ML22214A173
| ML22214A173 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Oyster Creek |
| Issue date: | 08/02/2022 |
| From: | Fleming J Holtec Decommissioning International |
| To: | Document Control Desk, Office of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards, Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation |
| References | |
| HDI-OC-22-037 | |
| Download: ML22214A173 (13) | |
Text
Krishna P. Singh Technology Campus, 1 Holtec Blvd., Camden, NJ 08104 Telephone (856) 797-0900 Fax (856) 797-0909
August 2, 2022
U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission ATTN: Document Control Desk Washington, DC 20555-0001
Oyster Creek Nuclear Generating Station Renewed Facility License No. DPR-16 NRC Docket Nos. 50-219 and 72-15
Subject:
Request for Exemption from 10 CFR 20, Appendix G, Section III.E
In accordance with 10 CFR 20.2301, "Applications for exemptions," Holtec Decommissioning International, LLC (HDI) requests NRC approval for exemption from certain requirements of Section III.E of 10 CFR 20, Appendix G, "Requirements for Transfers of Low -Level Radioactive Waste Intended for Disposal at Licensed Land Disposal Facilities and Manifests," for the Oyster Creek Nuclear Generating Station (OCNGS). These regulations require OCNGS to investigate and report to the NRC when OCNGS does not receive notification of receipt of a shipment, or part of a shipment, of low-level radioactive waste within 20 days after transfer.
OCNGS is requesting that the time period to receive acknowledgement that the shipment has been received by the intended recipient be extended from 20 days to 90 days for low-level radioactive waste shipments. The requested exemption would be applicable to mixed mode shipments from OCNGS, including combination of truck/rail shipments.
The attachment to this letter provides an evaluation of the request, which includes a description and purpose of the request, as well as justification for granting the exemption.
This exemption request is not required to address an immediate safety concern; however, OCNGS anticipates continuing with a large number of low-level radioactive waste shipments as site decommissioning activities increase. Therefore, OCNGS is requesting NRC approval of this exemption request within six months.
This letter contains no new regulatory commitments.
If you have any questions or need further information, please contact me at (856) 797-0900, ext.
3578.
HDI-OC-22-037 Page 1 of 2 Krishna P. Singh Technology Campus, 1 Holtec Blvd., Camden, NJ 08104 Telephone (856) 797-0900 Fax (856) 797-0909
Sincerely,
Jean A. Fleming Vice President, Licensing, Regulatory Affairs, & PSA Corporate Engineering Division Holtec International, LLC
Attachment:
- 1. Exemption Request Evaluation
- 2. Mixed Mode Shipping Timeline Table
cc:
USNRC Regional Administrator, Region I USNRC Project Manager, NMSS - Oyster Creek Nuclear Generating Station USNRC Region I, Lead Inspector - Oyster Creek Nuclear Generating Station Assistant Commissioner, Air Quality, Energy and Sustainability, NJ DEP Principal Engineer, American Nuclear Insurers Assistant Director Radiation Protection Element, NJ Bureau of Nuclear Engineering
HDI-OC-22-037 Page 2 of 2 Krishna P. Singh Technology Campus, 1 Holtec Blvd., Camden, NJ 08104 Telephone (856) 797-0900 Fax (856) 797-0909
Attachment 1 to
HDI-OC-22-037
Oyster Creek Nuclear Generating Station
Exemption Request Evaluation
APPLICATION FOR EXEMPTION FROM CERTAIN REQUIREMENTS OF 10 CFR 20, APPENDIX G, SECTION III.E
(8 total pages)
HDI-OC-22-037 Page 1 of 8 Krishna P. Singh Technology Campus, 1 Holtec Blvd., Camden, NJ 08104 Telephone (856) 797-0900 Fax (856) 797-0909
APPLICATION FOR EXEMPTION FROM CERTAIN REQUIREMENTS OF 10 CFR 20, APPENDIX G, SECTION III.E
I. APPLICATION FOR EXEMPTION In accordance with 10 CFR 20.2301, "Applications for exemptions," Holtec Decommissioning International, LLC (HDI) requests an exemption from certain requirements of Section III.E of 10 CFR 20, Appendix G, for Oyster Creek Nuclear Generating Station (OCNGS). 10 CFR 20, Appendix G, Section III.E "Requirements for Transfers of Low-Level Radioactive Waste Intended for Disposal at Licensed Land Disposal Facilities and Manifests," requires that any shipment, or part of a shipment, for which acknowledgement is not received within the times set forth in this section must:
- 1. Be investigated by the shipper if the shipper has not received notification of receipt within 20 days after transfer: and
- 2. Be traced and reported. The investigation shall include tracing the shipment and filing a report with the nearest Commission Regional Office listed in appendix D to this part. Each licensee who conducts a trace investigation shall file a written report with the appropriate NRC Regional Office within 2 weeks of completion of the investigation.
OCNGS is requesting that the period of time to receive acknowledgement that a shipment has been received by the intended recipient be extended from 20 days to 90 days for radioactive waste shipments from the OCNGS. The requested exemption would be applicable to OCNGS mixed mode shipments such as a combination of truck/rail shipments.
II. PURPOSE As described in the background summary below, OCNGS's experience thus far in decommissioning and historical data obtained from other decommissioning power reactor sites indicates that numerous rail shipments can take longer than 20 days, resulting in an excessive administrative burden because of required investigations and reporting. By extending the time for receipt notification to 90 days before requiring investigation and reporting, a reasonable upper limit on shipment duration is still maintained if a shipment is delayed.
III. BACKGROUND Section III.E of 10 CFR 20, Appendix G requires that any shipment, or part of a shipment, be investigated by the shipper if the shipper has not received notification of receipt within 20 days after transfer. Each licensee who conducts a trace investigation shall file a written report with the appropriate NRC Regional Office within two weeks of completion of the investigation.
OCNGS is in the process of decommissioning the site facility. Inherent to the decommissioning process, large volumes of slightly contaminated debris are generated and require disposal.
OCNGS transports low-level radioactive waste from the facility to distant locations such as a waste disposal facility operated by Waste Control Specialists (WCS) in Andrews, Texas.
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Between December 2019 and February 2021, OCNGS shipped thirty-eight railcars worth of low-level radioactive waste to the WCS disposal facility in Andrews, Texas. The total transit time when the shipments were released from the OCNGS facility until verification of receipt, varied from thirty (30) to one hundred thirty-four (134) days. These shipments were investigated by OCNGS and reports were submitted to the NRC Regional Administrator ( References 1 through 7).
In addition, the NRC documented that operating experience indicates that, while the 20-day receipt notification window is adequate for waste shipments by truck, other modes of shipment such as rail, barge, or mixed-mode shipments, such as combinations of truck and rail, barge and rail, and barge and truck shipments, may take more than 20 days to reach their destination due to delays in the route that are outside the shippers control (e.g., rail cars in switchyards waiting to be included in a complete train to the disposal facility) (Reference 8).
The requested exemption is similar to those previously submitted and approved by the NRC for San Onofre, Fort Calhoun, and Vermont Yankee (References 9, 10 and 11). However, OCNGS is requesting an increase in the number of days until the shipment is considered overdue to ninety (90) days. Utilizing Attachment 2 as a reference, OCNGSs shipment operating experience can be seen. The data provides the basis that the previous exemptions of 45 days provide a minimal of relief from the reporting requirement for the licensee as well as review resource relief. The ability to track the location of all shipments that are in transit remains in place, regardless of the longer transit times, and are validated daily to monitor for potential diversion of the LLRW material. Therefore, OCNGS is requesting an exemption for ninety days to allow a majority of the shipments to be processed as having arrived on time, while ensuring that OCNGS will perform the investigation and report of excessively long shipments.
Disposal of OCNGSs low level radioactive waste will require mixed mode (truck to rail to truck) shipments to waste disposal facilities or processors. OCNGS does not have direct rail access on-site and currently utilizes road shipments to intermodal transfer terminals for transfer of containers onto rail as the primary transport method. This transport method has the added benefit to reduce our overall highway miles traveled. As decommissioning continues, an increase in truck to rail shipments is expected.
These road/rail shipments may sit on the rail spur at a remote railyard (e.g., waiting for a train to depart or allow for railcar repair) and may add to shipping delays that extend the duration of shipments from OCNGS. In addition, administrative processes at the disposal facility and communication of receipt times could add several additional days. Therefore, OCNGS is requesting an extension to 90 days for receipt notification for mixed mode shipments from the disposal processing facility.
IV. JUSTIFICATION FOR EXEMPTION As stated in 10 CFR 20.2301, "The Commission may, upon application by a licensee or upon its own initiative, grant an exemption from the requirements of the regulations in this part if it
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determines the exemption is authorized by law and would not result in undue hazard to life or property."
(1) The Requested Exemption is Authorized by Law There are no provisions in the Atomic Energy Act (or in any other federal statute) that impose a requirement to investigate and report to the NRC low-level radioactive waste shipments that have not been acknowledged by the intended recipient within 20 days after transfer. Therefore, there is no statutory prohibition on the issuance of the requested exemption, and the NRC is authorized to grant the exemption under law.
(2) The Requested Exemption Would Not Result in Undue Hazard to Life or Property The intent of 10 CFR 20, Appendix G, Section III.E is to require licensees to investigate, report, and trace radioactive shipments that have not reached their destination within 20 days after transfer. For rail shipments, OCNGS utilizes an electronic data tracking system that allows monitoring the progress of the shipments by the rail/road carrier on a daily basis. As a result, granting an exemption to OCNGS for shipments of low-level radioactive waste to disposal facilities or waste processors results in no undue hazard to life or property.
The purpose of the 10 CFR 20, Appendix G regulation is to investigate a late shipment that may be lost, misdirected, or diverted. For rail shipments, OCNGS utilizes an electronic data tracking system interchange that allows monitoring the progress of the shipments daily. As a result, it will be unlikely that a shipment could be lost, misdirected, or diverted without the knowledge of the carrier or OCNGS.
V. ENVIRONMENTAL CONSIDERATIONS The proposed exemption has been evaluated against the eligibility criterion for categorical exclusion set forth in 10 CFR 51.22(c)(25):
(i) There is no significant hazards consideration; OCNGS has evaluated the proposed exemption to determine whether or not a significant hazards consideration is involved by focusing on the three standards set forth in 10 CFR 50.92(c) as discussed below:
- 1. Does the proposed exemption involve a significant increase in the probability or consequences of an accident previously evaluated?
Response: No.
All spent fuel at OCNGS is maintained in dry fuel storage within an Independent Spent Fuel Storage Installation. In this configuration, there are no accidents that
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can produce a release in excess of 10CFR100 limits as documented in the Defueled Safety Analysis Report.
The proposed exemption involves changes to certain reporting requirements delineated in 10 CFR Part 20, Appendix G, Section III.E. This proposed change has no effect on any facility structures, systems, and components (SSCs) or their capability to perform design functions, and therefore would not increase the likelihood of a malfunction of any facility SSC or affect the performance of any SSCs relied upon to mitigate the consequences of an accident previously evaluated. The means by which SSCs are operated, maintained, modified, tested, or inspected are also not affected.
Therefore, the proposed exemption does not involve a significant increase in the probability or consequences of an accident previously evaluated.
- 2. Does the proposed exemption create the possibility of a new or different kind of accident from any accident previously evaluated?
Response: No.
The proposed exemption does not involve a physical alteration of the facility, and no new or different types of SSCs will be installed, therefore there are no physical modifications to existing equipment that could result from the exemption. The proposed exemption does not involve modifications which could modify the manner in which facility SSCs are operated and maintained and does not result in any changes to parameters within which the facility is normally operated and maintained.
Therefore, the proposed exemption does not create the possibility of a new or different kind of accident from any previously evaluated.
- 3. Does the proposed exemption involve a significant reduction in a margin of safety?
Response: No.
The proposed exemption from certain reporting requirements of 10 CFR Part 20, Appendix G, Section III.E is unrelated to any facility operation. As such, the exemption would not affect any remaining equipment of the facility.
Therefore, the proposed exemption does not involve a significant reduction in a margin of safety.
Based on the above, OCNGS has determined that the proposed exemption presents no significant hazards consideration under the standards set forth in 10 CFR 50.92(c),
and, accordingly, a finding of no significant hazards consideration is justified.
HDI-OC-22-037 Page 5 of 8 Krishna P. Singh Technology Campus, 1 Holtec Blvd., Camden, NJ 08104 Telephone (856) 797-0900 Fax (856) 797-0909
(ii) There is no significant change in the types or significant increase in the amounts of any effluents that may be released offsite; The requested exemption to certain reporting requirements specified in 10 CFR Part 20, Appendix G, Section III.E will not result in changes to any facility SSCs or design functions associated with monitoring or limiting the release of effluents. There are no expected changes in the types, characteristics, or quantities of effluents discharged to the environment as a result of the exemption. The exemption would not introduce any materials or chemicals into the facility that could affect any of the amounts or types of effluents released offsite. Therefore, there is no change in the types or increase in the amounts of any effluents that may be released offsite.
(iii) There is no significant increase in individual or cumulative public or occupational radiation exposure; The requested exemption proposes to revise certain reporting requirements delineated in 10 CFR 20, and as such does not result in any change to the consequences of the accident previously evaluated and does not involve any significant change in the types of amounts of effluents that may be released offsite, as evaluated above. The proposed reporting requirements contained within this exemption request does not result in any physical changes to the facility SSCs, the way they are operated or maintained, and does not involve a change to land use at the OCNGS site. Therefore, there is no significant increase in individual or cumulative public or occupational radiation exposure.
(iv) There is no significant construction impact; The requested exemption involves a change to certain reporting requirements specified in 10 CFR Part 20, Appendix G, Section III.E, and does not result in any physical changes to the facility or the way any physical changes to the facility are performed. Therefore, there is no significant construction impact.
(v) There is no significant increase in the potential for or consequences from radiological accidents; Refer to the no significant hazards considerations discussion in item (i) above.
Therefore, there is no significant increase in the potential for or consequences from radiological accidents.
(vi) The requirements from which an exemption is sought involve reporting requirements; The purpose of the requested exemption is to modify certain reporting timeframe requirements in 10 CFR Part 20, Appendix G, Section III.E, which requires that any shipment, or part of a shipment, be investigated by the shipper if the shipper has not received notification of receipt within 20 days after transfer. The required investigation includes tracing the shipment and filing a report with the nearest Commission Regional HDI-OC-22-037 Page 6 of 8 Krishna P. Singh Technology Campus, 1 Holtec Blvd., Camden, NJ 08104 Telephone (856) 797-0900 Fax (856) 797-0909
Office. Therefore, the requirement from which an exemption is sought does involve reporting requirements.
Accordingly, OCNGS has determined that the proposed exemption meets the eligibility criteria for categorical exclusion set forth in 10 CFR 51.22(c)(25)(i) through (vi). Therefore, in accordance with 10 CFR 51.22(b), no environmental impact statement or environmental assessment need be prepared in connection with the consideration of this exemption request.
VI. Precedents:
The requested exemption is similar to exemptions submitted and approved by the NRC for San Onofre Station, Fort Calhoun Station, and Vermont Yankee (References 9, 10 and 11).
VII. CONCLUSION
The information provided meets the requirements outlined in 10 CFR 20.2301, specifically giving the NRC sufficient basis for determining that the requested exemption is authorized by law and would not result in an undue hazard to life or property. Under the exemption, OCNGS would not be required to investigate and report a shipment in accordance with 10 CFR 20, Appendix G, Section III.E unless a copy of the signed NRC Form 540 (or NRC Form 540A, if required) acknowledging receipt has not been received within 90 days of the shipment leaving the OCNGS facility. OCNGS will request a daily update to be provided for the location of the conveyance from the appropriate carriers. As a result, it will be unlikely that a shipment could be lost, misdirected, or diverted without the knowledge of the carrier or OCNGS personnel.
VIII. REFERENCES
- 1. Letter, Holtec Decommissioning International, LLC to USNRC, Late LLRW Shipments Investigation Report Pursuant to 10 CFR 20, Appendix G, dated August 30, 2021 (ML21242A265).
- 2. Letter, Holtec Decommissioning International, LLC to USNRC, Late LLRW Shipments Investigation Report Pursuant to 10 CFR 20, Appendix G, dated December 01, 2021 (ML21335A255).
- 3. Letter, Holtec Decommissioning International, LLC to USNRC, Late LLRW Shipments Investigation Report Pursuant to 10 CFR 20, Appendix G, dated December 16, 2021 (ML21350A193).
- 4. Letter, Holtec Decommissioning International, LLC to USNRC, Late LLRW Shipments Investigation Report Pursuant to 10 CFR 20, Appendix G, dated January 25, 2022 (ML22025A218).
- 5. Letter, Holtec Decommissioning International, LLC to USNRC, Late LLRW Shipments Investigation Report Pursuant to 10 CFR 20, Appendix G, dated February 18, 2022 (ML22049B245).
- 6. Letter, Holtec Decommissioning International, LLC to USNRC, Late LLRW Shipments Investigation Report Pursuant to 10 CFR 20, Appendix G, dated March 10, 2022 (ML22069A376).
HDI-OC-22-037 Page 7 of 8 Krishna P. Singh Technology Campus, 1 Holtec Blvd., Camden, NJ 08104 Telephone (856) 797-0900 Fax (856) 797-0909
Investigation Report Pursuant to 10 CFR 20, Appendix G, dated May 10, 2022 (ML22130A688).
- 8. SECY-18-0055: Enclosure 1 - Federal Register Notice, Proposed Rule Regulatory Improvements for Production and Utilization Facilities Transitioning to Decommissioning, pages 157-160, dated May 22, 2018, (ML18012A022).
- 9. Letter US NRC to Southern California Edison, San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station, Unit Nos. 1, 2, and 3 - Exemption from Title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations Part 20, Appendix G,Section III.E (EPID No. L-2020-LLE-0142), November 13, 2020 (ML20287A358)
- 10. Letter US NRC to Omaha Public Power District, Fort Calhoun Station, Unit No. 1 -
Exemption from 10 Code of Federal Regulation Part 20, Appendix G,Section III.E (EPID No. L-2020-LLE-0015), June 30, 2020 (ML20162A155)
- 11. Letter US NRC to NorthStar,LLC, Vermont Yankee Nuclear Power Station - Exemption from 10 Code of Federal Regulation Part 20, Appendix G,Section III.E (EPID No. L-2019-LLE-0026, February 5, 2020 (ML20017A069)
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Attachment 2 to
HDI-OC-22-037
Oyster Creek Nuclear Generating Station
Mixed Mode Shipment Timeline Table
APPLICATION FOR EXEMPTION FROM CERTAIN REQUIREMENTS OF 10 CFR 20, APPENDIX G, SECTION III.E
(3 total pages)
HDI-OC-22-037 Page 1 of 3 Krishna P. Singh Technology Campus, 1 Holtec Blvd., Camden, NJ 08104 Telephone (856) 797-0900 Fax (856) 797-0909
Shipment Date Date Received at Total Days Number Rail Car ID Number Shipped Waste Control In Transit Specialists, LLC.
SR-2708-0001 ITFX4740 12/9/2020 1/19/2020 44 SR-2708-0002 ITFX15102 1/5/2021 2/3/2021 30 SR-2708-0004 ITFX15226 1/19/2021 3/19/2021 60 SR-2708-0005 ITFX4804 2/4/2021 4/22/2021 77 SR-2708-0007 ITFX4740 2/17/2021 3/31/2021 42 SR-2708-0012 ITFX15102 4/7/2021 5/20/2021 43 SR-2708-0006 ITFX4834 2/9/2021 6/23/2021 134 SR-2708-0017 ITFX4740 5/4/2021 7/14/2021 71 SR-2708-0015 ITFX15258 4/28/2021 7/22/2021 85 SR-2708-0018 ITFX4753 5/26/2021 7/28/2021 63 SR-2708-0022 ITFX15102 6/22/2021 8/20/2021 59 SR-2708-0024 ITFX15128 6/29/2021 9/23/2021 86 SR-2708-0024
& SR-2708-ITFX4804 6/29/2021 9/15/2021 78 0025 SR-2708-0025
& SR-2708-ITFX4869 7/7/2021 9/24/2021 79 0028 SR-2708-0028
& SR-2708-ITFX15226 7/14/2021 9/29/2021 77 0029 SR-2708-0030 BNSF238250 8/4/2021 9/22/2021 49 SR-2708-0033 ITFX4740 8/24/2021 10/1/2021 38 SR-2708-0032
& SR-2708-ITFX15258 8/17/2021 10/7/2021 51 0033 SR-2708-0033, SR-2708-0034 ITFX4831 8/24/2021 10/12/2021 49
& SR-2708-0035 SR-2708-0034 BNSF239593 8/31/2021 10/15/2021 45 SR-2708-0035 BNSF239319 8/31/2021 10/20/2021 50 SR-2708-0035
& SR-2708-BNSF270401 9/10/2021 10/22/2021 42 0036 SR-2708-0036, SR-2708-0037 ITFX15102 9/14/2021 11/2/2021 49
& SR-2708-0038
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Shipment Date Date Received at Total Days Number Rail Car ID Number Shipped Waste Control In Transit Specialists, LLC.
SR-2708-0029
& SR-2708-ITFX15256 7/27/2021 11/12/2021 108 0031 SR-2708-0031
& SR-2708-ITFX15244 8/10/2021 11/19/2021 101 0032 SR-2708-0038 ITFX4804 10/1/2021 12/1/2021 61 SR-2708-0040, SR-2708-0041 ITFX15258 10/19/2021 12/3/2021 45 and SR-2708-0043 SR-2708-0036 and SR-2708-ITFX4837/DTTX728240 9/16/2021 12/16/2021 91 0037 SR-2708-0039 ITFX4739 10/12/2021 12/15/2021 64 SR-2708-0040 BNSF238289 10/20/2021 12/17/2021 57 SR-2708-0038, SR-2708-0039 ITFX15226 10/5/2021 12/29/2021 85 and SR-2708-0040 SR-2708-0045 ITFX4831 12/1/2021 1/7/2022 37 SR-2708-0051 ITFX4740 12/15/2021 1/27/2022 43 SR-2708-0049 ITFX15256 12/8/2021 2/9/2022 63 SR-2708-0052 ITFX15258 1/5/2022 3/17/2022 71 SR-2708-0053 ITFX4866 1/12/2022 3/29/2022 76 SR-2708-0054 ITFX15226 1/26/2022 3/17/2022 50 SR-2708-0055 ITFX15128 2/16/2022 4/21/2022 64
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