ML091690407

Status of Decommissioning Funding Assurance for Duane Arnold Energy Center

ML091690407
Person / Time
Site:	Duane Arnold
Issue date:	06/18/2009
From:	Feintuch K Plant Licensing Branch III
To:	Andersen R Duane Arnold
Feintuch K, NRR/DORL/LPL3-1, 415-3079
References
TAC ME0516
Download: ML091690407 (3)

Text

UNITED STATES NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION WASHINGTON, D.C. 20555-0001 June 18, 2009 Richard L. Anderson Vice President Duane Arnold Energy Center 3277 DAEC Road Palo, IA 52324 SUB~IECT: STATUS OF DECOMMISSIONING FUNDING ASSURANCE FOR DUANE ARNOLD ENERGY CENTER (TAC NO. ME0516)

Dear Mr. Anderson:

On March 27, 2009, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) received the biennial decommissioning funding report (Agencywide Documents Access and Management System Accession No. ML090900306) for Duane Arnold Energy Center (Duane Arnold).

Based on our internal review, the NRC staff believes that there is a decommissioning funding assurance shortfall for Duane Arnold. Although a shortfall in decommissioning funding assurance does not affect safe operations, adequate decommissioning funding assurance is important to ensure a plant will eventually be decommissioned safely.

The NRC staff will conduct a telephone conference with FPL Energy Duane Arnold, LLC and Central Iowa Power Cooperative, who the staff assumes are responsible for at least a pro rata share of the minimum required decommissioning funding assurance amount. This telephone conference will be conducted within ten working days of the date of this letter to establish a mutual understanding and framework for the licensees to develop plans to resolve any decommissioning funding assurance shortfall.

If Duane Arnold is determined to have a shortfall, the licensees will need to submit plans by a date to be established at the close of the telephone conference. The plans would describe how and when the licensees intend to make adjustments to their trust balances and/or schedule of future collections if applicable, or make other adjustments or changes with respect to financial assurance mechanisms. Central Iowa Power Cooperative would need to be on track to have a total amount of decommissioning funding assurance that meets or exceeds its responsibility for Duane Arnold at the time permanent termination of operations is expected. FPL Energy Duane Arnold, LLC would need to provide decommissioning funding assurance consistent with NRC regulations, that meets or exceeds its responsibility for Duane Arnold.

Paperwork Reduction Act Statement This Letter does not contain any new or amended information collection requirements subject to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.). Existing collection requirements under 10 CFR Part 50 were approved by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), control number 3150-0011, which expires June 30, 2010.

R. Anderson -2 Public Protection Notification The NRC may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required to respond to, an information collection unless the requesting document displays a currently valid OMB control number.

Sincerely, Karl Feintuch, Project Manager Plant Licensing Branch 111-1 Division of Operating Reactor Licensing Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation Docket No. 50-331 cc: Distribution via ListServ

R. Anderson -2 Public Protection Notification The NRC may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required to respond to, an information collection unless the requesting document displays a currently valid OMB control number.

Sincerely, IRAJ Justin Poole for Karl Feintuch, Project Manager Plant Licensing Branch 111-1 Division of Operating Reactor Licensing Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation Docket No. 50-331 cc: Distribution via ListServ DISTRIBUTION:

PUBLIC LPL3-1 r/f RidsNrrDorlLpl3-1 Resource RidsNrrPMDuaneArnold Resource RidsNrrLABTully Resource RidsOgcRp Resource RidsAcrsAcnw_MailCTR Resource RidsNrrDirsltsb Resource RidsRgn3MailCenter Resource RidsNrrDorlDpr Resource M Dusaniwskyj, NRR RidsNrrDprPfpb Resource C Gratton, NRR ADAMS Accession No.: ML091690407 *per email dated June 18, 2009 OFFICE NRRlLPL3-1/PM NRRlLPL3-1/LA NRRlDPRlPFPB/BC OGC NRRlLPL3-1/BC NAME KFeintuch/ J. Poole for BTully RCarlson SUttal* LJames DATE 06/18/09 06/18/09 06/18/09 06/18/09 06/18/09 OFFICIAL RECORD COpy