ML072890652

Summary of July 19th Conference Call Between NRC DLR Environmental Staff; PPL Susquehanna, LLC; and PPL Generating Regarding PPL Generation'S Letter of Intent to File a Combined License Application for a Potential New Unit at the SSES Site

ML072890652
Person / Time
Site:	Susquehanna
Issue date:	10/24/2007
From:	Stuyvenberg A NRC/NRR/ADRO/DLR/REBB
To:	Susquehanna
Stuyvenberg, A L, NRR/DLR/ 415-4006
References
Download: ML072890652 (8)

Text

October 24, 2007

LICENSEE: PPL Susquehanna, LLC FACILITY: Susquehanna Steam Electric Station, Units 1 & 2

SUMMARY

OF TELEPHONE CONFERENCE CALL HELD ON JULY 19, 2007, BETWEEN THE U.S. NUCLER REGULATORY COMMISSION, PPL SUSQUEHANNA, LLC, AND PPL GENERATION REGARDING PPL GENERATION'S LETTER OF INTENT TO FILE A COMBINED LICENSE APPLICATION FOR A POTENTIAL NEW UNIT AT THE SUSQUEHANNA STEAM ELECTRIC STATION SITE U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission environmental staff (NRC or the staff), representatives of PPL Susquehanna, LLC, and representatives of PPL Generation held a telephone conference call on July 19, 2007, to discuss and clarify PPL Generation's May 24 and June 13, 2007, letters regarding intent to file a combined license application for a new nuclear power plant at the Susquehanna Steam Electric Station (SSES) site. The telephone conference provided information necessary for the staff to address potential cumulative impacts to the SSES site and related resources from reasonably foreseeable future plant construction and operation.

Enclosure 1 provides a list of the participants and Enclosure 2 summarizes the discussion among the staff, PPL Generation and PPL Susquehanna.

/RA/ Drew Stuyvenberg, Environmental Project Manager Environmental Branch B Division of License Renewal Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation Docket Nos. 50-387 and 50-388

Enclosures:

1. List of Participants 2. Discussion Summary cc w/encls: See next page

ML072890652 OFFICE LA:DLR PM:DLR:REBB PM:DLR:REBB BC:DLR:REBB

NAME IKing DStuyvenberg JDavis RFranovich

DATE 10/18/07 10/18/07 10/19/07 10/24/07 TELEPHONE CONFERENCE CALL BETWEEN THE U.S. NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION, PPL SUSQEHANNA, LLC AND PPL GENERATION LIST OF PARTICIPANTS JULY 19, 2007 PARTICIPANT AFFILIATION Drew Stuyvenberg U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) Harriet Nash NRC Dennis Logan NRC Nathan Goodman NRC Elizabeth Wexler NRC Ekaterina Lenning NRC Jeffrey Rikhoff NRC Mike Detamore PPL Susquehanna, LLC Duane Filchner PPL Susquehanna Rocco Sgarro PPL Susquehanna Jerry Fields PPL Susquehanna Terry Harpster PPL Generation Fred Eisenhuth PPL Generation DISCUSSION

SUMMARY

FROM THE JULY 19, 2007 CONFERENCE CALL BETWEEN THE U.S. NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION, PPL SUSQUEHANNA, LLC AND PPL GENERATION REGARDING PPL GENERATION'S LETTER OF INTENT TO FILE A COMBINED LICENSE APPLICATION FOR A POTENTIAL NEW UNIT AT THE SUSQUEHANNA STEAM ELECTRIC STATION SITE

Background:

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC or the staff), representatives of PPL Susquehanna, LLC, and representatives of PPL Generation held a telephone conference call on July 19, 2007, to discuss and clarify PPL Generation's May 24 and June 13, 2007, letters regarding intent to file a combined license (COL) application for a new unit at the Susquehanna Steam Electric Station (SSES) site.

NRC staff requested the conference call to obtain sufficient information to address cumulative impacts as described in 40 CFR 1508.7, adopted by NRC in 10 CFR 51.14b, and included in Regulatory Guide 4.2, Supplement 1, on page 4.2-S-6:

Cumulative impact is the impact on the environment which results from the incremental impact of the action when added to other past, present, and reasonably foreseeable future actions regardless of what agency (Federal or non-Federal) or person undertakes such other actions. Cumulative impacts can result from individually minor but collectively significant actions taking place over a period of time.

PPL Generation's letters of intent to file a COL made a new unit onsite a "reasonably foreseeable future action." Since PPL Generation submitted their letters of intent after the license renewal environmental site audit, the staff requested a conference call to address potential cumulative impacts should PPL Generation choose to proceed with an additional unit at the SSES site. Duane Filchner, Senior Engineer - Regulatory Affairs for PPL Susquehanna, coordinated involvement by PPL Susquehanna and PPL Generation representatives.

This call provided the staff with adequate information to address cumulative impacts related to a potential additional unit, as PPL Generation indicated in the May 24 and June 13 letters, or two additional units, as PPL Generation indicated was ultimately possible during the July 19 conference call. Should PPL Generation (or any other organization) proceed to file a COL, the staff would then perform a more-complete environmental review in the process of developing an environmental impact statement for the new unit(s).

The conference commenced at 10:05 A.M. with brief introductions.

Topics: 1. Overview of PPL Generation's activities and plans related to a potential COL submittal in 2008 (information in this and subsequent sections provided by Terry Harpster, General Manager - Site Development, PPL Generation, unless otherwise noted.)

PPL Generation considered seven alternative sites before selecting land west of the current SSES plant (SSES site land west of Township Rd. T438) as the best candidate site for one or two potential new reactors.

PPL Generation will be performing due diligence on the site and on any future plans for that site. PPL Generation is analyzing applicable local and state permitting requirements for preliminary work, and will do so for future work should PPL Generation move forward on the project.

At this point, PPL Generation has not selected a vendor for the new unit(s). The unit's (or units') systems and footprints will depend upon the reactor design PPL Generation ultimately chooses to pursue. Other plant systems - including cooling system selection - will also depend on the unit design chosen. The unit(s) will require river intake and outflow structures separate from the existing SSES facility.

New reactors at the site will only share transmission systems with the existing SSES. Currently, PPL Generation analysis indicates that existing transmission lines are sufficient to deliver energy from a future unit or units. The unit(s) will share no other systems with the existing SSES. The only other synergies between existing and potential future units will be in emergency planning.

At this point, PPL Generation has committed only to preliminary site work for a 3 rd and a potential 4 th reactor (beginning in August of 2007), and has yet to identify a joint venture partner for the potential new unit(s). PPL Generation does not plan to continue with the project in the absence of a joint venture partner.

2. Description of potential unit cooling system PPL Generation indicated that the cooling system design of the unit would be dependent on which unit design PPL Generation ultimately selects, and may include either mechanical or natural draft cooling towers. NRC staff noted that a new unit would have to use some sort of cooling system other than once-through cooling under the Environmental Protection Agency 316(b) rules. Placement of a potential 4 th unit could influence PPL Generation's choice of a cooling system for the new unit(s). Regardless of the cooling system selected, the unit(s) would need new intake and discharge structures.

PPL Generation noted that the Susquehanna River would be the unit's (or units') cooling water source, and indicated that consumptive use of water from the Susquehanna River would require approval from the Susquehanna River Basin Commission. PPL Susquehanna staff (Jerry Fields, Senior Environmental Scientist - Nuclear) indicated that the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection would oversee impingement and entrainment issues.

3. Interface with transmission system

PPL Generation confirmed that a new unit or units would be able to connect directly to the existing transmission system without modifications to the existing system. Any potential enhancements would be minor. PPL Generation also indicated that a new transmission line proposed by PPL Electric Utilities and recently approved by PJM Interconnection (PJM; 500 kV, 150 miles from Susquehanna substation to Roseland, NJ, substation) is not related to a potential new unit or units. Any new units would require permission from PJM to use the new lines, and would be subject to a PJM system interconnect study.

Conference concluded at 10:50 A.M. with no further questions from NRC reviewers.

PPL Susquehanna, LLC from D. Stuyvenberg dated October 24, 2007

DISTRIBUTION:

SUMMARY

OF TELEPHONE CONFERENCE CALL HELD ON JULY 19, 2007 BETWEEN THE NUCLER REGULATORY COMMISSION, PPL SUSQUEHANNA, LLC AND PPL GENERATION REGARDING PPL GENERATION'S LETTER OF INTENT TO FILE A COMBINED LICENSE APPLICATION FOR A POTENTIAL NEW UNIT AT THE SUSQUEHANNA STEAM ELECTRIC STATION SITE

HARD COPY DLR R/F E-MAIL: PUBLIC SUttal RidsNrrDlr RidsNrrDlrRebb RidsOgcMailCenter

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DStuyvenberg JDavis EGettys RGuzman Susquehanna Steam Electric Station, Units 1 and 2 cc: Cornelius J. Gannon Vice President - Nuclear Operations PPL Susquehanna, LLC 769 Salem Blvd., NUCSB3 Berwick, PA 18603-0467

Robert M. Paley General Manager - Plant Support PPL Susquehanna, LLC 769 Salem Blvd., NUCSB2 Berwick, PA 18603-0467

Rocco R. Sgarro Manager - Nuclear Regulatory Affairs PPL Susquehanna, LLC Two North Ninth Street, GENPL4 Allentown, PA 18101-1179

Walter E. Morrissey Supervising Engineer Nuclear Regulatory Affairs PPL Susquehanna, LLC 769 Salem Blvd., NUCSA4 Berwick, PA 18603-0467 Michael H. Crowthers Supervising Engineer Nuclear Regulatory Affairs PPL Susquehanna, LLC Two North Ninth Street, GENPL4 Allentown, PA 18101-1179

Ronald E. Smith General Manager - Site Preparedness and Services PPL Susquehanna, LLC 769 Salem Blvd., NUCSA4 Berwick, PA 18603-0467

Steven M. Cook Manager - Quality Assurance PPL Susquehanna, LLC 769 Salem Blvd., NUCSB2 Berwick, PA 18603-0467

Luis A. Ramos Community Relations Manager, Susquehanna PPL Susquehanna, LLC 634 Salem Blvd., SSO Berwick, PA 18603-0467 Bryan A. Snapp, Esq. Associate General Counsel PPL Services Corporation Two North Ninth Street, GENTW3 Allentown, PA 18101-1179

Supervisor - Document Control Services PPL Susquehanna, LLC Two North Ninth Street, GENPL4 Allentown, PA 18101-1179

Richard W. Osborne Allegheny Electric Cooperative, Inc. 212 Locust Street P.O. Box 1266 Harrisburg, PA 17108-1266 Director, Bureau of Radiation Protection Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection Rachel Carson State Office Building P.O. Box 8469 Harrisburg, PA 17105-8469 Senior Resident Inspector U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission P.O. Box 35, NUCSA4 Berwick, PA 18603-0035 Regional Administrator, Region 1 U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission 475 Allendale Road King of Prussia, PA 19406

Susquehanna Steam Electric Station, Units 1 and 2 cc: Board of Supervisors Salem Township P.O. Box 405 Berwick, PA 18603-0035 Dr. Judith Johnsrud National Energy Committee Sierra Club 443 Orlando Avenue State College, PA 16803