ML21057A315

Letter to Georgia Department of Natural Resources for Review of Draft Ea/Fonsi for Hatch and Vogtle ISFSI Decommissioning Funding Plans

ML21057A315
Person / Time
Site:	07200036, 07201039
Issue date:	03/09/2021
From:	John Mckirgan Storage and Transportation Licensing Branch
To:	Simonton B State of GA, Dept of Natural Resources
JChen - NMSS/DFM/STL - 301.415.1018
Shared Package
ML21057A314	List: ML21057A315
References
L-2017-FPR-0032, L-2017-FPR-0072
Download: ML21057A315 (3)

Text

PRE-DECISIONAL INFORMATION. THIS INFORMATION IS LIMITED TO USE BY THE GEORGIA DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES. THIS INFORMATION SHALL NOT BE DISCLOSED WITHOUT PRIOR NRC PERMISSION.

UNITED STATES NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION WASHINGTON, D.C. 20555-0001 March 9, 2021 Barty Simonton Georgia Department of Natural Resources Environmental Protection Division Environmental Radiation Program 4220 International Pkwy., Suite 100 Atlanta, GA 30354

SUBJECT:

REVIEW OF THE DRAFT ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT AND FINDING OF NO SIGNIFICANT IMPACT FOR THE HATCH AND VOGTLE INDEPENDENT SPENT FUEL STORAGE INSTALLATIONS DECOMMISSIONING FUNDING PLANS

Dear Mr. Simonton:

By letter dated March 31, 2014, Southern Nuclear Operating Company (SNC) submitted decommissioning funding plans (DFP) for the Edward I. Hatch Nuclear Plant Units 1 and 2 (Hatch) Independent Spent Fuel Storage Installation (ISFSI) and Vogtle Electric Generating Plant Units 1 and 2 (Vogtle) ISFSI, both located in Georgia, for U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) staff review and approval.

The NRC regulations at Title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations (10 CFR) Part 72, Licensing Requirements for the Independent Storage of Spent Nuclear Fuel, High-Level Radioactive Waste, and Reactor-Related Greater than Class C Waste, govern the storage of spent nuclear fuel (spent fuel) generated at commercial nuclear power reactors licensed by the NRC. Spent fuel that has been removed from the reactors spent fuel pool is typically stored at a nuclear power plants ISFSI.

The NRC requires its licensees to plan for the eventual decommissioning of their licensed facilities prior to license termination. On June 17, 2011, the NRC published a final rule amending its decommissioning planning regulations (76 Federal Register (FR) 35512). The final rule amended the NRC regulation, 10 CFR 72.30, which concerns financial assurance and decommissioning for ISFSI. This regulation now requires each holder of, or applicant for, a license under 10 CFR Part 72 to submit, for NRC review and approval, a DFP. The purpose of the DFP is to demonstrate the licensees financial assurance (i.e., that funds will be available to decommission the ISFSI). The NRC staff is reviewing the information submitted by SNC.

Specifically, the NRC must determine whether SNC DFPs contain the information required by 10 CFR 72.30(b) and whether SNC has provided reasonable assurance that funds will be available to decommission the Hatch and Vogtle ISFSIs.

Upon removal of the Enclosure, this document is uncontrolled.

PRE-DECISIONAL INFORMATION. THIS INFORMATION IS LIMITED TO USE BY THE GEORGIA DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES. THIS INFORMATION SHALL NOT BE DISCLOSED WITHOUT PRIOR NRC PERMISSION.

PRE-DECISIONAL INFORMATION. THIS INFORMATION IS LIMITED TO USE BY THE GEORGIA DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES. THIS INFORMATION SHALL NOT BE DISCLOSED WITHOUT PRIOR NRC PERMISSION.

B. Simonton The SNC ISFSI DFPs are publicly available in the NRCs Agencywide Documents Access and Management System (ADAMS) accessible at http://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/adams.html. The ADAMS accession number for the application package is ML14091A008 for the 2014 initial DFPs.

In accordance with 10 CFR Part 51, the NRC regulations that implement the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, as amended, the agency has prepared separate draft environmental assessment (EA) for Hatch and Vogtle ISFSIs for the proposed action (enclosed). We are providing your office with the opportunity to review the draft EAs and comment on environmental issues prior to the public issuance and publication of the EAs. We request that distribution and use of the enclosed draft EAs be limited only to those staff involved in the review and comment process.

Please submit any comments within 30 days of the receipt of this letter to the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Document Control Desk, ATTN: John McKirgan, Mail Stop:

TWFN 4B34, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Washington, DC 20555. If you have any questions, please contact Yen-Ju Chen of my staff by telephone at 301-415-8108, or by e-mail at Yen-Ju.Chen@nrc.gov. The NRC staff will consider your timely comments and will revise the EA, as appropriate, before its final issuance and publication. Thank you for your assistance.

Sincerely, Digitally signed by John B.

John B. McKirgan Date: 2021.03.09 09:57:59 McKirgan -05'00' John B. McKirgan, Chief Storage and Transportation Licensing Branch Division of Fuel Management Office of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards Docket Nos.: 72-36 and 72-1039 License Nos.: SFGL-09 and SFGL-59 EPID Nos.: L-2017-FPR-0032 and L-2017-FPR-0072

Enclosures:

1. Draft EA for Hatch ISFSI

2. Draft EA for Vogtle ISFSI PRE-DECISIONAL INFORMATION. THIS INFORMATION IS LIMITED TO USE BY THE GEORGIA DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES. THIS INFORMATION SHALL NOT BE DISCLOSED WITHOUT PRIOR NRC PERMISSION.

ML21057A314 (Pkg) ML21057A315 (Ltr)

ML21057A316 (Encl 1) ML21057A317 (Encl 2)

• concurrence via email OFFICE DFM DFM DFM NAME YChen* WWheatley* JMcKirgan*

DATE 3/1/2021 3/4/2021 3/9/2021