ML100820217

Request for Additional Information, Extended Power Uprate

ML100820217
Person / Time
Site:	Point Beach
Issue date:	04/09/2010
From:	Justin Poole Plant Licensing Branch III
To:	Meyer L Point Beach
Poole Justin/DORL/LPL3-1/ 301-415-2048
References
TAC ME1044, TAC ME1045
Download: ML100820217 (4)

Text

UNITED STATES NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION WASHINGTON, D.C. 20555-0001 April 9, 2010 Mr. Larry Meyer Site Vice President NextEra Energy Point Beach, LLC 6610 Nuclear Road Two Rivers, WI 54241-9516

SUBJECT:

POINT BEACH NUCLEAR PLANT, UNITS 1 AND 2 - REQUEST FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION FROM ENVIRONMENTAL BRANCH RE: EXTENDED POWER UPRATE (TAC NOS. ME1044 AND ME1045)

Dear Mr. Meyer:

By letter to the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) dated April 7, 2009, as supplemented by letters dated September 11 and October 9,2009 (Agencywide Documents Access and Management System Accession Nos. ML091250564, ML092570205, and ML092860098), FPL Energy Point Beach, LLC, submitted a request to increase each unit's licensed core power level from 1540 megawatts thermal (MWt) to 1800 MWt reactor core power, and revise the technical specifications to support operation at this increased core thermal power level.

The NRC staff is reviewing your submittal and has determined that additional information is required to complete the review. The specific information requested is addressed in the enclosure to this letter. During a discussion with your staff on March 12, 2010, it was agreed that you would provide the additional information within 30 days of the date of this letter.

The NRC staff considers that timely responses to requests for additional information help ensure sufficient time is available for staff review and contribute toward the NRC's goal of efficient and effective use of staff resources. If circumstances result in the need to revise the requested response date, please contact me at (301) 415-2048.

Justin C. Poole, Project Manager Plant Licensing Branch 111-1 Division of Operating Reactor Licensing Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation Docket Nos. 50-266 and 50-301

Enclosure:

Request for Additional Information cc w/encl: Distribution via ListServ

REQUEST FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION POINT BEACH NUCLEAR POWER PLANT, UNITS 1 AND 2 (PBNP)

DOCKET NOS. 50-266 AND 50-301 Air, Waste, Transmission Lines RERB RAI-1: It is expected that there will be temporary short-term air quality impacts resulting from construction/plant modification activities and vehicle emissions related to travelling of the workforce and truck deliveries required to complete extended power uprate (EPU) modifications. What is the estimated number of equipment and material (truck) deliveries needed to support EPU-related plant modifications during the 2010 and 2011 refueling outages? Provide the approximate estimated duration of the planned refueling outages for Unit 1 in Spring 2010 and Unit 2 in Spring 2011 and the associated percent increase in air emissions (i.e. relative to normal outage without EPU modifications).

RERB RAI-2: In Appendix OJ Section 7.1J Florida Power and Light Energy (FPLE) indicated that the American Transmission Company prepared an Interconnection System Impact Study for the PBNP uprate, indicating that a number of system upgrades may be needed. Please provide the identified environmental impacts of any such upgrades that are needed directly related to the PBNP uprate.

Aquatic Resources RERB RAI-3: Appendix 0, Section 7.2, mentions "recent studies of thermal effects....", but does not provide the reports or the references for these studies. Please provide a copy of the FPLE study to model the effects of the thermal discharge plume under EPU conditions, as referenced in Section 7.2, paragraphs 5-6 of the environmental report (ER). Further in the same section, other "studies" are mentioned -- please provide references or a copy of other studies that FPLE has performed directly related to the uprate that supports the conclusion that there are minimal impacts to the aquatic environment.

RERB RAI-4: As referenced in paragraph 3 of Section 7.3 of the ER, the WPDES permit sets limits for plant discharges. FPLE states that no impact on the environment is anticipated as the discharges requlated under the WPDES permit are not expected to significantly change under the proposed action. Provide the basis for this determination of "no impact". (e.g. the discharges under the proposed action fall within the limits of the current WPDES permit).

RERB RAI-5: In Appendix 0, PBNP indicated that their Wisconsin Pollution Discharge Elimination System Permit (WPDES) will expire on June 30,2009, and that the licensee applied for renewal of the WPDES and Water Quality Certification (WQC) in December 2008 to reflect likewise their planned increase in power production. Please provide copies of the new WPDES permit (or the application for it, if the permit has not yet been received) and WQC that would indicate State concurrence on this proposed action. If the current permit/certification is unavailable, please provide State applications.

Enclosure

- 2 RERB RAI-6: Has FPLE provided a Coastal Zone Consistency Certification or received a waiver from the State of Wisconsin for Coastal Zone Consistency for the proposed power uprate? Most recently, this was discussed with FPLE during a conference call on December 16, 2009. If the State has determined that one is required, what is the status of the Consistency Certification?

Socioeconomics RERB RAI-7: No information was provided in the ER on the number of EPU modification workers needed during the Spring 2011 refueling outage. What is the approximate number (i.e.

relative to the number of workers normally needed for the outage) of EPU modification workers planned for the Spring 2011 Unit 2 refueling outage?

April 9, 2010 Mr. Larry Meyer Site Vice President NextEra Energy Point Beach, LLC 6610 Nuclear Road Two Rivers, WI 54241-9516

SUBJECT:

POINT BEACH NUCLEAR PLANT, UNITS 1 AND 2 - REQUEST FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION FROM ENVIRONMENTAL BRANCH RE: EXTENDED POWER UPRATE (TAC NOS. ME1044 AND ME1045)

Dear Mr. Meyer:

By letter to the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) dated April 7, 2009, as supplemented by letters dated September 11 and October 9, 2009 (Agencywide Documents Access and Management System Accession Nos. ML091250564, ML092570205, and ML092860098), FPL Energy Point Beach, LLC, submitted a request to increase each unit's licensed core power level from 1540 megawatts thermal (MWt) to 1800 MWt reactor core power, and revise the technical specifications to support operation at this increased core thermal power level.

The NRC staff is reviewing your submittal and has determined that additional information is required to complete the review. The specific information requested is addressed in the enclosure to this letter. During a discussion with your staff on March 12, 2010, it was agreed that you would provide the additional information within 30 days of the date of this letter.

The NRC staff considers that timely responses to requests for additional information help ensure sufficient time is available for staff review and contribute toward the NRC's goal of efficient and effective use of staff resources. If circumstances result in the need to revise the requested response date, please contact me at (301) 415-2048.

Sincerely, IRAJ Justin C. Poole, Project Manager Plant Licensing Branch 111-1 Division of Operating Reactor Licensing Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation Docket Nos. 50-266 and 50-301

Enclosure:

Request for Additional Information cc w/encl: Distribution via ListServ DISTRIBUTION:

PUBLIC RidsNrrLABTully Resource LPL3-1 r/f RidsNrrPMPointBeach Resource RidsNrrDorILp/3-1 Resource RBulavinetz, NRR RidsRgn3MailCenter Resource RidsOgcRp Resource Almboden, NRR RidsAcrsAcnw_MailCTR Resource RidsNrrDorlDpr Resource RidsNrrDlrRerb Resource ADAMS Accession Number' ML100820217 OFFICE LPL3-1/PM LPL3-1/LA NRR/RERB/BC LPL3-1/BC NAME JPoole BTuily Almboden RPascarelli DATE 03/31/10 03/30/10 04/02/10 04/09/10 OFFICIAL RECORD COpy