WBL-22-020, Annual Non-Radiological Environmental Operating Report - 2021

Annual Non-Radiological Environmental Operating Report - 2021

ML22117A012
Person / Time
Site:	Watts Bar
Issue date:	04/27/2022
From:	Anthony Williams Tennessee Valley Authority
To:	Document Control Desk, Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation
References
WBL-22-020
Download: ML22117A012 (13)

Text

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TENNESSEE VALLEY AUTHORITY Post Office Box 2000, Spring City, Tennessee 37381 WBL-22-020 April 27, 2022 ATTN: Document Control Desk U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Washington, D.C. 20555-0001 Watts Bar Nuclear Plant, Unit 1 & Unit 2 Facility Operating License Nos. NPF-90 and NPF-96 NRC Docket Nos. 50-390 and 50-391 10 CFR 50.4

Subject:

Watts Bar Nuclear Plant - Annual Non-Radiological Environmental Operating Report - 2021 In accordance with Section 5.4.1, "Routine Reports," of Appendix B, "Environmental Protection Plan (Non-Radiological)," to the Watts Bar Nuclear Plant (WBN) Units 1 and 2 Operating Licenses, enclosed is the 2021 Annual Non-Radiological Environmental Operating Report for WBN. This report is required to be submitted to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) within 90 days following the anniversary of the issuance of the WBN Unit 1 operating license (i.e., February 7, 1996). This report addresses the period from February 7, 2021 through February 6, 2022.

There are no new regulatory commitments in this letter. If you have any questions concerning this matter, please contact Jonathan Johnson, WBN Licensing Manager, at jtjohnsonO@tva.gov.

R-:::::2-2--------

Anthony L. Williams IV Site Vice President Watts Bar Nuclear Plant

U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission WBL-22-020 Page 2 April 27, 2022

Enclosure:

Tennessee Valley Authority Watts Bar Nuclear Plant Annual Non-Radiological Environmental Operating Report February 7, 2021 through February 6, 2022 cc:(w/ Enclosure)

NRC Regional Administrator - Region II NRC Senior Resident Inspector - Watts Bar Nuclear Plant NRC Project Manager - Watts Bar Nuclear Plant U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

WBL-22-020 ENCLOSURE TENNESSEE VALLEY AUTHORITY WATTS BAR NUCLEAR PLANT Annual Non-Radiological Environmental Operating Report February 7, 2021 through February 6, 2022

WBL-22-020 E-1 of 10 TENNESSEE VALLEY AUTHORITY WATTS BAR NUCLEAR PLANT ANNUAL NON-RADIOLOGICAL ENVIRONMENTAL OPERATING REPORT FEBRUARY 7, 2021 THROUGH FEBRUARY 6, 2022

WBL-22-020 E-2 of 10 TABLE OF CONTENTS I.

INTRODUCTION........................................................................................................... E-3 II.

REPORTS PREVIOUSLY SUBMITTED AS SPECIFIED IN THE WBN NATIONAL POLLUTANT DISCHARGE ELIMINATION SYSTEM (NPDES) PERMIT..................... E-3 III.

SPECIAL BIOLOGICAL MONITORING REPORTS...................................................... E-4 IV.

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION PLAN NONCOMPLIANCES................................. E-6 V.

CHANGES MADE TO APPLICABLE STATE AND FEDERAL PERMITS AND CERTIFICATIONS............................................................................... E-6 VI.

CHANGES IN FACILITY DESIGN OR OPERATION.................................................... E-7 VII.

NON-ROUTINE REPORTS.......................................................................................... E-8 VIII.

CHANGES IN APPROVED ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION PLAN SPECIFICATIONS.............................................................................................. E-9

WBL-22-020 E-3 of 10 I.

INTRODUCTION The Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) Watts Bar Nuclear Plant (WBN) Annual Non-Radiological Environmental Operating Report is provided for the period of February 7, 2021 through February 6, 2022. This report was prepared in accordance with Appendix B to facility operating licenses NPF-90 and NPF-96, Environmental Protection Plan (EPP), Section 5.4.1, Routine Reports. This report includes a summary of:

A.

Reports previously submitted as specified in the WBN National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) Permit Number TN0020168.

B.

All special reports submitted per EPP Sections (Unit 1 (U1)) 4.1.1 or 3.0 (Unit 2 (U2), Environmental Monitoring.

C.

All EPP noncompliances and the corrective actions taken to remedy them.

D.

Changes made to applicable state and federal permits and certifications.

E.

Changes in station design or operation that could involve a significant environmental impact or changes to the findings of the Final Environmental Statement (FES).

F.

Non-routine reports submitted per EPP Section 5.4.2 (Both U1 and U2),

Nonroutine Reports G.

Changes in the approved EPP.

II.

REPORTS PREVIOUSLY SUBMITTED AS SPECIFIED IN THE WBN NATIONAL POLLUTANT DISCHARGE ELIMINATION SYSTEM (NPDES) PERMIT The following reports were submitted as specified in the WBN NPDES Permit Number TN0020168 and the Tennessee Storm Water Multi-Sector General Permit (TMSP)

Numbers TNR051343 and TNR050000:

A.

As required by the NPDES permit, Discharge Monitoring Reports (DMRs) were completed and submitted monthly to the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation (TDEC) no later than 15 days after the completion of the reporting period.

B.

WBN submitted to the TDEC the Compliance Survey for Watts Bar Nuclear Plant Outfall 113 Passive Mixing Zone for Winter 2020 and Summer 2021. As summarized in the reports, the compliance surveys confirm the adequacy of the passive mixing zone and the adequacy of the thermal model to evaluate the operation of Outfall 113.

C.

The annual Biocide/Corrosion Treatment Report was completed and submitted to TDEC prior to the February 15, 2022 deadline.

WBL-22-020 E-4 of 10 II.

REPORTS PREVIOUSLY SUBMITTED AS SPECIFIED IN THE WBN NATIONAL POLLUTANT DISCHARGE ELIMINATION SYSTEM (NPDES) PERMIT (continued)

D.

The annual sampling and analysis required by the 2021 TMSP for storm water was performed and the annual reports were submitted to the TDEC within 30 days after the sample results were obtained.

E.

DMR Quality Assurance (QA) Laboratory Performance Evaluation Study 41 was completed by and submitted to Environmental Resource Associates, the TDEC, and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) on November 05, 2021. Since the WBN DMR-QA Study 41 Final Report Tardy Submittal deadline was October 22, 2021, Condition Report # 1734663 was initiated. The analysis performed and reported by our contract analytical laboratories were Acceptable.

III.

SPECIAL BIOLOGICAL MONITORING REPORTS A.

EPP Sections 4.1.1 (U1) or 3.1 (U2), Aquatic Monitoring

1.

Routine semi-annual Whole Effluent Toxicity (WET), a.k.a. chronic biotoxicity tests, were conducted on plant effluents and the appropriate reports were submitted as part of the DMR for Outfall Serial Numbers (OSNs) 101 and 113 as required by the NPDES permit. Both Outfalls were sampled in May and August 2021. All TVA test results were valid for all sampling outfalls, dates, and for both inhibition concentration twenty-five (IC25) tests (P. promelas and C. dubia).

2.

A report on the Biological Monitoring of the Tennessee River near the Watts Bar Nuclear Plant 2020 is not required in accordance with Part III,Section I of the WBN NPDES Permit, but was a recommendation in the Watts Bar Nuclear Plant Supplemental Condenser Cooling Water System Fish Monitoring Program, 2001 report to be consistent with other required annual reporting programs at Tennessee and Alabama nuclear plants. TVA determined in January 2013 that these reports, or an equivalent, would be submitted with the permit renewals versus the historical annual basis (last submitted December 29, 2015 as a component of the NPDES permit renewal application).

3.

In accordance with the provisions of Tennessee Code Annotated Section 69-7-301 et seq., the Water Resources Information Act, WBN submitted the Water Withdrawal Registration Form for Calendar Year (CY) 2021 to the TDEC prior to the February 15, 2022 deadline. Although federal agencies are not subject to laws and regulations promulgated by state governments unless Congress has clearly waived the federal governments sovereign immunity, in 2003 TVA voluntarily agreed as a matter of policy to provide the registration information in order to assist both TVA and TDEC in carrying out their water management responsibilities.

WBL-22-020 E-5 of 10 III.

SPECIAL BIOLOGICAL MONITORING REPORTS (continued)

4.

On October 14, 2021, the TDEC performed a site walk down and discussion with the WBN Media Specialist and ENV OPS Scientist. The purpose of the site walk down and discussion was to gain understanding of the site layout in order to aid of the sites NPDES Permit TN0020168 permit renewal application processing.

B.

EPP Section 4.1.2 (U1 Only), Maintenance of Transmission Line Corridors Listed below are the 500 kV transmission lines associated with WBN and information regarding the maintenance that was performed on each line:

500 kV Line Identifier Maintenance Performed Bull Run - Watts Bar (Note Below)

No chemical or herbicide was utilized on these lines within the period.

Watts Bar - Roane No chemical or herbicide was utilized on these lines within the period.

Watts Bar - Volunteer No chemical or herbicide was utilized on these lines within the period.

Watts Bar - Sequoyah 1 (Note Below)

No chemical or herbicide utilized on these lines within the period.

Watts Bar - Sequoyah 2 (Note Below)

No chemical or herbicide utilized on these lines within the period.

Note:

The transmission line designated as Bull Run - Sequoyah in previous versions of this report has been split into the following transmission lines: 1) Watts Bar - Sequoyah 1, and 2) Bull Run - Watts Bar.

WBL-22-020 E-6 of 10 IV.

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION PLAN NONCOMPLIANCES WBN received zero Notice of Violations (NOVs) from February 2021 to February 2022.

In accordance with the NPDES permit, the following noncompliances were reported to the TDEC.

A. WBN submitted a 30-day notification in the WBN February 2021 DMR of two discrete sanitary sewer overflows due to different causes. On February 24, 2021 the Spring City sewage system main lift pump standpipe was observed overflowing, flowing south into the grass, and entering the adjacent stream. The receiving stream discharges to the Construction Runoff Holding Pond before discharging via storm water monitoring point SW-11 into an unnamed tributary of Yellow Creek and then into the Tennessee River.

The two faulty contactors were replaced. On February 25, Spring City sewage system main lift pump standpipe was observed overflowing. The sewage was confined to the area around the main lift pump standpipe, did not reach the adjacent stream, and was properly cleaned-up. The duration and quantity spilled are unknown; the cause was determined to be an electrical issue and another transformer was installed at approximately 18:00. It was determined that the releases were caused by a failure of lift station equipment owned, operated and maintained by the Spring City Wastewater Department (TNR0021261). The duration and quantity of both spills are unknown, and were not in sufficient quantity to cause a threat to public supplies or constitute a threat to human health or the environment.

B. WBN submitted a 30-day notification in the March DMR of a sanitary sewer overflow. On March 12, 2021 the Spring City sewage system main lift pump standpipe was observed overflowing. While the duration and quantity spilled are unknown, minimal flow occurred at the standpipe onto the surrounding gravel and was properly cleaned-up. It was determined that the release was caused by a failure of lift station equipment owned, operated and maintained by the Spring City Wastewater Department (TNR0021261); the faulty fuses in the power panel were replaced and power was restored to the pumps.

This sewage overflow was not in sufficient quantity to cause a threat to public supplies or constitute a threat to human health or the environment.

To prevent a sewage spill recurrence, WBN collaborated with Spring City to upgrade the Spring City Sewage Treatment Lift Station. In August of 2021, a new building was constructed around the partially buried storage tanks, a new basin was installed, the transfer switch and the transformer were replaced, and any wastewater overflow will now be pumped back to the Spring City pump station.

C. On the April DMR, WBN notified TDEC an unknown quantity of the Sodium Hypochlorite treated water was observed entering the storm water drains, which discharge to Waters of the US, for an unknown period of time before they were covered. The NPDES Permit for Storm Water Discharges associated with Industrial Activity (TMSP) (TNR051343) does not allow for treated water discharges from a storm water drain to Waters of the US. This treated water discharge from a storm water drain to Waters of the US was not in sufficient quantity to cause a threat to public supplies or constitute a threat to human health or the environment.

WBL-22-020 E-7 of 10 V.

CHANGES MADE TO APPLICABLE STATE AND FEDERAL PERMITS AND CERTIFICATIONS A.

NPDES Permit Number TN0020168 TDEC issued WBN an NPDES Permit with an effective date of February 1, 2022. A Change Management was developed and completed for the 12 permit changes.

The substantive changes are as follows:

1. The addition of a virtual outfall for Total Residual Chlorine (TRC); which combines that of OSN 101 and OSN 113. Flow and TRC for V001 will be calculated from summing flow weighted averages of the effluent of OSN 101/102 and OSN 113.

2. Increased WET testing percentages:

a. Outfall 101: the toxicity percentage has increased from 2.8% to 4% due to change in flow.

b. Outfall 113: the toxicity percentage has increased from 6.7% to 12.7% due to change in flow.

3. Monitoring of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) at OSN 101 and OSN 113.

4. Within 90 days of the permit effective date, submit an updated Biocide Corrosion Treatment Plan (B/CTP) reflecting new TRC limits included in the permit, and any other necessary changes.

5. Thermal mixing zones for OSN 113 remain unchanged; however, the compliance survey frequency has been reduced to biennial (once every two years).

6. Flow measurement devices shall be calibrated biennially at a minimum.

7. All sampling for total mercury shall use Methods 1631, 245.7, or any additional method in 40 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) 136 with a maximum detection limit of 5 ng/L.

8. Further guidance and requirements have been provided under Report in section 1.3.4 Reporting Less than Detection; Reporting Significant Figures.

9. Section 2.3.1 Reporting of Noncompliance states that A written submission must be provided via MyTDECForms.

10. Section 3.2 Biomonitoring: The measured endpoint for toxicity will be the inhibition concentration causing 25% reduction in survival, reproduction and growth (IC25) of the test organisms. The IC25 shall be determined based on a 25% reduction as compared to the controls, and as derived from linear interpolation. as derived from linear interpolation has been added.

11. Biomonitoring at Outfalls OSN 101, 102, and 113 shall be conducted according to the Biocide/Corrosion Treatment Plan (B/CTP). As outlined in the B/CTP, Whole Effluent Testing (WET) testing shall be performed twice per year at each outfall: once per year when oxidizing biocides are being used, and once per year when non-oxidizing biocides are being used. In months when WET testing is performed, the permittee shall indicate under which conditions WET testing was performed on Discharge Monitoring Reports (DMR). In order to effectively track WET monitoring, monthly reporting shall continue.

For monitoring periods when WET testing is not required by the B/CTP, the permittee shall report Monitoring not required (NODI = 9) for that month in Network Discharge Monitoring Report (NetDMR).

12. Within 60 days of the effective date of this permit (by April 2, 2022) NPDES outfall signs shall be placed at the outfalls with updated language (See 3.3 Placement of Signs on page 33).

WBL-22-020 E-8 of 10 V.

CHANGES MADE TO APPLICABLE STATE AND FEDERAL PERMITS AND CERTIFICATIONS (continued)

B.

Air Permit Number 463822 The Air Permit was modified to include diesel generator number 18 (DG-18).

VI.

CHANGES IN FACILITY DESIGN OR OPERATION In accordance with EPP Section 3.1 (U1) or 5.3 (U2), Plant Design and Operation, facility design and operational changes were reviewed for potential effect on the environment as described below. A review of facility design and operational changes proposed from February 7, 2021, through February 6, 2022, was performed. Projects considered as having potential impact on the environment included those that:

Could have caused waste stream generation/alteration.

Required the acquisition/modification of permits.

Involved the use of hazardous material.

Required physical construction.

The review, performed in accordance with the guidelines of TVAs National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) Program, documented that design and operational changes did not involve an unreviewed environmental question. The following criteria were used to identify those projects with a potential for environmental effects:

A.

Waste stream generation/alteration:

Air, Hazardous Waste, Solid Waste, Polychlorinated Biphenyls, Asbestos, or Wastewater.

B.

Permit Acquisition/Modification:

NPDES, Air, Inert Landfill, or Other.

C.

Hazardous Materials:

Hazardous Materials that are environmentally unfriendly and are likely to generate a Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) hazardous or Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) waste.

D.

Physical Construction Involved:

Erosion/Sedimentation Effects, Transportation Effects, Noise Effects, Groundwater Effects, Surface Water Effects, Floodplain Effects, Wetland Effects, Prime Farmland Effects, Unique Natural Features Effects, Aquatic Ecology Effects, Terrestrial Ecology Effects, Protected Species Effects, Sensitive Habitat Effects, Visual Effects, Historical, Cultural and Archeological Effects, Changes in Site Land Use, or Controversy.

E.

Temporary Alterations:

There were no temporary alterations conducted during this period that met the environmental impact criteria.

WBL-22-020 E-9 of 10 VI.

CHANGES IN FACILITY DESIGN OR OPERATION (continued)

Design and Operational Changes Most of the design and operational changes conducted during this period did not meet the environmental impact criteria. There were 13 facility design and operational changes made during this reporting period with a potential impact on the environment. The appropriate environmental reviews were completed and all changes were found to be within the scope of existing environmental permits and in compliance with NEPA regulations.

The following Environmental Assessments (EAs) written to document the review of site changes are as follows:

No EAs were issued during this reporting period.

Those Categorical Exclusion Checklists (CECs) written to document the review of site changes are as follows:

(1) 45199 WBN U2 Polyacrylic Acid (PAA) Skid Installation (2) 46173 WBN Wastewater Emergency Overflow Capacity Restoration and Hut 33 Replacement (3) 46178 WBN Miscellaneous Tree Trimming/Removal (4) 46183 WBN Outage Transformers Installation (5) 46230 WBN Site Support Buildings - 2021 (6) 46299 WBN Employee Recreation Facility (7) 46400 WBN Demineralized Water System Upgrade (8) 46459 WBN Maintenance and Instrument Group (MIG) Building Restroom (9) 46588 WBN Oil Filled Transformer Replacement (10) 46685 WBN Sonic Algae Control System (11) 46785 WBN - Liquid Radwaste Line and Soil Borings (12) 46954 WBN Intake Pumping Station (IPS) Security Upgrade (13) 47171 WBN Grounds Building Wastewater System Modifications All other facility design and operational changes made during this reporting period with a potential impact on the environment were found to be within the scope of existing environmental permits and in compliance with regulations.

In summary, there were no facility designs or operational changes from February 7, 2021 to February 6, 2022, which resulted in an unreviewed environmental question.

VII.

NON-ROUTINE REPORTS No non-routine reports for EPP Section 5.4.2 (Both U1 and U2) were issued during this reporting period.

WBL-22-020 E-10 of 10 VIII.

CHANGES IN APPROVED ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION PLAN SPECIFICATIONS No changes were made to the WBN operating license, Appendix B, EPP during the reporting period.