ML081850485
| ML081850485 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Prairie Island  |
| Issue date: | 07/22/2008 |
| From: | Rani Franovich NRC/NRR/ADRO/DLR |
| To: | Sullins T US Dept of Interior, Fish & Wildlife Service |
| Leous, JP, DLR/REBB 301-415-2864 | |
| References | |
| Download: ML081850485 (8) | |
Text
July 22, 2008 Mr. Tony Sullins Field Supervisor U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service Twin Cities Ecological Services Office 4101 East 80th Street Bloomington, MN 55425
SUBJECT:
REQUEST FOR LIST OF FEDERALLY PROTECTED SPECIES WITHIN THE AREA UNDER EVALUATION FOR THE PRAIRIE ISLAND NUCLEAR GENERATING PLANT, UNITS 1 AND 2, LICENSE RENEWAL APPLICATION REVIEW
Dear Mr. Sullins:
The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC or the staff) is reviewing an application submitted by Nuclear Management Company, LLC (NMC), for the renewal of the operating licenses for Prairie Island Nuclear Generating Plant, Units 1 and 2 (PINGP). PINGP is located near Red Wing, Minnesota, approximately 39 miles southeast of Minneapolis. As part of the review of the license renewal application (LRA), the NRC is preparing a Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (SEIS) under the provisions of Title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations Part 51 (10 CFR Part 51), the NRCs regulation that implements the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969. The SEIS includes an analysis of pertinent environmental issues, including impacts to endangered or threatened species and other fish and wildlife. This letter is being submitted under the provisions of the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended, and the Fish and Wildlife Coordination Act of 1934, as amended.
NMC is requesting renewal of its operating licenses for PINGP for a period of 20 years beyond the expiration of the current license terms of August 9, 2013, and October 29, 2014, respectively. This proposed action would include the use and continued maintenance of existing plant facilities and transmission lines. For the purpose of license renewal, NMC plans to replace the PINGP steam generators. As part of this refurbishment activity, NMC also plans to establish a temporary construction area approximately 100 yards northwest of the turbine building and to build permanent warehouses within existing plant boundaries. NMC states there will be no clearing of previously-undisturbed areas.
The PINGP site encompasses approximately 578 acres and is located on the western shore of Sturgeon Lake. Prairie Island, upon which PINGP is located, is a low island terrace in the Mississippi River; please see the enclosed site boundary map (Enclosure 1). The Prairie Island Indian Reservation is directly north of the site.
PINGP has three cooling system operating modes: once-through, once-through with helper (mechanical draft) cooling towers in operation, and closed cycle (mechanical draft cooling towers only). The circulating water and service water systems withdraw water from the Mississippi River. Three groundwater wells are used to meet domestic water needs. River water moves into the intake screenhouse, where the circulating water pumps are housed, through eight intake bays, each equipped with a trash rack, a traveling screen, and high/low
T. Sullins pressure wash systems. Four circulating water pumps supply water to the condensers for cooling. Each pump has a design capacity of 147,000 gpm, with a total circulating water flow of approximately 588,000 gpm. Conditions outlined in NMCs National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System permit specify requirements for use of the cooling towers to minimize effects on local aquatic resources.
One 161-kilovolt (kV) and four 345-kV transmission lines connect PINGP to the regional transmission system; please see the enclosed PINGP transmission system map (Enclosure 2).
To support the SEIS preparation process and to ensure compliance with Section 7 of the Endangered Species Act, the NRC requests information on federally-listed, proposed, and candidate species and critical habitat that may be in the vicinity of PINGP and its associated transmission line corridors. In addition, please provide any information you consider appropriate under the provisions of the Fish and Wildlife Coordination Act.
The NRC staff plans to hold two public NEPA scoping meetings on July 30, 2008. The first session will be held in the afternoon and an identical session will be held later that evening.
The first meeting will convene at 1:30 p.m. and will continue until 4:30 p.m., as necessary. The second meeting will convene at 7:00 p.m. and will continue until 10:00 p.m., as necessary. Both sessions will be held at the Red Wing Public Library, 225 East Avenue, Red Wing, MN 55066.
In addition, during the week of August 18, 2008, the NRC plans to conduct a site audit. You and your staff are invited to attend both the public meetings and the site audit. Your office will receive a copy of the draft SEIS along with a request for comments. The anticipated publication date for the draft SEIS is March 2009.
If you have any questions concerning the NRC staffs review of this LRA, please contact Mr. J.P. Leous, License Renewal Project Manager, at 301-415-2864 or Justin.Leous@nrc.gov.
Sincerely,
/RA by AStuyvenberg for/
Rani Franovich, Branch Chief Projects Branch 2 Division of License Renewal Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation Docket Nos. 50-282 & 50-306
Enclosures:
As stated cc w/encls: See next page
Ltr. to w/Encls. 1, 2, Svc. List: ML081850485 OFFICE LA:DLR PM:DLR:RPB1 PM:DLR:RPB BC:DLR:RPB2 NAME IKing JLeous RPlasse AStuyvenberg for RFranovich DATE 7/3/08 7/3/08 7/8/08 7/22 /08
Letter to T. Sullins from R. Franovich, July 22, 2008 DISTRIBUTION:
B. Holian / S. Lee(RidsNrrDlr)
T. Combs, OCA T. Madden, OCA R. Shane, OCA B. Keeling, OCA R. Franovich (RidsNrrDlrRebb)
R. Rikhoff (RidsNrrDlrReba)
R.Plasse J. Leous M. Chawla R. Skokowski K. Stoedter P. Zurawski OPA (RidsOpaMail)
D. McIntyre, OPA V. Mitlyng D. Roth, OGC B. Mizuno OGC OGC (RidsOGCMailRoom)
DLR/REBB
Prairie Island Nuclear Generating Plant, Units 1 and 2 cc:
Peter M. Glass Assistant General Counsel Xcel Energy Services, Inc.
414 Nicollet Mall (MP4)
Minneapolis, MN 55401 Manager, Regulatory Affairs Prairie Island Nuclear Generating Plant Nuclear Management Company, LLC 1717 Wakonade Drive East Welch, MN 55089 Manager - Environmental Protection Division Minnesota Attorney General=s Office 445 Minnesota St., Suite 900 St. Paul, MN 55101-2127 U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Resident Inspector's Office 1719 Wakonade Drive East Welch, MN 55089-9642 Administrator Goodhue County Courthouse Box 408 Red Wing, MN 55066-0408 Philip R. Mahowald General Counsel Prairie Island Indian Community 5636 Sturgeon Lake Road Welch, MN 55089 Heather Westra Prairie Island Indian Community 5636 Sturgeon Lake Road Welch, MN 55089 Gene Eckholt Nuclear Management Company, LLC 1717 Wakonade Drive East Welch, MN 55089 Jim Holthaus Nuclear Management Company, LLC 1717 Wakonade Drive East Welch, MN 55089 Katie Himanga, Mayor City of Lake City 205 West Center St.
Lake City, MN 55041 Commissioner Minnesota Department of Commerce 85 7th Place East, Suite 500 St. Paul, MN 55101-2198 Tribal Council Prairie Island Indian Community ATTN: Environmental Department 5636 Sturgeon Lake Road Welch, MN 55089 Nuclear Asset Manager Xcel Energy, Inc.
414 Nicollet Mall (MP4)
Minneapolis, MN 55401 Dennis L. Koehl Chief Nuclear Officer Nuclear Management Company, LLC 414 Nicollet Mall (MP4)
Minneapolis, MN 55401 Joel P. Sorenson Director, Site Operations Prairie Island Nuclear Generating Plant Nuclear Management Company, LLC 1717 Wakonade Drive East Welch, MN 55089
Prairie Island Nuclear Generating Plant, Units 1 and 2 Joan Marshman 30129 County 2 Blvd.
P.O. Box 62 Frontenac, MN 55026 Kristen Eide-Tollefson Florence Township Commission P.O. Box 130 Frontenac, MN 55026