ML24141A063

Summary of April 17, 2024, Hybrid Public Outreach Meeting

ML24141A063
Person / Time
Site:	Palisades
Issue date:	05/23/2024
From:	Ngola Otto Licensing Processes Branch
To:
Wall S
Shared Package
ML24017A295	List: ML24141A063
References
Download: ML24141A063 (12)

Text

May 23, 2024

LICENSEE: Holtec Decommissioning International, LLC

FACILITIES: Palisades Nuclear Plant

SUMMARY

OF APRIL 17, 2024, HYBRID PUBLIC OUTREACH MEETING ON THE POTENTIAL PALISADES NUCLEAR PLANT RESTART

On April 17, 2024, the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) staff held a hybrid public outreach meeting to discuss the potential for the Palisades Nuclear Plant (Palisades) restart after permanently ceasing operation and entering decommissioning in May 2022. Several representatives of the NRC staff and members of the public participated in person at the Grand Upton Hall at Lake Michigan College, which is located at 2755 East Napier Avenue in Benton Harbor, Michigan. Additional NRC staff and members of the public participated remotely via Microsoft Teams and a teleconference bridgeline.

The purposes of this meeting were to 1) introduce the NRC Palisades Restart Panel (PRP); 2) describe the Panels purpose and function; and 3) discuss decommissioning impacts, licensing reviews, inspection activities, and the environmental review related to the potential for Palisades restart. Copies of the PRP charter describing the panels responsibilities, objectives, oversight activities, and planned communications were provided for the in-person meeting attendees and can be found in the NRCs Agencywide Documents Access and Management System (ADAMS) at Accession No. ML23297A053. The meeting notice and agenda dated April 5, 2024, are available in ADAMS at Accession No. ML24096A796. A list of in person and virtual meeting attendees is provided as an e nclosure. The NRC staffs presentations on decommissioning activities, PRP, licensing activities, the environmental review, and potential restart assessment and inspections, are summarized below and can be found in ADAMS at Accession No. ML24107A943.

Regarding the ongoing decommissioning activities at the site, the NRC staff emphasized that routine decommissioning safety and oversight inspections will continue in parallel with the potential restart activities. The NRC staff also explained that th ere are currently no major delays anticipated in the planned decommissioning activities for the site. Additionally, the NRC staff highlighted that there are sufficient funds in the Palisades decommissioning trust fund to complete radiological decontamination and dismantlement activities at the site regardless of the result of the potential restart effort.

The NRC introduced the PRP members and discussed their role in the potential restart process, which includes overseeing regulatory activities, management of NRC oversight and inspections, identification and resolution of issues, and appropriate communication with all stakeholders. The NRC staff provided an update on the status of a number of licensing actions under evaluation for Palisades related to restoring the operating licensing basis for the plant. The NRC staff also stated that existing regulatory processes are being used for the requests that have been submitted to date, and that the NRC staff will ensure that the changes meet all applicable

requirements before granting approval of the associated changes. For the environmental review related to the potential for Palisades to resume power operations, the NRC staff discussed considerations regarding the process, scope, and review requirements per the National Environmental Policy Act.

In relation to the potential restart inspection and assessment discussion, the NRC staff provided information on a new guidance document, Inspection Manual Chapter (IMC) 2562, Light -Water Reactor Inspection Program for Restart of Reactor Facilities Following Permanent Cessation of Power Operations, which will be used for conducting inspections and reviews throughout the Palisades potential restart efforts. IMC 2562 can be found in ADAMS at Accession No. ML24033A299. This IMC also provides a framework for the NRCs final assessment of Palisades readiness to restart operations, which will be necessary before approval is granted to allow Palisades to resume commercial power operations.

As part of the IMC 2562 discussion, the NRC staff outlined the process to develop and implement an inspection plan to assess Palisades readiness to resume power operations.

Specifically, the inspections will be conducted to verify the adequacy of the reimplementation of previously approved programs and procedures for the Palisades plant, and the establishment of new programs, as well as assess the safety of plant systems, structures, and components necessary to support safe operation. The NRCs overall assessment of Palisades readiness to restart will include insights from these inspections in conjunction with the ongoing licensing reviews to determine whether Palisades is safe and can resume power operations.

There were several comments and questions from representatives of State and local governments and members of the public during the meeting. The NRC staff addressed several questions during the question-and-answer session of the meeting. The NRC received Public Meeting Feedback Forms with comments and questions in addition to written comments prior to the meeting. The NRC staff will determine how to respond to written public questions and plans to communicate via separate correspondence.

There were several comments in favor of moving forward with the Palisades restart activities because individuals believed that the plant was safe when shutdown and the NRC will assure safety related to the resumption of power operations. Several commenters also stated that restart is vital to the local counties and state of Michigan, that there are long -term benefits (tax revenue and job growth) related to the resumption of power operations, that restart would support the states carbon free goals, and that it is believed to be safe and reliable energy.

Other comments were against moving forward with the Palisades restart activities. These individuals expressed concerns regarding the disposition of nuclear waste, the age of the plant and its systems, structures, and components, the potential for tritium releases into drinking water, historic and more recent equipment issues (e.g., reactor vessel aging, control rod drive seal leaks), the impacts of restarting Palisades on the environment, the cost of potential repair and replacement activities, and apprehension that pressures from external sources driving the restart timeline could potentially create shortcuts impacting safety. Several comments were also received related to using public funds on the Palisades restart project that could be spent on other energy sources, appropriate use of the decommissioning trust fund during the restart project, and Holtec Internationals lack of experience as a plant operator.

Please direct any inquiries to me at 301-415-6695, or via email at Ngola.Otto@nrc.gov.

Sincerely,

/RA/

Ngola A. Otto, Project Manager Licensing Projects Branch Division of Operating Reactor Licensing Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation

Docket No. 50-255

Enclosure:

List of Attendees

cc: Listserv

Package: ML24017A295 Meeting Summary: ML24141A063 Meeting Presentation: ML24107A943 *via eConcurrence NRC- 001 OFFICE NRR/DORL/LLPB/ NRR/DORL/LLPB/LA* RIII/ NRR/DORL/LPL3/ NRR/DORL/LLPB/PM*

PM* DORS /PRT/ Lead BC*

NAME Notto DHarrison ANguyen JWhited NOtto DATE 5/ 20/2024 5/ 22/2024 5/22/2024 5/ 22/2024 5/ 23/2024 List of Attendees April 17, 2024, Public Outreach M eeting for the Potential Palisades Nuclear Plant Restart

Nuclear Regulatory Commission

• Jamie Pelton, Deputy Director, Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation (NRR)/Division of Operating Reactor Licensing (DORL)

• Justin Poole, NRR, DORL, Plant Licensing Branch III (LPL3)

• Jeff Whited, Branch Chief, NRR, DORL/LPL3

• Ngola Otto, Project Manager, NRR, DORL, Licensing Projects Branch

• Luis Cruz Rosado, Project Manager, DORL, LPL3

• Sam Bina, Project M anager, NRR, DORL, LPMB

• Jack Bryant, Project Manager, NRR, DORL, LPL2-1

• Ed Miller, Project Manager, NRR, DORL, LPL2-1

• Perry Buckberg, Project Manager, NRR, DORL, LPL2-2

• John Lamb, Project Manager, NRR, DORL, LPL2-1

• Zach Turner, Project Manager, NRR, DORL, LPL2-1

• Russell Felts, Director, NRR, Division of Reactor Oversight (DRO)

• Philip McKenna, Deputy Director, NRR, DRO

• Julie Winslow, Reactor Systems Engineer, NRR, DRO, Generic Communications and Operating Experience Branch

• Jessica Hammock, Project Manager, Division of New and Renewal Licenses, License Renewal Projects Branch

• Carolyn Wolf, Office of Congressional Affairs (OCA)

• Chrissy Richie, Management and Program Analyst, OCA

• Scott Burnell, Office of Public Affairs (OPA)

• Lisa Dimmick, Office of the Chairman

• Dori Willis, Office of Enforcement (OE), Allegations Team (AT)

• Carleen Parker, OE, AT

• Sophie Holiday, Senior Emergency Response C oordinator, Office of Nuclear Security, and Incident Response (NSIR), Division of Preparedness and Response (DPR)

• Marlayna Doell, Project Manager, Office of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards (NMSS), Division of Decommissioning, Uranium Recovery, and Waste Programs (DUWP),

Reactor Decommissioning Branch (RDB)

• Tanya Hood, Project Manager, NMSS, DUWP, RDB

• Shaun Anderson, Branch Chief, NMSS, DUWP, RDB

• Laura Willingham, Environmental Project Manager, NMSS, Division of Rulemaking, Environmental, and Financial Support (REFS), Environmental Review New Reactors Branch (ENRB)

• Mary Richmond, Environmental Project Manager, REFS, ENRB

• Christopher Regan, NMSS, Director Division of Rulemaking, Environmental, and Financial Support

• Jessica Moses-Arnone, Financial Analyst, NMSS, REFS, Financial Assessment Branch (FAB)

• Richard Turtil, Senior Financial Analyst, NMSS, REFS, FAB

• Lynnea Wilkins, Intergovernmental Liaison Project Manager, NMSS

• Kathryn Brock, NSIR, Director, Division of Preparedness and Response

Enclosure

• Michael Waters, Deputy Director, Division of Preparedness and Response, NSIR

• Michael Norris, Senior Emergency Preparedness Specialist, NSIR, DPR, Reactor Licensing Branch (RLB)

• Jessie Quichocho, Branch Chief, NSIR, DPR, RLB

• Keith Miller, Emergency Preparedness Specialist, NSIR/DPR/ RLB

• Charles Murray, Emergency Preparedness Specialist, NSIR, DPR, Policy, and Oversight Branch

• Jeffrey Herrera, Emergency Preparedness Specialist, NSIR, DPR, RLB

• Christian Leatherbury, NSIR/DPR

• Stephen Sarver, NSIR, DPCP, Reactor Physical Protection Branch

• Doug Garner, NSIR, DPCP, Materials Security Branch

• Niry Simonian, NSIR, DSO, SOSB

• Kent Wood, NRR, Division of Safety Systems (DSS), SFNB

• Michael Spencer, Senior Attorney, Office of the General Counsel (OGC)

• Todd Keene, Executive Technical Assistant, Office of the Executive Director for Operations

• Kent Howard, Senior Staff Engineer, ACRS

• John Giessner, Regional Administrator, Region III

• Jason Kozal, Director of the Division of Operating Reactor Safety, Region III,

• April Nguyen, Team Leader, Region III, Division of Operating Reactor Safety (DORS), PRT

• Ashley Demeter, Region III, DORS, RPB3

• Eric Magnuson, Region III, DORS, ERPB

• David Hills, Branch Chief, Region III, Division of Radiological Safety and Security (DRSS),

ISFSI and Health Physics Branch

• Valerie Myers, Senior Health Physicists, Region III, DRSS, Decommissioning Reactor ISFSI Health Physics Branch

• Allan Barker, Regional Governmental Liaison Officer, Region III

• Harral Logaras, Regional Governmental Liaison Specialist, Region III

• Prema Chandrathil, Office of Public Affairs, Region III

• Viktoria Mitlyng, Office of Public Affairs, Region III

• Robert Mathis, Region II, Construction Inspection Branch I

Holtec Decommissioning International, LLC (Holtec)

• Gregory Baustin

• Kevin Block

• Nick Culp

• Jake Dolecki

• Jean Fleming

• Adam Hall

• Justin Hawkins

• Timothy Horan

• Scott McAllister

• James P. Miksa

• Kami Miller

• Shelley Miller

• Kenneth Morris

• David & Mary Helen Price

• Pat O-Brien

• Michael Schultheis

• Joel Sorenson

• Shona Sorenson-Brower

• Doug Watkins

• Gerald Wright

Members of the Public

• Pete Adams

• Stephen Anderson

• Ed Ardle

• Waleed Alamleh, WNDV-TV

• Delores Atkins

• Donald J Auguston

• Eric Altanden

• Adolfo Baca

• Nancy Baker, RP Tech

• Chris Bakken

• Kathy Barnes

• Jon Barr, Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP), Executive Office of the President (EOP)

• Carl Bebrich, Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)

• Lee Belding, district representative, Office of U.S. Representative Tim Walberg

• Stephen Bell

• Lee Bennett

• Carl Berggren

• Jana Bergman, Curtis Wright

• Stephanie Bilenko

• Ethan Bleau, Michigan State University (MSU)

• Alan Blind

• Mitchell Boatman, The Holland Sentinel

• Rebecca Boes

• Dosler Bookspar, WSBT

• Jan Boudart

• John Brenneman

• Paula Bridges, former Nuclear Instructor

• Annie Brown, Mayor of South Haven

• Cynthia Brown, The Prairie Group

• Meredith Burgess

• Victoria Burnes

• Richard Burrchi

• Jim Byrd

• Ben Burmeister, South Haven

• Dylan Burnette, LABORERS LOCAL 355

• Clifford Chapin, New York Department of Public Service

• Mike Chappell

• Kay Chase

• Chin Cheung, Department of Energy (DOE)

• Peter Colevos, Hagar Township

• William Collins

• Cynthia Colovos, The Prairie Group

• Shawn Connors

• Daywi Cook, Covert Township

• Darrell Corbin

• Dave Cordell

• Doug Cornell

• Elizabeth Cortright, MSU

• John Crabtree

• Nathan Crawford, Consolidated Resource Imaging

• Laura Cyrocki

• Steve Czuk

• James DAmour, People Power Unlimited

• Brandon Davis, WSBT

• Daryl Davis

• Eric Dawson

• Jesse Deer In Water

• Jeff Donnally

• Kurt Doroh, Van Buren County, Michigan

• Barbara Dotson, Energy Solutions

• Jacquelyn Drechsler

• Thomas Drury

• Jessica Duell, Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs

• Jennifer Easler, Office of Consumer Advocate, Iowa

• Dominique Edwards, Michigan Sustainability Business Forum (MISBF)

• Eric Edwards

• Michael Empey, Jensen Hughes

• Ken Erwin, DOE

• Peter Ewing

• Thomas Fanning

• John Faul, Van Buren County Commissioner

• Daniel Fedorowicz, MSU

• Darby Fetzer

• Stephanie Fishman, Hogan Lovells

• Savannah Fitzwater, DOE

• John Flaherty

• Mackenzie Flynn, Covert Township

• Teddy Flynn, Covert Township

• Tom Flynn, Covert Township

• Bruce Foreman, FEMA

• Mike Fort

• Kenneth L. Fossum, Idaho National Lab (INL)

• Tim Fox, Clear View Energy

• Betsy Freeman, Radius Advance Group

• Ryan Fuld, DOE

• Mike Gallagher, Energy Consulting

• Michael Gasperine, Westinghouse

• Paul Gilbert

• Lynne Goodman

• Griffin Graham, City of South Haven

• Carlyn Greene, UXC

• Jeff Gutknecht

• Phil Gzym

• Tierra Hall

• Brian Hamilton

• Leah Hare, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory ( PNNL)

• Dayle Harrison

• Jackie Hart

• Johaness Haumsrser

• Arthur Havlicek, Southwest Michigan Regional Chambers

• Michael Hayter

• Ace Hoffman

• Kelly House, Bridge Michigan

• James Hopf

• Tristen Hunnewell, Enercon

• Mary Jackson

• William Johnson, MSU

• Adam Jones

• Joshua Jones, MPR Associates

• Mary Judnich, regional manager, Office of U.S. Senator Debbie Stabenow

• Kevin Kamps, Beyond Nuclear

• K Kaufmann, RTO Insider

• Michael Keegan

• Lisa Kindschy, Licensing and Regulatory Affairs, Michigan

• Mark Kirk, PEI Consulting

• Paul Knittle, MPR

• Scott Kline

• Connie Kline

• Jody Kline

• Amy Knox

• Richard Kohn

• David Kraft, Director of the Nuclear Energy Information Service (NEIS)

• Dale Lancaster, Nuclear Consultants

• Beth Lang, HI TECH Solutions

• Tina Leary, Van Buren County Commission, District 6

• Michael Lee

• Rebecca Levack

• Timo Loeher, Global Research for Safety, Germany

• Salena Long

• Scott Loose

• Rebecca Lowry

• Dale Lucy

• Bryan Lundgren

• Jeff Luse, Generation Atomic

• Tsai-Yueh Luo, Taiwan Nuclear Safety Commission

• Edwin Lyman, Union of Concerned Scientists

• Richard Mann

• Bethany Marschlu

• Yuko Maehashi, Japan Atomic Energy Agency

• Timothy Mabry, Kinectrics AES Inc.

• Dave Macmaster,

• Daniel Malburg

• Patrick Maloy

• Pat Marida

• John Marietta

• Christopher Martin, Florida Power & Light Company (FPL)

• Timothy P. Matthews, Morgan Lewis & Bockius LLP

• Ben Mays, Nuclear Electric Insurance Limited (NEIL)

• Paul McCann

• Janis McCarroll, FEMA

• Victor McCree

• Katrina McMurrian, Nuclear Waste Strategy Coalition (NWSC)

• Alice McNally

• Sheri McWhirter, MLive

• Eric Meyer, Generation Atomic

• Matthew Meyer, Generation Atomic

• Walter Miller, Enercon

• Michael Moran, DTE Energy

• Catherine Morehouse, Politico

• Garth Mortensen

• Dale Nelson

• Ken Netzel

• Brandon Nimtz

• Daisuke Nio, Japan Atomic Energy Agency

• Isabella Norton, MSU

• Kay Nutt, Pacific Gas and Electric

• Jan OConnell, Sierra Club

• Sean OLeary, Department of H omeland Security, FEMA

• Tara ONeil, PNNL

• Tom Oseland

• Paul Ouellette

• Tom Palmisano

• Jennifer Pema, DOE

• Ryan Pickering

• Bette Pierman, Benton Harbor

• Autumn Pitchure, WWMT

• Gene Plaisance, Palisades

• Nicole Polla ck

• David Prins

• Joshua Przygocki, Michigan Senate

• Al Pscholka, LML

• Jeffrey Quinn, Engineering Planning and Management Inc.

• Dan Ranke

• Roger Rapoport

• Dillon Reed

• Terry Richards

• Ethyl Rivera

• Brian J Rogers, American Electric Power (AEP)

• Geoffrey Rose, Covert Resident

• Gable Roth

• Jacob Rushlow, Michigan House

• Broderick Ruthann

• Ernest Rufus

• Andrew Sambor, Constellation Nuclear

• Richard Schmidt

• Laurie Schmidtke

• Matt Schnack, MSU

• Kraig Schultz, Michigan Safe Energy Future

• Grant Schwab, Detroit News

• Robert Schaaf, PNNL

• Richard Schmidt

• Dorothy Schneider, American Nuclear Society (ANS)

• Madison Schroder, Generation Atomic

• Isuru Seneviratne

• Steven Sondheim

• Jeanne Shaw

• Jill Shepherd, Champion

• Lee Sheperd, Champion

• Samantha Smith, Tri-City Record

• Don Sheill

• Jacky Shoulders, Constellation Nuclear

• Larry Smear

• Margaret Spencer

• Sarah Spoonholtz, Southwest Michigan Regional Chamber

• Ross Stein, South Haven Township Supervisor

• Tom Stephenson, regional coordinator, Office of U.S. Senator Gary Peters

• Naoki Soneda, Central Research Institute of Electric Power Industry (CRIEPI), Japan

• Chris Stocker, CRANE Nuclear

• Shane Sullivan

• Ken Sumrell, Champion

• Philip Swallows

• Akira Tanaka, Japan Electric Power Information Center, USA

• Trevor TenBrink, district director, Office of U.S. Representative Bill Huizenga

• Yael Teshome, MSU

• Brent Thomas

• Brittany Theis

• Brian Thompson

• Chris Thompson

• Jeremiah Todd

• Elena VanDokkumburg, MSU

• Meghan Vona, MSU

• Jeffrey Voskuil

• Laura Watchempino

• Nathan Waters, Jr., AEP

• Ineke Way

• Cynthia Weeler

• Nancy Wells

• Theodore, R. Wentworth, Michigan Government

• Cynthia Wheeler

• Chris Williams

• Don Williams

• Alicia Williamson, DOE

• Douglas Winch

• Joe Wishard

• Stacey Wong

• Jennifer Wood, TSSD Services

• Masato Yamamoto, Japanese Central Research Institute of the Electric Power Industry

• Sam Yoder, MSU

• Carl Zagat, Thorium Energy Alliance

• Pam Zimmermann, Covert

• Jim Zerbi, Van Buren County Resident

• James Zoss, The Nottawaseppi Huron Band of the Potawatomi (NHBP)