ML21071A069

Letter to State of North Carolina Regarding Draft Ea/Fonsi for Brunswick, McGuire, and Robinson, Unit 2, ISFSIs Decommissioning Funding Plans

ML21071A069
Person / Time
Site:	McGuire, 07200006, 07200003, 07200060
Issue date:	03/15/2021
From:	John Mckirgan Storage and Transportation Licensing Branch
To:	Cox L State of NC, Dept of Health & Human Services
TLiu - NMSS/DFM/STL - 404.997.4730
Shared Package
ML21071A068	List: ML21071A069
References
EPID L-2017-FPR-0001, EPID L-2017-FPR-0018, EPID L-2017-FPR-0030, EPID L-2017-FPR-0041
Download: ML21071A069 (3)

Text

PRE-DECISIONAL INFORMATION. THIS INFORMATION IS LIMITED TO USE BY THE NORTH CAROLINA DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES. THIS INFORMATION SHALL NOT BE DISCLOSED WITHOUT PRIOR NRC PERMISSION.

UNITED STATES NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION WASHINGTON, D.C. 20555-0001 March 15, 2021 Lee Cox, Chief Radiation Protection Section Dept of Health and Human Services 5505 Creedmoor Rd, First Floor Raleigh, NC 27612

SUBJECT:

REVIEW OF THE DRAFT ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT AND FINDING OF NO SIGNIFICANT IMPACT FOR BRUNSWICK STEAM ELECTRIC PLANT, MCGUIRE NUCLEAR STATION, AND H.B. ROBINSON STEAM ELECTRIC PLANT, UNIT 2, INDEPENDENT SPENT FUEL STORAGE INSTALLATIONS DECOMMISSIONING FUNDING PLANS

Dear Mr. Cox:

By letter dated December 13, 2012 (Agencywide Documents Access and Management System [ADAMS] Accession No. ML12353A033), Duke Energy Carolinas, LLC (referred to as Duke Energy) submitted an initial decommissioning funding plan (DFP) for the Brunswick Steam Electric Plant (Brunswick), located in Southport, NC, the McGuire Nuclear Station (McGuire), located in Huntersville, NC, and the H.B. Robinson Steam Electric Plant, Unit 2, located in Hartsville, SC, Independent Spent Fuel Storage Installations (ISFSIs), for U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) staff review and approval. By letter dated March 30, 2015 (ADAMS Accession No. ML15089A394), Duke Energy Progress and Duke Energy Carolinas (hereinafter all referred to as Duke Energy) submitted an updated DFP for the ISFSIs, for NRC staff review and approval.

The NRC initially consulted with the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services on August 10, 2015, via letters for Brunswick (ADAMS Accession No. ML15224B448), McGuire (ADAMS Accession No. ML15224A808), and Robinson, Unit 2 (ADAMS Accession No. ML15224B290), ISFSIs. Subsequent to that initial consultation, the NRC staff completed its review of an updated DFP. The NRC staff is seeking your consultation on the initial and updated DFPs, as a combined review, for the Brunswick, McGuire, and Robinson, Unit 2, ISFSIs.

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 Upon removal of the enclosure(s),

this document is decontrolled.

PRE-DECISIONAL INFORMATION. THIS INFORMATION IS LIMITED TO USE BY THE NORTH CAROLINA DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES. THIS INFORMATION SHALL NOT BE DISCLOSED WITHOUT PRIOR NRC PERMISSION.

PRE-DECISIONAL INFORMATION. THIS INFORMATION IS LIMITED TO USE BY THE NORTH CAROLINA DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES. THIS INFORMATION SHALL NOT BE DISCLOSED WITHOUT PRIOR NRC PERMISSION.

L. Cox 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 ISFSIs. 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 Duke Energy.

Specifically, the NRC must determine whether Duke Energy DFPs contain the information required by 10 CFR 72.30(b), and whether Duke Energy has provided reasonable assurance that funds will be available to decommission Brunswick, McGuire, and Robinson Unit 2, ISFSIs.

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 a separate draft environmental assessment (EA) for Brunswick, McGuire, and Robinson Unit 2, 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 from the date 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 Tilda Liu of my staff by telephone at 404-997-4730, or by e-mail at Tilda.Liu@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, John B. Digitally signed by John B. McKirgan McKirgan Date: 2021.03.15 14:20:32 -04'00' John B. McKirgan, Chief Storage and Transportation Licensing Branch Division of Fuel Management Office of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards Docket Nos.: 72-06, 72-38, 72-03, 72-60 License Nos.: SFGL-41, SFGL-11, SNM-2502, SFGL-26 EPID Nos.: L-2017-FPR-0018, L-2017-FPR-0041, L-2017-FPR-0030, L-2017-FPR-0001

Enclosures:

1. Draft EA for Brunswick ISFSI

2. Draft EA for McGuire ISFSI

3. Draft EA for Robinson, Unit 2, ISFSIs PRE-DECISIONAL INFORMATION. THIS INFORMATION IS LIMITED TO USE BY THE NORTH CAROLINA DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES. THIS INFORMATION SHALL NOT BE DISCLOSED WITHOUT PRIOR NRC PERMISSION.

ML21071A069 (Ltr)

ML21071A070 (Encl 1) ML21071A071 (Encl 2)

ML21071A072 (Encl 3) ML21071A068 (pkg)

• concurrence via email OFFICE DFM/STLB DFM/STLB DFM/STLB NAME TLiu WWheatley* JMcKirgan*

DATE 3/12/2021 3/12/2021 3/15/2021