L-2024-110, Environmental Protection Plan Report, Unusual or Important Environmental Event - Manatee in Intake
| ML24192A215 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Saint Lucie  |
| Issue date: | 07/10/2024 |
| From: | Rasmus P Florida Power & Light Co |
| To: | Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation, Document Control Desk |
| References | |
| L-2024-110, EPP 5.4.2 | |
| Download: ML24192A215 (1) | |
Text
FPL..
July 10, 2024 U. S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Attn: Document Control Desk Washington D C 20555-0001 RE:
St. Lucie Units 1 and 2 Docket No. 50-335 and 50-389 Environmental Protection Plan Report Date of Event: June 11, 2024 Unusual or Important Environmental Event - Manatee in Intake L-2024-11 O 10 CFR 50.36b EPP 5.4.2 The attached report is being submitted pursuant to the requirements of Section 5.4.2 of the St.
Lucie Units 1 and 2 Environmental Protection Plans to provide a description of a reportable capture of a live manatee in the intake canal at the St. Lucie Plant.
Should you have any questions regarding this submittal, please contact Mr. Kenneth Mack, Senior Manager, Licensing and Regulatory Compliance at 561-904-3635.
Sincerely, General Manager, Regulatory Affairs Florida Power & Light Company Attachment cc:
FDEP Siting Office Audra Livergood, National Marie Fisheries Service Briana Grange, Biologist, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Meghan Koperski, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission Florida Power & Light Company 6501 S. Ocean Drive, Jensen Beach, FL 34957
EVENT DESCRIPTION L-2024-110 Attachment Page 1 of 1 At approximately 0900 hours0.0104 days <br />0.25 hours <br />0.00149 weeks <br />3.4245e-4 months <br /> on June 11, 2024 a manatee (Trichechus manatus) was observed in the Plant's intake cooling water canal. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) was notified of the manatee's entrainment at 1200 hours0.0139 days <br />0.333 hours <br />0.00198 weeks <br />4.566e-4 months <br />. FWC personnel arrived on site on June 13, 2024 at approximately 0800 hours0.00926 days <br />0.222 hours <br />0.00132 weeks <br />3.044e-4 months <br /> to support and direct capture activities. The northeast section of the canal was determined to be the extraction point. At approximately 0900 hours0.0104 days <br />0.25 hours <br />0.00149 weeks <br />3.4245e-4 months <br /> the manatee swam to the northeast end of the canal and was captured with a net at 0915 hours0.0106 days <br />0.254 hours <br />0.00151 weeks <br />3.481575e-4 months <br />.
The manatee was removed from the canal and tagged by the recovery team at approximately 1000 hours0.0116 days <br />0.278 hours <br />0.00165 weeks <br />3.805e-4 months <br />. After a thorough inspection, the FWC declared the manatee to be in good health.
The manatee did receive several superficial minor scrapes during entrainment and capture activities. The manatee was released to the Indian River Lagoon at approximately 1030 hours0.0119 days <br />0.286 hours <br />0.0017 weeks <br />3.91915e-4 months <br /> on June 13, 2024.
CAUSE OF EVENT The temporary entrainment of the manatee occurred when the manatee entered the Plant's offshore cooling water piping and was swept into the cooling canal by the flow of seawater through the Plant's intake system. The intake pipe structure terminates at the beginning of the intake canal headwall and discharges into an area that is sequestered from the remainder of the canal system.
The sequestered area is approximately 300 feet wide, 32 feet deep, and 656 feet long.
CORRECTIVE ACTION The manatee was removed from the plant intake canal under the direction of the FWC and returned to the Indian River Lagoon in good health on June 13, 2024.
CORRECTIVE ACTION TO PRECLUDE REPETITION OF EVENT The design of the plant intake structures is permanent and therefore not subject to practical manipulation or modification. However, Florida Power & Light (FPL) recently received a new Biological Opinion due to a recent section 7 consultation. The Biological Opinion requires FPL to implement a design change to the Plant's intake cooling water structures that shall reduce sea turtle captures and other listed species by 40%. The design change will also limit the ability of manatees to enter the intake canal. Implementation is scheduled to complete in 2028.
AGENCIES NOTIFIED The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission was contacted by FPL on June 11, 2024.
The Nuclear Regulatory Commission was notified of the event on June 11, 2024.