ML12024A107
| ML12024A107 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Saint Lucie, Turkey Point  |
| Issue date: | 01/18/2012 |
| From: | Mueller H Environmental Protection Agency |
| To: | Siva Lingam Plant Licensing Branch II |
| Orf T | |
| References | |
| Download: ML12024A107 (2) | |
Text
UNITED STATES ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY REGION 4 ATLANTA FEDERAL CENTER 61 FORSYTH STREET ATLANTA, GEORG IA 30303-8960 January 18,2012 Siva Lingam; Chief (Acting)
Plant Licensing Branch II-2 Division of Operating Reactor Licensing Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Rockville, Maryland 20852 SUBJ: EPA Comments on the proposed Power Uprate Project St. Lucie Nuclear Plant Units 1 & 2 (owner: Florida Power & Light)
Draft Environmental Assessment/Finding of No Significant Impact
Dear Mr. Lingam:
Consistent with Section 102(2)(c) of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and Section 309 of the Clean Air Act, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has reviewed the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission's (NRC)
Draft Environmental Assessment (EA) and Draft Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) for the St. Lucie Nuclear Power Plant. a twin nuclear power station located on Hutchinson Island, near Ft. Pierce, Florida (St. Lucie County) and primarily owned by Florida Power & Light (FPL). EPA understands that the plant contains two nuclear reactors (Units I & 2) in separate contaimnent buildings. These units are Combustion Engineering "pressurized water" reactors, and we understand that FPL is seeking a "power uprate" approval for both reactors. The power uprate project will feature new state-of-the-art equipment and processes that are designed to increase plant reliability, safety and efficiency. The new uprated power levels will require a number of plant components to be modified or replaced with the latest technology to accommodate production of additional megawatts. Components such as pipes, valves, pumps, heat exchangers, electrical transformers and generators, will be replaced or up-graded to accommodate the conditions that would exist at higher power levels.
EPA understands that the plant's two nuclear reactors are in separate containment buildings. The existing plant does not have the classic "hyperboloid cooling" structural towers found at many inland nuclear plants, but instead uses nearby Atlantic Ocean water for "secondary" coolant. In 2003, the NRC reportedly extended the operating licenses of the St. Lucie units by twenty years, to March 1,2036 for Unit 1 and April 6, 2043 for Unit 2. The proposed power uprate at the St. Lucie plants (and FPL's sister plant at Turkey Point, FL) are designed to provide these benefits according to FPL:
- "State-of-the-art" technologies to increase plant reliability, safety and efficiency, while increasing "fuel diversity, reliability and cost stability" while reducing U.S.
dependence on foreign sources of oil and gas.
Internet Address (UAL)
- http://www.epa.gov Recycled/Recyclable. Printed w~h Vegetable Oil Based Inks on Recycled Paper (Minimum 30% Poslconsumer)
- If the St. Lucie (and Turkey Point) power uprate projects are implemented approved, more than 1.2 million tons ofcarbon dioxide (C02) emissions per year
. will reportedly be avoided by offsetting additional fossil generation that would be required to meet electricity needs.
The proposed action is considered an "extended power" uprate, because it seeks to increase output by more than 7 percent. Extended power up rates require significant modifications to major balance-of-plant equipment such as the high pressure turbines, condensate pumps and motors, main generators, and/or transformers. FPL's proposed uprates at St. Lucie (and sister plant Turkey Point) are considered extended power uprates because the output would be increased 11 percent and 14 percent, respectively. EPA notes that reactor power will be increased by replacing about 40 percent of the used fuel with new fuel during each scheduled refueling, which occurs about every 18 months.
Currently, about 33 percent of the used fuel is replaced during each refueling outage. By increasing the amount of new fuel in the reactor, FPL will be able to effectively increase the reactor power during operation. The increased reactor power will result in water being at a slightly higher temperature as it exits the reactor and enters the steam generators. There will also be an increased heat transfer from the steam generators to the secondary system, and the main steam flow to the turbines will also increase.
EPA has the following comments on the proposed project:
- 1. EPA requests that NRC provide us with a copy of the Final Safety Evaluation Report and a copy of any related report(s) on the radiological consequences of postulated "design basis" accidents (with calculated doses).
- 2. EPA requests that NRC provide us with a copy of the revised Biological Opinion to be issued by the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) upon completion of the on-going consultation. EPA further requests that NRC notify us if there are any changes to monitoring or "capture and release" requirements for sea turtles (for all 5 different species found on Hutchinson Island).
The EPA Region 4 NEP A Program Office appreciates NRC coordinating this project with our office, and we recommend that you also coordinate this effort with EPA Region 4's Health Physicists, Mr. Rick Button or Mr. Lloyd Generette (phone 404-562 9135 or -9138) button.rick@epa.gov or generette.l1oyd@epa.gov). We appreciate the opportunity to review the draft EA and FONSL Should you have any questions, feel free to coordinate with Paul Gagliano, P.E., ofmy NEPA Program Office staff, at 404/562 9373 or gagliano.paul@epa.gov.
Heinz J. Mueller, Chief NEP A Program Office Office of Policy and Management 2