ML20037A733
| ML20037A733 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Columbia  |
| Issue date: | 03/10/2020 |
| From: | Klos L Plant Licensing Branch IV |
| To: | Sawatzke B Energy Northwest |
| Klos L, 301-415-5136 | |
| References | |
| EPID L-2019-LLA-0068 | |
| Download: ML20037A733 (10) | |
Text
March 10, 2020 Mr. Bradley J. Sawatzke Chief Executive Officer Energy Northwest 76 North Power Plant Loop P.O. Box 968 Richland, WA 99352-0968
SUBJECT:
COLUMBIA GENERATING STATION - ISSUANCE OF AMENDMENT NO. 256 RE: REMOVAL OF LICENSE CONDITION 2.C.(11) AND ATTACHMENT 3 FROM THE RENEWED FACILITY OPERATING LICENSE (EPID-L-2019-LLA-0068)
Dear Mr. Sawatzke:
The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (the Commission) has issued the enclosed Amendment No. 256 to Renewed Facility Operating License (RFOL) No. NPF-21 for the Columbia Generating Station (Columbia). The amendment consists of changes to the RFOL in response to your application dated March 27, 2019.
The amendment removes License Condition 2.C.(11), Shield Wall Deferral (Section 12.3.2, SSER #4, License Amendment #7), and its related Attachment 3, List of Shield Walls, from the Columbia RFOL because these items are outdated and no longer applicable to Columbias operation. This change does not alter the technical or operating requirements at Columbia.
A copy of the related Safety Evaluation is also enclosed. The Notice of Issuance will be included in the Commissions biweekly Federal Register notice.
Sincerely,
/RA/
L. John Klos, Project Manager Plant Licensing Branch IV Division of Operating Reactor Licensing Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation Docket No. 50-397
Enclosures:
- 1. Amendment No. 256 to NPF-21
- 2. Safety Evaluation cc: Listserv
ENERGY NORTHWEST DOCKET NO. 50-397 COLUMBIA GENERATING STATION AMENDMENT TO RENEWED FACILITY OPERATING LICENSE Amendment No. 256 License No. NPF-21
- 1.
The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (the Commission) has found that:
A.
The application for amendment by Energy Northwest (the licensee), dated March 27, 2019, complies with the standards and requirements of the Atomic Energy Act of 1954, as amended (the Act) and the Commissions rules and regulations set forth in 10 CFR Chapter I; B.
The facility will operate in conformity with the application, the provisions of the Act, and the rules and regulations of the Commission; C.
There is reasonable assurance (i) that the activities authorized by this amendment can be conducted without endangering the health and safety of the public, and (ii) that such activities will be conducted in compliance with the Commissions regulations; D.
The issuance of this amendment will not be inimical to the common defense and security or to the health and safety of the public; and E.
The issuance of this amendment is in accordance with 10 CFR Part 51 of the Commissions regulations and all applicable requirements have been satisfied.
- 2.
Accordingly, Renewed Facility Operating License No. NPF-21 is hereby amended as described in the licensees application dated March 27, 2019, and the NRC staffs safety evaluation enclosed with this amendment.
- 3.
The license amendment is effective as of its date of issuance and shall be implemented within 90 days from the date of issuance.
FOR THE NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION
/RA/
Jennifer L. Dixon-Herrity, Chief Plant Licensing Branch IV Division of Operating Reactor Licensing Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation
Attachment:
Changes to Renewed Facility Operating License No. NPF-21 Date of Issuance: March 10, 2020
ATTACHMENT TO LICENSE AMENDMENT NO. 256 RENEWED FACILITY OPERATING LICENSE NO. NPF-21 COLUMBIA GENERATING STATION DOCKET NO. 50-397 Replace the following pages of Renewed Facility Operating License No. NPF-21 with the attached revised pages. The revised pages are identified by amendment number and contain marginal lines indicating the areas of change.
Renewed Facility Operating License REMOVE INSERT
SAFETY EVALUATION BY THE OFFICE OF NUCLEAR REACTOR REGULATION RELATED TO AMENDMENT NO. 256 TO RENEWED FACILITY OPERATING LICENSE NO. NPF-21 ENERGY NORTHWEST COLUMBIA GENERATING STATION DOCKET NO. 50-397
1.0 INTRODUCTION
By letter dated March 27, 2019 (Agencywide Documents Access and Management System (ADAMS) Accession No. ML19086A315), Energy Northwest (the licensee) requested changes to Renewed Facility Operating License (RFOL) No. NPF-21 for Columbia Generating Station (Columbia).
The proposed amendment would remove License Condition 2.C.(11), Shield Wall Deferral (Section 12.3.2, SSER #4, License Amendment #7), and the related Attachment 3, List of Shield Walls, from the Columbia RFOL because these items are outdated and no longer applicable to Columbias operation. This change would not alter the technical or operating requirements at Columbia.
2.0 REGULATORY EVALUATION
2.1 System Description - Radwaste Solidification System Columbias radwaste solidification system (RSS) is designed to collect, monitor, process, and package waste products in suitable form for offsite shipment and burial. These waste products may include wet solids such as powdered ion exchange resins, expended bead resins, small quantities of miscellaneous liquid, and laboratory wastes.
Columbias original licensing had the design and location of a permanent RSS, including the construction of concrete block shielding walls and a leaded glass viewing window to provide protection for anticipated potential occupational dose and was intended to be fully utilized upon the systems complete installation.
However, Columbias originally licensed RSS included portions that were installed but were not operational or, in other cases, system portions were deactivated or spared-in-place. Therefore,
since Columbias original licensing, a start-up, skid-mounted, mobile, non-permanent resin processing system has been in use.
2.2 Proposed Change The intended permanent RSS system, as described above, was never fully installed and, therefore, the related license condition and its attachment are not applicable nor properly reflect the sites current licensing basis (CLB). Therefore, the licensee is utilizing this license amendment request (LAR) to remove License Condition 2.C.(11) and Attachment 3 as they reflect plant conditions and potential radiation sources that do not exist.
Further, the removal of License Condition 2.C.(11) and Attachment 3 and updating the CLB does not:
- alter the plants physical arrangement;
- change plant operation;
- change existing radiation protection processes;
- change Columbias compliance with Title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations (10 CFR) Part 20, Standards for Protection Against Radiation, or the as low as is reasonably achievable (ALARA) program; or
- adversely affect the plant or plant safety.
2.3 Applicable Regulatory Requirements The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC, the Commission) staff identified the following regulatory requirements as applicable to the proposed amendment:
Section 20.1101(b) of 10 CFR, which states:
The licensee shall use, to the extent practical, procedures and engineering controls based upon sound radiation protection principles to achieve occupational doses and doses to members of the public that are as low as is reasonably achievable (ALARA).
and Section 50.71(e) of 10 CFR, which states, in part, that the licensee shall update periodically the final safety analysis report (FSAR) to assure that the information included in the report contains the latest information developed since the submittal of the original FSAR.
3.0 TECHNICAL EVALUATION
The NRC staff reviewed the LARs documented references and the licensing history that describes the originally proposed permanent RSS system and the associated licensing changes that document the final configuration of Columbias RSS. The NRC staff also reviewed the applicable FSAR sections documented in the LAR, which describe and document the CLB of Columbias RSS.
Based on the NRC staffs review of the LAR, which identifies that the FSAR has been updated periodically and adequately to provide the latest RSS information developed since the submittal
of the original FSAR, the NRC staff concludes that there is reasonable assurance that the requirements of 10 CFR 50.71(e) have been met. Therefore, the NRC staff finds that the proposed change is acceptable.
The NRC staff also reviewed the LARs documentation of the licensees ALARA program related to the RSS system.
Based on the NRC staffs review of the ALARA program, as applied to the RSS system, it is documented to be a practical, procedural program with engineering controls that also utilizes sound radiation protection principles related to dose management. Therefore, the NRC staff concludes that there is reasonable assurance that the requirements of 10 CFR 20.1101(b) have been met and finds that the proposed change is acceptable.
4.0 STATE CONSULTATION
In accordance with the Commissions regulations, the Washington State official was notified of the proposed issuance of the amendment on February 14, 2020. The State official had no comments.
5.0 ENVIRONMENTAL CONSIDERATION
The amendment changes requirements with respect to the installation or use of facility components located within the restricted area as defined in 10 CFR Part 20. The NRC staff has determined that the amendment involves no significant increase in the amounts, and no significant change in the types, of any effluents that may be released offsite, and that there is no significant increase in individual or cumulative occupational radiation exposure. The Commission has previously issued a proposed finding that the amendment involves no significant hazards consideration published in the Federal Register on June 18, 2019 (84 FR 28342), and there has been no public comment on such finding. Accordingly, the amendment meets the eligibility criteria for categorical exclusion set forth in 10 CFR 51.22(c)(9).
Pursuant to 10 CFR 51.22(b), no environmental impact statement or environmental assessment need be prepared in connection with the issuance of the amendment.
6.0 CONCLUSION
The Commission has concluded, based on the considerations discussed above, that: (1) there is reasonable assurance that the health and safety of the public will not be endangered by operation in the proposed manner, (2) there is reasonable assurance that such activities will be conducted in compliance with the Commissions regulations, and (3) the issuance of the amendment will not be inimical to the common defense and security or to the health and safety of the public.
Principal Contributor: John Klos, NRR Date: March 10, 2020
ML20037A733 OFFICE NRR/DORL/LPL4/PM NRR/DORL/LPL4/LA NRR/DRA/ARCB/BC NAME JKlos PBlechman KHsueh DATE 02/05/2020 02/25/2020 02/13/2020 OFFICE OGC NRR/DORL/LPL4/BC NRR/DORL/LPL4/PM NAME JWatchuka JDixon-Herrity JKlos DATE 03/06/2020 03/10/2020 03/10/2020