ML22243A252

Letter to Kairos Power, LLC - Notice of Availability of the Draft Environmental Impact Statement for the Construction Permit for Kairos Hermes Test Reactor

ML22243A252
Person / Time
Site:	Hermes File:Kairos Power icon.png
Issue date:	09/26/2022
From:	Kenneth Erwin NRC/NMSS/DREFS/ENRB
To:	Hastings P Kairos Power
Tami Dozier NMSS/REFS/ENRB 301-415-2272
Shared Package
ML22243A251:ML22243A252	List: ML22243A252
References
Download: ML22243A252 (3)

Text

September 26, 2022

Peter Hastings, Vice President Regulatory Affairs and Quality Kairos Power, LLC 707 W Tower Ave Alameda, CA 94501

SUBJECT:

NOTIFICATION OF THE ISSUANCE OF THE DRAFT ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT FOR THE CONSTRUCTION PERMIT FOR THE KAIROS HERMES TEST REACTOR IN OAK RIDGE, TENNESSEE (DOCKET NUMBER: 50-7513)

Dear Vice President Hastings:

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) staff is reviewing an application submitted by Kairos Power, LLC (Kairos) for a construction permit (CP) pursuant to Title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations Part 50, that would allow construction of a non-power test reactor termed Hermes on a 185-acre site located in Oak Ridge, Tennessee. As part of the review of this CP application, the NRC has completed the draft environmental impact statement (EIS) as required by 10 CFR Part 51, Environmental Protection Regulations for Domestic Licensing and Related Regulatory Functions, the NRCs regulations that implement the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969, as amended. The draft EIS, NUREG-2263, Environmental Impact Statement for the Construction Permit for the Kairos Hermes Test Reactor is publicly available from the NRCs Agencywide Documents Access and Management System (ADAMS) as ML22259A126. ADAMS is accessible from the NRC website at https://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/adams.html.

The draft EIS includes analyses of relevant environmental issues and documents the NRC staffs determination regarding the effects of constructing the Kairos Hermes non-power test reactor. As discussed in chapter 5 of the draft EIS, the NRC staffs preliminary recommendation, unless safety issues mandate otherwise, is that the CP be issued as proposed. This recommendation is based on: (1) the analysis and findings of the staffs independent environmental review documented in the draft EIS; (2) consultation with Federal, State, tribal, and local agencies; (3) the environmental report submitted by the applicant; and (4) the consideration of public comments.

The NRC staff plans to hold a public meeting to discuss the analyses and results in the draft EIS on Wednesday, November 16, 2022, at the Hilton DoubleTree at 215 S. Illinois Avenue in Oak Ridge, Tennessee. The meeting will convene at 7:00 p.m. and will continue until 9:00 p.m. EST, as necessary. Those unable to attend in person may view and participate in the meeting virtually and should monitor the NRCs Public Meeting Schedule website at https://www.nrc.gov/pmns/mtg for access information. Meeting details will also be available by P. Hastings 2

November 1, 2022, at https://www.nrc.gov/reactors/non -power/kairos-hermes.html. The meetings will be transcribed and will include: (1) a presentation of the contents of the draft EIS; and (2) the opportunity for interested government agencies, organizations, and individuals to provide comments on the draft EIS. Additionally, the NRC staff will host an open house one hour before the start of the meeting during which members of the public may meet with NRC staff. You and your staff are invited to attend.

The NRC requests that you submit any information, comments, or concerns you may have on the draft EIS during the 60-day comment period which ends on December 6, 2022. Comments can be submitted: (1) by e-mail to KairosHermes-CPEIS@nrc.gov; or (2) in person during the public meetings. After consideration of public comments received, as well as information received through consultation, the NRC will prepare a final EIS, which is scheduled to be published on or before September 2023.

Enclosed is the NRCs Federal Register (FR) Notice of Availability that will be submitted to the Office of the Federal Register. This notice advises the public that the draft EIS is available for public review and how to submit comments. There will be a separate notice of filing of the draft EIS in the FR through the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

If you have any questions concerning the NRC staffs environmental review of this CP application, please contact Tamsen Dozier via phone at (301) 415-2272 or via email at Tamsen.Dozier@nrc.gov; or Peyton Doub via phone at (301) 415-6703 or via email at Peyton.Doub@nrc.gov.

Sincerely,

Kenneth Erwin, Chief Environmental Review New Reactors Branch Division of Rulemaking, Environment, and Financial Support Office of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards

Docket No: 50-7513

Enclosure:

As stated

ML22243A252 *via email OFFICE PM:REFS LA:REFS OGC (NLO)

NAME TDozier AWalker-Smith MWright*

DATE 09/06/2022 09/07/2022 09/16/2022 OFFICE BC:REFS NAME KErwin DATE 09/26/2022