ML26015A045
| ML26015A045 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Kewaunee  |
| Issue date: | 01/27/2026 |
| From: | William Allen Reactor Decommissioning Branch |
| To: | Kewaunee Solutions |
| References | |
| Download: ML26015A045 (0) | |
Text
UNITED STATES NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION WASHINGTON, D.C. 20555-0001 MEMORANDUM TO:
KewauneeSolutions THRU:
Kewaunee Power Station FROM:
Chris Allen, Project Manager Reactor Decommissioning Branch Division of Decommissioning, Uranium Recovery and Waste Programs Office of Nuclear Material, Safety and Safety Guards
SUBJECT:
SUMMARY
OF AUGUST 26, 2025, NRC PRE-APPLICATION SITE VISIT TO DISCUSS THE KEWAUNEE POWER STATION LICENSE TERMINATION PLAN On August 26, 2025, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) staff from NRC Headquarters visited the Kewaunee Power Station (KPS) in Kewaunee, Wisconsin for a pre-application engagement for the KPS License Termination Plan (LTP) that will eventually be submitted. The site visit was conducted in order for NRC personnel to:
1.
Tour the site to gain a better understanding of the site layout and the relationships between facility structures, natural land features, engineered land features, and the surrounding waterways.
2.
Obtain an understanding of KewauneeSolutions site characterization progress and their plans for developing the LTP.
3.
Inquire about the schedule and potential complexities for LTP as well as discuss any unique or site-specific aspects that may impact the KPS LTP information.
CONTACT: Chris Allen, NMSS/DUWP 301-415-6877 January 27, 2026 Signed by Allen, William on 01/27/26
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Site Visit Participants NRC Staff Name Title Amy Snyder Project Manager Craig Hendrickson Health Physicist Greg Chapman Senior Health Physicist Randall Fedors Senior Hydrogeologist Cynthia Barr Isaac Johnston Robert Mocko Senior Risk Analyst Environmental Project Manager Environmental Project Manager Michael LaFranzo Senior Health Physicist Megan McGhee Ross Wagner Health Physicist Project Manager Kewaunee Solutions Name Title Ron Worster General Manager/Project Director Kim Anthony Environmental Manager Dean Berres Final Status Survey/License Termination Plan Manager Joe Lynch Regulatory Affairs Director Brad McMahon Decommissioning Plant Manager Darren Peterson Radiation Protection Manager Tom Schneider Site RA-Licensing Dan Shannon RP Technical Manager Robert Yetter Final Status Survey/License Termination Plan Director Forthcoming Action:
KewauneeSolutions plans to submit the KPS LTP in the first half of 2026 under the provisions of 10 CFR 50.82(a)(9). In accordance with the NRC regulations and associated guidance, the LTP will include: (1) a site characterization; (2) identification of remaining dismantlement activities; (3) plans for site remediation; (4) detailed plans for the final radiation survey; (5) a description of the expected land use of the site; (6) an updated site-specific estimate of remaining decommissioning costs; (7) a supplement to the environmental report describing any new information or significant environmental change associated with KewauneeSolutions proposed termination activities; and (8) identification of parts, if any, of the facility or site that were released for use before approval of the LTP.
The NRC staffs review of the KPS LTP will ensure that the remaining decommissioning activities planned at the site will adequately meet the radiological criteria for unrestricted use in 10 CFR 20.1402, Radiological criteria for unrestricted use. The NRC staff will make the LTP available for public comment upon receipt. The NRC staff will subsequently schedule a public meeting in the vicinity of KPS to discuss the LTP and upcoming activities. If the KPS LTP demonstrates that the remainder of the decommissioning activities will be performed in accordance with the NRCs regulations, will not be inimical to the common defense and security or to the health and safety of the public, and will not have a significant effect on the quality of the environment, the NRC will approve the plan, by license amendment, subject to such conditions and limitations as the Commission deems appropriate and necessary to authorize
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implementation of the LTP. The NRC will notice issuance of the amendment in the Federal Register.
Previous Pre-Application Activities:
On August 6, 2025, the NRC staff discussed the LTP development with KewauneeSolutions in a public meeting. NRC staff issued a summary of the meeting on September 4, 2025 (Agencywide Documents Access and Management System (ADAMS) Accession No. ML25233A217). Some of the topics covered during this interaction included the structure of the plan to conduct the final status survey, how site characterization information is being used to inform remediation plans and final status survey, a description of the exposure scenarios and pathways being considered, and general discussions of the environmental impacts of the dismantlement and decontamination activities that support license termination.
Site Visit Activities:
The agenda for the NRC site visit is provided in the enclosure. KewauneeSolutions presented an overview of site activities to the NRC staff. The overview identified ongoing decontamination and decommissioning activities, plans for building demolition, methods for waste and materials management, and radiological site characterization activities. Following the presentation, the NRC staff toured the site.
During the site tour, KewauneeSolutions discussed several topics including the following:
KewauneeSolutions stated that the current groundwater monitoring program measures tritium and gamma emitting radionuclides, and there is a baseline measurement for hard to detect radionuclides (HTD). The NRC staff encouraged KewauneeSolutions periodically measure the groundwater for HTD radionuclides, particularly the beta emitter Strontium-90.
KewauneeSolutions described the occurrence of tritium in settlement plugs (e.g., open boreholes extending down to the bedrock that are located under and near the edge of a building associated with the Auxiliary Building), with the tritium originating from gas-phase releases from an Auxiliary Building air system that migrated back down into the boreholes. NRC Staff suggested that the report documenting this be made available with the application submittal.
KewauneeSolutions described the measurement profiles for sediment that builds up in the discharge structure. They indicated that little radioactivity was found in the profiles and suggested that the large buildup was due to sediment migration along the shore.
KewauneeSolutions indicated that sampling of lake sediments was not performed at any locations other than the discharge structure, a topic previously brought up by the State of Wisconsin during the August 6, 2025 pre-application meeting (ADAMS Accession No. ML25233A217).
KewauneeSolutions discussed surveys of stockpiled soils and inquired about potential tools to model the distribution of residual radioactivity in the piles.
KewauneeSolutions discussed the use of human-driven and autonomous vehicles for surveying open land areas, and the use of video inside the intake structure.
KewauneeSolutions indicated that there have historically been peregrine falcons nesting on the roofs of the reactor and auxiliary buildings; however, they are not known to currently be on site as the known nests were moved off-site, and the falcons have not returned.
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NRC staff suggested including information in the application about atmospheric dispersion, waste shipment routes (e.g., the route taken to the rail line for the final disposal destination), and any impacts on nearby fisheries or maritime sanctuaries in Lake Michigan, in the supplemental environmental report. NRC staff suggested that any documentation of past tribal or state consultations which would assist NRC staff in performing their National Historic Preservation Act consultation be included.
Topics discussed during the afternoon schedule included: groundwater monitoring, identifying radionuclides of concern, surveys of HTD radionuclides, providing justification for classifying radionuclides as insignificant contributors, dose modeling (e.g., selecting exposure scenarios and pathways, development of derived concentration guideline levels etc.), and information important for the environmental review (e.g., endangered species and historic preservation).
Please contact Chris Allen with any inquiries at 301-415-6877 or via e-mail at william.allen@nrc.gov.
Docket No. 50-305 Renewed License No. DPR-43
Enclosure:
- 1. Agenda
Enclosure NRC Site Visit Agenda Kewaunee Power Station License Termination Plan Tuesday, August 26th Site Overview Presentation 0800 to 0930 Site Tour 0930 to 1100 o
Site Boundaries o
Outfalls o
Groundwater Well Locations o
Air Sampling Stations o
Effluent Release Points o
Waste Staging Areas o
Spoils Areas o
Areas of Interest
Previous leaks or spills [50.75(g) files]
Buildings and soil that may require decontamination or remediation
20.2002 burial locations
Three sludge disposal locations
Piping that will be grouted and removed
Buildings that remain after license termination, if any o
Independent Spent Fuel Storage Installation and Haul Road o
Environmental Report Areas of Interest
Site locations of known cultural or historic value
Marshes, wetlands, or conservation areas having potential Endangered Species Act importance Lunch 1100 to 1230 Environmental Discussion 1230 to 1330 o
Historical Site Assessment o
Endangered Species o
Other Groundwater Monitoring and Final Status Survey Discussion 1330 to 1430 o
Groundwater Discussion o
Monitoring network o
Well abandonment o
Radionuclides of Concern versus measurements of radionuclides currently in the monitoring program o
Settlement plugs (past Groundwater Well measurements, abandonment for decommissioning)
Health Physics Discussion 1430 to 1500 o
Characterization o
Instrumentation o
Final Status Survey Dose Modeling Strategy Discussion 1500 to 1530 Closing/Exit 1530 to 1615
Memo ML26015A045 OFFICE NMSS/REFS/ERMB NMSS/DUWP/RDB NMSS/DUWP/RDB NMSS/DUWP
/RDB NAME IJohnston CHendrickson GChapman WAllen DATE Jan 22, 2026 Jan 16, 2026 Jan 16, 2026 Jan 15, 2026 OFFICE NMSS/DUWP
/RTAB NMSS/DUWP/RDB NMSS/DUWP/RDB NMSS/DUWP
/RDB NAME CBarr RFedors MSutherland WAllen DATE Jan 22, 2026 Jan 22, 2026 Jan 27, 2026 Jan 27, 2026