ML111710801
| ML111710801 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Monticello, Prairie Island  |
| Issue date: | 06/23/2011 |
| From: | Thomas Wengert Plant Licensing Branch III |
| To: | Molden J Northern States Power Co |
| Wengert, Thomas | |
| References | |
| TAC ME5503, TAC ME5522, TAC ME5523 | |
| Download: ML111710801 (4) | |
Text
UNITED STATES NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION WASHINGTON, D.C. 20555-0001 Jlllle 23, 2011 Mr. James E. Molden Vice president, Operations Support Northern States Power Company - Minnesota 414 Nicollett Mall - MP4 Minneapolis, MN 55401 SUB..IECT:
MONTICELLO NUCLEAR GENERA riNG PLANT AND PRAIRIE ISLAND NUCLEAR GENERATING PLANT, UNITS 1 AND 2 - REQUEST FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION RELATED TO DECOMMISSIONING FUNDING STATUS REPORTS (TAC NOS. ME5503, ME5522 AND ME5523)
Dear Mr. Molden:
By letter to the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) dated March 28, 2011, Northern States Power Company, a Minnesota corporation (NSPM, the licensee), doing business as Xcel Energy, submitted the 2010 Decommissioning Funding Status Reports for the Monticello Nuclear Generating Plant and the Prairie Island Nuclear Generating Plant. Units 1 and 2.
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 June 23, 2011, it was agreed that you would provide a response 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) 415-4037.
Sincerely,
..~"~~
Thomas J.~. senig, Project Manager Plant Licensing Branch 111-1 Division of Operating Reactor Licensing Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation Docket Nos. 50-263, 50-282 and 50-306
Enclosure:
Request for Additional Information cc w/encl: Distribution via ListServ
REQUEST FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION (RAI)
REGARDING 2010 DECOMMISSIONING FUNDING STATUS REPORTS NORTHERN STATES POWER COMPANY - MINNESOTA MONTICELLO NUCLEAR GENERATING PLANT, UNIT 1 PRAIRIE ISLAND NUCLEAR GENERATING PLANT, UNITS 1 AND 2 DOCKET NOS. SO-263, SO-282. AND SO-306 In reviewing the Northern States Power Company, a Minnesota corporation (NSPM, the licensee), doing business as Xcel Energy, submittal dated March 28,2011 (Agencywide Documents Access and Management System (ADAMS) Accession No. ML110871121),
concerning the 2010 Decommissioning Funding Status (DFS) Reports for the Monticello Nuclear Generating Plant (MNGP) and the Prairie Island Nuclear Generating Plant (PINGP), Units 1 and 2, the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) staff has determined that the following information is needed to complete its review:
RAI#1:
Minimum Decommissioning Funding Assurance Calculation Provide the labor, energy, and burial factors used in your calculation of the minimum requirement for decommissioning financial assurance and, if necessary, a corrected submittal for that part of the DFS report.
In its March 28, 2011, submittal, for PINGP Unit 1 Xcel Energy reported an amount of decommissioning funds estimated to be required under 10 CFR SO.7S(b) and (c) less than the amount calculated by the NRC staff.
In its March 28, 2011, submittal. for PINGP Unit 2 Xcel Energy reported an amount of decommissioning funds estimated to be required under 10 CFR SO.7S(b) and (c) greater than the amount calculated by the NRC staff.
In its March 28, 2011, submittal, for Monticello, Xcel Energy reported an amount of decommissioning funds estimated to be required under 10 CFR SO.7S(b) and (c) less than the amount calculated by the NRC staff.
According to 10 CFR SO. 7S(f)(1). the amount provided in the DFS report should be "the amount of decommissioning funds estimated to be required under 10 CFR SO.7S(b) and (c)".
RAI#2:
Amount Accumulated
- a. Provide an explanation of the external qualified, external escrow, and internal accumulations of funds identified in Enclosures 1, 2, and 3 of the submittal. The explanation should include a discussion of how each accumulation meets the methods of
-2 10 CFR 50. 75(e)(1). The explanation should include relevant information of how your rate-regulator authorizes their use in your cost recovery authorization.
- b. Provide whether the "External Escrow" is a modification in the method of providing decommissioning funding assurance since the last report.
- c. On page 3 of the 2009 submittal, it is stated, "The internal fund is being transferred to the external fund on a prescribed schedule." Your 2011 submittal does not include a similar statement. Explain whether a prescribed schedule is still in use and identify whether the schedule is required by your rate-regulatory authority.
- d. Provide the actual dates of the account balances in Enclosure 4 of the submittal.
Provide an explanation for the difference in terminology between Enclosure 1 and.
On March 28, 2011, Xcel Energy reported three separate accumulations of funds for the amount accumulated at the end of the calendar year preceding the date of the report for PINGP Units 1 and 2 and MNGP. Xcel Energy provided the amounts held in the external qualified, external escrow, and internal accumulation of funds for each plant.
According to 10 CFR 50. 75(f)(1),
The information in this report must include... the amount accumulated to the end of the calendar year preceding the date of the report.
According to 10 CFR 50.75(e)(1)(ii), "External sinking fund",
An external sinking fund is a fund established and maintained by setting funds aside periodically in an account segregated from licensee assets and outside the administrative control of the licensee and its subsidiaries or affiliates in which the total amount of funds would be sufficient to pay decommissioning costs at the time permanent termination of operations is expected. An external sinking fund may be in the form of a trust, escrow account, or Government fund, with payment by certificate of deposit, deposit of Government or other securities, or other method acceptable to the NRC.
RAI#3:
Amounts Accumulated Provide the after-tax amount of decommissioning funds accumulated through December 31, 2010. Verify whether the dollar amounts Xcel Energy provided were pre-tax or after-tax amounts of funds accumulated through December 31,2010, for PINGP Units 1 and 2 and Monticello.
The provisions of 10 CFR 50. 75(f)(1) and (2) require the licensee to report the amount of funds accumulated to the end of the calendar year preceding the report.
June 23, 2011 Mr. James E. Molden Vice president, Operations Support Northern States Power Company - Minnesota 414 Nicollett Mall - MP4 Minneapolis, MN 55401
SUBJECT:
MONTICELLO NUCLEAR GENERATING PLANT AND PRAIRIE ISLAND NUCLEAR GENERATING PLANT, UNITS 1 AND 2 - REQUEST FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION RELATED TO DECOMMISSIONING FUNDING STATUS REPORTS (TAC NOS. ME5503, ME5522 AND ME5523)
Dear Mr. Molden:
By letter to the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) dated March 28, 2011, Northern States Power Company, a Minnesota corporation (NSPM, the licensee), doing business as Xcel Energy, submitted the 2010 Decommissioning Funding Status Reports for the Monticello Nuclear Generating Plant and the Prairie Island Nuclear Generating Plant, Units 1 and 2.
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 June 23, 2011, it was agreed that you would provide a response 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) 415-4037.
Sincerely, IRA!
Thomas J. Wengert, Senior Project Manager Plant Licensing Branch 111-1 Division of Operating Reactor Licensing Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation Docket Nos. 50-263, 50-282 and 50-306
Enclosure:
Request for Additional Information cc w/encl: Distribution via ListServ DISTRIBUTION:
PUBLIC LPL3-1 R/F RidsNrrPMMonticello Resource RidsNrrDorlDpr Resource RidsNrrDorlLpl3-1 Resource RidsAcrsAcnw_MailCTR Resource RidsNrrDprPfib RidsNrrPMPrairielsland Resource RidsOgcRp Resource K. Lois, NRR RidsNrrLABTully Resource RidsRgn3MailCenter Resource S. Harwell, NRR M. Dusaniwskyj, NRR ADAMS Accession Number ML111710801
- via memo dated 5/16/2011 OFFICE LPL3-1/PM LPL3-1/LA NRR/DPR/PFIB/BC LPL3-1/BC NAME TWengert BTully MDusaniwskyj for CRegan*
RPascarelli DATE 6/23/11 6/23/11 05/16/11 6/23/11 OFFICIAL RECORD COPY