ML21063A084

Comment (82) of Kevin Kamps on Notice of Intent to Conduct Scoping Process and Prepare Environmental Impact Statement NextEra Energy Point Beach, LLC; Point Beach Nuclear Plant, Unit Nos. 1 and 2

ML21063A084
Person / Time
Site:	Point Beach
Issue date:	02/28/2021
From:	Kamps K Beyond Nuclear, Don't Waste Michigan
To:	Office of Administration
References
86FR7747 00082, NRC-2020-0277
Download: ML21063A084 (2)

Text

3/4/2021 blob:https://www.fdms.gov/ce79f3a4-5232-45a6-8d94-3eebe376f495 blob:https://www.fdms.gov/ce79f3a4-5232-45a6-8d94-3eebe376f495 1/2 PUBLIC SUBMISSION As of: 3/4/21 6:58 AM Received: February 28, 2021 Status: Pending_Post Tracking No. klp-w0jo-46uo Comments Due: March 03, 2021 Submission Type: Web Docket: NRC-2020-0277 Notice of Intent to Conduct Scoping Process and Prepare Environmental Impact Statement NextEra Energy Point Beach, LLC; Point Beach Nuclear Plant, Unit Nos. 1 and 2 Comment On: NRC-2020-0277-0001 Notice of Intent To Conduct Scoping Process and Prepare Environmental Impact Statement; NextEra Energy Point Beach, LLC, Point Beach Nuclear Plant, Units 1 and 2 Document: NRC-2020-0277-DRAFT-0087 Comment on FR Doc # 2021-02001 Submitter Information Email: kevin@beyondnuclear.org Organization: Beyond Nuclear and Don't Waste Michigan General Comment On slide #9 in its slideshow at the NRC's Feb. 17, 2021 call-in/webinar public comment meeting, NRC stated that Operating Experience (OE) is one of several bases for NRC's Safety Review of NextEra's proposal to operate Point Beach for 80 years.

Point Beach's OE leaves a lot to be desired. This century, the two reactors at Point Beach, in certain years, had a majority of the NRC's "red findings" -- the agency's highest safety violation designation, amongst the entire U.S. fleet of operating reactors -- then numbering 104 -- combined.

Similarly, at the very same time, WI's Kewaunee reactor -- a short distance from Point Beach (about the same distance as between the now infamous Fukushima Daiichi and Daini nuclear power plants in Japan)

-- had a majority of the NRC's "yellow findings," the agency's second highest risk designation, more than the rest of the 103 operating reactors combined.

Kewaunee's permanent closure was announced in late 2012, and implemented in early 2013. In fact, Kewaunee's closure commenced a record-breaking number of atomic reactor shutdowns across the U.S.

since.

Another such reactor that has closed for good, Fort Calhoun in Nebraska, was given a red finding in the aftermath of a climate change-induced natural disaster: historic flooding on the Missouri River in the spring and summer of 2011. Fort Calhoun never recovered, and was permanently shut down.

Given Point Beach's very bad OE, and the ever increasing risks of breakdown phase age-related degradation accidents and disasters, shouldn't Point Beach simply be shut down for good, and replaced with safer, cleaner, more secure, more affordable renewables sources, such as wind power and solar power, as well as efficiency and energy storage, such as batteries and compressed air energy storage? This SUNI Review Complete Template=ADM-013 E-RIDS=ADM-03 ADD: Phyllis Clark, Bill Rogers, Mary Neely Comment (82)

Publication Date:2/1/2021 Citation: 86 FR 7747

3/4/2021 blob:https://www.fdms.gov/ce79f3a4-5232-45a6-8d94-3eebe376f495 blob:https://www.fdms.gov/ce79f3a4-5232-45a6-8d94-3eebe376f495 2/2 is readily achievable, considering the decade or longer left on the two Point Beach reactors' 60-year operating licenses. A decade or longer is plenty of time to achieve such a just energy transition in WI.

Especially so, when considering that WI hosts the cutting edge Midwest Renewable Energy Association and its annual Fair.

The supplemental license extension, allowing 80 years of operations at Point Beach, should not be permitted, given its bad OE, and the additional degradation this likely inflicted on the aged reactors' safety-significant systems, structures, and components.

Sincerely, Kevin Kamps Beyond Nuclear, Radioactive Waste Specialist Don't Waste Michigan, Board of Directors Member, representing the Lake Michigan Chapter Citizens for Alternatives to Chemical Contamination, Advisory Board Member Beyond Nuclear 7304 Carroll Avenue, #182 Takoma Park, Maryland 20912 kevin@beyondnuclear.org www.beyondnuclear.org Beyond Nuclear aims to educate and activate the public about the connections between nuclear power and nuclear weapons and the need to abolish both to safeguard our future. Beyond Nuclear advocates for an energy future that is sustainable, benign and democratic.