ML24068A177
| ML24068A177 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Browns Ferry  |
| Issue date: | 03/15/2024 |
| From: | Beverly Smith NRC/NRR/DNRL/NLRP |
| To: | Jim Barstow Tennessee Valley Authority |
| Shared Package | |
| ML24068A175 | List: |
| References | |
| Download: ML24068A177 (6) | |
Text
James Barstow Vice President, Nuclear Regulatory Affairs and Support Services Tennessee Valley Authority 1101 Market Street, LP 4A-C Chattanooga, TN 37402-2801
SUBJECT:
BROWNS FERRY NUCLEAR PLANT, UNITS 1, 2, AND 3 - DETERMINATION OF ACCEPTABILITY AND SUFFICIENCY FOR DOCKETING AND OPPORTUNITY FOR A HEARING REGARDING THE TENNESSEE VALLEY AUTHORITY APPLICATION FOR SUBSEQUENT LICENSE RENEWAL
Dear James Barstow:
By Subsequent License Renewal Application Appendix E, Applicant’S Environmental Report-Operating License Renewal Stage|letter dated January 19, 2024]] (Agencywide Documents Access and Management System (ADAMS) Package Accession No. ML24019A009), Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) submitted an application for subsequent license renewal of Renewed Facility Operating License Nos. DPR-33, DPR-52, and DPR-68 for Browns Ferry Nuclear Plant (BFN), Units 1, 2, and 3, respectively, to the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC, staff). By letter dated February 3, 2024 (ML24022A173), and Federal Register Notice dated February 8, 2024 (89 FR 8725), the NRC noted the receipt and availability of this application. NRC staff conducted pre-submittal meetings on the general subsequent license renewal application (SLRA) process and the environmental review, as documented in letters dated June 13, 2023 (ML23156A489 and ML23157A127). An additional public meeting was held on the technical topic of cathodic protection of buried piping as documented in a letter dated October 2, 2023 (ML23270A070).
The NRC staff has determined that the BFN application for subsequent license renewal contains sufficient information for the agency to formally docket the application and begin its safety and environmental reviews. The staffs acceptance review of an application is intended to determine whether the application is reasonably complete and conforms to the timing and information requirements in applicable regulations to enable the NRC staff to begin its formal technical review. The staff reviewed the BFN application following the guidance in NUREG-2192, Revision 0, Standard Review Plan for Review of Subsequent License Renewal Applications for Nuclear Power Plants, and NUREG-1555, Supplement 1, Revision 1, Standard Review Plans for Environmental Reviews for Nuclear Power Plants, to determine if the application is sufficient and acceptable for docketing in accordance with Title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations (10 CFR) 2.101, Filing of application, 51.45, Environmental report, 51.53(c),
Postconstruction environmental reports, 54.19, Contents of application--general information, 54.21, Contents of application--technical information, 54.22, Contents of application--technical specifications, and 54.23, Contents of application--environmental information.
March 15, 2024
J. Barstow Given the lesser scope and depth of the acceptance review as compared to a detailed technical review, the NRC staffs determination does not preclude requests for additional information or topic-specific audits. Additionally, the determination to accept the application for docketing does not constitute a determination that a renewed operating license should be issued. During the staffs detailed technical review, there may be instances identified in which issues that impact the staffs ability to complete the detailed technical review are identified. You will be advised of any further information needed to support the NRC staffs detailed technical review by separate correspondence.
This letter also forwards the NRC staffs projected review schedule for the BFN SLRA (Enclosure 1). The NRC staff will follow established review procedures and the enclosed schedule to complete the reviews required by 10 CFR Parts 51, Environmental Protection Regulations for Renewal of Operating Licenses for Nuclear Power Functions, and Part 54, Requirements for Renewal of Operating Licenses for Nuclear Power Plants. Based on the information provided in your submittal and discussions during the pre-application meetings, the NRC staff has estimated that review of this SLRA will take approximately 19,000 hours0 days <br />0 hours <br />0 weeks <br />0 months <br /> to complete. These hours include both staff and contractor hours. If there are emergent complexities or challenges in our review that would cause changes to the initial forecasted completion date or significant changes in the forecasted hours, the reasons for the changes, along with the new estimates will be communicated via separate correspondence. Milestones for hearing activities that may be needed are not included in the enclosed schedule because these dates, if needed, would be established by the Commission or the Atomic Safety and Licensing Board.
The NRC staffs review schedule relies on your responses to the NRC staff's requests for additional information, if needed, being of high quality and provided in a timely manner. A timely response is defined as 30 days from the date of the request, or within such other time as may be specified in the request in accordance with 10 CFR 2.108, Denial of application for failure to supply information. You should also be prepared to provide high quality support in a timely and organized manner during technical audits determined necessary by the NRC staff. Delays in NRC staffs receipt of necessary information could result in changes to the plan for evaluating and processing your application, up to and including the denial of your application in accordance with the regulations or a significant delay in the schedule based on the overall workload for the NRC staff involved in the review. We request that you inform the NRC staff in writing as early as possible should potential delays arise in your support of the schedule. The NRC staffs goal is to complete the review in 22 months from the date of this letter, provided that TVA addresses the staffs information needs in a timely manner.
Finally, we have enclosed a copy of the notice related to your application that is being sent to the Office of the Federal Register for publication (Enclosure 1). This notice announces the opportunity to request a hearing and to file a petition for leave to intervene.
J. Barstow If you have any questions on this matter, please contact Jessica Hammock, Project Manager, for the safety review of the BFN SLRA at Jessica.Hammock@nrc.gov, or Jessica Umana, Project Manager, for the environmental review at Jessica.Umana@nrc.gov.
Sincerely, Brian W. Smith, Director Division of New and Renewed Licenses Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation Docket Nos: 50-259, 50-260, and 50-296
Enclosures:
1.
Review Schedule 2.
Copy of Federal Register Notice cc w/encls: Listserv Lee, Samuel signing on behalf of Smith, Brian on 03/15/24
ML24068A175 (Package)
ML24068A177 (Letter)
NAME JHammock KBratcher JUmana
- MCarpentier DATE 03/11/2024 03/11/2024 03/11/2024 03/14/2024 OFFICE BC/ERLRB/REFS BC/NLRP/DNRL D/DNRL NAME SKoenick LGibson BSmith DATE 03/14/2024 03/14/2024 BROWNS FERRY NUCLEAR PLANT, UNITS 1, 2, AND 3 SUBSEQUENT LICENSE RENEWAL APPLICATION REVIEW SCHEDULE Milestone Scheduled Actual Receive Subsequent License Renewal Application (SLRA) 01/2024 01/19/2024 Publish Federal Register Notice (FRN) - SLRA Availability 02/2024 02/08/2024 Publish FRN - Docketing Acceptance/Rejection and Opportunity for Hearing 03/2024 Publish FRN - Notice of Intent to Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement and Conduct Scoping 04/2024 Public Meeting - Overview of Subsequent License Renewal Process and Environmental Scoping 04/2024 Environmental Scoping Period Ends 05/2024 Deadline for Filing Hearing Requests and Petitions for Intervention 05/2024 Issue Draft Site-Specific Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) 05/2025 Public Meeting - Draft EIS Meeting, If Needed 06/2025 End of Draft EIS Comment Period 06/2025 Issue Safety Evaluation Report 04/2025 Advisory Committee on Reactor Safeguards Full Committee Meeting 06/2025 Issue Final EIS 11/2025 U.S. Environmental Protection Agency FRN Published -
Availability of Final EIS 11/2025 Decision - Director, Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation 01/2026 Copy of the Draft Federal Register Notice of BROWNS FERRY NUCLEAR PLANT, UNITS 1, 2, AND 3 - Determination of Acceptability and Sufficiency for Docketing, Proposed Review Schedule, and Opportunity for a Hearing Regarding the Tennessee Valley Authority Application for Subsequent License Renewal ADAMS Accession No. ML24068A176