ML17032A058

Correction to Final Environmental Assessment Associated with the Partial Site Release of the Circulating Water System for the San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station, Unit 1

ML17032A058
Person / Time
Site:	San Onofre
Issue date:	02/02/2017
From:	Vaaler M Reactor Decommissioning Branch
To:	Reactor Decommissioning Branch
VAALER M, 415-3178, T08F05
Shared Package
ML092670125	List: ML17032A058
References
Download: ML17032A058 (3)

Text

UNITED STATES NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION WASHINGTON, D.C. 20555-0001 February 2, 2017 MEMORANDUM TO: FILE Bruce A. Watson, CHP, Chief Reactor Decommissioning Branch Division of Decommissioning, Uranium Recovery and Waste Programs Office of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards MEMORANDUM FROM: Marlayna G. Vaaler, Project Manager /RA/

Reactor Decommissioning Branch Division of Decommissioning, Uranium Recovery and Waste Programs Office of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards LICENSEE: Southern California Edison (SCE)

FACILITY: San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station (SONGS), Unit 1

SUBJECT:

CORRECTION TO FINAL ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT ASSOCIATED WITH THE PARTIAL SITE RELEASE OF THE CIRCULATING WATER SYSTEM FOR THE SAN ONOFRE NUCLEAR GENERATING STATION, UNIT 1 On February 24, 2010, the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) issued Amendment No. 165 to Facility Operating License No. DPR-13 for the San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station, Unit 1 (SONGS-1) in response to a request from Southern California Edison (SCE or the licensee) dated December 19, 2007 (Agencywide Documents Access and Management System (ADAMS) Accession No. ML080580468).

The amendment approved the partial site release of the offshore cooling pipes, and the associated parcel of land, for unrestricted use in accordance with the requirements of Section 50.83, Release of part of a power reactor facility or site for unrestricted use, of Title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations (10 CFR). Specifically, the amendment released a parcel of the ocean bottom that SCE had leased from the California State Lands Commission (CSLC), as well as the offshore portion of the SONGS-1 Circulating Water System (CWS) that was beneath that parcel of seabed floor. Following approval of the amendment (ADAMS Accession No. ML093030400), SCE abandoned the SONGS-1 CWS and associated structures in place.

In support of its review of the SCE amendment request the NRC staff prepared a safety evaluation (SE) (ADAMS Accession No. ML092020393), as well as an environmental assessment (EA) (ADAMS Accession No. ML093010071) and finding of no significant impact

B. Watson (FONSI) associated with the proposed partial site release of the SONGS-1 CWS. The Notice of Availability of the EA and FONSI was published in the Federal Register on November 30, 2009 (74 FR 62605; ADAMS Accession No. ML093010512).

In the SE and EA associated with the partial site release request, the NRC staff verified that the licensee conducted sampling of the SONGS-1 CWS and surrounding area, and performed dose analyses that demonstrate that the calculated dose to a member of the public is below the NRC limit of 25 millirem per year for areas released for unrestricted use, as defined in 10 CFR 20.1402, Radiological criteria for unrestricted use. Specifically, SCE conducted characterization surveys of the areas to be released, during which it identified low concentrations of radioactive cesium, cobalt, and sodium in the sediments of the SONGS-1 CWS. These concentrations resulted in a calculated dose to the public of less than 1 millirem per year, which is well below the NRC unrestricted use limit of 25 millirem per year.

The NRC staff examined the licensees proposed amendment request and concluded in the associated EA that there were no significant radiological environmental impacts associated with the release for unrestricted use of the SONGS-1 CWS, the action would not result in significant non-radiological environmental impacts, and that preparation of an environmental impact statement was not warranted.

However, the NRC staff was recently made aware that the SE and EA associated with the SONGS-1 CWS partial site release request were never appropriately finalized and declared in ADAMS after issuance of the amendment, which has resulted in this information remaining in draft form, and therefore unavailable for public review. In order to address this situation, the staff has taken actions to finalize and issue the SE and EA associated with the SONGS-1 CWS partial site release. The finalized version of the SE and EA documents can be located in ADAMS at Accession Nos. ML17010A105 and ML093010071, respectively The staff notes that some formatting and language consistency changes were also made to improve the overall clarity of the documents, as well as to update certain historical information for SONGS-1. These changes did not alter the technical basis or conclusions of the SE or EA.

Please direct any inquiries to me at 301-415-3178 or by e-mail at marlayna.vaaler@nrc.gov.

Docket No. 50-206 License No. DPR-13 ccl: Distribution via Listserv

ML093010512).

In the SE and EA associated with the partial site release request, the NRC staff verified that the licensee conducted sampling of the SONGS-1 CWS and surrounding area, and performed dose analyses that demonstrate that the calculated dose to a member of the public is below the NRC limit of 25 millirem per year for areas released for unrestricted use, as defined in 10 CFR 20.1402, Radiological criteria for unrestricted use. Specifically, SCE conducted characterization surveys of the areas to be released, during which it identified low concentrations of radioactive cesium, cobalt, and sodium in the sediments of the SONGS-1 CWS. These concentrations resulted in a calculated dose to the public of less than 1 millirem per year, which is well below the NRC unrestricted use limit of 25 millirem per year.

The NRC staff examined the licensees proposed amendment request and concluded in the associated EA that there were no significant radiological environmental impacts associated with the release for unrestricted use of the SONGS-1 CWS, the action would not result in significant non-radiological environmental impacts, and that preparation of an environmental impact statement was not warranted.

However, the NRC staff was recently made aware that the SE and EA associated with the SONGS-1 CWS partial site release request were never appropriately finalized and declared in ADAMS after issuance of the amendment, which has resulted in this information remaining in draft form, and therefore unavailable for public review. In order to address this situation, the staff has taken actions to finalize and issue the SE and EA associated with the SONGS-1 CWS partial site release. The finalized version of the SE and EA documents can be located in ADAMS at Accession Nos. ML17010A105 and ML093010071, respectively The staff notes that some formatting and language consistency changes were also made to improve the overall clarity of the documents, as well as to update certain historical information for SONGS-1. These changes did not alter the technical basis or conclusions of the SE or EA.

Please direct any inquiries to me at 301-415-3178 or by e-mail at marlayna.vaaler@nrc.gov.

Docket No. 50-206 License No. DPR-13 ccl: Distribution via Listserv DISTRIBUTION:

PUBLIC DUWP/RDB RF REvans, RIV RidsNMSS Resource RidsRgn4MailCenter Resource RBrowder, RIV ADAMS Accession No. ML17032A058 OFFICE NMSS/RDB/PM NMSS/RDB/LA NMSS/RDB/BC NMSS/RDB/PM NAME MVaaler CHolston BWatson MVaaler DATE 2/2/17 2/2/17 2/2/17 2/2/17