ML13336A860

NRC Staff'S 22nd Status Report in Response to the Atomic Safety and Licensing Board Order of February 16 2012

ML13336A860
Person / Time
Site:	Indian Point
Issue date:	12/02/2013
From:	Sherwin Turk NRC/OGC
To:	Atomic Safety and Licensing Board Panel
SECY RAS
References
50-247-LR, 50-286-LR, ASLBP 07-858-03-LR-BD01, RAS 25375
Download: ML13336A860 (8)

Text

December 2, 2013 UNITED STATES OF AMERICA NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION BEFORE THE ATOMIC SAFETY AND LICENSING BOARD In the Matter of )

)

ENTERGY NUCLEAR OPERATIONS, INC. ) Docket Nos. 50-247-LR/286-LR

)

(Indian Point Nuclear Generating )

Units 2 and 3) )

NRC STAFFS 22ND STATUS REPORT IN RESPONSE TO THE ATOMIC SAFETY AND LICENSING BOARDS ORDER OF FEBRUARY 16, 2012 In accordance with the Atomic Safety and Licensing Boards (Board) Order (Granting NRC Staffs Unopposed Time Extension Motion and Directing Filing of Status Updates)

(Order), issued on February 16, 2012, the NRC Staff (Staff) herewith provides its 22nd monthly status report to the Board.

1. Endangered Species. As stated in the Staffs previous status reports, 1 Contention RK-EC-8 challenges the Staffs issuance of its Final Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (FSEIS) related to license renewal of Indian Point Units 2 and 3 (IP2 and IP3), 2 prior to completing its consultations with the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) under Section 7 of the Endangered Species Act (ESA). On January 30, 2013, NMFS issued a final Biological Opinion for endangered species in the vicinity of IP2 and IP3, and in June 2013, the Staff issued a Supplement (Volume 4) to the FSEIS, in which it described the completion of its consultation process with NMFS and incorporated NMFSs views in its 1 st See, e.g., NRC Staffs 21 Status Report in Response to the Atomic Safety and Licensing st Boards Order of February 16, 2012 (Nov. 1, 2013) (21 Status Report), at 1.

2 Generic Environmental Impact Statement for License Renewal of Nuclear Plants, Supplement 38, Regarding Indian Point Nuclear Generating Units Nos. 2 and 3, NUREG-1437, Supp. 38, Vol. 4 (June 2013).

evaluation of the impacts of license renewal on endangered and threatened species under the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA). On July 17, 2013, Entergy Nuclear Operations, Inc. (Entergy or Applicant) filed a motion to dismiss Contention RK-EC-8 as moot; 3 answers to the Applicants motion were filed by the Staff and Riverkeeper on August 6 and August 20, 2013, respectively. A Board decision on the Applicants motion is pending.

On August 20, 2013, Riverkeeper filed a motion seeking to amend Contention RK-EC-8, and filed Amended Contention RK-EC-8A. 4 Answers to Riverkeepers motion and its proposed amended contention were filed by the Staff and Applicant on October 1, 2013; Riverkeeper replied to those answers on October 8, 2013. A Board decision on the admissibility of Amended Contention RK-EC-8A is pending.

2. SER Supplement 2. As stated previously, 5 the Staff plans to issue Supplement 2 to its Safety Evaluation Report (SER) related to license renewal of IP2/IP3, in which it will address information provided in the Applicants responses to Staff requests for additional information (RAIs) following the issuance of SER Supplement 1; this will include information concerning the Applicants Reactor Vessel Internals (RVI) Aging Management Program and Inspection Plan (AMP), as well as changes made to the LRA since the issuance of SER Supplement 1. 6 The Staff issued additional RAIs concerning RVI and other issues this fall. The Staffs RAIs on RVI issues were transmitted to the Applicant on November 19, 2013; 3

Entergy Motion to Dismiss Riverkeeper Contention RK-EC-8 (Endangered and Threatened Aquatic Species) as Moot (July 17. 2013).

4 Riverkeeper, Inc. Consolidated Motion for Leave to File Amended Contention RK-EC-8A and Amended Contention RK-EC-8A (Aug. 20, 2013).

5 st 21 Status Report, at 2.

6 Following the Staffs issuance of SER Supplement 1, the Applicant revised its LRA and/or RAI responses in various areas, including (a) the One-Time Inspection and Selective Leaching programs; (b) the Metal Enclosed Bus Inspection program; (c) the IP2 Auxiliary Feedwater Pump Room Fire Event; (d) the Buried and Underground Piping and Tanks Inspection program; (e) RVI issues; and (f) other matters identified in the Applicants annual LRA updates.

additional RAIs on other issues may be forthcoming. The Applicants responses to the RAIs on RVI issues are expected in mid-January 2013. Accordingly, the Staff currently anticipates that SER Supplement 2 will likely be issued in mid-2014. The Staff will provide further information to the Board regarding this matter as it becomes available.

3. Track 2 Safety Issues. As stated previously, 7 the Staff believes that hearings on Track 2 safety issues related to the Applicants RVI aging management program (Contentions NYS-25 and portions of NYS-38/ RK-TC-5) should be deferred until the Staff has completed its evaluation of this matter. In addition, to promote efficiency and conservation of resources, and to assure there is no overlap in the issues or testimony, the Staff believes that evidentiary hearings on the remaining Track 2 safety issues (Contentions NYS-26B/RK-TC-1B and remaining portions of NYS-38/RK-TC-5) should be deferred to coincide with hearings on Contention NYS-25 and RVI-related portions of Contention NYS-38/RK-TC-5.

4. Waste Confidence. As the Staff noted previously, 8 the Commission has undertaken further consideration of its Waste Confidence Decision, and has stated that it "will not issue licenses dependent upon the Waste Confidence Decision or the Temporary Storage Rule until the court's remand [in State of New York v. NRC, 681 F.3d 471 (D.C. Cir. 2012)] is appropriately addressed." 9 Following issuance of the Court of Appeals decision, the Intervenors in this proceeding filed new contentions related to waste storage and/or disposal, to which the Applicant and Staff responded on August 2 and 3, 2012, respectively. On August 8, 7

See, e.g., 21st Status Report, at 3.

8 Id.

9 Calvert Cliffs 3 Nuclear Project, LLC and Unistar Nuclear Operating Services, LLC (Calvert Cliffs Nuclear Power Plant, Unit 3), CLI-12-16, 76 NRC 63, 67 (Aug. 7, 2012).

2012, the Board ordered that all other pleadings concerning these proposed contentions be held in abeyance, pending further order. 10 On August 5, 2013, the Commission issued a Staff Requirements Memorandum (SRM), directing the Staff to publish a proposed rule and draft environmental impact statement (EIS) on waste confidence issues. In accordance with that SRM, on September 13, 2013, the Staff published a proposed rule and notice of availability of a draft EIS on waste confidence issues. 11 As stated in the Federal Register Notices, comments on the proposed rule and draft EIS were due to be filed by November 27, 2013; the comment periods were subsequently extended to December 20, 2013. 12 A public meeting concerning these matters was held, as scheduled, in Tarrytown, NY, on October 30, 2013. 13 The Staff will provide further information concerning this matter when available.

5. CZMA Issues. On June 12, 2013, the Board denied the Applicants and New Yorks motions seeking the entry of a declaratory order regarding the need for a review of the IP2/IP3 LRA to determine its consistency with the New York State Coastal Management Program pursuant to the Coastal Zone Management Act (CZMA). 14 As noted in the Boards 10 Order (Holding Contentions NYS-39/RK-EC-9/CW-EC-10 and CW-SC-4 in Abeyance)

(Aug. 8, 2012). The Commission has similarly held such contentions in abeyance in other proceedings.

See Calvert Cliffs, supra, 76 NRC at 68-69.

11 See (1) Proposed Rule, Waste Confidence - Continued Storage of Spent Nuclear Fuel, 78 Fed. Reg. 56,776 (Sept. 13, 2013); (2) Draft Waste Confidence Generic Environmental Impact Statement, 78 Fed. Reg. 56,621 (Sept. 13, 2013).

12 Proposed Rule; Extension of Comment Period; Waste Confidence--Continued Storage of Spent Nuclear Fuel, 78 Fed. Reg. 66,858 (Nov. 7, 2013).

13 See Public Meetings, Proposed Waste Confidence Rule and Draft Generic Environmental Impact Statement, 78 Fed. Reg. 57,538 (Sept. 19, 2013).

14 Order (Granting New Yorks Motions, Denying Clearwaters Motion, and Denying CZMA Motions) (June 12, 2013). In its Order, the Board ruled that its denial of Entergys and New Yorks motions does not trigger the time for filing new contentions. Id. at 4 n.16, citing Order (Granting State of New York Motion for Extension of Time to File New Contentions) (Aug. 31, 2012) (requiring the filing of new contentions on Entergys LRA amendment regarding the need for a CZMA consistency determination within 30 days after the Board rules on Entergys motion).

decision, no consultation had yet been held between the Staff, New York and Entergy, pursuant to 15 C.F.R. § 930.51(e); the Board left open the possibility that the motions might be re-filed after such consultation occurs. The Staff expects to initiate consultations with New York and Entergy in the near future, and will provide further information to the Board regarding this issue as it becomes available.

6. Contention NYS-35/36. As also stated previously, 15 on May 7, 2013, the Applicant notified the Board that it had submitted to the Staff the results of its completed engineering project cost estimates for Severe Accident Mitigation Alternatives (SAMAs) which it had previously identified as potentially cost-beneficial. 16 In its Board notification, the Applicant noted, inter alia, that it was submitting the new information to support resolution of certain issues identified by the Board in its July 14, 2011 decision granting New Yorks motion for summary disposition of Consolidated Contention NYS-35/36 [LBP-11-17, 74 NRC 11 (2011)]. 17 The Applicants submittal thus has the potential to affect litigation of Contention NYS 35/36.

On July 9, 2013, the Board ruled that adjudicatory submissions based on NL-13-075

[Entergys letter of May 6, 2013] are due no later than 60 days after the Staff issues its draft FSEIS supplement or an equivalent document discussing its review of NL-13-075, or alternatively, no later than 60 days after the NRC Staff notifies the parties that it will not issue a written evaluation of NL-13-075 in any form. 18 The Staff plans to review the Applicants new project cost information, and currently expects to complete its evaluation in mid-2014; the Staff has not yet decided whether it will present its evaluation of that information in an FSEIS 15 st See, e.g., 21 Status Report, at 5.

16 See Letter from Kathryn M. Sutton, Esq., et al., to the Board (May 7, 2013), attaching Letter from Fred Dacimo (Entergy) to the NRC Document Control Desk, NL-13-075 (May 6, 2013) (ADAMS Accession No. ML13142A014).

17 Id. at 1 and 2.

18 Order (Granting Entergys Motion [for] Clarification) (July 9, 2013), at 2.

Supplement. The Staff will provide further information to the Board regarding this issue as it becomes available.

8. Track 1 Contentions. On November 27, 2013, the Board issued its Partial Initial Decision resolving the nine safety and environmental Track1 contentions. In accordance with 10 C.F.R. § 2.341(b)(1), petitions for Commission review of the Boards PID are due on or before December 23, 2013.

9. UFSAR Revision and LRA Update. As stated previously, 19 Indian Point Unit 2 (IP2) entered the period of timely renewal on September 29, 2013, during which the facility is continuing to operate under its existing license pending issuance of the NRCs determination on the license renewal application (LRA). 20 In connection with IP2s anticipated entry into the period of timely renewal, on September 26, 2013, the Applicant submitted a letter to the NRC, in which it revised the IP2 Updated Final Safety Analysis Report (UFSAR) to incorporate provisions contained in Appendix A (UFSAR Supplement) of the IP2 LRA, in accordance with the commitment stated in Entergys letter of May 1, 2013 (NL-13-071). 21 Also on September 26, 2013, the Applicant submitted Amendment No. 14 to its LRA, amending certain aspects of its LRA for IP2. 22 That information is currently being reviewed by the Staff.

19 st 21 Status Report, at 7.

20 The Staff had previously informed the Board and parties of the potential that Indian Point Unit 2 may enter the period of timely renewal, and of Entergys commitment to undertake certain actions prior to entering that period. See letter from Sherwin Turk, Esq. to the Board (May 6, 2013), and attached letter from F. Dacimo, Entergy, to NRC Document Control Desk, Entergy Actions Required Prior to Entry into Period of Extended Operation Associated with [LRA] for Indian Point Energy Center Unit 2, NL-13-071 (May 1, 2013).

21 See Letter from F. Dacimo, Entergy, to NRC Document Control Desk, Indian Point Energy Center Letters to NRC, License Renewal Application, dated April 23, 2007, NL-13-130 (Sept. 26, 2013)

(ADAMS Accession No. ML13269A452).

22 See Letter from F. Dacimo, Entergy, to NRC Document Control Desk, Amendment 14 to License Renewal Application, NL-13-131 (Sept. 26, 2013) (ADAMS Accession No. ML13269A452).

10. Energy Alternatives. In its Order (Denying New Yorks Motion) (Nov. 27, 2013),

the Board denied the State of New Yorks motion to admit into evidence a new exhibit on Contention NYS-37, consisting of a recent Order by the New York State Public Service Commission; further, the Board directed the Staff to report to the Board within 45 days, as to whether it will supplement the FSEIS pursuant to Section 51.92(a)(2) and if so, [to] provide a realistic estimate of when any such draft SEIS will issue. Id. at 2. In addition, the Board directed New York to delay the filing of any new contention based on the PSC Order or the information contained therein until further Order of this Board which will await the submission of the Staffs Report; finally, the Board indicated that if a new contention regarding the PSC Order is admitted, it is the Boards intent to establish an expedited schedule so that it could be resolved with the pending Track 2 contentions. Id. at 3.

11. The Staff is not currently aware of any other matter that has the potential to impact the schedule for hearings in this proceeding. In accordance with the Boards direction (Order, at 2), the Staff will notify the Board as soon as any other event with potential to alter the hearing schedule arises.

Respectfully submitted,

/Signed (electronically) by/

Sherwin E. Turk Counsel for NRC Staff U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Office of the General Counsel Mail Stop - O-15D21 Washington, DC 20555 Telephone: (301) 415-1533 E-mail: sherwin.turk@nrc.gov Dated at Rockville, Maryland this 2nd day of December 2013

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION BEFORE THE ATOMIC SAFETY AND LICENSING BOARD In the Matter of )

)

ENTERGY NUCLEAR OPERATIONS, INC. ) Docket Nos. 50-247/286-LR

)

(Indian Point Nuclear Generating )

Units 2 and 3) )

CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE Pursuant to 10 C.F.R § 2.305 (as revised), I hereby certify that copies of the foregoing NRC STAFFS 22ND STATUS REPORT IN RESPONSE TO THE ATOMIC SAFETY AND LICENSING BOARDS ORDER OF FEBRUARY 16, 2012, dated December 2, 2013, have been served upon the Electronic Information Exchange (the NRCs E-Filing System), in the above- captioned proceeding, this 2nd day of December, 2013.

/Signed (electronically) by/

Sherwin E. Turk Counsel for NRC Staff U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Office of the General Counsel Mail Stop - O-15D21 Washington, DC 20555 Telephone: (301) 415-1533 E-mail: sherwin.turk@nrc.gov