ML19226A107

Commission Memorandum and Order CLI-19-08

ML19226A107
Person / Time
Site:	Pilgrim
Issue date:	08/14/2019
From:	Annette Vietti-Cook NRC/SECY
To:
SECY RAS
References
50-293-LT, 72-1044 LT, CLI-19-08, License Transfer, RAS 55166
Download: ML19226A107 (5)

Text

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION COMMISSIONERS:

Kristine L. Svinicki, Chairman Jeff Baran Annie Caputo David A. Wright In the Matter of ENTERGY NUCLEAR OPERATIONS, INC., Docket Nos. 50-293-LT ENTERGY NUCLEAR GENERATION COMPANY, 72-1044-LT HOLTEC INTERNATIONAL, AND HOLTEC DECOMMISSIONING INTERNATIONAL, LLC (Pilgrim Nuclear Power Station)

CLI-19-08 MEMORANDUM AND ORDER In this license transfer proceeding, the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and Pilgrim Watch have each separately petitioned to intervene. 1 The Commonwealth now requests that we stay all activities in this proceeding for 90 days to permit it to complete settlement negotiations with the license transfer applicants. Specifically, the Commonwealth requests that the Commission take no action on any of the pending requests for 90 days, or until a settlement is reached and the Commonwealth withdraws its Petition or the parties notify the NRC that an agreement cannot be reached, whichever occurs sooner. 2 In support of its motion, the 1

Commonwealth of Massachusetts Petition for Leave to Intervene and Hearing Request (Feb. 20, 2019); Pilgrim Watch Petition for Leave to Intervene and Hearing Request (Feb. 20, 2019).

2 See Motion of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts to Stay Proceeding to Complete Settlement Negotiations (Aug. 1, 2019), at 3.

Commonwealth states that allowing the participants to reach an accord through a settlement agreement may resolve the Commonwealths concerns in a timelier and more efficient fashion than a potential hearing, thereby avoiding the need to expend the NRCs or the participants resources.

We deny the Commonwealths motion to hold this adjudicatory proceeding in abeyance.

While we encourage settlement negotiations and have held adjudicatory proceedings in abeyance at the request of participants in negotiations, 3 here only the Commonwealth requests that we hold this adjudication in abeyance pending negotiations. The applicants oppose the Commonwealths motion on several grounds, despite the ongoing settlement negotiations. 4 And while petitioner Pilgrim Watch did not oppose the Commonwealths motion, it has not requested that we also hold its intervention request in abeyance.

Further, the Commonwealth requests that we stay all activities connected with this proceeding. To the extent that the Commonwealths motion requests that weas an exercise of our inherent supervisory authority over proceedingssuspend the Staffs action on the license transfer application, we deny the request. The Commonwealths interest in potentially resolving its concerns more efficiently outside of the adjudicatory process does not present a compelling basis for us to suspend the Staffs activities or its decision on the application. 5 3

See, e.g., Entergy Nuclear Vermont Yankee, LLC and Entergy Nuclear Operations, Inc.

(Vermont Yankee Nuclear Power Station), CLI-18-3, 87 NRC 87 (2018).

4 See Applicants Answer Opposing the Motion of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts to Stay Proceedings to Complete Settlement Negotiations (Aug. 5, 2019), at 2-3, 5, 7. The applicants are Entergy Nuclear Operations, Inc., Entergy Nuclear Generation Co., Holtec International, and Holtec Decommissioning International, LLC.

5 See, e.g., Union Electric Co. d/b/a Ameren Missouri (Callaway Plant, Unit 2), CLI-11-5, 74 NRC 141, 158 (2011) (suspension of licensing proceedings is a drastic action, generally unwarranted absent an immediate threat to public health and safety or other compelling ground); DTE Electric Co. (Fermi Nuclear Power Plant, Unit 3), CLI-14-7, 80 NRC 1, 7-8 (2014)

(denying request to suspend issuance of decisions on reactor license applications).

Moreover, the Commonwealth did not address the factors that we weigh when considering whether to grant a request to stay the effectiveness of a Staff order on a license transfer application. 6 The Commonwealth will have the opportunity to do so if the Staff issues such an order.

For the reasons outlined, the Commonwealths motion presents insufficient grounds for us to hold this adjudicatory proceeding in abeyance or to stay or suspend all activities relating to the license transfer application. We therefore deny the motion.

IT IS SO ORDERED.

For the Commission NRC Seal

/RA/

___________________________

Annette L. Vietti-Cook Secretary of the Commission Dated at Rockville, Maryland, this14th day of August 2019.

6 See 10 C.F.R. § 2.1327(b)(2), (d); see also 10 C.F.R. § 2.342(e) (outlining same four stay factors for consideration in requests to stay the decision or action of a Presiding Officer). We note that our regulations contemplate that the Staff may issue an order on a license transfer application before the Commission has concluded the adjudication. See 10 C.F.R. 2.1316(a). In such instances, however, the application will lack the agencys final approval until and unless the Commission concludes the adjudication and approves the transfer. See Entergy Nuclear Operations, Inc., and Entergy Nuclear Palisades, LLC (Palisades Nuclear Plant), CLI-08-19, 68 NRC 251, 257 n.8 (2008) (quoting Vermont Yankee Nuclear Power Corporation (Vermont Yankee Nuclear Power Station), CLI-00-17, 52 NRC 79, 83 (2000)). Until the adjudicatory proceeding is concluded, the Commission retains the authority to modify the license by imposing license conditions or, if warranted, to rescind an order approving a license transfer.

See id.

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION In the Matter of )

)

ENTERGY NUCLEAR OPERATIONS, INC. )

ENTERGY NUCLEAR GENERATION ) Docket Nos. 50-293 and 72-1044 LT COMPANY, HOLTEC INTERNATIONAL, )

and HOLTEC DECOMMISSIONING )

INTERNATIONAL, LLC )

)

(Pilgrim Nuclear Power Station )

CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE I hereby certify that copies of the foregoing Commission Memorandum and Order (CLI-19-08) have been served upon the following persons by Electronic Information Exchange.

U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Office of Commission Appellate Adjudication Office of the General Counsel Mail Stop: O-16B33 Mail Stop - O-14A44 Washington, DC 20555-0001 Washington, DC 20555-0001 E-mail: ocaamail@nrc.gov Tison A. Campbell, Esq.

Anita G. Naber, Esq.

U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission David E. Roth, Esq.

Office of the Secretary of the Commission Rebecca A. Susko, Esq.

Mail Stop: O-16B33 Jeremy L. Wachutka, Esq.

Washington, DC 20555-0001 Jennifer E. Scro, Esq.

E-mail: hearingdocket@nrc.gov E-mail: Tison.Campbell@nrc.gov Anita.Naber@nrc.gov Atomic Safety and Licensing Board Panel David.Roth@nrc.gov U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Rebecca.Susko@nrc.gov Washington, DC 20555-0001 Jeremy.Wachutka@nrc.gov E. Roy Hawkens, Chairman Jennifer.Scro@nrc.gov E-mail: Roy.Hawkens@nrc.gov Entergy Services, Inc.

101 Constitution Ave., NW Suite 200 East Washington, DC 20001 Susan H. Raimo E-mail: sraimo@entergy.com

Pilgrim Nuclear Power Station Docket Nos. 50-293 and 72-1044 LT Commission Memorandum and Order (CLI-19-08)

Balch & Bingham LLP Pilgrim Watch 1710 Sixth Avenue North F148 Washington Street Birmingham, AL 35203-2015 Duxbury, MA 02332 Peter R. LeJeune, Esq Mary Lampert, Director Alan D. Lovett, Esq, E-mail: Mary.Lampert@comcast.net E-mail: plejeune@balch.com alovett@balch.com Counsel for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts:

Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP Energy and Environmental Bureau 1200 Seventeenth Street, NW Office of the Attorney General Washington, DC 20036 One Ashburton Place, 18th Floor Meghan Hammond, Esq. Boston, Massachusetts 02108 David R. Lewis, Esq. Joseph Dorfler, Esq.

E-mail: Meghan.Hammond@pillsburylaw.com Seth Schofield, Esq.

David.Lewis@pillsburylaw.com E-mail: Joseph.Dorfler@state.ma.gov Seth.Schofield@mass.gov

[Original signed by Krupskaya T. Castellon]

Office of the Secretary of the Commission Dated at Rockville, Maryland, this 14th day of August 2019 2