standing when determining whether a petitioner has established the necessary "interest," as required under § 2.309(d)(iv).

See, e.g., Private Fuel Storage, L.L.C. (Independent Spent Fuel Storage Installation), CLI-99-10, 49 NRC 318,322-23 (1999); YankeeAtomicElec. Co. (Yankee Nuclear Power Station), CLI-98-21, 48 NRC 185, 195 (1998) ("Yankee Rowe"). 5 Federal jurisprudence requires the petitioner to demonstrate that: (1) he or she has suffered a distinct and palpable harm that constitutes injury in fact within the zone of interests arguable protected by the governing statute6; (2) the injury can be fairly traced to the challenged action; and (3) the injury is likely to be redressed by a favorable decision. See, e.g., Steel Co. v. Citizens for a Better Env't, 523 U.S. 83, 103-04 (1998);

5 Although the Commission recently revised its Rules of Practice at 10 C.F.R. Part 2, see Final Rule, Changes to Adjudicatory Process, 69 Fed. Reg. 2182 (Jan. 14, 2004), the essence of standing requirements remains unchanged. Compare 10 C.F.R. § 2.309 (69 Fed. Reg. at 2238-40), with 10 C.F.R. § 2.714 (2003); see also 69 Fed. Reg. at 2220 (noting that § 2.309 continues to treat standing as it was under § 2.714 and that the "Commission expects its boards and presiding officers to look to the ample NRC caselaw on standing to interpret and apply this standard").

6 In Commission proceedings, the injury must fall within the zone of interests sought to be protected by the AEA or the National Environmental Policy Act ("NEPA"). Quivira Mining Co.

(Ambrosia Lake Facility), CLI-98-11, 48 NRC 1, 6 (1998).

Kelley v. Selin, 42 F.3d 1501, 1508 (6th Cir. 1995). The injury in fact must also be "concrete and particularized" and "actual or imminent, not conjectural or hypothetical." Lujan v. Defenders of Wildlife, 504 U.S. 555, 560 (1992). A petitioner must have a "real stake" in the outcome of the proceeding, and while this stake need not be "substantial," it must be "actual," "direct," or "genuine."

Houston Lighting & Power Co. (South Texas Project, Units 1 & 2), LBP-79-10, 9 NRC 439, 447-48 (1979), aff'dALAB-549, 9 NRC 644 (1979).

An organization may establish standing intwo ways: basing it either upon the interest of at least one of its members who has authorized the organization to represent him or her (i.e., representational standing) or upon the licensing action's effect upon the interest of the petitioning organization itself (i.e., organizational standing). See Yankee Rowe, CLI-98-21, 48 NRC at 195. When an organization asserts a right to represent the interests of its members, judicial concepts of standing require a showing that: (1) its member(s) would otherwise have standing to sue in their own right; (2) the interests that the organization seeks to protect are germane to its purpose; and (3) neither the claim asserted nor the relief requested requires an individual member to participate inthe organization's lawsuit. See Private FuelStorage, CLI-99-10, 49 NRC at 323, citing Hunt v. Washington State Apple Advertising Comm'n, 432 U.S. 333, 343 (1977). The Commission also requires that the organization: (1) identify at least one of its members by name and address; (2) demonstrate how that member may be affected by the licensing action; and (3)show that at least one of its members has authorized it to represent the member's interest. Yankee Atomic Elec. Co. (Yankee Nuclear Power Station), LBP-98-12, 47 NRC 343, 354, aff'd in part, rev'd in part, CLI-98-21, 48 NRC 185 (1998). An organization seeking to intervene in its own right (i.e., based on organizational standing) must demonstrate a palpable injury in fact to its organizational interests that iswithin the zone of interests protected by the AEA or the NEPA. See Yankee Atomic Elec. Co. (Yankee Nuclear Power Station), CLI-94-3,

39 NRC 95, 102 n.1 0 (1994); Florida Power & Light Co. (Turkey Point Nuclear Generating Plant, Units 3 & 4), ALAB-952, 33 NRC 521, 528-30 (1991).

In addition, the Commission has recognized standing based on a petitioner's proximity to the facility at issue. See Tenn. Valley Auth. (Sequoyah Nuclear Plant, Units 1 & 2; Watts Bar Nuclear Plant, Unit 1), LBP-02-14,56 NRC 15,23 (2002). This recognition "presumes a petitioner has standing to intervene without the need specifically to plead injury, causation, and redressability if the petitioner lives within, or otherwise has frequent contacts with, the zone of possible harm from the nuclear reactor or other source of radioactivity." Id., citing Florida Power & Light Co.,

(Turkey Point Nuclear Generating Plant, Units 3 & 4), LBP-01 -6, 53 NRC 138,146 (2001), affd on other grounds, CLI-01-17, 54 NRC 3 (2001). In construction permit and operating license proceedings, the presumption generally applies to petitioners residing within fifty miles of a reactor.

See Sequoyah Fuels Corp. & Gen. Atomics (Gore, Oklahoma Site), CLI-94-12, 40 NRC 64, 75 n.22 (1994). In an operating license amendment proceeding, a petitioner cannot base his or her standing on proximity unless the proposed action quite "obvious[ly]" entails an increased potential for offsite consequences. Commonwealth Edison Co. (Zion Nuclear Power Station, Units I & 2), CLI-99-4, 49 NRC 185, 191 (1999), pet. for rev. denied sub nom. Dienethal v. NRC, 203 F.3d 52 (D.C. Cir. 2000). To determine whether the petitioner is within the potential zone of harm of the proposed action, the nature of the proposed action and the significance of the radioactive source must be examined. See Sequoyah/VWatts Bar, LBP-02-14, 56 NRC at 23. This demonstration must be determined on a case-by-case basis by examining the significance of the radioactive source in relation to the distance involved and the type of action proposed.

See Georgia Inst. of Tech. (Georgia Tech Research Reactor, Atlanta, Georgia), CLI-95-12, 42 NRC 111, 116-17, citing Sequoyah Fuels, CLI-94-12, 40 NRC at 75 n.22.

B. Legal Standards Governing the Admission of Contentions To gain admission to a proceeding as a party, a petitioner must submit at least one admissible contention that meets the requirements of 10 C.F.R. § 2.309(f). 10 C.F.R. § 2.309(a).

This.regulation requires a petitioner to:

(i) provide a specific statement of the issue of law or fact to be raised or controverted; (ii) provide a brief explanation of the basis for the contention; (iii) demonstrate that the issue raised in the contention is within the scope of the proceeding; (iv) demonstrate that the issue raised in the contention is material to the findings the NRC must make to support the action that is involved in the proceeding; (v) provide a concise statement of the alleged facts or expert opinions which support the requestor's/petitioner's position on the issue and on which the petitioner intends to rely at hearing, together with references to the specific sources and documents on which the requestor/petitioner intends to rely to support its position on the issue; and (vi) provide sufficient information to show that a genuine dispute exists with the applicant/licensee on a material issue of law or fact. This information must include references to specific portions of the application (including the applicant's environmental report and safety report) that the petitioner disputes and the supporting reasons for each dispute, or, if the petitioner believes that the application fails to contain information on a relevant matter as required by law, the identification of each failure and the supporting reasons for the petitioner's belief.

10 C.F.R. § 2.309(f)(1).' The Commission has emphasized that its rules on contention admissibility establish an evidentiary threshold more demanding than a mere pleading requirement and are "strict by design." Dominion Nuclear Conn., Inc. (Millstone Nuclear Power Station, Units 2 & 3),

CLI-01-24, 54 NRC 349, 358 (2001), pet. for reconsideration denied, CLI-02-1, 55 NRC 1 (2002).

7 Although the Commission recently revised its Rules of Practice at 10 C.F.R. Part 2, the provisions of § 2.309 "incorporate the longstanding contention support requirements of former

§ 2.714 - no contention will be admitted for litigation in any NRC adjudicatory proceeding unless these requirements are met." 69 Fed. Reg. at 2221.

Failure to comply with any of these requirements is grounds for dismissing a contention. See PFS, CLI-99-10, 49 NRC at 325.

The contentions should refer to the specific documents or other sources of which the petitioner is aware and upon which he or she intends to rely in establishing the validity of the contentions. Millstone, CLI-01-24, 54 NRC at 358, citing Duke Energy Corp. (Oconee Nuclear Station, Units 1,2 & 3), CLI-99-11,49 NRC 328,333 (1999). The petitioner must submit more than "bald or conclusory allegation[s]" of a dispute with the applicant. Id. Finally, "it has been recognized that '[t]he reach of a contention necessarily hinges upon its terms coupled with its stated bases."' System Energy Resources, Inc. (Early Site Permit for Grand Gulf ESP Site),

LBP-04-19, 60 NRC _ (Aug. 6, 2004), slip op. at 13, citing Pub. Serv. Co. of N.H.

(Seabrook Station, Units 1 & 2), ALAB-899, 28 NRC 93, 97 (1998), affid sub nom.

Massachusetts v. NRC, 924 F.2d 311 (D.C. Cir.), cert. denied, 502 U.S. 899 (1991); Duke Energy Corp. (McGuire Nuclear Station, Units 1 & 2; Catawba Nuclear Station, Units 1 & 2), CLI-02-28, 56 NRC 373, 379 (2002).

II. Standing of NEC To satisfy representational standing requirements, NEC must show that at least one member, who possesses standing in his or her individual capacity, has authorized NEC to represent him or her. See Private Fuel Storage, L.L.C. (Independent Spent Fuel Storage Installation), CLI-98-13, 48 NRC 26, 31 (1998). NEC claims representational standing through members Diana Sidebotham, Sarah Kotkov, Charles Butterfield, Paul Sather, Richard Schmid, Mary King, and William Murray. Petition at 2. These seven members have all authorized NEC to represent them in this matter, and, therefore, the Staff looks to whether any of these members would have standing in his or her individual capacity. Such a showing may be demonstrated either by satisfying all the elements of standing (injury in fact, causality, and redressability), or by proximity alone, if there is an obvious potential for offsite consequences. See Pac. Gas &Elec. Co.

(Diablo Canyon Power Plant Independent Spent Fuel Storage Installation), LBP-02-23, 56 NRC 413, 426-28 (2002).

An obvious potential for offsite consequences has been found when there is a greater likelihood of a release of radioactivity if the license amendment is granted. See, e.g.,

Dominion Nuclear Conn., Inc. (Millstone Nuclear Power Station, Unit 2), LBP-03-3, 57 NRC 45, 61 (2003) (granting standing based on proximity due to a greater likelihood of a release of radioactivity in the event of an accident for a license amendment dealing with changes in fuel movement operations, where containment penetrations would be left open, rather than automatically closing); Sequoyah/Watts Bar, LBP-02-14, 56 NRC at 25 (explaining that the proximity presumption does not require a showing of causality and that the inquiry should focus on the nature of the action and the significance of the radioactive source). If the EPU amendment is granted, and Entergy operates VYNPS at the requested power level, there would be an increase in the radioactivity of the reactor core. Therefore, for the purpose of demonstrating standing on the basis of proximity, the Staff does not dispute that the proposed license amendment has the potential for offsite consequences. Therefore, it is only necessary to determine that one of the representative members lives close enough to be within the potential zone of harm, which is presumed to be fifty miles. See, e.g., Turkey Point, LBP-01-6, 53 NRC at 148-49.

NEC's representative members, all of whom state that they reside within one to fifteen miles of VYNPS, 8 are concerned that the proposed EPU could increase both the potential for an accident 8 See Petition, Exhibit C,Decl. of Diana Sidebotham (residence approximately fifteen miles from VYNPS); Decl. of Sarah Kotkov (residence within ten miles of VYNPS); Decl. of Charles Butterfield (residence approximately five miles from the VYNPS); Decl. of Paul Sather (residence approximately one mile from VYNPS); Decl. of Richard Schmid (residence within ten miles of VYNPS); Decl. of Mary King (residence approximately four miles from VYNPS); Decl. of William F. Murray (residence approximately four miles from the VYNPS).

and the harmful consequences of an offsite radiological release from the plant.9 They further assert, among other things, that increasing reactor thermal power will "increase[ ] the amount of radioactive material available to be released to the environment in an accident," and that "such accident releases will cause an increased health risk" to themselves and their families, as well as contamination risk to their property. Id. E 5. The Staff is satisfied that NEC has demonstrated representational standing."0 Ill. NEC's Proposed Contentions The Staff respectfully submits that a review of the proposed contentions filed by NEC in this proceeding, in light of the established requirements set forth in the previous section, demonstrates that the contentions should not be admitted except for Proposed Contention 4. The Staff discusses the proposed contentions seriatim as they appear in Petitioner's filing.

A. Proposed Contention 1

[NEC] contends that an Extended Power Uprate license amendment approval should not be considered until the potential effect of a reduced QA/QC program is investigated and analyzed.

10 C.F.R. § 50.54 details the requirement for maintaining a quality assurance program. Any changes requiring a reduction in the program must be submitted to NRC.

Petition at 9.

In this proposed contention, NEC asserts, in essence, that the EPU amendment should not be considered because the VYNPS quality assurance ("QA") program does not comply with 10 C.F.R. § 50.54. As basis for this statement, NEC cites to an internal Entergy memorandum that 9 See Sidebotham, Murray, King, Butterfield, Kotkov, and Sather Decls. 1 4.

10 NEC has also claimed organizational standing, based on the location of its offices within ten miles of VYNPS and NEC's view that the proposed uprate could, by increasing the risk and harmful consequences of an offsite release from the plant, affect the value of its property and interfere with the organization's rightful ability to conduct operations in an uninterrupted and undisturbed manner. See Petition, Exhibit B, Decl. of Pamela Long. The Staff does not oppose NEC's claim of organizational standing.

pertains to the company's initiative to align certain QA functions across its fleet of reactors."

In particular, NEC cites to a section of the memorandum addressing the applicability of the alignment to VYNPS. The memorandum states, inter alia, 'There is no QC (quality control]

inspection group to transition."

NEC's proffered basis is insufficient to demonstrate the admissibility of this proposed contention. As an initial matter, the memorandum, on its face, does not indicate that the VYNPS QA program does not comply with applicable NRC regulations. At most, the memorandum suggests that the organization of the QA program at VYNPS (or some component thereof) differs from that of other facilities in the Entergy fleet. Quite simply, without more, this assertion does not raise a genuine dispute with the applicant on a material issue of law or fact.

See 10 C.F.R. § 2.309(f)(1)(vi).

Moreover, this proposed contention fails to challenge any information provided in the Application bearing on the VYPNS QA program. The Application does not propose any changes to the VYNPS QA program. With respect to the QA program in effect during preparation of the Application, in Supplement 8 to the Application, dated July 2, 2004, Entergy stated, in response to an NRC request for additional information ("RAI"):

The QA program used for the EPU safety analysis oversight was originally the Vermont Yankee Operational Quality Assurance Manual (VOQAM). As part of an Entergy fleet wide transition, the governing QA program is now the Entergy Quality Assurance Program Manual (QAPM). For VYNPS, this transition occurred in June 2003, and the VOQAM was revised to reference the comparable Entergy QAPM sections that establish the equivalent level of control. The Operational Quality Assurance Program described in the Entergy QAPM is now in effect at VYNPS, and is 1' See Memorandum from M.Colomb toW. Limberger etal., 'Transition of Quality Control Functions from Quality Assurance to Engineering & Maintenance for Fleet Alignment, Rev. 0,"

dated April 15, 2004 (Exhibit F to the Petition).

-11 -

applicable to all work performed on safety-related structures, systems and components.'

NEC does not identify any deficiencies or omissions in the Application resulting from use of the referenced QA programs. For lack of both a specific dispute with the application, and the supporting reasons for that dispute, this proposed contention should be rejected.

See 10 C.F.R. § 2.309(f)(1)(vi); Millstone, CLI-01 -24, 54 NRC at 358.

B. Proposed Contention 2 The license amendment should not be approved at this time because Entergy has failed to address the root cause of Main Steam Line Isolation Valve ("MSIV") Leakage but instead proposes to shift the problem downstream to catch a higher allowable leakage in the condenser. Entergy fails [sic] to pursue the root cause of a negative component performance trend that could ultimately yield failure of the MSIV safety function. MSIVs are a critical line of defense during a reactor accident.

Petition at 10. As set forth below, NEC Proposed Contention 2 should be rejected because (1) it is outside the scope of this proceeding; (2) NEC does not refer to any specific portion of the application that it disputes; and (3) pertinent portions of the documents NEC cites as a basis for the contention are contrary to its position.

Petitioner complains about a proposed change to the technical specification ('TS")

governing MSIV leakage and its associated surveillance requirement, TS 3.7.A.4/4.7.A.4. This proposed TS change, however, is not a subject of the requested EPU and is not mentioned in the Application. Rather, it is the subject of an entirely separate amendment request for an alternative source term ("AST").' 3 The proposed contention itself is stated in terms of the Applicant's asserted 12 See Letter from J.K. Thayer, Entergy, to NRC Document Control Desk, 'Vermont Yankee Nuclear Power Station, License No. DPR-28 (Docket No. 50-271), Technical Specification Proposed Change No. 263 - Supplement No. 8, Extended Power Uprate - Response to Request for Additional Information," dated July 2, 2004 (ADAMS package number ML042080462), at 187.

13 See "Vermont Yankee Nuclear Power Station, License No. DPR-28 (Docket No. 50-271),

(continued...)

failure "to address the root cause of MSIV [I]eakage," which is nowhere mentioned in the proposed EPU amendment. Further, NEC utterly fails to explain how this asserted failure might somehow be relevant to the EPU amendment. Insofar as NEC Proposed Contention 2 raises proposed changes to TS 3.7.A.4/ 4.7.A.4 or "root cause" analyses regarding MSIV leakage, it is plainly out of scope and NEC does not satisfy 10 C.F.R. § 2.309(f)(1)(iii).

Moreover, nowhere in the Petition does NEC dispute any portion of the Application in the context of NEC Proposed Contention 2. Although NEC clearly identifies a dispute with the Condition Report (see Gundersen Decl. at 2-3), the Condition Report does not refer to the EPU amendment request, and has nothing to do with the amendment. The Petitioner attempts to link MSIV leakage to the EPU amendment through the assertion that there would be uincreased vulnerability of the MSIVs to leakage and/or loss of function due to warping and/or or [sic] binding under a power uprate." Id. at 2. Petitioner concludes with the bare assertion that "if the power level of the Vermont Yankee plant is increased, the problem of MSIV failure will also increase." Id. at 3.

Petitioner, however, fails to explain how any of the analyses in the Application would be invalidated

'3 (...continued)

Technical Specification Proposed Change No. 262, Alternative Source Term," dated July 31,2003 (ADAMS accession number ML032190646). The NRC Staff published a "Notice of Consideration of Issuance of Amendments to Facility Operating Licenses, Proposed No Significant Hazards Consideration Determination, and Opportunity for a Hearing" relative to the proposed AST amendment. See 68 Fed. Reg. 66,131, 66,135 (Nov.25, 2003). The time for requesting a hearing on the proposed AST amendment expired on December 28, 2003, and the Petitioner did not challenge the proposed TS change by that date. Curiously, the Petitioner claims that the proposed AST amendment, which Entergy proposed in July, 2003, was "in response" to the Condition Report, which is dated May 5, 2004. Gundersen Decl. at 2.

or why the EPU might somehow be unacceptable even if this assertion were true.'4 Moreover, a bare assertion, even by an expert, that a matter should be considered will not suffice to support admission of a proposed contention. See SERI, LBP-04-19, slip op. at 11. These statements do not dispute any specific portion of the Application, and do not provide sufficient information to show that a genuine dispute exists with the applicant on a material issue of law or fact. Accordingly, Petitioner has not satisfied the requirements of 10 C.F.R. § 2.309(f)(1)(vi).

In addition, the basis for NEC Proposed Contention 2 is defective because it relies on the Condition Report, but ignores portions of that document that are contrary to its assertions. In accordance with the Yankee Rowe decision, the Condition Report is subject to scrutiny both as to those portions of it which support NEC's assertions and those portions which do not. See Yankee Atomic Elec. Co. (Yankee Nuclear Power Station), LBP-96-2, 43 NRC 61, 90 n.30, rev'd in part on othergrounds CLI-96-7, 43 NRC 235 (1996). Here, the Petitioner bases its contention on its claim that MSIV leakage is due to aging. See Declaration of Arnold Gundersen appended to the Petition as Exhibit D, citing Exhibit G (the Condition Report) at 1, 2, 8, 11, 12 and 17. The Condition Report, however, rejects this claim by stating that "the LLRT failure data clearly show that MSIVs of all ages have had failures without significant differences in the ratio of tests passed to tests failed." Petition, Exhibit G at 27. While the Condition Report states that "there is an apparent correlation between service time and LLRT failure" at VYNPS, it explains that it is not clear what could age in an MSIV, "[s]ince MSIVs are routinely disassembled, examined, refurbished and reassembled to original manufacturer's specifications." Id. Therefore, the Condition Report itself 14 The Staff notes that TS 3.7.A.8 and TS 3.7.A.4/4.7.A.4 govern MSIV leakage, and serve to address the "problem of MSIV failure" with which Petitioner is concerned. (TS 3.7.A.8 requires that "[i]f Specification 3.7.A.1 through 3.7.A.7 cannot be met, an orderly shutdown shall be initiated immediately and the reactor shall be in a cold shutdown condition within 24 hours2.777778e-4 days <br />0.00667 hours <br />3.968254e-5 weeks <br />9.132e-6 months <br />.") Petitioner, however, does not attempt to explain how these TS requirements (as proposed to be changed by the requested AST amendment) might somehow be inadequate to govern MSIV leakage should the EPU be granted. In this regard, the Petitioner does not provide enough information to establish a dispute with the proposed EPU.

explicitly disavows Petitioners' assertion that MSIV leakage is due to aging, and Petitioners cannot claim that the Condition Report supports this asserted basis for admission of NEC Proposed Contention 2.

Finally, Mr. Gundersen refers to "available information in the application, [and] in several thousand pages of [Entergy] documents" as support NEC Proposed Contention 2. Except for the Condition Report, however, NEC does not specifically identify any of those documents. NEC has the obligation not just to "refer generally to voluminous documents, but to provide analysis and supporting evidence as to why particular sections of those documents ... provide a basis for the contention." Fansteel, Inc. (Muskogee, Oklahoma Site), CLI-03-13, 58 NRC 195, 204 (2003).

For the foregoing reasons, the Licensing Board should reject NEC Proposed Contention 2.

C. ProposedContention 3 The license amendment should not be approved at this time or until it is agreed by all parties that Large Transient Testing will be a prerequisite to Extended Power Uprate per the staff position on Duane Arnold Energy Center. Without adequate characterization, there can be no assurance that the license amendment will adequately safeguard public health by demonstrating compliance with 10 C.F.R. Part 20 standards.

Petition at 11. The basis for this proposed contention is provided in the Gundersen Declaration.

Mr. Gundersen's principal argument is that Entergy has "ignored the NRC staff's decision" on an EPU application for the Duane Arnold Energy Center. Gundersen Decl. at 4. In particular, the declaration quotes from a May 9, 2001 NRC RAI to the Duane Arnold licensee, which states, in part:

The NRC-approved ELTR-1 ["Generic Guidelines for General Electric Boiling Water Reactor Extended Power Uprate," dated February 1999] requires the MSIVC [main steam isolation valve closure] test to be performed if the power uprate is more than 10%

above previously recorded MSIV closure transient data. The topical report also requires the GLR [turbine generator load rejection] test to be performed if the uprate is more than 15% of previously recorded transient data....

.... (5) You cited uprated tests performed at Hatch as an example of industry experience that indicate Duane Arnold could also withstand isolation transients from high power. For the Hatch Unit 1 and 2 uprate tests, compare the units [sic] actual response with the applicable transient analyses. Discuss how this industry experience demonstrates that for [the] Duane Arnold power uprate, the cycle-specific limiting transient analyses would provide equivalent protection compared to startup tests.15 Reliance on this RAI does not provide a foundation for this proposed contention. A request for additional information with respect to an unrelated application concerning another facility has no bearing on the application here at issue.16 The citation to the Duane Arnold RAI, without more, fails to demonstrate a genuine dispute on a material issue of fact or law.

See 10 C.F.R. § 2.309(f)(1)(vi); Louisiana Energy Servs., L.P. (National Enrichment Facility),

LBP-04-14, 60 NRC - (July 19, 2004), slip op. at 13 ("[P]roviding any material or document as a basis for a contention, without setting forth an explanation of its significance, is inadequate to support the admission of the contention").

In addition, the Gundersen Declaration takes issue with certain statements made in to the Application, "Justification for Exception to Large Transient Testing," as follows:

"Further, Entergy says [see Application, Attach. 7 at 1], 'Data collected from testing responses to unplanned transients for [two U.S. plants and [o]ne Swiss plant] has shown that plant response has consistently been within expected parameters.' It is unclear if these transients were indeed unplanned or if they were deliberate tests. It makes a difference when the discussion is about whether or not to do tests." Gundersen Decl. at 4.

t Gundersen Decl. at 4; see Letter from G. Van Middlesworth, Nuclear Management Company, LLC, to NRC Document Control Desk, "Response to Request forAdditional Information (RAI) to Technical Specification Change Request TSCR-042 - Extended Power Uprate," dated June 11, 2001 (ADAMS accession number ML011690258).

16 In any event, an RAI does not necessarily constitute the basis for an admissible contention. See Oconee, CLI-99-11,49 NRC at 336 ('To satisfy the Commission's contention rule, then, Petitioners must do more than 'rest on the mere existence' of RAls as a basis for their contention. [Citation omitted.] RAls generally 'indicate[] nothing more than that the Staff requested further information and analysis from the Licensee."' Sacramento Mun. Util. Dist. (Rancho Seco Nuclear Generating Station), CLI-93-3, 37 NRC 135,146 (1993)).

• ."If performed, these tests would not confirm any new or insignificant aspect of performance that is not routinely demonstrated by component level testing [see Application, Attach. 7 at 1].' To follow the analogy, if an aircraft were fitted with a more powerful engine, so long as the engine was tested on the ground, why bother to test it in flight; fastened to the airframe." Gundersen Decl. at 5.

• "Entergy argues that [VYNPSJ has experienced full power load rejections at 100% power in the past and no significant anomalies were seen [referencing Application, Attach. 7 at 1-2]. How this bears on performance at 120% power is something of a mystery. I believe that Entergy simply doesn't want to rapid cycle the plant for fear of immediate or cumulative consequences." Gundersen Decl. at 5.

These statements disagreeing with the Application amount to nothing more than unsupported assertions. It is clear that "neither mere speculation nor bare assertions alleging that a matter should be considered will suffice to allow the admission of a proffered contention." LES, LBP-04-14, slip op. at 12-13, citing Fansteel, CLI-03-13, 58 NRC at 203. Failure to support a contention's bases adequately requires that the contention be rejected. See LES, LBP-04-14, slip op. at 12, citing Ariz. Pub. Serv. Co. (Palo Verde Nuclear Generation Station, Units 1,2, & 3),

CLI-91-12, 34 NRC 149, 155 (1991).

For these reasons, the bases of this proposed contention are deficient and the proposed contention should, therefore, be rejected.

D. Proposed Contention 4 The license amendment should not be approved. Entergy cannot assure seismic and structural integrity of the cooling towers under uprate conditions, in particular the Alternate Cooling System cell. At present the minimum appropriate structural analyses have apparently not been done.

Petition at 11. The basis for this proposed contention is provided in the Gundersen Declaration.

Specifically, the Declaration cites to "an attachment to an email from Dan Yasi dated

[December 6, 2002]" to support the proposition that a new analysis should be performed to qualify the VYNPS cooling towers for the additional loads that will result from the installation of new fans

and motors in certain cooling towers, in accordance with 10 CFR Part 5417 and 10 C.F.R. § 50.59.

The document in question appears to be an addendum to a report prepared for Entergy by Tower Performance, Inc., in connection with the EPU Application.

To the extent that this memorandum provides a basis to support NEC's assertion of a specific omission from the Application, the Staff does not oppose admission of this contention.

E. Proposed Contention 5 The license amendment should not be approved at this time because [the licensees have] failed to maintain documentation and records, as required under 10 C.F.R. 54 [sic] and elsewhere, and adequate to determine plant condition and design basis conformance as a foundation on which to build uprate analysis.

Petition at 12.

NEC's Petition relies on the Gundersen Declaration to provide the basis for Proposed Contention 5, which identifies the following purported documentation "problems": portions of missing documents relating to a 1986 Chicago Bridge & Iron report on the 40-year design life of the plant; missing fuel rod documentation; undocumented cracks in the VYNPS steam dryer; and a 1996 letter from the NRC requiring a response from the licensee in accordance with 10 C.F.R. § 50.54(f). See Gundersen Decl. at 8. Mr. Gundersen claims the "common thread" to these "missing" documents is that they "occurred a long time ago." Id. He states that if the original design basis of the plant cannot be found, then it will influence the predictability of future performance. Id. Absolutely no supporting bases are provided for these assertions, nor is there any attempt to relate these vague assertions of missing documentation to the EPU Application.

The Staff therefore opposes admission of this contention on the grounds that it (1) falls outside of the scope of this license amendment proceeding; (2) is not material to the findings the NRC must make to support the action that is involved in the proceeding; and (3) does not provide sufficient 17 10 C.F.R. Part 54, which pertains to the renewal of licenses for power reactors, does not apply to the EPU application.

information to show that a genuine dispute exists with the Applicant on a material issue of law or fact. See 10 C.F.R. § 2.309(f)(1)(iii), (iv), (vi).

The scope of the proceeding is defined in the notice of opportunity for hearing, which limits the subject matter of all potential contentions to the proposed increase of VYNPS' maximum authorized power level. See 69 Fed. Reg. at 39,976. Also, for a contention to be admissible, the subject matter of the proposed contention must impact the grant or denial of the license application.

See Dominion Nuclear North Anna, LLC (Early Site Permit for North Anna ESP Site), LBP-04-18, 60 NRC _ (Aug. 6, 2004), slip op. at 12 (citing 10 C.F.R. § 2.309(f)(1)(iv));

see also Diablo Canyon, LBP-02-23, 56 NRC at 439-40. Moreover, all properly formulated contentions must focus on the license application in question, challenging either specific portions or alleged omissions so as to establish that a genuine dispute exists on a material issue of fact or law. See 10 C.F.R. § 2.309(f)(1)(vi). It is the petitioner's obligation to present information necessary to support its contentions and failure to provide such information requires that the contention be rejected. See, e.g., Palo Verde, CLI-91-12,34 NRC at 155. Neither speculation nor bare or conclusory assertions, even by an expert, alleging that a matter should be considered will suffice to allowthe admission of a proffered contention. Dominion NuclearNorthAnna, LBP-04-18, slip op. at 11.

Petitioner's Proposed Contention 5, with the supporting information provided by Mr. Gundersen, does not satisfy these standards. Documents relating to the 1986 Chicago Bridge

& Iron report, missing fuel rods, steam dryer cracks, and the Section 50.54(f) letter response fall outside the scope of this proceeding, as the Gundersen Declaration does not contend that these documentation "problems" have any relationship to the EPU Application. The unfounded assertion that various unspecified documents are incomplete or missing does not impact the NRC's consideration of the EPU Application, nor does it focus on the Application in question, as required by 10 C.F.R. § 2.309(f)(1)(iv) and (vi).

The Gundersen Declaration also hints that the original design basis cannot be found.

See Gundersen Decl. at 8 ("If the original design basis of the plant cannot be found, it is difficult to predict the future performance of the plant."). This assertion is unsupported but for Mr. Gundersen's professional opinion. See id. As stated above, however, bare assertions, even by an expert, will not suffice to allow admission of a proposed contention. See Dominion Nuclear North Anna, LBP-04-18, slip op. at 11. Rather, petitioners are expected "to clearly identify the matters on which they intend to rely with reference to a specific point." See Pub. Serv. Co. of N.H.

(Seabrook Station, Units 1& 2), CLI-89-3,29 NRC 234,241 (1989). Petitioners have an obligation not "just to refer generally to voluminous documents," but instead must "provide analysis and supporting evidence" as to why particular sections of a document provide a basis for a contention.

See Fansteel, CLI-03-13, 58 NRC at 204; see also Pub. Serv. of N.H.(Seabrook Station, Units 1 & 2), CLI-89-3 29 NRC 234,240-41, citing Tenn. ValleyAuth. (Browns Ferry Nuclear Plant, Units 1 & 2), LBP-76-10, 3 NRC 209, 216 (1976). To demonstrate that an application lacks necessary detail or information, petitioners are required to provide plausible and adequately supported claims that the application is inaccurate or insufficient, i.e., by specifically identifying each failure and explaining why the [license application is] flawed." See Fansteel, 58 NRC at 205.

Mr. Gundersen claims that the independent engineering assessment will support the notion that VYNPS' design basis documentation is inadequate. See Gundersen DecI. at 8. However, contentions must focus on the application and material available at the time contentions are filed.

10 C.F.R. § 2.309(f)(2); see also Oconee, CLI-99-11, 49 NRC at 335, 337 ('contentions shall not be admitted if at the outset they are not described with reasonable specificity or are not supported by 'some alleged fact or facts' demonstrating a genuine material dispute"), citing Rules of Practice for Domestic Licensing Proceedings, 54 Fed. Reg. 33,168, 33,171 (Aug. 11, 1989); Union of Concerned Scientists v. NRC, 920 F.2d 50, 53, 56 (D.C. Cir. 1990) (holding that petitioners could not wait to "have the [NRC] Staff studies as a sort of pre-complaint discovery tool" as NRC

regulations effectively bar ill-defined "anticipatory" contentions). As no such facts are contained in either NEC's Petition or the Gundersen Declaration, nor is there any reference to any part of the Application that is incomplete, inadequate, or even affected by the purported "documentation and record retention problems," NEC has failed to meet the established contention requirements.

F. Proposed Contention 6 The proposed license amendment fails to preserve defense-in-depth. By placing dependence on maintaining containment pressure to secure Residual Heat Removal and Core Spray Pump suction under accident conditions, Entergy ignores single failure criteria and violates basic tenets of reactor safety. This must not be permitted as it deprives the public of protections afforded by defense-in-depth.

Petition at 12.

The basis for this proposed contention is set forth in the Declaration of Paul M. Blanch.

See Petition, Exhibit E, Declaration of Paul M. Blanch In Support of Petitioners' Contentions

("Blanch Declaration"). The Blanch Declaration disputes Entergy's assertion, in the Application, that it is in compliance with "all applicable design criteria," citing as an example draft General Design Criterion 21. Blanch Decl. 1 4. Specifically, the Blanch Declaration lists several asserted deficiencies of a calculation used by Entergy insupport of the Application, Revision 6 to VYC-808, "Core Spray and Residual Heat Removal Pump Net Positive Suction Head Margin Following a Loss of Coolant Accident:"' 8 First, Mr. Blanch states that the calculation does not address "any single active or passive failure of the containment or the torus including failures of valves and penetrations which may impact the operability of redundant Emergency Core Cooling Systems." Blanch Decl. 1 4. In this 18 See Supplement 8 to the Application, supra note 12, Attach. 4, Exh. 1.

vein, the Blanch Declaration goes on to state, "Recent failures, both isolated and common mode failures of BWR containment valves[,] have not been considered."' 9 Id.

This portion of the contention is inadmissible for failure to dispute the Application. In Supplement 8 to the Application, in response to RAI SPSB-C-1 0, Entergy performed a sensitivity case, assuming a single failure of a residual heat removal ("RHR") heat exchanger. NEC has not challenged this assessment in any way, nor does it provide any basis for an argument that an assessment involving its stated single failures would be more conservative than the analysis done by the applicant. Because NEC does not dispute the pertinent portion of the application addressing the single failure issue, this basis is insufficient to support admission of the contention.

10 C.F.R. § 2.309(f)(1)(vi); Millstone, CLI-01-24, 54 NRC at 361 (reiterating that the contention- pleading rule "calls on intervention petitioners to "include references to the specific portions of the application . . . that the petitioner disputes and the supporting reasons for each dispute").

Mr. Blanch also makes the following statements regarding the calculation:

• The calculation "fails to provide the impact ... on the ability to cool the reactor core. .. "

Blanch Decl. 11 4.

• The calculation '1ails to analyze the consequences of the additional dose to the control room and the site boundary should a single failure occur while attempting to maintain this elevated pressure." Id.

Where, as here, a petitioner proffers a contention of omission, arguing that something is missing from the Application, it must provide "the identification of each failure and the supporting reasons for the petitioner's belief." 10 C.F.R. § 2.309(f)(1)(vi). Failure to provide such an explanation

'9 The Blanch Declaration cites, without further discussion, a licensee event report pertaining to a primary containment isolation device - a vacuum breaker check valve - that failed a Local Leak Rate Test at the Hatch facility. See Letter from H.L. Sumner, Southern Nuclear Operating Company, Inc., to NRC Document Control Desk, "Edwin I. Hatch Nuclear Plant, Licensee Event Report, Air Actuator for Vacuum Breaker Failed LLRT due to Inadequate Design," dated April 23,2004 (ADAMS accession number ML041180272). NEC does not explain the significance of this event to VYNPS.

regarding the bases of a proffered contention requires that the contention be rejected. SERI, LBP-04-19, slip op. at 11. Here, the Blanch Declaration makes conclusory assertions that the calculation ought to have considered additional issues, but does not provide any support for these assertions. "In this connection, neither mere speculation nor bare or conclusory assertions, even by an expert, alleging that a matter should be considered will suffice to allow the admission of a proffered contention." Id., slip op. at 11. For lack of supporting information, this basis does not support admission of the proposed contention.

In addition, the Blanch Declaration states that the calculation "fails to discuss the requirement for defense in depth [in] Regulatory Guide [1.174]" Blanch Decl. 1 4. This assertion does not provide an admissible basis for the proposed contention, because it does not raise an issue material to the findings that the NRC must make in connection with the Application.

See 10 C.F.R. § 2.309(f)(1)(iv). Staff regulatory guides are not regulations, and do not have the force of regulations. Rather, regulatory guides "are advisory in nature and do not themselves impose legal requirements on either the Commission or its licensees." Curators of the Univ. of Mo.,

CLI-95-8, 41 NRC 386, 397 (1995). As stated in Curators, "A licensee is free either to rely on ...

Regulatory Guides or to take alternative approaches to meet legal requirements (as long as those approaches have the approval of the Commission or NRC Staff)." Id. This basis, alleging noncompliance with a regulatory guide, without more, is not sufficient to meet the pleading requirements of 10 C.F.R. § 2.309. See Long Island Lighting Co. (Shoreham Nuclear Power Station, Unit 1), LBP-91-35, 34 NRC 163,179 (1991).

For these reasons, this proposed contention is not admissible.

C. Proposed Contention 7 Entergy has failed to comply with the requirements of 10 C.F.R. § 50.71(e), Maintenance of Records and Making of Reports. Observance of the rule is essential to provide reviewers with accurate information about plant status. Records provide a measure upon which future activity can be predicated while

maintaining safety. Without accurate and complete records, no meaningful review of the proposed uprate in its entirety can take place. Therefore, NRC should deny this amendment until Entergy can demonstrate that it has its documentation and records in order.

Petition at 13.

The Staff opposes admission of this contention on the grounds that it does not provide sufficient information to show that a genuine dispute exists with the licensee on a material issue of law or fact, with references to specific portions of the application, as is required by 10 C.F.R. § 2.309(f)(1)(vi). To demonstrate that an application lacks necessary detail or information, petitioners are required to provide plausible and adequately supported claims that it is inaccurate or insufficient, "i.e., by specifically identifying each failure and explaining why the

[license application is] flawed." See Fansteel, CLI-03-13, 58 NRC at 205. The Commission has emphasized that its rules on contention admissibility purposefully establish an evidentiary threshold more demanding than a mere pleading requirement and are "strict by design." Millstone, CLI-01 -24, 54 NRC at 358; see also 69 Fed. Reg. at 2201 ('The Commission seeks to ensure that the adjudicatory process is used to address real, concrete, specific issues that are appropriate for litigation").

NEC states that the NRC cannot perform a meaningful review of the Application due to inaccurate and incomplete records. Petition at 13. NEC, however, provides no support for this assertion, nor does the Petition refer to any deficiencies in the EPU license amendment application.20 NEC provides no evidence that a genuine dispute exists on a material issue, as is clearly required by Commission rules and agency case law. NEC does not state any facts, nor 20 Although not referenced in the Petition as support for this proposed contention, the Blanch Declaration mentions deficiencies under 10 C.F.R. § 50.71(e) in connection with Revision 18 of the VYNPS updated final safety analysis report ("UFSAR"), but does not set forth any particular deficiencies, nor related any purported deficiencies to the EPU Application.

See Blanch Del. 1 5.

does it incorporate any expert testimony or affidavits in support of the proposed contention. As Contention 7 is entirely unsupported, Petitioner has failed to proffer an admissible contention.

Ill. NEC's Request for a Subpart G Hearing NEC "strongly urges" that a hearing be conducted pursuant to procedures enumerated in 10 C.F.R. Part 2, Subpart G. Petition at 9. NEC claims that this is necessary because of concerns about missing information, credibility issues regarding Entergy and the VYNPS (regarding an individual), and the EPU Application being "too serious and too complex" to take any chance with the quality of information brought forth. See Petition at 7-9. As demonstrated below, these reasons do not satisfy regulatory requirements for a Subpart G hearing, and therefore, NEC's request should be denied.

Under the recently revised regulations set forth in 10 C.F.R. Part 2, a proceeding involving a license amendment must ordinarily follow procedures for an informal hearing set forth in 10 C.F.R. Part 2, Subpart L. See 10 C.F.R. § 2.310(a). In order for a license amendment proceeding (or portions thereof) to be subject to Subpart G procedures, when it ordinarily would be a Subpart L proceeding, the presiding officer must find that resolution of one or more particular admitted contentions necessitates resolution of (1)issues of material fact relating to the occurrence of a past activity, where the credibility of an eyewitness may reasonably be expected to be at issue," and/or (2) issues of motive or intent of the party or eyewitness material to the resolution of the contention. 10 C.F.R. § 2.310(d). Additionally, a petitioner should demonstrate, "by reference to the contention and the basis provided and the specific procedures in Subpart G, that resolution of the contention necessitates resolution of material issues of fact which may be best 21 The first criterion contains two elements: the first is a dispute of material fact concerning the occurrence of (including the nature or details of) a past activity and the second is that the credibility of the eyewitness may reasonably be expected to be at issue. See 69 Fed. Reg. at 2222.

This does not include disputes between parties over qualifications or professional "credibility" of witnesses. Id.

determined through the use of the identified [Subpart G] procedures." 69 Fed. Reg. at 2221 (emphasis added). NEC does not identify any issues of material fact relating to a past activity where the credibility of an eyewitness would be expected to be at issue in this proceeding, nor does Petitioner specify an issue of motive or intent which would be material to the resolution of any stated contentions. Petition at 8-9. NEC states that there is an issue of credibility, but points only to "widespread distrust in Vermont" of Entergy and an "offending VY manager" who was cited as being untruthful to a maintenance contractor in an NRC Notice of Violation issued in 2000.

SeePetition at 8. These broad assertions plainly do not satisfy the requirements for a Subpart G hearing, as they are not related to a past activity at issue in this proceeding where the credibility of an eyewitness may be at issue, nor do they correlate to any issues of motive or intent of a party or eyewitness material to the resolution of a proposed contention.

Additionally, NEC does not relate the request for a Subpart G proceeding to a particular contention, or contentions. See Petition at 8-9. Commission regulations indicate that a successful request must proffer a specific reason why that contention, or contentions, necessitates Subpart G formality. See, e.g., 10 C.F.R. § 2.310(d) ("where the presiding officer by order finds that resolution of the contention ... necessitates resolution of issues of material fact . . ."). Petitioner's request for a Subpart G proceeding lacks such a showing, as the request is not correlated to any specific contention or issue of material fact. Rather, NEC contends that the subject of the license amendment request is "too serious and too complex" to "take any chance with the quality of information brought forward" and therefore strongly urges a Subpart G proceeding. Petition at 9.

The Commission specifically eliminated "numerous and complex issues" as a basis for a Subpart G proceeding. See 69 Fed. Reg. at 2204-05 ("Common sense, as well as case law, lead the Commission to conclude that oral hearings with right of cross-examination are best used to resolve issues where 'motive, intent, or credibility are at issue, or if there is a dispute over the occurrence of a past event'.") Petitioner also fails to identify which procedures in Subpart G are necessary to

resolve any material issues of fact, as required when demonstrating the need for a Subpart G proceeding. See 69 Fed. Reg. at 2221.

As Petitioner has not satisfied the requirements set forth for a Subpart G proceeding, the request should be denied.

CONCLUSION Based on the foregoing, the Staff does not contest NEC's standing to seek a hearing in this matter. Furthermore, the Staff opposes admission of NEC's proposed contentions, with the exception of Proposed Contention 4.

Respectfully submitted, Brooke D. Poole Counsel for NRC Staff Robert M. Weisman Counsel for NRC Staff Mari a C. Higgins Counsel for NRC Staff Dated at Rockville, Maryland this 291 day of September, 2004