ML25076A714
| ML25076A714 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Duane Arnold  |
| Issue date: | 03/19/2025 |
| From: | Mack K NextEra Energy Duane Arnold |
| To: | Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation |
| Wall S | |
| References | |
| EPID L-2025-LRM-0021 | |
| Download: ML25076A714 (15) | |
Text
Duane Arnold Regulatory Path to Potential Restart Ken Mack NextEra Energy Duane Arnold, LLC Director, Nuclear Licensing and Regulatory Compliance March 19, 2025
2 NextEra Energy Duane Arnold, LLC Michael Pearce - Vice President, Nuclear Special Projects Ken Mack - Director, Nuclear Licensing and Regulatory Compliance Bill Orlove - Senior Manager, Power Generation Communications Mike Davis - Project Manager, Duane Arnold Licensing
Introductions
3 Agenda NextEra Energy Duane Arnold, LLC Purpose 1
Duane Arnold background 2
Current facility status 3
Consideration of restart 4
Facility work 5
Regulatory path 6
Staffing and qualifications 7
Questions 8
4 Purpose 1 According to NextEra Energy Annual Report Form 10-K for fiscal year December 31, 2024 1
NextEra Energy Duane Arnold, LLC NextEra Energy Duane Arnold, LLC, is an indirect subsidiary of NextEra Energy, which owns more than 72 gigawatts of generation, including nearly 6,000 megawatts from four nuclear power facilities located in Florida, New Hampshire and Wisconsin.1 There is a need to add generation infrastructure to meet the countrys growing energy demands.
NextEra knows that all forms of energy will be required to meet these needs, including gas-fired generation and renewables, as well as nuclear recommissioning.
NextEra continues to evaluate resuming operations at the facility to help meet the countrys growing energy demands.
Commercial interest and economic viability.
Thorough review of plant systems to support reliable and safe operation.
The exemption request and licensing path to restart letter are the first steps in the possible restart process for Duane Arnold.
5 Duane Arnold background
- 1. Other owners: Central Iowa Power Cooperative (20%) and Corn Belt Power Cooperative (10%)
2 NextEra Energy Duane Arnold, LLC Initial operating license Feb. 22, 1974 Located near Palo, Iowa GE boiling water reactor type 4 Output - 615 MW Commercial operations began Feb.
20, 1975 NextEra Energy Duane Arnold is the facilitys majority owner1 Major licensing actions 1991 month fuel cycle 2001 - Extended power uprate 2010 - License renewal Renewed license expires Feb. 21, 2034 l 5
6 Duane Arnold background
- 1. Nuclear Energy Institute Economic Impact of NextEra Energys Duane Arnold Energy Center - May 2014 (during previous plant operations) 2 NextEra Energy Duane Arnold, LLC Operations Safely and reliably served eastern Iowa for decades.
Plant status prior to ceasing operations:
Column 1 of the NRC regulatory oversight program.
All indicators green.
Ceased operations in 2020.
Benefits
$255 million of economic activity.1 Provided nearly 1,500 jobs (during plant operations and refueling outages).
Staff annual salaries of approximately $85 million.
More than $1 million in employee and company donations to area charitable non-profits.
l 6
7 Current facility status 3
NextEra Energy Duane Arnold, LLC Duane Arnold facility currently idled and in decommissioning status.
Defueled certification docketed Oct. 12, 2020.
All spent nuclear fuel currently stored at Duane Arnold in dry storage.
All regulatory submittals and regulatory approvals completed to reflect a facility that is permanently defueled.
Facility currently in SAFSTOR configuration.
Main power block buildings remain intact.
Reactor building, control building, turbine building, pumphouse, river intake structure and radwaste building.
Some support structures removed.
External office buildings and some maintenance facilities.
Large transformers and the non-safety cooling towers removed.
8 Consideration of restart 4
NextEra Energy Duane Arnold, LLC Restoration of plant systems to ensure the facilitys safety, security and reliability.
Training and hiring qualified personnel to operate the facility.
Nuclear Regulatory Commission licensing.
Restore plant equipment to operational status.
Upgrade equipment, as needed.
Environmental reviews under federal regulation.
Renewing state and local permits for operations.
Increasing the plant's resiliency to severe weather.
A comprehensive evaluation is underway to assess systems status for resuming operations at the plant.
9 Duane Arnold facility work 5
NextEra Energy Duane Arnold, LLC Facility restoration plans
- Detailed inspection will be conducted.
- Proactive equipment refurbishment/upgrades to address obsolescence and assure reliability.
- Rebuild cooling towers, training center and additional maintenance facilities.
- Restore security features.
Initial facility inspections demonstrate feasibility Adopt NextEra Energy fleet programs and procedures
- Engineering programs.
- Quality assurance program.
- Fleet emergency plan.
Restart readiness
- Perform all preventative maintenance tasks to make them current.
- Perform all technical specification surveillances to make them current.
- Perform all necessary inspections of components.
10 Duane Arnold facility work 5
NextEra Energy Duane Arnold, LLC Major inspections Reactor vessel.
Containment.
Aging management program.
System restoration plans.
Major work Cooling towers.
Training center.
Transformers.
Refurbishment of pumps and motors.
Plant computer.
Restore licensing basis.
11 Duane Arnold restart regulatory path 6
NextEra Energy Duane Arnold, LLC Licensing path to restart letter outlines process to assure predictability and efficiency (following the same regulatory path as Palisades Nuclear Generating Station and the Crane Clean Energy Center).
Reinstate current licensing basis at the time of shutdown.
Submit subsequent license renewal (SLR) application concurrent with performing all SLR inspections and remediations, if necessary.
12 Preliminary submittals schedule 6
NextEra Energy Duane Arnold, LLC Q3 2025
- License amendment to restore technical specifications.
- Updated final safety analysis submittal.
- Operator licensing program submittal.
Q1/Q2 2028
- Operational readiness letter.
- NRC authorization to support reactor fuel loading.
Q4 2028
- Estimate restart of commercial operations.
Q4 2025
- Security plan.
- Cybersecurity plan.
Including FEMA review and alert and notification system design report.
- Transitional quality assurance plan.
Q1 2026
- Application for subsequent license renewal, including environmental.
- Adopt fleet quality assurance program.
- Assess commitments and industry initiatives for reinstatement.
Q2 2026
- Miscellaneous submittals for rescission of exemptions for decommissioning.
- Reinstatement of commitments.
13 Staffing and qualifications 7
NextEra Energy Duane Arnold, LLC Initial Duane Arnold staffing to be combination of previous site personnel, some transferring fleet personnel and new hires.
Training programs are being reconstituted, based on current NextEra Energy fleet programs.
Operator training will be a priority to assure sufficient staffing for initial fuel loading and start-up.
Maintenance and technical training programs.
Security training.
Emergency response organization training.
Duane Arnold will be fully integrated into NextEra Energys nuclear fleet of four operating facilities
Questions?