ML12047A285

January 17, 2012, Summary of Telephone Conference Call Held Between the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission & STP Nuclear Operating Company, Concerning Requests for Additional Information Pertaining to the South Texas Project License Renewal

ML12047A285
Person / Time
Site:	South Texas
Issue date:	02/29/2012
From:	Tam Tran License Renewal Projects Branch 2
To:
Tran T, 415-3617
References
Download: ML12047A285 (6)

Text

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LICENSEE: STP Nuclear Operating Company FACILITY: South Texas Project

SUMMARY

OF TELEPHONE CONFERENCE CALL HELD ON JANUARY 17, 2012, BETWEEN THE U.S. NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION AND STP NUCLEAR OPERATING COMPANY, CONCERNING REQUESTS FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION PERTAINING TO THE SOUTH TEXAS PROJECT LICENSE RENEWAL APPLICATION (TAC NOS. ME5122, ME 5123, ME4938, AND ME4939)

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC or the staff) and representatives of STP Nuclear Operating Company held a telephone conference call on January 17, 2012, to discuss and clarify the staff's requests for additional information (RAI) concerning the South Texas Project license renewal application. The telephone conference call was useful in clarifying the intent of the staff's RAls.

Enclosure 1 provides a listing of the participants and Enclosure 2 contains a listing of the RAls discussed with the applicant, including a brief description on the status of the items.

The applicant had an opportunity to comment on this summary.

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'Tam Tran, Project Manager Projects Branch 2 Division of License Renewal Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation Docket Nos. 50-498 and 50-499 Enclosures' As stated cc w/encls' Listserv

TELEPHONE CONFERENCE CALL SOUTH TEXAS PROJECT LICENSE RENEWAL APPLICATION LIST OF PARTICIPANTS JANUARY 17,2012 PARTICIPANTS AFFILIA TIONS Tam Tran U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC)

Andy Imboden NRC Kevin Folk NRC Lloyd Subin NRC Arden Aldridge South Texas Project (STP)

Ken Taplett STP Sandy Dannhardt STP Peggy Travis STP ENCLOSURE 1

REQUESTS FOR ADDITIONAL CLARIFICATION LICENSE RENEWAL APPLICATION JANUARY 17, 2012 The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC or the staff) and representatives of STP Nuclear Operating Company (STPNOC) held a telephone conference call on January 17, 2012, to discuss and clarify the staff's request for additional information (RAI) concerning the license renewal application.

Issue:

Depending on the State, specific environmental conditions at the plant, the plant's location, and the permit or certificate's terms, the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) may not issue a renewed license without certain certifications or permit processes being complete, as appropriate. For example, Section 307 of the Coastal Zone Management Act requires applicant coordination with the State prior to NRC issuing a renewed license ("No license or permit shall be granted by the Federal agency until the state or its designated agency has concurred with the applicant's certification ... ").

Background information:

South Texas Project (STP) Environmental Report (ER) Section 9.0 provides the status of compliance with Federal and State requirements pursuant to 10 CFR 51.45(d), as adopted by 10 CFR 51.53(c)(2). The ER states:

NRC has indicated in its Generic Environmental Impact Statement for License Renewal of Nuclear Power Plants (GElS) that issuance of a National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit implies certification by the state (NRC 1996). STP Units 1 & 2 hold a Texas Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (TPDES) permit, the Texas equivalent to a NPDES permit. This permit allows discharge to the lower Colorado River from the Main Cooling Reservoir.

Such a discharge has only occurred as a test of the blow down system in 1997.

Attachment B contains the first page of the current STP Units 1 & 2 TPDES permit, which authorizes plant discharges. Consistent with the GElS, STPNOC is providing evidence of STP Units 1 & 2's TPDES permit as evidence of water quality (401) certification.

The status of the 401 certification is not clear to the staff. The ER does not appear to explicitly explain the status of compliance (also, the STP TPDES permit issued by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality does not explicitly contain an applicable statement about the 401 Water Quality Certification (WQC) status of compliance). Hence, the staff is requesting additional information to support the staff's independent review in accordance with Title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulation (CFR) 51.70(b) and (c).

Information request:

Please provide:

(a) documentation demonstrating State concurrence, or (b) if required as appropriate, other Federal agencies' concurrence, or ENCLOSURE 2

-2 (c) if the applicable process (State or Federal) is not complete, a statement describing the status of obtaining such concurrence or permit or certificate for all necessary permits and certificates for operation that must be obtained prior to NRC issuing a renewed license.

Discussion:

During the conference call, the applicant confirmed understanding of the RAI and the action of providing a response. The applicant stated it would provide a documentation of an expanded discussion on its status of compliance in accordance with 10 CFR 51.45(d).

' .. ML12047A285 OFFICE LADLR PM:RPB2:DLR IBC:RPB2:DLR BC:RERB:DLR PM:RPB2:DLR NAME IKing TTran DWrona Almoden TTran II DATE 2/23/12 2/23/12 2/24/12 2/29/12 2/29/12

Memorandum to STP Nuclear Operating Company from T, Tran dated February 29, 2012

SUMMARY

OF TELEPHONE CONFERENCE CALL HELD ON JANUARY 17, 2012, BETWEEN THE U.S. NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION AND STP NUCLEAR OPERATING COMPANY, CONCERNING REQUESTS FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION PERTAINING TO THE SOUTH TEXAS PROJECT LICENSE RENEWAL APPLICATION (TAC NOS. ME5122, ME 5123, ME4938, AND ME4939)

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