ML20138L109

Informs of Schedule Change Re Decommissioning of Rancho Seco.Incremental Decommissioning Action Plan,Encl

ML20138L109
Person / Time
Site:	Rancho Seco
Issue date:	01/29/1997
From:	Redeler S SACRAMENTO MUNICIPAL UTILITY DISTRICT
To:	Weiss S NRC OFFICE OF INFORMATION RESOURCES MANAGEMENT (IRM)
Shared Package
ML20138L112	List: ML20138L109 ML20138L123
References
MPC&D-97-006, MPC&D-97-6, NUDOCS 9702210069
Download: ML20138L109 (3)

Text

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m I.( )SMUD SACRAMENTO MUNICIPAL UTluTY DISTRICT O 62015 Street, P.o. Box 15830, Sacramento CA 95852 1830,(916) 452 3211 AN ELECTRIC SYSTEM SERVING THE HEART OF CALIFORNIA MPC&D 97-006 January 29,1997 U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Attn.: Document Control Desk Washington, DC 20555 Docket No. 50-312 Rancho Seco Nuclear Generating Station License No. DPR-54 RANCIIO SECO DECOMMISSIONING SCllEDULE CilANGE Attn.: Seymour Weiss On March 20,1995, the NRC issued an Order approving the Rancho Seco decommissioning plan, and authorizing the decommissioning of Rancho Seco Nuclear Generating Station. The approved decommissioning plan describes SMUD's plans to maintain Rancho Seco in a SAFSTOR configuration until 2008, when Deferred-DECON would begin. Deferred DECON is the period where SMUD would begin reducing radioactive materials at the site to levels acceptable for license termination.

In accordance with 10 CFR 50.82(e)(7), we are informing the NRC of a schedule change from the Deferred-DECON activities described in the approved decommissioning plan.

Specifically, we intend to begin dismantlement, decontamination, and radioactive waste disposition of selected systems and components containing low levels of radioactive contamination in 1997.

Our staff will begin decommissioning in accordance with the attached Incremental Decommissioning Action Plan. On January 9,1997, the SMUD Board of Directors l

approved the project, which we expect to continue for at least three years. We will evaluate the effectiveness of the program periodically to determine ifincremental

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decommissioning will continue.

The NRC's Safety Evaluation Report (SER), related to the Rancho Seco decommissioning Order, states that SMUD will provide the details necessary for NRC stafTto evaluate 9702210069 970129 PDR ADOCK 05000312 W

PDR RANCHO SECO NUCLEAR GENERATING STATION D 14440 Twin Cities Road, Herald, CA 95638 9799;(209) 333-2935

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S. Weiss MPC&D 97-006 Deferred-DECON activities in an update to the decommissioning plan. An update to the decommissioning plan would satisfy 10 CFR 50.82(d) of the "old" decommissioning mle.

The "new" decommissioning rule supersedes the requirement for that submittal and further NRC evaluation. Therefore, this letter informs the NRC of our intention to begin incremental decommissioning in compliance with the new decommissioning rule. As required by 10 CFR 50.82, we will conduct all incremental decommissioning activities in accordance with 10 CFR 50.59.

Also, the NRC's Environmental Assessment and Finding of No Significant Impact, issued relative to Rancho Seco's currently approved Decommissioning Plan, states that SMUD will address potential environmental impacts associated with dismantlement activities in an updated " Supplement to the Environmental Report - Post Operating License Stage."

Again, the "new" decommissioning rule, at 10 CFR 50.82(a)(4)(i), supersedes the old rule, and does not require a submittal if appropriate previously issued environmental impact statements bound the environmental impacts associated with decommissioning activities.

Our staff has reviewed the environmental impacts ofincremental decommissioning and has concluded that these impacts fit within the envelope of the environmental elTects described in:

1. NUREG-0586 " Final Generic Environmental Impact Statement," prepared pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA)

2. " Supplement to Rancho Seco Environmental Report - Post Operating License Stage," submitted in association with the currently approved Rancho Seco Decommissioning Plan.

Therefore, an updated " Supplement to the Environmental Report - Post Operating License Stage" is not required for incremental decommissioning.

In addition, SMUD staff conducted an environmental evaluation under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), and determined that implementing incremental decommissioning will not have a significant efTect on the environment. Consistent with the applicable provisions of CEQA, SMUD issued a Negative Declaration for the project.

Our basic schedule for implementing incremental decommissioning is to issue a Request for Proposal (RFP) by February 1997, and award contracts for dismantlement, decontamination, and disposal by March 1997. Our staff will begin some dismantlement activities in February. Significant dismantlement activities will begin afler the contract awards. Typically, our staff will base the selection of systems / components for incremental decommissioning on low contamination, case of removal, and ease of decontamination.

Examples include, large heat exchangers and vessels, large diameter piping, auxiliary boilers, and the main turbine. We forecast that the three year Incremental Decommissioning program will result in the disposition of approximately 25% of Rancho Seco's low level radwaste (LLW).

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S. Weiss MPC&D 97-006 We are revising the current Decommissioning Plan to conform with the new decommissioning rule. The revised plan (i.e., PSDAR) will include incremental decommissioning, and provide the reasons for concluding that the previous environmental impact evaluations bound the environmental impacts associated with incremental decommissioning.

Ifyou, or members of your stafE have questions requiring additional information or clarification, p; ease contact Jerry Delezenski at (916)452-3211, extension 4914.

Sincerely, A

Steve J. Redeker Manager, Plant Closure and Decommissioning Attachment cc w/ attachments:

NRC, Region IV, Arlington R. Dudley, NRC, Rockville

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