ML23142A202

Issuance of Amendment Nos. 279 and 332 Emergency Plan Staffing Requirements

ML23142A202
Person / Time
Site:	Arkansas Nuclear
Issue date:	06/29/2023
From:	Thomas Wengert Plant Licensing Branch IV
To:	Entergy Operations
Wengert T
References
EPID L-2022-LLA-0127
Download: ML23142A202 (11)

Text

June 29, 2023 ANO Site Vice President Arkansas Nuclear One Entergy Operations, Inc.

N-TSB-58 1448 S.R. 333 Russellville, AR 72802

SUBJECT:

ARKANSAS NUCLEAR ONE, UNITS 1 AND 2 - ISSUANCE OF AMENDMENT NOS. 279 AND 332 RE: EMERGENCY PLAN STAFFING REQUIREMENTS (EPID L-2022-LLA-0127)

Dear Sir or Madam:

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission has issued the enclosed Amendment Nos. 279 and 332 to Renewed Facility Operating License Nos. DPR-51 and NPF-6, respectively, for Arkansas Nuclear One, Units 1 and 2 (ANO). The amendments consist of changes to the ANO Emergency Plan in response to your application dated August 30, 2022, as supplemented by letter dated September 29, 2022.

The amendments revise the required number of qualified onsite dose assessors for the on-shift emergency response organization (ERO) in the ANO Emergency Plan utilizing the minimum staff ERO guidance specified in NUREG-0654/FEMA-REP-1, Criteria for Preparation and Evaluation of Radiological Emergency Response Plans and Preparedness in Support of Nuclear Power Plants, Revision 2.

A copy of the related Safety Evaluation is also enclosed. Notice of Issuance will be included in the Commissions Federal Register notice.

Sincerely,

/RA/

Thomas J. Wengert, Senior Project Manager Plant Licensing Branch IV Division of Operating Reactor Licensing Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation Docket Nos. 50-313 and 50-368

Enclosures:

1. Amendment No. 279 to DPR-51

2. Amendment No. 332 to NPF-6

3. Safety Evaluation cc: Listserv

ENTERGY OPERATIONS, INC.

DOCKET NO. 50-313 ARKANSAS NUCLEAR ONE, UNIT 1 AMENDMENT TO RENEWED FACILITY OPERATING LICENSE Amendment No. 279 Renewed License No. DPR-51

1. The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (the Commission) has found that:

A. The application for amendment by Entergy Operations, Inc. (the licensee), dated August 30, 2022, as supplemented by letter dated September 29, 2022, complies with the standards and requirements of the Atomic Energy Act of 1954, as amended (the Act), and the Commissions rules and regulations set forth in 10 CFR Chapter I; B. The facility will operate in conformity with the application, the provisions of the Act, and the rules and regulations of the Commission; C. There is reasonable assurance (i) that the activities authorized by this amendment can be conducted without endangering the health and safety of the public, and (ii) that such activities will be conducted in compliance with the Commissions regulations; D. The issuance of this amendment will not be inimical to the common defense and security or to the health and safety of the public; and E. The issuance of this amendment is in accordance with 10 CFR Part 51 of the Commissions regulations and all applicable requirements have been satisfied.

Enclosure 1

2. Accordingly, by Amendment No. 279, Renewed Facility Operating License No. DPR-51 is hereby amended to authorize revision to the Emergency Plan for Arkansas Nuclear One, Unit 1, as set forth in Entergy Operations, Inc.s application dated August 30, 2022, as supplemented by letter dated September 29, 2022, and evaluated in the NRC staffs safety evaluation associated with this amendment.

3. This amendment is effective as of its date of issuance and shall be implemented within 90 days from the date of issuance.

FOR THE NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION Digitally signed by Michael F. Michael F. King Date: 2023.06.29 King 11:49:12 -04'00' Andrea D. Veil, Director Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation Date of Issuance: June 29, 2023

ENTERGY OPERATIONS, INC.

DOCKET NO. 50-368 ARKANSAS NUCLEAR ONE, UNIT 2 AMENDMENT TO RENEWED FACILITY OPERATING LICENSE Amendment No. 332 Renewed License No. NPF-6

1. The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (the Commission) has found that:

A. The application for amendment by Entergy Operations, Inc. (the licensee), dated August 30, 2022, as supplemented by letter dated September 29, 2022, complies with the standards and requirements of the Atomic Energy Act of 1954, as amended (the Act), and the Commissions rules and regulations set forth in 10 CFR Chapter I; B. The facility will operate in conformity with the application, the provisions of the Act, and the rules and regulations of the Commission; C. There is reasonable assurance (i) that the activities authorized by this amendment can be conducted without endangering the health and safety of the public, and (ii) that such activities will be conducted in compliance with the Commissions regulations; D. The issuance of this amendment will not be inimical to the common defense and security or to the health and safety of the public; and E. The issuance of this amendment is in accordance with 10 CFR Part 51 of the Commissions regulations and all applicable requirements have been satisfied.

Enclosure 2

2. Accordingly, by Amendment No. 332, Renewed Facility Operating License No. NPF-6 is hereby amended to authorize revision to the Emergency Plan for Arkansas Nuclear One, Unit 2, as set forth in Entergy Operations, Inc.s application dated August 30, 2022, as supplemented by letter dated September 29, 2022, and evaluated in the NRC staffs safety evaluation associated with this amendment.

3. This amendment is effective as of its date of issuance and shall be implemented within 90 days from the date of issuance.

FOR THE NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION Digitally signed by Michael F. Michael F. King Date: 2023.06.29 King 11:49:46 -04'00' Andrea D. Veil, Director Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation Date of Issuance: June 29, 2023

SAFETY EVALUATION BY THE OFFICE OF NUCLEAR REACTOR REGULATION RELATED TO AMENDMENT NOS. 279 AND 332, RESPECTIVELY, TO RENEWED FACILITY OPERATING LICENSE NOS. DPR-51 AND NPF-6 ENTERGY OPERATIONS, INC.

ARKANSAS NUCLEAR ONE, UNITS 1 AND 2 DOCKET NOS. 50-313 AND 50-368

1.0 INTRODUCTION

By application dated August 30, 2022 (Agencywide Documents Access and Management System (ADAMS) Accession No. ML22242A295), as supplemented by letter dated September 29, 2022 (ML22272A205), Entergy Operations, Inc. (Entergy or the licensee) submitted changes to the emergency plan for Arkansas Nuclear One, Units 1 and 2 (ANO), to the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC or the Commission) for review and prior approval pursuant to Section 50.54(q) of Title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations (10 CFR).

The proposed changes would revise the required number of qualified onsite dose assessors for the on-shift emergency response organization (ERO) in the ANO Emergency Plan utilizing the minimum staff ERO guidance of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)

Radiological Emergency Preparedness (REP) document in NUREG-0654/FEMA-REP-1, Criteria for Preparation and Evaluation of Radiological Emergency Response Plans and Preparedness in Support of Nuclear Power Plants, Revision 2, December 2019 (ML19347D139).

2.0 REGULATORY EVALUATION

The NRC staff considered the following regulatory requirements and guidance during its review of the proposed changes:

2.1 Regulatory Requirements The planning standards in 10 CFR 50.47(b) establish the requirements that the onsite and offsite emergency response plans must meet for the NRC staff to make a finding that there is reasonable assurance that the licensee can, and will, take adequate protective measures in the event of a radiological emergency. Specifically, on-shift and augmented ERO staffing is addressed under 10 CFR 50.47(b)(2), which states:

On-shift facility licensee responsibilities for emergency response are unambiguously defined, adequate staffing to provide initial facility accident response in key functional areas is maintained at all times, timely augmentation Enclosure 3

of response capabilities is available and the interfaces among various onsite response activities and offsite support and response activities are specified.

In addition, Appendix E to 10 CFR Part 50, Emergency Planning and Preparedness for Production and Utilization Facilities,Section IV, Part A, Organization, states, in part:

The organization for coping with radiological emergencies shall be described, including definition of authorities, responsibilities, and duties of individuals assigned to the licensees emergency organization.

2.2 Guidance NUREG-0654/FEMA-REP-1, Revision 2, Criteria for Preparation and Evaluation of Radiological Emergency Response Plans and Preparedness in Support of Nuclear Power Plants, December 2019 (NUREG-0654), endorsed by Regulatory Guide 1.101, Revision 6, Emergency Planning and Preparedness for Nuclear Power Reactors, June 2021 (ML21111A090), provides specific acceptable criteria for complying with the planning standards set forth in 10 CFR 50.47.

These criteria provide a basis for NRC licensees, applicants, and State and local governments to develop acceptable radiological emergency preparedness plans.

3.0 TECHNICAL EVALUATION

The NRC staff reviewed the licensees regulatory and technical analyses in support of the proposed changes to the ANO Emergency Plan as described in the licensees submittals dated August 30 and September 29, 2022, using the guidance of NUREG-0654. The NRC staffs technical evaluation of the proposed changes is detailed below.

3.1 Functional Analysis The purpose of the dose assessment/projection function is to perform dose assessments and projections and to provide input to the applicable protective action recommendation decision-maker, until relieved. Entergy provided an analysis that evaluated the impact of reducing the number of on-shift staffing supporting the dose assessment/projection function in section 3.0, Functional Analysis, of the enclosure, Evaluation of the Proposed Change, to its August 30, 2022, letter.

NUREG-0654 table B-1, Emergency Response Organization (ERO) Staffing and Augmentation Plan, recommends that licensees have an on-shift individual available to perform dose assessments/projections. The current ANO on-shift staffing for the dose assessment function is consistent with NUREG-0654 table B-1 with two differences. The first difference is that the current ANO offsite dose projections are performed by two on-shift individuals instead of one.

The second difference is that the current ANO Emergency Plan states that the on-shift chemists are qualified to perform both offsite dose projections and chemistry/radiochemistry functions for either unit. Entergy currently provides an additional chemist within 60 minutes, and a dose assessor at the emergency operations facility (EOF) within 90 minutes of an Alert or greater emergency classification level. Entergy did not propose changes for either the staffing composition or response timing of augmenting dose assessors.

In its letter dated August 30, 2022, Entergy proposed to remove one on-shift chemist who is qualified to perform offsite dose projections. The proposed ERO staffing is consistent with NUREG-0654 and would continue to provide on-shift dose assessment and transfer dose

assessment responsibility to the EOF. Entergy stated that no chemistry/radiochemistry tasks were found for either unit that would be required within 90 minutes. Additionally, Entergy performed a dose assessment task demonstration that validated that a single dose assessor could complete the dose assessment function for a dual unit event. Because the proposed ANO Emergency Plan would continue to provide an on-shift dose assessor who would be augmented within 60 minutes with additional augmentation at the EOF within 90 minutes of an Alert or greater emergency classification level, there is no change to the ANO dose assessment capability regarding response timing. Additionally, because there are no competing chemistry/radiochemistry tasks that would conflict with dose assessment, the proposed change would continue to provide on-shift dose assessment capability.

Based on the above, the NRC staff has determined that the proposed ANO Emergency Plan continues to the meet planning standards of 10 CFR 50.47(b)(2) and the requirements of Appendix E to 10 CFR Part 50, Section IV.A, for dose assessments and projections.

3.2 Summary The NRC staff performed a technical and regulatory review of the proposed changes to the ANO Emergency Plan. Based on this review, the NRC staff finds that the ANO Emergency Plan, as changed, continues to meet the planning standards of 10 CFR 50.47(b) and the requirements in Appendix E to 10 CFR Part 50 and provides reasonable assurance that adequate protective measures can and will be taken in the event of a radiological emergency.

Therefore, the NRC staff concludes that the proposed ANO Emergency Plan changes, as described in the application dated August 30, 2022, as supplemented by letter dated September 29, 2022, are acceptable.

4.0 STATE CONSULTATION

In accordance with the Commissions regulations, the Arkansas State official was notified of the proposed issuance of the amendments on May 19, 2023. The State official had no comments.

5.0 ENVIRONMENTAL CONSIDERATION

The amendments change the site emergency plan. The amendments relate, in part, to changes in recordkeeping, reporting, or administrative procedures or requirements. The amendments also relate, in part, to changing requirements with respect to the installation or use of facility components located within the restricted area as defined in 10 CFR Part 20. The NRC staff has determined that the amendments involve no significant increase in the amounts, and no significant change in the types, of any effluents that may be released offsite, and that there is no significant increase in individual or cumulative occupational radiation exposure. The Commission has previously issued a proposed finding that the amendments involve no significant hazards consideration, published in the Federal Register on November 1, 2022 (87 FR 65833), and there has been no public comment on such finding. Accordingly, the amendments meet the eligibility criteria for categorical exclusion set forth in 10 CFR 51.22(c)(9) and 10 CFR 51.22(c)(10). Pursuant to 10 CFR 51.22(b), no environmental impact statement or environmental assessment need be prepared in connection with the issuance of these amendments.

6.0 CONCLUSION

The Commission has concluded, based on the considerations discussed above, that: (1) there is reasonable assurance that the health and safety of the public will not be endangered by operation in the proposed manner, (2) there is reasonable assurance that such activities will be conducted in compliance with the Commissions regulations, and (3) the issuance of the amendments will not be inimical to the common defense and security or to the health and safety of the public.

Principal Contributor: R. Hoffman, NSIR Date: June 29, 2023

ML23142A202 OFFICE NRR/DORL/LPL4/PM* NRR/DORL/LPL4/LA* OGC - NLO* NSIR/DPR/RLB/BC(A)*

NAME TWengert PBlechman ELicon JQuichocho DATE 5/24/2023 5/24/2023 6/8/2023 4/20/2023 OFFICE NRR/DORL/LPL4/BC* NRR/DORL/D* NRR/D* NRR/DORL/LPL4/PM*

NAME JDixon-Herrity BPham (GSuber for) AVeil (MKing for) TWengert DATE 5/24/2023 6/13/2023 6/29/2023 6/29/2023