ML20058G036
| ML20058G036 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Fort Saint Vrain  |
| Issue date: | 11/05/1990 |
| From: | Crawford A PUBLIC SERVICE CO. OF COLORADO |
| To: | Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation |
| Shared Package | |
| ML20058G040 | List: |
| References | |
| P-90318, NUDOCS 9011090313 | |
| Download: ML20058G036 (4) | |
Text
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- .m P.O. Box 840 Denver CO 80201 0640 November 5, 1990 Fort St. Vrain A. Clegg crawford Unit No. 1 EE.$'gl$on.
P 90318 U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission ATIN: Document Control Desk Washington, D.C.
20555 ATTN: Mr. Seymour H. Weiss, Director Non-Power Reactor, Decommissioning and Environmental Project Directorate Docket No. 50 267
SUBJECT:
FORT ST. VRAIN PROPOSED DECOMMIS$10NING PLAN
REFERENCE:
(1)
PSC letter, Crawford to Weiss, dated June 30, 1989 (P-89228)
(2)
PSC letter, Crawford to Weiss, dated February 15, 1990 (P-90039)
Dear Mr. Weiss:
The purpose of this letter is to forward for NRC review and approval, the Fort St. Vrain Nuclear Generating Station Proposed Decommissioning Plan, which is submitted by Public Service Company of Colorado (PSC) in accordance with the requirements of 10 CFR 50.82(a).
This Proposed Decommissioning Plan supersedes the Preliminary Decommissioning Plan previously submitted by PSC in Reference 1.
1.
DECOMMISSIONING ALTERNATIVE The Froposed Decommissioning Plan is based on the DECON alternative rather than the SAFSTOR alternative submitted to the NRC in Reference 1.
As the NRC is aware, PSC is obligated in the interest of its shareholders, customers and the general public to consider alternatives which may reduce the risks, and therefore the possibility of higher costs, of decommissioning.
In furtherance of that obligation, and on the condition that the necessary additional funding is available, PSC has decided to investigate the. immediate dismantlement and decontamination of the radioactively activated and contaminated portions of the Fort St. Vrain Nuclear Generating Station.
The successful implementation of the DECON alternative will allow radiation levels to be reduced to levels that will allow release of the site for unrestricted use and subsequent terminatMn of. the 10 CFR 59, license as early as practical.
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l P 90318 November 5, 1990 Page 2-PSC is presently pursuing four options, all of which involve a process for handling the decommissioning efforts of Fort St. Vrain in combination with non nuclear repowering of the unit.
These options include the following:
o Decomissioning and repowering of Fort St. Vrain within the 1
rate base, wherein the cost of both decomissioning and i
repowering would be recovered within the rate base.
o Decomissioning and repowering of Fort St. Vrain outside of the rate base, wherein the cost of both decommissioning and i
repowering would be recovered with a fixed price power sales
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arrangement, with Fort St.
Vrain being treated as an i
independent power producer owned and operated by PSC.
o Decommissioning and repowering of Fort St. Vrain utilizing a traditional Independent Power Producer (IPP) process, wherein a new entity would-be formed utilizing the existing secondary assets of Fort St.
Vrain together with other equity contributions to repower Fort St. Vrain and provide funding for decommissioning, o Decommissioning and repowering of Fort St. Vrain utilizing the basics of an IPP process, but with consideration to actions -
necessary to utilize a Qualified Facility (QF) process.
Necessary - studies, evaluations and negotiations are underway to support PSC's decision-making' process, which will be completed in 1991.
Until these efforts are finalized, the funding required for decommisHoning using the DECON alternative is not. available.
.i Although PSC is confident of the ultimate' success of one of the above' options su) porting the DECON alternative, PSC is maintaining-s
-the SAFSTOR opt'on as a backup alternative and is committed to maintain the ' funding plan previously submitted for the SAFSTOR alternative in Reference 2.
II. DECONNISSIONING COST ESTIMATE AND FUNDING PLAN PSC received and considered four (4) fixed price bids to deccmission fort St. Vrain with additional fixed price options to repower the non-nuclear portion of Fort St. Vrain.
These bids were
.so competitive in the technical approach, management commitment and cost, that al1 ~ four of the bids were carried to the final. evaluation--
process.
Because of this process, PSC is highly confident in the cost estimate, as well as the methodology and overall workscope.
Of the four final bidders, PSC awarded the work to the Westinghouse team of Westinghouse, MK-Ferguson and Black & Veatch- (repowering responsibility).
PSC is currently in the process of negotiating the L
Fort - St. Vrain decommissioning contract, and given the nature of fixed price contracts, detailed cost information is not necessary and will not be provided.
As previously mentioned, PSC has a very l
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P 90318 November 5, 1990 Page 3 high level of confidence in the cost estimate to decommission and repower fort St. Vrain.
For example, the levelized net pret ent value for bids from the three top vendors varied by only 2.25%.
Given these conditions, a broad top level cost estimate has been provided in Section 5 of the attached plan.
A more detailed cost breakdown with detailed cost information for Tables 5-1, 5 2 and 5 3 will be provided as a separate proprietary" submittal.
As noted above and in Section 5 of the attached plan, negotiations will soon be taking place to establish a contract to repower and convert the secondary side of the Fort St. Vrain power plant to use
. fossil fuel.
PSC anticipates that once these negotiations are completed, PSC (utilizing its existing balance of plant assets) will obtain financing and funding for both decommissioning and repowering.
Therefore, no final funding plan for DECON is provided in the attached Proposed Decommissioning Plan as required by 10 CFR 50.82(b)(4).. This funding plan will be provided to the NRC as soon as it is available, currently estimated for mid year 1991, and the decommissioning funds will be allocated to PSC's external decommissioning trust fund.
III. ADDITIONAL. SUBNITTALS TO $UPPORT THE PROPOSED PLAN PSC will prepare and submit proposed changes to the Fort St. Vrain 10 CFR 50 license and Decommissioning Technical Specifications to reflect the decommissioning status of the facility and to identify appropriate plant conditions and limitations during the decommissioning process.
The proposed license changes and Decommissioning Technical Specifications will be submitted by the end of 1990.
. Although not directly related to the Proposed Decommissioning Plan, the Supplement to the Environmental Report required by 10 CFR 51.53 will be submitted by the end of the first quarter of 1991.
The proposed Quality Assurance and Access Control Plans provided in the attached Proposed Decommissioning Plan will replace existing i
plans in these - areas once decommissioning is formally. commenced.
Several other topical plans requiring NRC approval, including the Decommissioning Emergency
Response
Pl an, Decommissioning Fire Protection Plan, and the Funding Plan, are discussed in the attached plan but will be submitted.at later dates.
IV.
FORT ST. VRAIN REPOWERING ACTIVITIES During the Fort St. Vrain decommissioning, PSC anticipates that repowering activities will occur in the Turbine Building and surrounding site.
These repowering activities will be performed -
i concurrently with decommissioning activities.
- However, in accordance with prior commitments to the NRC, no repowering activities will commente until all fuel has been removed from the u
s n.
P 90318 November 5, 1990 Page 4 Reactor Building.
Repowering activities have received appropriate i
consideration in the Fort St. Vrain Proposed Decomissioning Plan, l
including possible accident analysis, access control planning and emergency preparedness provisions.
In order to meet the proposed schedule.for decomissioning, the NRC is requested to approve the attached Proposed Decomissioning Plan by October 31, 1991.
If you have any further questions related to the Proposed Decomissioning Plan or PSC plans, please contact Mr.
M. H. Holmes at (303) 480 6960.
Very truly yours, 0 b py fn
-A. Clegg Crawford Vice President Nuclear Operations ACC:CRB/cb.
Attachment cc:
Regional Administrator, Region IV ATTN: Mr. G.L. Constable, Chief Technical Support Section Division of Reactor Projects Mr. J.B. Baird Senior Resident Inspector Fort St. Vrain Mr. Robert M. Quillin, Director Radiation Control Division Colorado Department.of Health 4210 East lith Avenue Denver, CO 80220 1
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