ML17212A001
| ML17212A001 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Millstone  |
| Issue date: | 09/19/2017 |
| From: | Richard Guzman Plant Licensing Branch 1 |
| To: | Stoddard D Dominion Nuclear |
| Guzman R, NRR/DORL/LPL1 | |
| References | |
| CAC MF8789 | |
| Download: ML17212A001 (12) | |
Text
UNITED STATES NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION WASHINGTON, D.C. 20555-0001 Mr. Daniel G. Stoddard Senior Vice President and Chief Nuclear Officer Dominion Nuclear Innsbrook Technical Center 5000 Dominion Boulevard Glen Allen, VA 23060-6711 September 19, 2017
SUBJECT:
MILLSTONE POWER STATION, UNIT NO. 2 - ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT AND FINDING OF NO SIGNIFICANT IMPACT RELATED TO EXEMPTION REQUEST FROM 10 CFR PART 50, APPENDIX R, SECTION 111.G (CAC NO. MF8789)
Dear Mr. Stoddard:
Enclosed is a copy of the Environmental Assessment and Finding of No Significant Impact related to your application for exemption dated October 28, 2016 (Agencywide Documents Access and Management System Accession No. ML16305A330).
The proposed exemption would allow the use of operator manual actions related to loss of instrument air in lieu of the requirements contained in Title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations Part 50, Appendix R, Section 111.G.2. This exemption is being requested in accordance with the requirements of 10 CFR 50.12(a)(2)(ii), since the application of Appendix R, Section 111.G.2 in this particular circumstance would not serve the underlying purpose of the rule or is not necessary to achieve the underlying purpose of the rule.
The Environmental Assessment is being forwarded to the Office of the Federal Register for publication.
Docket No. 50-336
Enclosure:
Environmental Assessment cc w/encl: Distribution via Listserv Sincerely, Richard V. Guzman, Senior Project Manager Plant Licensing Branch I Division of Operating Reactor Licensing Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation
ENCLOSURE FEDERAL REGISTER NOTICE
NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION
[Docket No. 50-336; NRC-2017-xxxx]
Dominion Nuclear Connecticut, Inc.
Millstone Power Station, Unit No. 2 AGENCY: Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
ACTION: Environmental assessment and finding of no significant impact; issuance.
[7590-01-P]
SUMMARY
- The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is issuing an environmental assessment {EA) and finding of no significant impact (FONSI) regarding the request for regulatory exemption from specific requirements that would allow the use of operator manual actions related to loss of instrument air regarding Renewed Facility Operating License No. DPR-65 held by Dominion Nuclear Connecticut, Inc. (Dominion, the licensee) for the operation of Millstone Power Station, Unit No. 2 (Millstone 2).
DATE: The environmental assessment and finding of no significant impact referenced in this document is available on [INSERT DATE OF PUBLICATION].
ADDRESSES: Please refer to Docket ID NRC-2017-xxxx when contacting the NRG about the availability of information regarding this document. You may obtain publicly available information related to this document using any of the following methods:
Federal Rulemaking Web Site: Go to http://www.regulations.gov and search for Docket ID NRC-2017-xxxx. Address questions about NRG dockets to Carol Gallagher; telephone: 301-415-3463; e-mail: Carol.Gallaqher@nrc.gov. For technical questions, contact the individual listed in the FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT section of this document.
NRC's Agencywide Documents Access and Management System (ADAMS):
You may obtain publicly available documents online in the ADAMS Public Documents collection at http://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/adams.html. To begin the search, select "ADAMS Public Documents" and then select "Begin Web-based ADAMS Search." For problems with ADAMS, please contact the NRC's Public Document Room (PDR) reference staff at 1-800-397-4209, 301-415-4737, or by e-mail to pdr.resource@nrc.gov. The ADAMS accession number for each referenced in this document (if that document is available in ADAMS) is provided the first time that a document is referenced.
NRC's PDR: You may examine and purchase copies of public documents at the NRC's PDR, Room 01-F21, One White Flint North, 11555 Rockville Pike, Rockville, Maryland 20852.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Richard Guzman, Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Washington, DC 20555-0001; telephone:
301-415-1030, e-mail: Richard.Guzman@nrc.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
I.
Introduction The NRC is considering issuance of an exemption from certain requirements from section 111.G.2 of appendix R to part 50 of title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations (10 CFR),
"Fire Protection Program for Nuclear Power Facilities Operating Prior to January 1, 1979," for Renewed Facility Operating License No. DPR-65 issued to the licensee for operation of Millstone 2, located in New London County, Connecticut.
In accordance with 10 CFR 51.21, the NRG has prepared an EA that analyzes the environmental effects of the proposed regulatory exemption. Based on the results of the EA, and in accordance with 10 CFR 51.32, the NRG has prepared a FONSI for the proposed action.
II.
Environmental Assessment Description of the Proposed Action In its application dated October 28, 2016 (ADAMS Accession No. ML16305A330), the licensee requested an exemption from certain requirements pertaining to NRG fire regulations contained in appendix R to 1 O CFR part 50. The proposed action would exempt Millstone 2 from these requirements and allow the licensee to use alternate methods than those specified in appendix R to 10 CFR Part 50 to achieve and maintain hot shutdown conditions for affected initiating fire areas with consideration of a loss of instrument air. Specifically, the proposed action would allow the licensee to use operator manual actions (OMAs) related to loss of instrument air at Millstone 2 in lieu of the requirements contained in section 111.G.2 of appendix R to 10 CFR Part 50.
Need for the Proposed Action A regulatory exemption to section 111.G.2 of appendix R to 10 CFR part 50 is needed to allow Millstone 2 to use alternate methods than those specified in appendix R to 10 CFR Part 50 to achieve and maintain hot shutdown conditions for affected initiating fire areas with consideration of a loss of instrument air.
Regulatory Issue Summary 2006-10, "Regulatory Expectations with Appendix R, Section 111.G.2, "Operator Manual Actions," documents the NRC position on the use of OMAs as part of a compliance strategy to meet the requirements of section 111.G.2 of appendix R. The NRC requires plants which credit manual actions for regulatory compliance with section 111.G.2 of appendix R to obtain NRG approval for those actions in accordance with the requirements of 10 CFR Part 50.12, "Specific Exemptions".
The licensee originally submitted an exemption request for OMAs contained in the Millstone 2 Appendix R Compliance Report in its letter dated June 30, 2011 (ADAMS Accession No. ML11188A213). The licensee subsequently removed four OMAs from that exemption request related to specific fire areas by letter dated February 29, 2012 (ADAMS Accession No. ML12069A016), because loss of instrument air was not a postulated event. The NRC approved the requested exemption, as revised, by letter dated December 18, 2012 (ADAMS Accession No. ML12312A373).
During the 2016 triennial fire inspection at Millstone 2, it was identified that a loss of ottsite power will result in a loss of instrument air prior to the emergency diesel generators starting and that instrument air does not automatically restart and cannot be manually started from the control room. The intent of 10 CFR 50, Appendix R, paragraph 111.G.2, is to ensure one train of systems necessary to achieve and maintain hot shutdown will remain available in the event of a fire. At Millstone 2, instrument air is a single train system and, therefore, does not meet Appendix R 111.G.2 requirements because there is no redundant train. A loss of instrument air will result in both atmospheric dump valves (ADVs) failing closed. Instrument air is necessary to operate the ADVs and support decay heat removal. The four OMAs (OMAs 1, 9, 10, and 11) subject to this exemption request provide assurance for the use of alternate methods than those specified in appendix R to 10 CFR Part 50 to achieve and maintain hot shutdown conditions for affected initiating fire areas with consideration of a loss of instrument air. As a result, the licensee is submitting this exemption request for those OMAs (OMAs 1, 9, 10, and 11) related to a loss of instrument air for certain affected initiating fire areas (R-9, R-10, R-13, and R-14).
Environmental Impacts of the Proposed Action The NRC has completed its evaluation of the proposed action. The proposed action consists of the NRC granting Millstone 2 a regulatory exemption for the use of alternate methods than those specified in appendix R to 10 CFR Part 50 to achieve and maintain hot shutdown conditions for affected initiating fire areas with consideration of a loss of instrument air. Specifically, the regulatory exemption is necessary to allow the use of OMAs related to loss of instrument air in lieu of the requirements contained in section 111.G.2 of appendix R to 10 CFR Part 50.
The proposed changes would have no direct impacts on land use or water resources, including terrestrial and aquatic biota as the proposed action involves no new construction or modification of plant operational systems. There would be no changes to the quality or quantity of non-radiological effluents. No changes to the plant's National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System permit are needed. No changes in ambient air quality would be expected. In addition, there would be no noticeable effect on socioeconomic conditions in the region, no environment justice impacts, and no impacts to historic and cultural resources. Therefore, there would be no significant non-radiological impacts associated with the proposed action.
The NRG has concluded that the proposed action would not significantly affect plant safety and would not have a significant adverse effect on the probability of an accident occurring. There would be no change to radioactive effluents that affect radiation exposures to plant workers and members of the public. No changes would be made to plant buildings or the site property. Therefore, the proposed action would not result in a change to the radiation exposures to the public or radiation exposure to plant workers.
Accordingly, the NRC concludes that there are no significant environmental impacts associated with the proposed action.
Environmental Impacts of the Alternatives to the Proposed Action As an alternative to the proposed action, the NRG considered denial of the proposed action (i.e., the "no-action" alternative). Denial of the regulatory exemptions would result in no change in current environmental impacts. Therefore, the environmental impacts of the proposed action and the denial of the exemption request would be similar.
Alternative Use of Resources There are no unresolved conflicts concerning alternative uses of available resources under the proposed action.
Agencies and Persons Consulted In accordance with its stated policy, on July 31, 2017, the NRC staff consulted with the Connecticut State official, Mr. Jeffrey Semancik of the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection, regarding the environmental impact of the proposed action. The state official had no comments.
Ill.
Finding of No Significant Impact The licensee has requested an exemption from specific regulatory requirements to allow the use of OMAs as alternate methods than those specified in section 111.G.2 of appendix R of 10 CFR Part 50 to achieve and maintain hot shutdown conditions for affected initiating fire areas with consideration of a loss of instrument air. The NRG is considering issuing the requested exemption. The proposed action would not significantly affect plant safety, would not have a significant adverse effect on the probability of an accident occurring, and would not have any significant radiological and non-radiological impacts. This FONSI incorporates by reference the EA in Section II of this notice. Therefore, the NRG concludes that the proposed action will not have a significant effect on the quality of the human environment. Accordingly, the NRG has determined not to prepare an environmental impact statement for the proposed action.
The related environmental document is the "Generic Environmental Impact Statement for License Renewal of Nuclear Plants: Regarding Millstone Power Station, Units 2 and 3 - Final Report," NUREG-1437, Supplement 22 (ADAMS Accession Number ML051960295. NUREG-1437, Supplement 22 provides the latest environmental review of current operations and description of environmental conditions at Millstone 2.
The finding and other related environmental documents may be examined, and/or copied for a fee, at the NRG's Public Document Room (PDR), located at One White Flint North, 11555 Rockville Pike, Rockville, Maryland 20852. Publicly-available records will be accessible electronically from ADAMS Public Electronic Reading Room on the Internet at the NRC's Web Site: http://www.nrc.gov/readinq-rm/adams. html.
Persons who do not have access to ADAMS or who encounter problems in accessing the documents located in ADAMS should contact the NRC's PDR Reference staff by telephone at 1-800-397-4209 or 301-415-4737, or send an e-mail to pdr.resource@nrc.gov.
IV. Availability of Documents The documents identified in the following table are available to interested persons through one or more of the following methods, as indicated.
DOCUMENT ADAMS ACCESSION NO. I WEB LINK I FEDERAL REG/STER CITATION Dominion Nuclear Connecticut, Inc ML16305A330 Millstone Power Station, Unit 2, Proposed Exemption Request from 10 CFR 50, Appendix R, Section 111.G, "Fire Protection of Safe Shutdown Capability."
Dated October 28. 2016 Dominion Nuclear Connecticut, Inc.
ML11188A213 Millstone, Unit 2 - Request for Exemption from 10 CFR 50, Appendix R, Section 111.G, "Fire Protection of Safe Shutdown Capability".
Dated June 30, 2011 Dominion Nuclear Connecticut, Inc ML12069A016 Millstone Power Station, Unit 2 - Response to Request for Additional Information Request for Exemption from 10 CFR 50, Appendix R, Section 111.G., "Fire Protection of Safe Shutdown Capability".
Dated Februarv 29, 2012 U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission ML12312A373 Millstone Power Station, Unit 2, Correction to Previously Issued Exemption from the Requirements of 10 CFR Part 50, Appendix R, Section 111.G.2. (TAC No. ME6693).
Dated December 18, 2012 U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission ML061650389 NRC Regulatory Issue Summary 2006-010 -
Regulatory Expectations with Appendix R Paragraph lll.G.2 Operator Manual Actions.
Dated June 30, 2006 U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission ML051960295 NUREG-1437, Sunnlement 22 Generic Environmental Impact Statement for License Renewal of Nuclear Plants: Regarding Millstone Power Station, Units 2 and 3, Final Report Dated Julv, 2005 Dated at Rockville, Maryland, this 20th day of September 2017.
For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
Richard V. Guzman, Senior Project Manager, Plant Licensing Branch I, Division of Operating Reactor Licensing, Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation.
- Letter ML17212A001 EA FRN ML 17212AOOO OFFICE DORL/LPL 1/PM DORL/LPL 1/LA DLR/RERP/BC OGG-NLO w/comments NAME RGuzman LRonewicz BBeasley AGhosh DATE 08/01/17 07/31/17 08/17/17 09/14/17