NOC-AE-12002818, Response to Requests for Additional Information for the Review of the South Texas Project License Renewal Application

Response to Requests for Additional Information for the Review of the South Texas Project License Renewal Application

ML12079A014
Person / Time
Site:	South Texas
Issue date:	03/12/2012
From:	Gerry Powell South Texas
To:	Document Control Desk, Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation
References
TAC ME4938, TAC ME5122, NOC-AE-12002818, STI: 33393471
Download: ML12079A014 (4)

Text

~L~iLL Nuclear Operating Company South Teas Pro/etElectric GeneratingStation PO.Box 289 Wadsworth. Texas 77483 ,VAA -

March 12, 2012 NOC-AE-1 2002818 10 CFR 54 STI: 33393471 File: G25 U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Attention: Document Control Desk One White Flint North 11555 Rockville Pike Rockville, MD 20852-2738 South Texas Project Units 1 and 2 Docket Nos. STN 50-498, STN 50-499 Response to Requests for Additional Information for the Review of the South Texas Project License Renewal Application (TAC No. ME4938 and ME5122)

References:

1. STPNOC Letter dated October 25, 2010, from G. T. Powell to NRC Document Control Desk, "License Renewal Application" (NOC-AE-1 0002607) (ML103010257)

2. NRC Letter dated February 29, 2012, "Requests for Additional Information for the Review of the South Texas Project License Renewal Application (TAC Nos.

ME4938 and ME5122)" (ML12017A128)

By Reference 1, STP Nuclear Operating Company (STPNOC) submitted the License Renewal Application (LRA) for South Texas Project (STP) Units 1 and 2. By Reference 2, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission requests additional information to support the review of the LRA.

STPNOC's response to the requests for additional information is provided in the Enclosure to this letter.

There are no regulatory commitments in this letter.

Should you have any questions regarding this letter, please contact either Arden Aldridge, STP License Renewal Project Lead, at (361) 972-8243 or Ken Taplett, STP License Renewal Project regulatory point-of-contact, at (361) 972-8416.

I declare under penalty of perjury that the foregoing is true and correct.

Executed on 3- 1,- 2ola Date

"

G. T. Powell Vice President, Generation KJT

Enclosure:

Response to Requests for Additional Information

/J,4L7 KtZ1L~

NOC-AE-1 2002818 Page 2 cc:

(paper copy) (electronic copy)

Regional Administrator, Region IV A. H. Gutterman, Esquire U. S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Kathryn M. Sutton, Esquire 1600 East Lamar Boulevard Morgan, Lewis & Bockius, LLP Arlington, Texas 76011-4511 Balwant K. Singal John Ragan Senior Project Manager Chris O'Hara U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Jim von Suskil One White Flint North (MS 8B1) NRG South Texas LP 11555 Rockville Pike Rockville, MD 20852 Senior Resident Inspector Kevin Polio U. S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Richard Pena P. O. Box 289, Mail Code: MN116 City Public Service Wadsworth, TX 77483 C. M. Canady Peter Nemeth City of Austin Crain Caton & James, P.C.

Electric Utility Department 721 Barton Springs Road C. Mele Austin, TX 78704 City of Austin John W. Daily Richard A. Ratliff License Renewal Project Manager (Safety) Alice Rogers U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Texas Department of State Health Services One White Flint North (MS 011-Fl)

Washington, DC 20555-0001 Tam Tran Balwant K. Singal License Renewal Project Manager John W. Daily (Environmental) Tam Tran.

U. S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission U. S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission One White Flint North (MS O11F01)

Washington, DC 20555-0001

Enclosure NOC-AE-1 2002818 Page 1 of I Response to Requests for Additional Information SOUTH TEXAS PROJECT LICENSE RENEWAL APPLICATION REQUESTS FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION NRC Information request Consistent with the conference call on January 17, 2012 (ML12047A285), please provide documentation to demonstrate that a separate Clean Water Act 401 certification will not be required for the purposes of license renewal, either in the form of a State regulation, policy statement, or written statement from the State.

STPNOC Response By the Attachment to this Enclosure, the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality waives its authority under Title 30, Texas Administrative Code (TAC), Chapter 279.2(b)(4) to act on a request for a Clean Water Act 401 water quality certification.

Attachment:

Letter dated February 6, 2012 from Texas Commission on Environmental Quality to STP Nuclear Operating Company "Re: 401 Water Quality Certification for South Texas Project Units 1 & 2 License Renewal"

Bryan W. Shaw, Ph.D., Chairman Buddy Garcia, Commissioner Carlos Rubinstein, Commissioner Mark R. Vickery, P.G., Erecutive Director TEXAS COMMISSION ON ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY ProtectingTexas by Reducing and PreventingPollution February 6, 2012 Ms. S. L. Dannhardt, Environmental Manager STP Nuclear Operating Company South Texas Project Electric Generating Station P.O. Box 289 Wadsworth, Texas 77483 Re: 401 Water Quality Certification for South Texas Project Units i & 2 License Renewal

Dear Ms. Dannhardt:

The STP Nuclear Operating Company (STPNOC) has fied an application with the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) to renew the operating licenses (NPF-76 and NPF-8o) for Units i and 2 at the South Texas Project near Wadsworth, Texas. In conjunction with the license renewal, STPNOC is requesting a Section 401 water quality certification from the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ).

The STPNOC understands that a Section 401 water quality certification is required by the NRC for license renewal for Units i and 2. Staff at the TCEQ have reviewed the STPNOC request for a 401 certification for the license renewal and have not identified any discharges to waters of the United States that would not also be subject to regulation under either Section 402 (NPDES Permits) or Section 404 (Fill Permits) of the Clean Water Act. The TCEQ would like to satisfy the NRC requirement for a 401 certification decision but avoid a duplicate regulatory review of an activity that will be evaluated under a separate permitting process.

Therefore, and in response to STPNOC's January 17, 2012 request for a Section 401 certification, the TCEQ waives our authority under Title 30, Texas Administrative Code (TAC), Chapter 279.2(b)(4) to act on this request for water quality certification.

If you have any questions or need additional information regarding this waiver decision, please contact Mr. David Galindo at (512) 239-0951 or by email at David.Galindo@tceq.texas.gov.

Sincerel Carles, W. agutire, Director ater Quality Division CWM/RH/gg cc: Mr. Arden Aldridge, South Texas Project Electric Generating Station, P.O. Box 289, Wadsworth, Texas 77483 P.O. Box 13087

• Austin, Texas 78711-3087

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