ML100340092
| ML100340092 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Diablo Canyon  |
| Issue date: | 03/09/2010 |
| From: | Wrona D J License Renewal Projects Branch 2 |
| To: | McInnis R R US Dept of Commerce, National Marine Fisheries Service |
| Stuyvenberg, A L, NRR/DLR, 415-4006 | |
| References | |
| TAC ME2825, TAC ME2826 | |
| Download: ML100340092 (8) | |
Text
March 9, 2010 Mr. Rodney McInnis Regional Administrator, Southwest Region National Marine Fisheries Service 501 West Ocean Boulevard Long Beach, CA 90802
SUBJECT:
REQUEST FOR LIST OF PROTECTED SPECIES AND ESSENTIAL FISH HABITAT WITHIN THE AREA UNDER EVALUATION FOR THE DIABLO CANYON NUCLEAR POWER PLANT, UNITS 1 AND 2, LICENSE RENEWAL APPLICATION REVIEW
Dear Mr. McInnis:
The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC or the staff) is reviewing an application submitted by Pacific Gas & Electric (PG&E) for the renewal of the operating licenses for Diablo Canyon Nuclear Power Plant (DCPP), Units 1 and 2. DCPP is located approximately 12 miles west-southwest of San Luis Obispo, California. As part of the review of the license renewal application (LRA), the NRC is preparing a Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (SEIS) under the provisions of Title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations Part 51 (10 CFR Part 51), the NRC's regulation that implements the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969. The SEIS includes an analysis of pertinent environmental issues, including endangered or threatened species and impacts to marine resources and habitat. This letter is being submitted under the provisions of the Endangered Species Act of 1973; as amended, and the Fish and Wildlife Coordination Act of 1934, as amended; and the Sustainable Fisheries Act of 1996. The proposed action would include the use and continued maintenance of existing plant facilities and transmission lines. The DCPP site consists of approximately 750 acres of land located near the mouth of Diablo Creek, and a portion of the power plant site is bounded by the Pacific Ocean. Approximately 165 acres of the owner-controlled area are located north of Diablo Creek. The remaining 585 acres are located adjacent to and south of Diablo Creek. The entire acreage is owned by PG&E. PG&E owns all coastal properties north of Diablo Creek, to the southerly boundary of Montana de Oro State Park and inland a distance of 0.5 to 1.75 miles.
Similarly, PG&E owns all coastal properties south of Diablo Creek for approximately 8 miles and inland approximately 1.75 miles. Except for the DCPP site, all of the acreage north and south of DCPP is encumbered by two grazing licenses.
DCPP utilizes a once-through cooling (OTC) water system whereby raw, ambient temperature seawater is drawn from the Pacific Ocean through a shoreline intake structure, and discharged back to the Pacific Ocean at a second, separate, shoreline location approximately 20°F on average above ambient temperature. The seawater is pumped through heat exchanging steam condensers located in the turbine building. Each unit utilizes an independent cooling system, however the systems share common intake and discharge structures. During full power operations, the plant circulates approximately 2.45 billion gallons (equivalent to 9.275 million cubic meters) of raw seawater per day through the main steam condensers.
PG&E indicates that the main condenser OTC system was initially designed for heat treatment to control marine fouling organisms. Heat treatments were discontinued early during the initial license period. PG&E found treatments to be ineffective at managing acorn barnacles (Megabalanus tintinnabulum), the primary seawater systems fouling problem. PG&E indicates that treatment of seawater systems will not be used in the license renewal period.
Heated discharge from the main condensers of each unit combine and flow to a common structure terminating in a shoreline outfall. The discharge for Unit 1 and 2 are parallel within the structure separated by a central concrete partition. Cutouts exist in the dividing wall to promote mixing of thermal effluent between the operating units. PG&E indicates that the mixing also provides dilution and reduction of residual oxidants from seawater inlet systems chemical treatments.
The transmission lines in the scope of NRC's environmental review for license renewal are those that were originally constructed for the specific purpose of connecting the plant to the transmission system. The enclosed transmission line map shows the transmission system that is being evaluated in the SEIS. The transmission lines consist of three single-circuit 500 kV lines and one double-circuit 230 kV line. One double-circuit 230 kV line was connected to an existing Morro Bay-Mesa line 10.25 miles from DCPP with an 80-foot right-of-way width. One single-circuit 500 kV line was connected to the Gates Substation in Fresno County 79 miles from DCPP with a 350-foot right-of-way width. Lastly, two single-circuit 500 kV lines were connected to the Midway Substation in Kern County 84 miles from DCPP with a combined right-of-way width of 400 feet.
In total, for the specific purpose of connecting DCPP to the transmission system, PG&E has approximately 170 miles of corridor that occupy approximately 7,500 acres. The corridors pass primarily through foothills and rolling land. In addition, there are parcels of land that are agricultural and forest land. All lines, except the Morro Bay-Mesa feeder line, cross Highway 101. The transmission line and site boundary are identified in the enclosed maps.
To support the SEIS preparation process and to ensure compliance with Section 7 of the Endangered Species Act, the NRC requests information on Federally listed, proposed, and candidate species and critical habitat that may be in the vicinity of the DCPP site, as shown on the enclosed plant location map, as well as the transmission system being evaluated by the SEIS. In addition, please provide any information you consider appropriate under the provisions of the Fish and Wildlife Coordination Act. Also in support of the SEIS preparation and to ensure compliance with Section 305 of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act, the NRC requests a list of essential fish habitat that has been designated in the vicinity of the DCPP site.
During the week of April 19, 2010, the NRC staff plans to conduct a site audit at DCPP. You and your staff are invited to attend the site audit. Your office will receive a copy of the draft SEIS along with a request for comments. The anticipated publication date for the draft SEIS is October 2010.
The DCPP LRA is available on the internet at www.nrc.gov/reactors/operating/licensing/renewal/applications/diablo-canyon.html. If you have any questions concerning the NRC staff's review of this LRA, please contact Mr. Drew Stuyvenberg, Environmental Project Manager, at 301-415-4006 or Andrew.Stuyvenberg@nrc.gov. Sincerely, /RA/
David J. Wrona, Chief Projects Branch 2 Division of License Renewal Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation
Docket Nos. 50-275 and 50-323
Enclosures:
As stated
cc w/encls.: See next page
ML100340092 OFFICE PM:RPB2:DLR LA:RPOB:DLR OGC BC:RPB2:DLR NAME AStuyvenberg YEdmonds LSubin (NLO) DWrona DATE 02/18/10 02/15/10 02/22/10 03/09/10
Diablo Canyon Nuclear Power Plant Units 1 and 2 cc: Chairman San Luis Obispo County Board of Supervisors 1055 Monterey Street, Suite D430 Room 370, County Government Center San Luis Obispo, CA 93408
Mr. James R. Becker, Site Vice President Pacific Gas & Electric Company Diablo Canyon Nuclear Power Plant P.O. Box 3, Mail Station 104/6/601 Avila Beach, CA 93424
Ms. Jennifer Post, Esq. Pacific Gas & Electric Company 77 Beale Street, Room 2496 Mail Code B30A San Francisco, CA 94120
Mr. Gary Butner Chief, Radiological Health Branch California Department of Public Health P.O. Box 997414, MS 7610 Sacramento, CA 95899-7414 Mr. Tony Brown NRC Resident Inspector Diablo Canyon Nuclear Power Plant c/o U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission P.O. Box 369 Avila Beach, CA 93424 Mr. Michael Peck NRC Senior Resident Inspector Diablo Canyon Nuclear Power Plant c/o U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission P.O. Box 369 Avila Beach, CA 93424 Regional Administrator, Region IV U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Texas Health Resources Tower 612 East Lamar Boulevard, Suite 400 Arlington, TX 76011-4125 Mr. Terence L. Grebel Manager, Regulatory Projects Diablo Canyon Nuclear Power Plant P.O. Box 56 Avila Beach, CA 93424
Mr. Truman Burns Mr. Robert Kinosian California Public Utilities Commission 505 Van Ness, Room 4102 San Francisco, CA 94102 Mr. James D. Boyd, Commissioner California Energy Commission 1516 Ninth Street (MS 31) Sacramento, CA 95814 Mr. Brian Hembacher Deputy Attorney General 300 South Spring Street, Suite 1702 Los Angeles, CA 90013 Ms. Susan Durbin 1300 I Street P.O. Box 944255 Sacramento, CA 94244-2550 Mr. Tom Luster CA Coastal Commission 45 Freemont Street, #2000 San Francisco, CA 94105 Mr. Mark Johnsson CA Coastal Commission 45 Freemont Street, #2000 San Francisco, CA 94105 Mr. Eric Green 505 Van Ness Avenue San Francisco, CA 94102-3214 Diablo Canyon Nuclear Power Plant, Units 1 and 2 cc: Ms. Barbara Byron Senior Policy Advisor California Energy Commission 1516 9 th Street, MS 36 Sacramento, CA 95814
Mr. Kevin Bell General Council California Energy Commission 1516 9 th Street, MS 36 Sacramento, CA 95814 Ms. Rachel MacDonald Nuclear Policy Advisor California Energy Commission 1516 9 th Street, MS 36 Sacramento, CA 95814
Mr. Bill Potter Senior Emergency Services Coordinator California Emergency Management Agency Radiological Preparedness Unit 3650 Schriever Avenue Mather, CA 95655 Mr. Michael Warren California Emergency Management Agency Radiological Preparedness Unit 3650 Schriever Avenue Mather, CA 95655 Mr. Chris Wills Supervising Geologist California Geological Survey 801 K Street, MS 12-32 Sacramento, CA 95814-3531 Mr. John G. Parrish, PhD State Geologist California Geological Survey 801 K Street, Suite 1200 Sacramento, CA 95814 Lieutenant Jim Epperson California Highway Patrol Commercial Vehicle Section 601B North 7 th Street Sacramento, CA 95811
Mr. Peter Von Lagen, PhD, PG 895 Areovista Place, Suite 101 San Luis Obispo, CA 93401 Mr. Burton Chadwick, PhD, PG Core Regulatory Permitting Central Coast Water Board 895 Areovista Place, Suite 101 San Luis Obispo, CA 93401 Mr. Gary W. Butner Branch Chief Division of Food, Drug, and Radiation Safety California Department of Health Services P.O. Box 997414, MS-7610 Sacramento, CA 95899-7414
Ms. Jane Swanson San Luis Obispo Mothers for Peace P.O. Box 3608 San Luis Obispo, CA 93403
Ms. Rochelle Becker, Executive Director Alliance for Nuclear Responsibility P.O. Box 1328 San Luis Obispo, CA 93406-1328
Mr. John T. Conway, Senior Vice President, Generation and Chief Nuclear Officer Diablo Canyon Nuclear Power Plant, Units 1 and 2 Pacific Gas & Electric Company 77 Beale Street, MC B32 San Francisco, CA 94105