ML17110A055

Transmittal of 2016 Annual Environmental Operating Report

ML17110A055
Person / Time
Site:	Palo Verde
Issue date:	04/19/2017
From:	Weber T Arizona Public Service Co
To:	Document Control Desk, Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation
References
102-07480-TNW/MDD/TMJ
Download: ML17110A055 (5)

Text

Palo Verde Nuclear Generating Station P.O. Box 52034 Phoenix, AZ 85072 Mail Station 7636 Tel: (623) 393-5764 102-07480-TNW/MDD/TMJ April 19, 2017 ATTN: Document Control Desk U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Washington, DC 20555-0001

Subject:

Palo Verde Nuclear Generating Station (PVNGS)

Units 1, 2, and 3 Docket Nos. STN 50-528/529/530 2016 Annual Environmental Operating Report Enclosed please find the 2016 Annual Environmental Operating Report for PVNGS Units 1, 2, and 3. Arizona Public Service Company is submitting this report pursuant to Section 5.4.1 of Appendix B to the PVNGS Units 1, 2, and 3 Renewed Operating License Nos. NPF-41, NPF-51, and NPF-74, respectively.

No new commitments are being made to the NRC by this letter. Should you need further information regarding this submittal, please contact Michael DiLorenzo, Licensing Section Leader, at (623) 393-3495.

Sincerely, Weber, Thomas Digitally signed by Weber, Thomas N(Z00499)

DN: cn=Weber, Thomas N(Z00499)

N(Z00499) Reason: I am approving this document Date: 2017.04.19 16:49:58 -07'00' Thomas N. Weber Department Leader, Regulatory Affairs TNW/MDD/TMJ/sma

Enclosure:

Palo Verde Nuclear Generating Station Units 1, 2, and 3 2016 Annual Environmental Operating Report cc: K. M. Kennedy NRC Region IV Regional Administrator S. P. Lingam NRC NRR Project Manager for PVNGS M. M. Watford NRC NRR Project Manager C. A. Peabody NRC Senior Resident Inspector for PVNGS A member of the STARS Alliance LLC Callaway

• Diablo Canyon

• Palo Verde

• Wolf Creek

Enclosure Palo Verde Nuclear Generating Station Units 1, 2, and 3 2016 Annual Environmental Operating Report

Enclosure PVNGS 2016 Annual Environmental Operating Report I. INTRODUCTION Palo Verde Nuclear Generating Station (PVNGS) is located in Maricopa County, Arizona, approximately 50 miles west of the Phoenix metropolitan area. The PVNGS site comprises approximately 4,280 acres. Site elevations range from 890 feet above mean sea level at the southern boundary to 1,030 feet above mean sea level at the northern boundary. The station consists of three pressurized water reactor electrical generating units. Units 1, 2, and 3 have a rated thermal power of 3,990 MW.

Arizona Public Service (APS) was issued low power operating licenses NPF-34, NPF-46 and NPF-65 for Units 1, 2, and 3 by the United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) on December 31, 1984, December 9, 1985, and March 25, 1987, respectively. APS was issued full power operating licenses NPF-41, NPF-51 and NPF-74 for Units 1, 2, and 3 on June 1, 1985, April 24, 1986, and November 25, 1987, respectively. These licenses were renewed on April 21, 2011.

Appendix B to these operating licenses is entitled the Environmental Protection Plan (Non Radiological). The environmental protection plan (EPP) is common to the three current operating licenses.

The purpose of the EPP is to provide for the protection of environmental values during the construction and operation of the nuclear facility. The principal objectives of the EPP are as follows:

(1) Verify that the station is operated in an environmentally acceptable manner, as established by the final environmental statement (FES) and other NRC environmental impact assessments.

(2) Coordinate NRC requirements and maintain consistency with other federal, state and local requirements for environmental protection.

(3) Keep the NRC informed of the environmental effects of facility construction and operation and actions taken to control those effects.

This Annual Environmental Operating Report is required by Section 5.4.1 of the EPP. This report describes the activities related to the PVNGS EPP during the 2016 calendar year. For purposes of this report, references to the EPP are considered to be the EPP of NPF-41, NPF-51, and NPF-74.

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Enclosure PVNGS 2016 Annual Environmental Operating Report II. ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING SUMMARIES AND ANALYSIS A. Cultural Resources Section 4.2.1 of the EPP requires that an archaeological survey be performed when final alignment of the PVNGS-to-Saguaro transmission line is completed. As of the date of this report, plans for this transmission line have been indefinitely suspended. Therefore, there has been no activity with regard to this requirement of the EPP.

B. Terrestrial Ecology Monitoring As communicated in a letter to the NRC dated December 30, 1991 (Reference 1), the salt deposition monitoring program was discontinued at the end of 1991.

III. PLANT DESIGN AND OPERATION CHANGES Section 3.1 of the EPP allows changes in station design, operation, or the performance of tests or experiments affecting the environment provided that such changes, tests, or experiments do not involve an unreviewed environmental question and do not involve a change to the EPP. Changes, tests, or experiments in which all measurable non-radiological effects are confined to the onsite areas previously disturbed during site preparation and plant construction or in which the environment is not affected are exempt from the evaluation and reporting requirements of Section 3.1.

Section 3.2 of the EPP also exempts changes, tests, or experiments which are required to comply with other federal, state, or local environmental regulations.

No design and operational changes were initiated in 2016 that required an evaluation to determine if they involved either an unreviewed environmental question or constituted a change in the EPP.

IV. EPP NON-COMPLIANCES There were no instances of non-compliance with the EPP identified during 2016.

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Enclosure PVNGS 2016 Annual Environmental Operating Report V. NON-ROUTINE REPORTS There was one occurrence of an unusual or important environmental event that could have resulted in a significant environmental impact causally related to plant operation as described in Section 4.1 of the EPP.

1. On April 1, 2016, approximately 8,000 gallons of 8% sodium hypochlorite was released. The quantity exceeded the reportable quantity of 100 pounds (or 125 gallons of 8% solution). This event was reported to the National Response Center (Report #1144274) and applicable state and county agencies. An Event Notification System (ENS) report (ENS #51844) was made to the NRC. The spill, which was confined to onsite areas, was immediately isolated and subsequently remediated.

As described in Section 5.4.2 of the EPP for a non-routine event, if a report is not required by other Federal, State or local agencies, then a 30-day report to the NRC is required. There were no such non-routine reports required by Section 5.4.2 of the EPP during 2016.

VI. Reference

1. Letter from W.F. Conway (APS) to U.S. NRC, Palo Verde Nuclear Generating Station (PVNGS) Units 1, 2, and 3, Salt Deposition and Impact Monitoring Plan, dated December 30, 1991 [NRC Agencywide Documents Access and Management System (ADAMS)

No. 9201070077]

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