Vogtle Electric Generating Plant, Units 3 and 4, 89516-89520 [2016-29713]

Download as PDF mstockstill on DSK3G9T082PROD with NOTICES 89516 Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 238 / Monday, December 12, 2016 / Notices 50.80 (10 CFR 50.80), requesting approval of the indirect transfer of control of Susquehanna Nuclear’s interests in Renewed Facility Operating License Nos. NPF–14 and NPF–22, as well as the general license for the SSES ISFSI. Future reference to SSES, Units 1 and 2 include the general license for the SSES ISFSI. Susquehanna Nuclear is licensed as the sole operator and has a 90 percent undivided ownership interest in SSES, Units 1 and 2. The proposed indirect transfer of licenses does not involve Allegheny, the other (10 percent) owner of the units and a nonoperating licensee for SSES, Units 1 and 2. The indirect transfer of control results from the ultimate parent of Susquehanna Nuclear’s interests in the licenses, Talen Energy Corporation (Talen), becoming wholly owned by the portfolio companies of Riverstone, which currently holds 35 percent in the aggregate of the outstanding common stock of Talen. As a result, all of the common stock of Talen will become privately held by affiliates of Riverstone, and Susquehanna Nuclear will become indirectly controlled by the portfolio companies of Riverstone. The proposed indirect transfer of control will result in no change to the role of Susquehanna Nuclear as the licensed operator of the units, no change to its technical qualifications, and no change to its ownership interest or that of Allegheny. No changes will be made to the units or their licensing bases as a result of the transfer, and the transfer will not involve any changes to the principal officers, managers, or staff of Susquehanna Nuclear or to the day-to-day management and operations of the units. Approval of the indirect transfer of the renewed facility operating licenses was requested by the applicant. A notice of the request for approval, the opportunity to comment, and the opportunity to request a hearing was published in the Federal Register on October 4, 2016 (81 FR 68462). One public comment was received regarding the proposed license transfers. The NRC staff addressed the comment in the Safety Evaluation dated November 30, 2016, supporting this Order. A request for access to sensitive unclassified non-safeguards information (SUNSI) made pursuant to the Order Imposing Procedures for Access to SUNSI for Contention Preparation, included with the Federal Register notice, was received on October 11, 2016, from Mr. Sabatini Monatesti of Berwick, Pennsylvania. On October 20, 2016, the NRC staff denied this access request. On October 24, 2016, Mr. Monatesti appealed the NRC staff’s denial of his access request. On November 21, 2016, an Atomic Safety and Licensing Board affirmed the NRC staff’s denial. Pursuant to 10 CFR 50.80, no license, or any right thereunder, shall be transferred, directly or indirectly, through transfer of control of the license, unless the Commission shall give its consent in writing. Upon review of the information in the licensee’s application, and other information before the Commission, and relying upon the representations and agreements contained in the application, the NRC staff has determined that the portfolio companies of Riverstone are qualified to hold the ownership interests in VerDate Sep<11>2014 18:59 Dec 09, 2016 Jkt 241001 the facility previously held by Talen. The NRC staff has also determined that Susquehanna Nuclear remains qualified to hold the operating authority under the licenses, and that the indirect transfer of ownership interests in the facility to Riverstone, as described in the application, is otherwise consistent with the applicable provisions of law, regulations, and orders issued by the Commission, pursuant thereto. The findings set forth above are supported by the NRC Safety Evaluation dated November 30, 2016. III. Accordingly, pursuant to Sections 161b, 161i, and 184 of the Atomic Energy Act of 1954, as amended (the Act); 42 U.S.C. 2201(b), 2201(i), and 2234; and 10 CFR 50.80, it is hereby ordered that the application regarding the proposed indirect license transfers to the portfolio companies of Riverstone is approved, subject to the following conditions: 1. Susquehanna Nuclear, LLC shall not take any action that would cause Riverstone or any other direct or indirect parent of Susquehanna Nuclear, LLC or other entity, to void, cancel, or diminish the commitment to fund an extended plant shutdown, as represented in the application for approval of the indirect transfer of the licenses for SSES, Units 1 and 2, as applicable. 2. The transaction will not alter the Support Agreement and the Support Agreement will remain in effect in accordance with license conditions in Appendix C of the SSES licenses. It is further ordered that Susquehanna Nuclear shall inform the Director of the Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation in writing of the date of closing of the transfer, no later than 2 business days prior to the date of the closing of the indirect transfer. Should the indirect transfer of the licenses not be completed within 1 year of this Order’s date of issue, this Order shall become null and void, provided, however, upon written application and for good cause shown, such date may be extended by order. This Order is effective upon issuance. For further details with respect to this Order, see the application dated June 29, 2016 (Agencywide Documents Access and Management System (ADAMS) Package Accession No. ML16181A414), as supplemented by letter dated November 14, 2016 (ADAMS Accession No. ML16320A436), and the non-proprietary Safety Evaluation dated November 30, 2016, (ADAMS Accession No. ML16320A080), which are available for public inspection at the Commission’s Public Document Room (PDR), located at One White Flint North, Public File Area O1–F21, 11555 Rockville Pike (first floor), Rockville, Maryland. Publicly available documents created or received at the NRC are accessible electronically through ADAMS in the NRC Library at https://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/ adams.html. Persons who do not have access to ADAMS, or who encounter problems in accessing the documents located in ADAMS, should contact the NRC PDR reference staff by telephone at 1–800–397–4209, 301–415– 4737, or by email at pdr.resource@nrc.gov. PO 00000 Frm 00092 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 Dated at Rockville, Maryland, this 30th day of November 2016. For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission. Eric J. Benner, Deputy Director, Division of Operating Reactor Licensing, Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation. [FR Doc. 2016–29716 Filed 12–9–16; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 7590–01–P NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION [Docket Nos. 052–00025 and 052–00026; NRC–2008–0252] Vogtle Electric Generating Plant, Units 3 and 4 Nuclear Regulatory Commission. ACTION: License amendment application; opportunity to comment, request a hearing, and petition for leave to intervene. AGENCY: The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is considering issuance of an amendment and exemption to Combined Licenses (NPF– 91 and NPF–92), issued to Southern Nuclear Operating Company, Inc. (SNC), and Georgia Power Company, Oglethorpe Power Corporation, MEAG Power SPVM, LLC, MEAG Power SPVJ, LLC, MEAG Power SPVP, LLC, Authority of Georgia, and the City of Dalton, Georgia (together ‘‘the licensees’’), for construction and operation of the Vogtle Electric Generating Plant (VEGP), Units 3 and 4, located in Burke County, Georgia. DATES: Submit comments by January 11, 2017. Requests for a hearing or petition for leave to intervene must be filed by February 10, 2017. ADDRESSES: You may submit comments by any of the following methods: • Federal Rulemaking Web site: Go to https://www.regulations.gov and search for Docket ID NRC–2008–0252. Address questions about NRC dockets to Carol Gallagher; telephone: 301–415–3463; email: Carol.Gallagher@nrc.gov. For technical questions, contact the individual listed in the FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT section of this document. • Mail comments to: Cindy Bladey, Office of Administration, Mail Stop: OWFN–12–H08, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Washington, DC 20555–0001. For additional direction on obtaining information and submitting comments, see ‘‘Obtaining Information and Submitting Comments’’ in the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section of this document. SUMMARY: E:\FR\FM\12DEN1.SGM 12DEN1 Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 238 / Monday, December 12, 2016 / Notices FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ruth C. Reyes, Office of New Reactors, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Washington, DC 20555–000; telephone: 301–415–3249; email: Ruth.Reyes@ nrc.gov. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: I. Obtaining Information and Submitting Comments mstockstill on DSK3G9T082PROD with NOTICES A. Obtaining Information Please refer to Docket ID NRC–2008– 0252 when contacting the NRC about the availability of information for this action. You may obtain publiclyavailable information related to this action by any of the following methods: • Federal Rulemaking Web site: Go to https://www.regulations.gov and search for Docket ID NRC–2008–0252. • NRC’s Agencywide Documents Access and Management System (ADAMS): You may obtain publiclyavailable documents online in the ADAMS Public Documents collection at https://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/ adams.html. To begin the search, select ‘‘ADAMS Public Documents’’ and then select ‘‘Begin Web-based ADAMS Search.’’ For problems with ADAMS, please contact the NRC’s Public Document Room (PDR) reference staff at 1–800–397–4209, 301–415–4737, or by email to pdr.resource@nrc.gov. The application for amendment, dated November 4, 2016, and supplemented by letter dated November 16, 2016 are available in ADAMS under Accession Nos. ML16319A120 and ML16321A416, respectively. • NRC’s PDR: You may examine and purchase copies of public documents at the NRC’s PDR, Room O1–F21, One White Flint North, 11555 Rockville Pike, Rockville, Maryland 20852. B. Submitting Comments Please include Docket ID NRC–2008– 0252 in your comment submission. The NRC cautions you not to include identifying or contact information that you do not want to be publicly disclosed in your comment submission. The NRC posts all comment submissions at https:// www.regulations.gov as well as entering the comment submissions into ADAMS. The NRC does not routinely edit comment submissions to remove identifying or contact information. If you are requesting or aggregating comments from other persons for submission to the NRC, then you should inform those persons not to include identifying or contact information that they do not want to be publicly disclosed in their comment submission. Your request should state that the NRC VerDate Sep<11>2014 18:59 Dec 09, 2016 Jkt 241001 does not routinely edit comment submissions to remove such information before making the comment submissions available to the public or entering the comment submissions into ADAMS. II. Introduction The NRC is considering issuance of an amendment to Facility Operating License Nos. NPF–91 and NPF–92, issued to SNC and Georgia Power Company for operation of the VEGP Units 3 and 4, located in Burke County, Georgia. An individual Federal Register notice was published on June 6, 2014 (79 FR 32771) providing an opportunity to comment, request a hearing, and petition for leave to intervene for a License Amendment Request (LAR 13– 024) with the same subject for the VEGP combined licenses. The licensee withdrew its request in a letter dated December 17, 2015. The proposed changes would revise the Combined Licenses to reflect an increase in the efficiency of the return of condensate utilized by the passive core cooling system (PXS) to the incontainment refueling water storage tank (IRWST) to support the capability for long-term cooling. Because, this proposed change requires a departure from Tier 1 information in the Westinghouse AP1000 Design Control Document (DCD), the licensee also requested an exemption from the requirements of the Generic DCD Tier 1 in accordance with section 52.63(b)(1) of title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations (10 CFR). Before any issuance of the proposed license amendment, the NRC will need to make the findings required by the Atomic Energy Act of 1954, as amended (the Act), and NRC’s regulations. The NRC has made a proposed determination that the license amendment request involves no significant hazards consideration. Under the NRC’s regulations in 10 CFR 50.92, this means that operation of the facility in accordance with the proposed amendment would not (1) involve a significant increase in the probability or consequences of an accident previously evaluated; or (2) create the possibility of a new or different kind of accident from any accident previously evaluated; or (3) involve a significant reduction in a margin of safety. As required by 10 CFR 50.91(a), the licensee has provided its analysis of the issue of no significant hazards consideration, which is presented below: 1. Does the proposed change involve a significant increase in the probability or consequences of an accident previously evaluated? PO 00000 Frm 00093 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 89517 Response: No. The proposed containment condensate flow path changes provide sufficient condensate return flow to maintain Incontainment Refueling Water Storage Tank (IRWST) level above the top of the Passive Residual Heat Removal Heat Exchanger (PRHR HX) tubes long enough to prevent PRHR HX performance degradation from that considered in the UFSAR Chapter 15 safety analyses. The added components are seismically qualified and constructed of only those materials appropriately suited for exposure to the reactor coolant environment as described in UFSAR Section 6.1. No aluminum is permitted to be used in the construction of these components so that they do not contribute to hydrogen production in containment. The proposed changes clarify the design basis for the PRHR HX, which removes decay heat from the Reactor Coolant System (RCS) during a non-loss of coolant accident (nonLOCA). With operator action to avoid unnecessary Automatic Depressurization System (ADS) actuation based on RCS conditions, PRHR HX operation can be extended longer than is maintained automatically by the protection and safety monitoring system. Though analysis shows significantly greater capacity, the extent of capability of the PRHR HX in the licensing basis is changed from operating indefinitely to operating for at least 72 hours. If PRHR HX capability was exhausted after 72 hours, the ADS is actuated, which could result in significant containment floodup. However, the probabilistic analysis shows that the probability of design basis containment floodup after PRHR HX operation during a non-LOCA event is significantly lower than the probability of a small break LOCA, for which comparable containment floodup is anticipated. Therefore, the probability of significant containment floodup is not increased. The proposed changes do not affect components whose failure could initiate an event, thus the probabilities of the accidents previously evaluated are not affected. The affected equipment does not adversely affect or interact with safety-related equipment or another radioactive material barrier. The proposed changes clarify the post-accident performance requirements for the PRHR HX. However, the proposed changes do not prevent the engineered safety features from performing their safety-related accident mitigating functions. The radioactive material source terms and release paths used in the safety analyses are unchanged, thus the radiological releases in the UFSAR accident analyses are not affected. Therefore, the proposed amendment does not involve a significant increase in the probability or consequences of an accident previously evaluated. 2. Does the proposed change create the possibility of a new or different kind of accident from any accident previously evaluated? Response: No. The long-term safe shutdown analysis results show that the PRHR HX continues to meet its acceptance criterion, i.e., to cool the E:\FR\FM\12DEN1.SGM 12DEN1 mstockstill on DSK3G9T082PROD with NOTICES 89518 Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 238 / Monday, December 12, 2016 / Notices Reactor Coolant System (RCS) to below 420 °F in 36 hours. The added equipment does not adversely interface with any component whose failure could initiate an accident, or any component that contains radioactive material. The modified components do not incorporate any active features relied upon to support normal operation. The downspout and gutter return components are seismically qualified to remain in place and function during seismic and dynamic events. The containment condensate flow path changes do not create a new fault or sequence of events that could result in a radioactive material release. The proposed change quantifies the duration that the PRHR HX is capable of maintaining adequate core cooling, and specifies that if the PRHR HX cooling capability is exhausted, the ADS is actuated. This involves the possibility of opening the ADS valves after the IRWST water level has decreased below the spargers, which promote steam condensation in the IRWST. During this condition, the loads on the IRWST, spargers, and any internal structures or components in the IRWST are still less than their limiting loads, and these SSCs are not adversely affected or cause a different mode of operation. Therefore, no new type of accident could be created by this condition. Therefore, the proposed amendment does not create the possibility of a new or different kind of accident from any accident previously evaluated. 3. Does the proposed change involve a significant reduction in a margin of safety? Response: No. The proposed changes do not reduce the redundancy or diversity of any safety-related function. The added components are classified as safety-related, seismically qualified, and are designed to comply with applicable design codes. The proposed containment condensate flow path changes provide sufficient condensate return flow to maintain adequate IRWST water level for those events using the PRHR HX cooling function. The long-term Shutdown Temperature Evaluation results in UFSAR Appendix 19E show the PRHR HX continues to meet its acceptance criterion. The UFSAR Chapters 6 and 15 analyses results are not affected, thus margins to their regulatory acceptance criteria are unchanged. The former design basis, which stated the PRHR HX could bring the plant to 420 °F within 36 hours is changed to state the heat exchanger can establish safe, stable conditions in the reactor coolant system after a design basis event. Such safe, stable conditions may not coincide with a core average temperature of 420 °F. However, the PRHR HX is able to bring the RCS to a sufficiently low temperature such that RCS conditions are comparable to those achieved at 420 °F— peak cladding temperatures and departure from nucleate boiling are maintained within acceptable limits of the evaluation criteria with adequate margin. No safety analysis or design basis acceptance limit/criterion is challenged or exceeded by the proposed changes, thus no margin of safety is reduced. Therefore, the proposed amendment does not involve a significant reduction in a margin of safety. VerDate Sep<11>2014 18:59 Dec 09, 2016 Jkt 241001 The NRC staff has reviewed the licensee’s analysis and, based on this review, it appears that the three standards of 10 CFR 50.92(c) are satisfied. Therefore, the NRC staff proposes to determine that the license amendment request involves no significant hazards consideration. The NRC is seeking public comments on this proposed determination that the license amendment request involves no significant hazards consideration. Any comments received within 30 days after the date of publication of this notice will be considered in making any final determination. Normally, the Commission will not issue the amendment until the expiration of 60 days after the date of publication of this notice. The Commission may issue the license amendment before expiration of the 60day notice period if the Commission concludes the amendment involves no significant hazards consideration. In addition, the Commission may issue the amendment prior to the expiration of the 30-day comment period should circumstances change during the 30-day comment period such that failure to act in a timely way would result, for example, in derating or shutdown of the facility. Should the Commission take action prior to the expiration of either the comment period or the notice period, the Commission will publish a notice of issuance in the Federal Register. Should the Commission make a final no significant hazards consideration determination, any hearing will take place after issuance. The Commission expects that the need to take this action will occur very infrequently. III. Opportunity To Request a Hearing and Petition for Leave To Intervene Within 60 days after the date of publication of this notice, any persons (petitioner) whose interest may be affected by this action may file a request for a hearing and a petition to intervene (petition) with respect to the action. Petitions shall be filed in accordance with the Commission’s ‘‘Agency Rules of Practice and Procedure’’ in 10 CFR part 2. Interested persons should consult a current copy of 10 CFR 2.309, which is available at the NRC’s PDR, located at One White Flint North, Room O1–F21, 11555 Rockville Pike (first floor), Rockville, Maryland 20852. The NRC’s regulations are accessible electronically from the NRC Library on the NRC’s Web site at https:// www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/doccollections/cfr/. If a petition is filed within 60 days, the Commission or a presiding officer designated by the PO 00000 Frm 00094 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 Commission or by the Chief Administrative Judge of the Atomic Safety and Licensing Board Panel, will rule on the petition; and the Secretary or the Chief Administrative Judge of the Atomic Safety and Licensing Board Panel will issue a notice of a hearing or an appropriate order. As required by 10 CFR 2.309, a petition shall set forth with particularity the interest of the petitioner in the proceeding, and how that interest may be affected by the results of the proceeding. The petition should specifically explain the reasons why intervention should be permitted with particular reference to the following general requirements: (1) The name, address, and telephone number of the petitioner; (2) the nature of the petitioner’s right under the Act to be made a party to the proceeding; (3) the nature and extent of the petitioner’s property, financial, or other interest in the proceeding; and (4) the possible effect of any decision or order which may be entered in the proceeding on the petitioner’s interest. The petition must also set forth the specific contentions which the petitioner seeks to have litigated at the proceeding. Each contention must consist of a specific statement of the issue of law or fact to be raised or controverted. In addition, the petitioner shall provide a brief explanation of the bases for the contention and a concise statement of the alleged facts or expert opinion which support the contention and on which the petitioner intends to rely in proving the contention at the hearing. The petitioner must also provide references to those specific sources and documents of which the petitioner is aware and on which the petitioner intends to rely to establish those facts or expert opinion to support its position on the issue. The petition must include sufficient information to show that a genuine dispute exists with the applicant on a material issue of law or fact. Contentions shall be limited to matters within the scope of the proceeding. The contention must be one which, if proven, would entitle the petitioner to relief. A petitioner who fails to satisfy these requirements with respect to at least one contention will not be permitted to participate as a party. Those permitted to intervene become parties to the proceeding, subject to any limitations in the order granting leave to intervene, and have the opportunity to participate fully in the conduct of the hearing with respect to resolution of that person’s admitted contentions consistent with the NRC’s regulations, policies, and procedures. E:\FR\FM\12DEN1.SGM 12DEN1 mstockstill on DSK3G9T082PROD with NOTICES Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 238 / Monday, December 12, 2016 / Notices Petitions for leave to intervene must be filed no later than 60 days from the date of publication of this notice. Requests for hearing, petitions for leave to intervene, and motions for leave to file new or amended contentions that are filed after the 60-day deadline will not be entertained absent a determination by the presiding officer that the filing demonstrates good cause by satisfying the three factors in 10 CFR 2.309(c)(1)(i) through (iii). If a hearing is requested, and the Commission has not made a final determination on the issue of no significant hazards consideration, the Commission will make a final determination on the issue of no significant hazards consideration. The final determination will serve to decide when the hearing is held. If the final determination is that the amendment request involves no significant hazards consideration, the Commission may issue the amendment and make it immediately effective, notwithstanding the request for a hearing. Any hearing held would take place after issuance of the amendment. If the final determination is that the amendment request involves a significant hazards consideration, then any hearing held would take place before the issuance of any amendment unless the Commission finds an imminent danger to the health or safety of the public, in which case it will issue an appropriate order or rule under 10 CFR part 2. A State, local governmental body, Federally-recognized Indian Tribe, or agency thereof, may submit a petition to the Commission to participate as a party under 10 CFR 2.309(h)(1). The petition should state the nature and extent of the petitioner’s interest in the proceeding. The petition should be submitted to the Commission by February 10, 2017. The petition must be filed in accordance with the filing instructions in the ‘‘Electronic Submissions (E-Filing)’’ section of this document, and should meet the requirements for petitions set forth in this section, except that under 10 CFR 2.309(h)(2) a State, local governmental body, or Federally-recognized Indian Tribe, or agency thereof does not need to address the standing requirements in 10 CFR 2.309(d) if the facility is located within its boundaries. A State, local governmental body, Federallyrecognized Indian Tribe, or agency thereof may also have the opportunity to participate under 10 CFR 2.315(c). If a hearing is granted, any person who does not wish, or is not qualified, to become a party to the proceeding may, in the discretion of the presiding officer, be permitted to make a limited VerDate Sep<11>2014 18:59 Dec 09, 2016 Jkt 241001 appearance pursuant to the provisions of 10 CFR 2.315(a). A person making a limited appearance may make an oral or written statement of position on the issues, but may not otherwise participate in the proceeding. A limited appearance may be made at any session of the hearing or at any prehearing conference, subject to the limits and conditions as may be imposed by the presiding officer. Details regarding the opportunity to make a limited appearance will be provided by the presiding officer if such sessions are scheduled. IV. Electronic Submissions (E-Filing) All documents filed in NRC adjudicatory proceedings, including a request for hearing, a petition for leave to intervene, any motion or other document filed in the proceeding prior to the submission of a request for hearing or petition to intervene (hereinafter ‘‘petition’’), and documents filed by interested governmental entities participating under 10 CFR 2.315(c), must be filed in accordance with the NRC’s E-Filing rule (72 FR 49139; August 28, 2007, as amended at 77 FR 46562, August 3, 2012). The E-Filing process requires participants to submit and serve all adjudicatory documents over the internet, or in some cases to mail copies on electronic storage media. Participants may not submit paper copies of their filings unless they seek an exemption in accordance with the procedures described below. To comply with the procedural requirements of E-Filing, at least 10 days prior to the filing deadline, the participant should contact the Office of the Secretary by email at hearing.docket@nrc.gov, or by telephone at 301–415–1677, to request (1) a digital identification (ID) certificate, which allows the participant (or its counsel or representative) to digitally sign documents and access the E-Submittal server for any proceeding in which it is participating; and (2) advise the Secretary that the participant will be submitting a petition (even in instances in which the participant, or its counsel or representative, already holds an NRCissued digital ID certificate). Based upon this information, the Secretary will establish an electronic docket for the hearing in this proceeding if the Secretary has not already established an electronic docket. Information about applying for a digital ID certificate is available on the NRC’s public Web site at https:// www.nrc.gov/site-help/e-submittals/ getting-started.html. System requirements for accessing the ESubmittal server are available on the PO 00000 Frm 00095 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 89519 NRC’s public Web site at https:// www.nrc.gov/site-help/e-submittals/ adjudicatory-sub.html. Participants may attempt to use other software not listed on the Web site, but should note that the NRC’s E-Filing system does not support unlisted software, and the NRC Electronic Filing Help Desk will not be able to offer assistance in using unlisted software. Once a participant has obtained a digital ID certificate and a docket has been created, the participant can then submit a petition. Submissions should be in Portable Document Format (PDF). Additional guidance on PDF submissions is available on the NRC’s public Web site at https://www.nrc.gov/ site-help/electronic-sub-ref-mat.html. A filing is considered complete at the time the documents are submitted through the NRC’s E-Filing system. To be timely, an electronic filing must be submitted to the E-Filing system no later than 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time on the due date. Upon receipt of a transmission, the EFiling system time-stamps the document and sends the submitter an email notice confirming receipt of the document. The E-Filing system also distributes an email notice that provides access to the document to the NRC’s Office of the General Counsel and any others who have advised the Office of the Secretary that they wish to participate in the proceeding, so that the filer need not serve the documents on those participants separately. Therefore, applicants and other participants (or their counsel or representative) must apply for and receive a digital ID certificate before a hearing petition to intervene is filed so that they can obtain access to the document via the E-Filing system. A person filing electronically using the NRC’s adjudicatory E-Filing system may seek assistance by contacting the NRC Electronic Filing Help Desk through the ‘‘Contact Us’’ link located on the NRC’s public Web site at https:// www.nrc.gov/site-help/esubmittals.html, by email to MSHD.Resource@nrc.gov, or by a tollfree call at 1–866–672–7640. The NRC Electronic Filing Help Desk is available between 9 a.m. and 7 p.m., Eastern Time, Monday through Friday, excluding government holidays. Participants who believe that they have a good cause for not submitting documents electronically must file an exemption request, in accordance with 10 CFR 2.302(g), with their initial paper filing stating why there is good cause for not filing electronically and requesting authorization to continue to submit documents in paper format. Such filings must be submitted by: (1) First class E:\FR\FM\12DEN1.SGM 12DEN1 89520 Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 238 / Monday, December 12, 2016 / Notices mstockstill on DSK3G9T082PROD with NOTICES mail addressed to the Office of the Secretary of the Commission, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Washington, DC 20555–0001, Attention: Rulemaking and Adjudications Staff; or (2) courier, express mail, or expedited delivery service to the Office of the Secretary, 11555 Rockville Pike, Rockville, Maryland 20852, Attention: Rulemaking and Adjudications Staff. Participants filing a document in this manner are responsible for serving the document on all other participants. Filing is considered complete by firstclass mail as of the time of deposit in the mail, or by courier, express mail, or expedited delivery service upon depositing the document with the provider of the service. A presiding officer, having granted an exemption request from using E-Filing, may require a participant or party to use E-Filing if the presiding officer subsequently determines that the reason for granting the exemption from use of E-Filing no longer exists. Documents submitted in adjudicatory proceedings will appear in the NRC’s electronic hearing docket which is available to the public at https://ehd1. nrc.gov/ehd/, unless excluded pursuant to an order of the Commission, or the presiding officer. Participants are requested not to include personal privacy information, such as social security numbers, home addresses, or home phone numbers in their filings, unless an NRC regulation or other law requires submission of such information. However, in some instances, a request to intervene will require including information on local residence in order to demonstrate a proximity assertion of interest in the proceeding. With respect to copyrighted works, except for limited excerpts that serve the purpose of the adjudicatory filings and would constitute a Fair Use application, participants are requested not to include copyrighted materials in their submission. For further details with respect to this action, see the application for license amendment dated November 4, 2016. Attorney for licensee: Mr. M. Stanford Blanton, Balch & Bingham LLP, 1710 Sixth Avenue North, Birmingham, AL 35203–2015. NRC Branch Chief: Jennifer DixonHerrity. Dated at Rockville, Maryland, this 2nd day of December 2016. For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission. Jennifer Dixon-Herrity, Chief, Licensing Branch 4, Division of New Reactor Licensing, Office of New Reactors. [FR Doc. 2016–29713 Filed 12–9–16; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 7590–01–P RAILROAD RETIREMENT BOARD Agency Forms Submitted for OMB Review, Request for Comments Summary: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. Chapter 35), the Railroad Retirement Board (RRB) is forwarding three Information Collection Requests (ICR) to the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs (OIRA), Office of Management and Budget (OMB). Our ICR describes the information we seek to collect from the public. Review and approval by OIRA ensures that we impose appropriate paperwork burdens. The RRB invites comments on the proposed collections of information to determine (1) the practical utility of the collections; (2) the accuracy of the estimated burden of the collections; (3) ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information that is the subject of collection; and (4) ways to minimize the burden of collections on respondents, including the use of automated collection techniques or other forms of information technology. Comments to the RRB or OIRA must contain the OMB control number of the ICR. For proper consideration of your comments, it is best if the RRB and OIRA receive them within 30 days of the publication date. Title and purpose of information collection: Supplement to Claim of Person Outside the United States; OMB 3220–0155. Under the Social Security Amendments of 1983 (Pub. L. 98–21), which amends Section 202(t) of the Social Security Act, effective January 1, 1985, the Tier I or the overall minimum (O/M) portion of an annuity, and Medicare benefits payable under the Railroad Retirement Act to certain beneficiaries living outside the U.S., may be withheld. The benefit withholding provision of Public Law 98–21 applies to divorced spouses, spouses, minor or disabled children, students, and survivors of railroad employees who (1) initially became eligible for Tier I amounts, O/M shares, and Medicare benefits after December 31, 1984; (2) are not U.S. citizens or U.S. nationals; and (3) have resided outside the U.S. for more than six consecutive months starting with the annuity beginning date. The benefit withholding provision does not apply, however to a beneficiary who is exempt under either a treaty obligation of the U.S., in effect on August 1, 1956, or a totalization agreement between the U.S. and the country in which the beneficiary resides, or to an individual who is exempt under other criteria specified in Public Law 98–21. RRB Form G–45, Supplement to Claim of Person Outside the United States, is currently used by the RRB to determine applicability of the withholding provision of Public Law 98–21. Completion of the form is required to obtain or retain a benefit. One response is requested of each respondent. Previous Requests for Comments: The RRB has already published the initial 60-day notice (81 FR 69873 on October 7, 2016) required by 44 U.S.C. 3506(c)(2). That request elicited no comments. Information Collection Request (ICR). Title: Supplement to Claim of Person Outside the United States. OMB Control Number: 3220–0155. Form(s) submitted: G–45. Type of request: Extension without change of a currently approved collection. Affected public: Individuals or Households. Abstract: Under Public Law 98–21, the Tier I or the overall minimum portion of an annuity and Medicare benefits payable under the Railroad Retirement Act to certain beneficiaries living outside the United States may be withheld. The collection obtains the information needed by the Railroad Retirement Board to implement the benefit withholding provisions of Public Law 98–21. Changes proposed: The RRB proposes no changes to Form G–45. The burden estimate for the ICR is as follows: Form No. Annual responses Time (minutes) Burden (hours) G–45 ............................................................................................................................................ 100 10 17 VerDate Sep<11>2014 18:59 Dec 09, 2016 Jkt 241001 PO 00000 Frm 00096 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 E:\FR\FM\12DEN1.SGM 12DEN1

Agencies

[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 238 (Monday, December 12, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Pages 89516-89520]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-29713]


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NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION

[Docket Nos. 052-00025 and 052-00026; NRC-2008-0252]


Vogtle Electric Generating Plant, Units 3 and 4

AGENCY: Nuclear Regulatory Commission.

ACTION: License amendment application; opportunity to comment, request 
a hearing, and petition for leave to intervene.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is considering 
issuance of an amendment and exemption to Combined Licenses (NPF-91 and 
NPF-92), issued to Southern Nuclear Operating Company, Inc. (SNC), and 
Georgia Power Company, Oglethorpe Power Corporation, MEAG Power SPVM, 
LLC, MEAG Power SPVJ, LLC, MEAG Power SPVP, LLC, Authority of Georgia, 
and the City of Dalton, Georgia (together ``the licensees''), for 
construction and operation of the Vogtle Electric Generating Plant 
(VEGP), Units 3 and 4, located in Burke County, Georgia.

DATES: Submit comments by January 11, 2017. Requests for a hearing or 
petition for leave to intervene must be filed by February 10, 2017.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments by any of the following methods:
     Federal Rulemaking Web site: Go to https://www.regulations.gov and search for Docket ID NRC-2008-0252. Address 
questions about NRC dockets to Carol Gallagher; telephone: 301-415-
3463; email: Carol.Gallagher@nrc.gov. For technical questions, contact 
the individual listed in the FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT section of 
this document.
     Mail comments to: Cindy Bladey, Office of Administration, 
Mail Stop: OWFN-12-H08, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Washington, 
DC 20555-0001.
    For additional direction on obtaining information and submitting 
comments, see ``Obtaining Information and Submitting Comments'' in the 
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section of this document.

[[Page 89517]]


FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ruth C. Reyes, Office of New Reactors, 
U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Washington, DC 20555-000; 
telephone: 301-415-3249; email: Ruth.Reyes@nrc.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Obtaining Information and Submitting Comments

A. Obtaining Information

    Please refer to Docket ID NRC-2008-0252 when contacting the NRC 
about the availability of information for this action. You may obtain 
publicly-available information related to this action by any of the 
following methods:
     Federal Rulemaking Web site: Go to https://www.regulations.gov and search for Docket ID NRC-2008-0252.
     NRC's Agencywide Documents Access and Management System 
(ADAMS): You may obtain publicly-available documents online in the 
ADAMS Public Documents collection at https://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/adams.html. To begin the search, select ``ADAMS Public Documents'' and 
then select ``Begin Web-based ADAMS Search.'' For problems with ADAMS, 
please contact the NRC's Public Document Room (PDR) reference staff at 
1-800-397-4209, 301-415-4737, or by email to pdr.resource@nrc.gov. The 
application for amendment, dated November 4, 2016, and supplemented by 
letter dated November 16, 2016 are available in ADAMS under Accession 
Nos. ML16319A120 and ML16321A416, respectively.
     NRC's PDR: You may examine and purchase copies of public 
documents at the NRC's PDR, Room O1-F21, One White Flint North, 11555 
Rockville Pike, Rockville, Maryland 20852.

B. Submitting Comments

    Please include Docket ID NRC-2008-0252 in your comment submission.
    The NRC cautions you not to include identifying or contact 
information that you do not want to be publicly disclosed in your 
comment submission. The NRC posts all comment submissions at https://www.regulations.gov as well as entering the comment submissions into 
ADAMS. The NRC does not routinely edit comment submissions to remove 
identifying or contact information.
    If you are requesting or aggregating comments from other persons 
for submission to the NRC, then you should inform those persons not to 
include identifying or contact information that they do not want to be 
publicly disclosed in their comment submission. Your request should 
state that the NRC does not routinely edit comment submissions to 
remove such information before making the comment submissions available 
to the public or entering the comment submissions into ADAMS.

II. Introduction

    The NRC is considering issuance of an amendment to Facility 
Operating License Nos. NPF-91 and NPF-92, issued to SNC and Georgia 
Power Company for operation of the VEGP Units 3 and 4, located in Burke 
County, Georgia. An individual Federal Register notice was published on 
June 6, 2014 (79 FR 32771) providing an opportunity to comment, request 
a hearing, and petition for leave to intervene for a License Amendment 
Request (LAR 13-024) with the same subject for the VEGP combined 
licenses. The licensee withdrew its request in a letter dated December 
17, 2015.
    The proposed changes would revise the Combined Licenses to reflect 
an increase in the efficiency of the return of condensate utilized by 
the passive core cooling system (PXS) to the in-containment refueling 
water storage tank (IRWST) to support the capability for long-term 
cooling. Because, this proposed change requires a departure from Tier 1 
information in the Westinghouse AP1000 Design Control Document (DCD), 
the licensee also requested an exemption from the requirements of the 
Generic DCD Tier 1 in accordance with section 52.63(b)(1) of title 10 
of the Code of Federal Regulations (10 CFR).
    Before any issuance of the proposed license amendment, the NRC will 
need to make the findings required by the Atomic Energy Act of 1954, as 
amended (the Act), and NRC's regulations.
    The NRC has made a proposed determination that the license 
amendment request involves no significant hazards consideration. Under 
the NRC's regulations in 10 CFR 50.92, this means that operation of the 
facility in accordance with the proposed amendment would not (1) 
involve a significant increase in the probability or consequences of an 
accident previously evaluated; or (2) create the possibility of a new 
or different kind of accident from any accident previously evaluated; 
or (3) involve a significant reduction in a margin of safety. As 
required by 10 CFR 50.91(a), the licensee has provided its analysis of 
the issue of no significant hazards consideration, which is presented 
below:

    1. Does the proposed change involve a significant increase in 
the probability or consequences of an accident previously evaluated?
    Response: No.
    The proposed containment condensate flow path changes provide 
sufficient condensate return flow to maintain In-containment 
Refueling Water Storage Tank (IRWST) level above the top of the 
Passive Residual Heat Removal Heat Exchanger (PRHR HX) tubes long 
enough to prevent PRHR HX performance degradation from that 
considered in the UFSAR Chapter 15 safety analyses.
    The added components are seismically qualified and constructed 
of only those materials appropriately suited for exposure to the 
reactor coolant environment as described in UFSAR Section 6.1. No 
aluminum is permitted to be used in the construction of these 
components so that they do not contribute to hydrogen production in 
containment.
    The proposed changes clarify the design basis for the PRHR HX, 
which removes decay heat from the Reactor Coolant System (RCS) 
during a non-loss of coolant accident (non-LOCA). With operator 
action to avoid unnecessary Automatic Depressurization System (ADS) 
actuation based on RCS conditions, PRHR HX operation can be extended 
longer than is maintained automatically by the protection and safety 
monitoring system. Though analysis shows significantly greater 
capacity, the extent of capability of the PRHR HX in the licensing 
basis is changed from operating indefinitely to operating for at 
least 72 hours. If PRHR HX capability was exhausted after 72 hours, 
the ADS is actuated, which could result in significant containment 
floodup. However, the probabilistic analysis shows that the 
probability of design basis containment floodup after PRHR HX 
operation during a non-LOCA event is significantly lower than the 
probability of a small break LOCA, for which comparable containment 
floodup is anticipated. Therefore, the probability of significant 
containment floodup is not increased.
    The proposed changes do not affect components whose failure 
could initiate an event, thus the probabilities of the accidents 
previously evaluated are not affected. The affected equipment does 
not adversely affect or interact with safety-related equipment or 
another radioactive material barrier. The proposed changes clarify 
the post-accident performance requirements for the PRHR HX. However, 
the proposed changes do not prevent the engineered safety features 
from performing their safety-related accident mitigating functions. 
The radioactive material source terms and release paths used in the 
safety analyses are unchanged, thus the radiological releases in the 
UFSAR accident analyses are not affected.
    Therefore, the proposed amendment does not involve a significant 
increase in the probability or consequences of an accident 
previously evaluated.
    2. Does the proposed change create the possibility of a new or 
different kind of accident from any accident previously evaluated?
    Response: No.
    The long-term safe shutdown analysis results show that the PRHR 
HX continues to meet its acceptance criterion, i.e., to cool the

[[Page 89518]]

Reactor Coolant System (RCS) to below 420 [deg]F in 36 hours. The 
added equipment does not adversely interface with any component 
whose failure could initiate an accident, or any component that 
contains radioactive material. The modified components do not 
incorporate any active features relied upon to support normal 
operation. The downspout and gutter return components are 
seismically qualified to remain in place and function during seismic 
and dynamic events. The containment condensate flow path changes do 
not create a new fault or sequence of events that could result in a 
radioactive material release.
    The proposed change quantifies the duration that the PRHR HX is 
capable of maintaining adequate core cooling, and specifies that if 
the PRHR HX cooling capability is exhausted, the ADS is actuated. 
This involves the possibility of opening the ADS valves after the 
IRWST water level has decreased below the spargers, which promote 
steam condensation in the IRWST. During this condition, the loads on 
the IRWST, spargers, and any internal structures or components in 
the IRWST are still less than their limiting loads, and these SSCs 
are not adversely affected or cause a different mode of operation. 
Therefore, no new type of accident could be created by this 
condition.
    Therefore, the proposed amendment does not create the 
possibility of a new or different kind of accident from any accident 
previously evaluated.
    3. Does the proposed change involve a significant reduction in a 
margin of safety?
    Response: No.
    The proposed changes do not reduce the redundancy or diversity 
of any safety-related function. The added components are classified 
as safety-related, seismically qualified, and are designed to comply 
with applicable design codes. The proposed containment condensate 
flow path changes provide sufficient condensate return flow to 
maintain adequate IRWST water level for those events using the PRHR 
HX cooling function. The long-term Shutdown Temperature Evaluation 
results in UFSAR Appendix 19E show the PRHR HX continues to meet its 
acceptance criterion. The UFSAR Chapters 6 and 15 analyses results 
are not affected, thus margins to their regulatory acceptance 
criteria are unchanged. The former design basis, which stated the 
PRHR HX could bring the plant to 420 [deg]F within 36 hours is 
changed to state the heat exchanger can establish safe, stable 
conditions in the reactor coolant system after a design basis event. 
Such safe, stable conditions may not coincide with a core average 
temperature of 420 [deg]F. However, the PRHR HX is able to bring the 
RCS to a sufficiently low temperature such that RCS conditions are 
comparable to those achieved at 420 [deg]F--peak cladding 
temperatures and departure from nucleate boiling are maintained 
within acceptable limits of the evaluation criteria with adequate 
margin. No safety analysis or design basis acceptance limit/
criterion is challenged or exceeded by the proposed changes, thus no 
margin of safety is reduced.
    Therefore, the proposed amendment does not involve a significant 
reduction in a margin of safety.

    The NRC staff has reviewed the licensee's analysis and, based on 
this review, it appears that the three standards of 10 CFR 50.92(c) are 
satisfied. Therefore, the NRC staff proposes to determine that the 
license amendment request involves no significant hazards 
consideration.
    The NRC is seeking public comments on this proposed determination 
that the license amendment request involves no significant hazards 
consideration. Any comments received within 30 days after the date of 
publication of this notice will be considered in making any final 
determination.
    Normally, the Commission will not issue the amendment until the 
expiration of 60 days after the date of publication of this notice. The 
Commission may issue the license amendment before expiration of the 60-
day notice period if the Commission concludes the amendment involves no 
significant hazards consideration. In addition, the Commission may 
issue the amendment prior to the expiration of the 30-day comment 
period should circumstances change during the 30-day comment period 
such that failure to act in a timely way would result, for example, in 
derating or shutdown of the facility. Should the Commission take action 
prior to the expiration of either the comment period or the notice 
period, the Commission will publish a notice of issuance in the Federal 
Register. Should the Commission make a final no significant hazards 
consideration determination, any hearing will take place after 
issuance. The Commission expects that the need to take this action will 
occur very infrequently.

III. Opportunity To Request a Hearing and Petition for Leave To 
Intervene

    Within 60 days after the date of publication of this notice, any 
persons (petitioner) whose interest may be affected by this action may 
file a request for a hearing and a petition to intervene (petition) 
with respect to the action. Petitions shall be filed in accordance with 
the Commission's ``Agency Rules of Practice and Procedure'' in 10 CFR 
part 2. Interested persons should consult a current copy of 10 CFR 
2.309, which is available at the NRC's PDR, located at One White Flint 
North, Room O1-F21, 11555 Rockville Pike (first floor), Rockville, 
Maryland 20852. The NRC's regulations are accessible electronically 
from the NRC Library on the NRC's Web site at https://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/doc-collections/cfr/. If a petition is filed within 60 days, 
the Commission or a presiding officer designated by the Commission or 
by the Chief Administrative Judge of the Atomic Safety and Licensing 
Board Panel, will rule on the petition; and the Secretary or the Chief 
Administrative Judge of the Atomic Safety and Licensing Board Panel 
will issue a notice of a hearing or an appropriate order.
    As required by 10 CFR 2.309, a petition shall set forth with 
particularity the interest of the petitioner in the proceeding, and how 
that interest may be affected by the results of the proceeding. The 
petition should specifically explain the reasons why intervention 
should be permitted with particular reference to the following general 
requirements: (1) The name, address, and telephone number of the 
petitioner; (2) the nature of the petitioner's right under the Act to 
be made a party to the proceeding; (3) the nature and extent of the 
petitioner's property, financial, or other interest in the proceeding; 
and (4) the possible effect of any decision or order which may be 
entered in the proceeding on the petitioner's interest. The petition 
must also set forth the specific contentions which the petitioner seeks 
to have litigated at the proceeding.
    Each contention must consist of a specific statement of the issue 
of law or fact to be raised or controverted. In addition, the 
petitioner shall provide a brief explanation of the bases for the 
contention and a concise statement of the alleged facts or expert 
opinion which support the contention and on which the petitioner 
intends to rely in proving the contention at the hearing. The 
petitioner must also provide references to those specific sources and 
documents of which the petitioner is aware and on which the petitioner 
intends to rely to establish those facts or expert opinion to support 
its position on the issue. The petition must include sufficient 
information to show that a genuine dispute exists with the applicant on 
a material issue of law or fact. Contentions shall be limited to 
matters within the scope of the proceeding. The contention must be one 
which, if proven, would entitle the petitioner to relief. A petitioner 
who fails to satisfy these requirements with respect to at least one 
contention will not be permitted to participate as a party.
    Those permitted to intervene become parties to the proceeding, 
subject to any limitations in the order granting leave to intervene, 
and have the opportunity to participate fully in the conduct of the 
hearing with respect to resolution of that person's admitted 
contentions consistent with the NRC's regulations, policies, and 
procedures.

[[Page 89519]]

    Petitions for leave to intervene must be filed no later than 60 
days from the date of publication of this notice. Requests for hearing, 
petitions for leave to intervene, and motions for leave to file new or 
amended contentions that are filed after the 60-day deadline will not 
be entertained absent a determination by the presiding officer that the 
filing demonstrates good cause by satisfying the three factors in 10 
CFR 2.309(c)(1)(i) through (iii).
    If a hearing is requested, and the Commission has not made a final 
determination on the issue of no significant hazards consideration, the 
Commission will make a final determination on the issue of no 
significant hazards consideration. The final determination will serve 
to decide when the hearing is held. If the final determination is that 
the amendment request involves no significant hazards consideration, 
the Commission may issue the amendment and make it immediately 
effective, notwithstanding the request for a hearing. Any hearing held 
would take place after issuance of the amendment. If the final 
determination is that the amendment request involves a significant 
hazards consideration, then any hearing held would take place before 
the issuance of any amendment unless the Commission finds an imminent 
danger to the health or safety of the public, in which case it will 
issue an appropriate order or rule under 10 CFR part 2.
    A State, local governmental body, Federally-recognized Indian 
Tribe, or agency thereof, may submit a petition to the Commission to 
participate as a party under 10 CFR 2.309(h)(1).
    The petition should state the nature and extent of the petitioner's 
interest in the proceeding. The petition should be submitted to the 
Commission by February 10, 2017. The petition must be filed in 
accordance with the filing instructions in the ``Electronic Submissions 
(E-Filing)'' section of this document, and should meet the requirements 
for petitions set forth in this section, except that under 10 CFR 
2.309(h)(2) a State, local governmental body, or Federally-recognized 
Indian Tribe, or agency thereof does not need to address the standing 
requirements in 10 CFR 2.309(d) if the facility is located within its 
boundaries. A State, local governmental body, Federally-recognized 
Indian Tribe, or agency thereof may also have the opportunity to 
participate under 10 CFR 2.315(c).
    If a hearing is granted, any person who does not wish, or is not 
qualified, to become a party to the proceeding may, in the discretion 
of the presiding officer, be permitted to make a limited appearance 
pursuant to the provisions of 10 CFR 2.315(a). A person making a 
limited appearance may make an oral or written statement of position on 
the issues, but may not otherwise participate in the proceeding. A 
limited appearance may be made at any session of the hearing or at any 
prehearing conference, subject to the limits and conditions as may be 
imposed by the presiding officer. Details regarding the opportunity to 
make a limited appearance will be provided by the presiding officer if 
such sessions are scheduled.

IV. Electronic Submissions (E-Filing)

    All documents filed in NRC adjudicatory proceedings, including a 
request for hearing, a petition for leave to intervene, any motion or 
other document filed in the proceeding prior to the submission of a 
request for hearing or petition to intervene (hereinafter 
``petition''), and documents filed by interested governmental entities 
participating under 10 CFR 2.315(c), must be filed in accordance with 
the NRC's E-Filing rule (72 FR 49139; August 28, 2007, as amended at 77 
FR 46562, August 3, 2012). The E-Filing process requires participants 
to submit and serve all adjudicatory documents over the internet, or in 
some cases to mail copies on electronic storage media. Participants may 
not submit paper copies of their filings unless they seek an exemption 
in accordance with the procedures described below.
    To comply with the procedural requirements of E-Filing, at least 10 
days prior to the filing deadline, the participant should contact the 
Office of the Secretary by email at hearing.docket@nrc.gov, or by 
telephone at 301-415-1677, to request (1) a digital identification (ID) 
certificate, which allows the participant (or its counsel or 
representative) to digitally sign documents and access the E-Submittal 
server for any proceeding in which it is participating; and (2) advise 
the Secretary that the participant will be submitting a petition (even 
in instances in which the participant, or its counsel or 
representative, already holds an NRC-issued digital ID certificate). 
Based upon this information, the Secretary will establish an electronic 
docket for the hearing in this proceeding if the Secretary has not 
already established an electronic docket.
    Information about applying for a digital ID certificate is 
available on the NRC's public Web site at https://www.nrc.gov/site-help/e-submittals/getting-started.html. System requirements for accessing 
the E-Submittal server are available on the NRC's public Web site at 
https://www.nrc.gov/site-help/e-submittals/adjudicatory-sub.html. 
Participants may attempt to use other software not listed on the Web 
site, but should note that the NRC's E-Filing system does not support 
unlisted software, and the NRC Electronic Filing Help Desk will not be 
able to offer assistance in using unlisted software.
    Once a participant has obtained a digital ID certificate and a 
docket has been created, the participant can then submit a petition. 
Submissions should be in Portable Document Format (PDF). Additional 
guidance on PDF submissions is available on the NRC's public Web site 
at https://www.nrc.gov/site-help/electronic-sub-ref-mat.html. A filing 
is considered complete at the time the documents are submitted through 
the NRC's E-Filing system. To be timely, an electronic filing must be 
submitted to the E-Filing system no later than 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time 
on the due date. Upon receipt of a transmission, the E-Filing system 
time-stamps the document and sends the submitter an email notice 
confirming receipt of the document. The E-Filing system also 
distributes an email notice that provides access to the document to the 
NRC's Office of the General Counsel and any others who have advised the 
Office of the Secretary that they wish to participate in the 
proceeding, so that the filer need not serve the documents on those 
participants separately. Therefore, applicants and other participants 
(or their counsel or representative) must apply for and receive a 
digital ID certificate before a hearing petition to intervene is filed 
so that they can obtain access to the document via the E-Filing system.
    A person filing electronically using the NRC's adjudicatory E-
Filing system may seek assistance by contacting the NRC Electronic 
Filing Help Desk through the ``Contact Us'' link located on the NRC's 
public Web site at https://www.nrc.gov/site-help/e-submittals.html, by 
email to MSHD.Resource@nrc.gov, or by a toll-free call at 1-866-672-
7640. The NRC Electronic Filing Help Desk is available between 9 a.m. 
and 7 p.m., Eastern Time, Monday through Friday, excluding government 
holidays.
    Participants who believe that they have a good cause for not 
submitting documents electronically must file an exemption request, in 
accordance with 10 CFR 2.302(g), with their initial paper filing 
stating why there is good cause for not filing electronically and 
requesting authorization to continue to submit documents in paper 
format. Such filings must be submitted by: (1) First class

[[Page 89520]]

mail addressed to the Office of the Secretary of the Commission, U.S. 
Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Washington, DC 20555-0001, Attention: 
Rulemaking and Adjudications Staff; or (2) courier, express mail, or 
expedited delivery service to the Office of the Secretary, 11555 
Rockville Pike, Rockville, Maryland 20852, Attention: Rulemaking and 
Adjudications Staff. Participants filing a document in this manner are 
responsible for serving the document on all other participants. Filing 
is considered complete by first-class mail as of the time of deposit in 
the mail, or by courier, express mail, or expedited delivery service 
upon depositing the document with the provider of the service. A 
presiding officer, having granted an exemption request from using E-
Filing, may require a participant or party to use E-Filing if the 
presiding officer subsequently determines that the reason for granting 
the exemption from use of E-Filing no longer exists.
    Documents submitted in adjudicatory proceedings will appear in the 
NRC's electronic hearing docket which is available to the public at 
https://ehd1.nrc.gov/ehd/, unless excluded pursuant to an order of the 
Commission, or the presiding officer. Participants are requested not to 
include personal privacy information, such as social security numbers, 
home addresses, or home phone numbers in their filings, unless an NRC 
regulation or other law requires submission of such information. 
However, in some instances, a request to intervene will require 
including information on local residence in order to demonstrate a 
proximity assertion of interest in the proceeding. With respect to 
copyrighted works, except for limited excerpts that serve the purpose 
of the adjudicatory filings and would constitute a Fair Use 
application, participants are requested not to include copyrighted 
materials in their submission.
    For further details with respect to this action, see the 
application for license amendment dated November 4, 2016.
    Attorney for licensee: Mr. M. Stanford Blanton, Balch & Bingham 
LLP, 1710 Sixth Avenue North, Birmingham, AL 35203-2015.
    NRC Branch Chief: Jennifer Dixon-Herrity.

    Dated at Rockville, Maryland, this 2nd day of December 2016.

    For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
Jennifer Dixon-Herrity,
Chief, Licensing Branch 4, Division of New Reactor Licensing, Office of 
New Reactors.
[FR Doc. 2016-29713 Filed 12-9-16; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 7590-01-P
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