ML24044A081

LTR-24-0008: NRC Response to Paul Blanch Email Safety of Spent Nuclear Fuel at SONGS ISFSI

ML24044A081
Person / Time
Site:	San Onofre, 07201029, HI-STORM 100
Issue date:	02/14/2024
From:	Shana Helton Division of Fuel Management
To:	Blanch P Public Commenter
Shared Package
ML24017A244	List: ML24017A243 ML24044A081
References
LTR-24-0008-1-NMSS
Download: ML24044A081 (3)

Text

February 14, 2024

Paul M. Blanch 135 Hyde Road West Hartford, CT 06117 via email pmblanch@comcast.net

SUBJECT:

NRC RESPONSE TO CONCERNS WITH SPENT FUEL STORAGE AT THE SAN ONOFRE NUCLEAR GENERATING STATION (SONGS)

Dear Paul Blanch:

I am responding to your email dated January 14, 2024, addressed to Jenny Weil, in which you expressed several concerns related to spent nuclear fuel at the San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station (SONGS) (Agencywide Documents Access and Management System [ADAMS]

Accession No. ML24017A243).

You described concerns regarding the potential for flooding and long-term loss of cask cooling in the UMAX system at the SONGS Independent Spent Fuel Storage Installation (ISFSI). You also stated that the maximum flood height was based upon a previous study and needed to be updated. We reviewed these concerns and concluded that the staff previously responded to them in a letter to Public Watchdogs dated February 26, 2020, which provided the NRCs response to a petition under Title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations (10 CFR) Section 2.206 (ML20038A336), specifically on page 3 under the heading Flood Analysis. In that response, the staff noted that the licensees flood analyses determined that the UMAX maximum design flood parameters envelope the SONGS site flooding parameters.

Regarding retrievability, 10 CFR 72.122(l) requires that the system be designed for retrievability but does not require licensees to maintain cranes or loading equipment onsite. The staff previously responded to this concern in the letter to Public Watchdogs dated February 26, 2020 (ML20038A336), specifically on page 3 under the heading Retrievability of Spent Fuel. In that response, the staff noted that the licensee successfully demonstrated the ability to retrieve canisters.

Regarding monitoring of the NUHOMS casks, the Technical Specifications for Certificate of Compliance No. 1029 Section 5.2.5 address the Advanced Horizontal Storage Module

/Advanced Horizontal Storage Module for High Burnup Fuel and High Seismic Thermal Monitoring Program. The Technical Specifications require verification that the vents are not blocked using either visual inspection or temperature monitoring. Use of a temperature monitoring program is an acceptable method to demonstrate the storage system vents are free from blockage allowing decay heat removal. For further information, we refer you to prior responses to public comments (ML19155A030).

P. Blanch 2 Thank you for your continued interest in the safety and security of spent nuclear fuel, and for bringing these concerns to the attention of the NRC.

Sincerely, Shana R. Helton, Director Division of Fuel Management Office of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards Docket Nos: 72-1040, 72-1029, and 72-41 Signed by Helton, Shana on 02/14/24

P. Blanch 3

SUBJECT:

NRC RESPONSE TO CONCERNS WITH SPENT FUEL STORAGE AT THE SAN ONOFRE NUCLEAR GENERATING STATION (SONGS) DATED DISTRIBUTION: LTR-24-008-1-NMSS Public JWeil, OCA TBoyce, NMSS YDiaz-Sanabria, NMSS JLubinski, NMSS RLewis, NMSS ADAMS Accession Number: ML24017A244 (pkg) ML24044A081 OFFICE NMSS/DFM NMSS/DFM NMSS/DFM NAME KJamerson CRoman SHelton DATE 02/13/2024 02/13/2024 02/14/2024 OFFICIAL RECORD COPYFebruary 14, 2024