Applications and Amendments to Facility Operating Licenses and Combined Licenses Involving Proposed No Significant Hazards Considerations and Containing Sensitive Unclassified Non-Safeguards Information and Order Imposing Procedures for Access to Sensitive Unclassified Non-Safeguards Information, 26112-26119 [2018-10982]
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Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 108 / Tuesday, June 5, 2018 / Notices
of components evaluated by a
cumulative usage factor calculation in
accordance with the fatigue design
provisions in Section III, ‘‘Rules for
Construction of Nuclear Power Plant
Components,’’ of the American Society
of Mechanical Engineers Boiler and
Pressure Vessel Code to account for the
effects of LWR water environments. The
NRC is issuing Revision 1 of RG 1.207
concurrently with Revision 1 of
NUREG/CR–6909 under a separate
notice associated with Docket ID NRC–
2014–0244.
The NRC notes that Revision 1 of RG
1.207 was issued in draft form as a draft
RG (DG–1309). The NRC published a
notice of the availability of DG–1309 in
the Federal Register on November 24,
2014 (79 FR 69884), under Docket ID
NRC–2014–0244, with a public
comment period that closed on January
24, 2015. Public comments on DG–1309
and the NRC staff’s responses are
available in ADAMS under Accession
No. ML16315A127.
Dated at Rockville, Maryland, this 30th day
of May 2018.
For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
Thomas Boyce,
Chief, Regulatory Guidance and Generic
Issues Branch, Division of Engineering, Office
of Nuclear Regulatory Research.
[FR Doc. 2018–11996 Filed 6–4–18; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7590–01–P
NUCLEAR REGULATORY
COMMISSION
Advisory Committee on Reactor
Safeguards (ACRS); Meeting of the
ACRS Subcommittee on Planning and
Procedures; Notice of Meeting
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The ACRS Subcommittee on Planning
and Procedures will hold a meeting on
June 6, 2018, 11545 Rockville Pike,
Room T–2B3, Rockville, Maryland
20852.
The meeting will be open to public
attendance.
The agenda for the subject meeting
shall be as follows:
Wednesday, June 6, 2018—12:00 p.m.
Until 1:00 p.m.
The Subcommittee will discuss
proposed ACRS activities and related
matters. The Subcommittee will gather
information, analyze relevant issues and
facts, and formulate proposed positions
and actions, as appropriate, for
deliberation by the Full Committee.
Members of the public desiring to
provide oral statements and/or written
comments should notify the Designated
Federal Official (DFO), Quynh Nguyen
(Telephone 301–415–5844 or Email:
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Quynh.Nguyen@nrc.gov) five days prior
to the meeting, if possible, so that
arrangements can be made. Thirty-five
hard copies of each presentation or
handout should be provided to the DFO
thirty minutes before the meeting. In
addition, one electronic copy of each
presentation should be emailed to the
DFO one day before the meeting. If an
electronic copy cannot be provided
within this timeframe, presenters
should provide the DFO with a CD
containing each presentation at least
thirty minutes before the meeting.
Electronic recordings will be permitted
only during those portions of the
meeting that are open to the public.
Detailed procedures for the conduct of
and participation in ACRS meetings
were published in the Federal Register
on October 4, 2017 (82 FR 46312). The
bridgeline number for this meeting is
888–790–7128, passcode 7802533#.
Information regarding changes to the
agenda, whether the meeting has been
canceled or rescheduled, and the time
allotted to present oral statements can
be obtained by contacting the identified
DFO. Moreover, in view of the
possibility that the schedule for ACRS
meetings may be adjusted by the
Chairman as necessary to facilitate the
conduct of the meeting, persons
planning to attend should check with
the DFO if such rescheduling would
result in a major inconvenience.
If attending this meeting, please enter
through the One White Flint North
building, 11555 Rockville Pike,
Rockville, Maryland 20852. After
registering with Security, please contact
Mr. Theron Brown at 301–415–6702 to
be escorted to the meeting room.
Dated: May 23, 2018.
Mark L. Banks,
Chief, Technical Support Branch, Advisory
Committee on Reactor Safeguards.
[FR Doc. 2018–12023 Filed 6–4–18; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7590–01–P
NUCLEAR REGULATORY
COMMISSION
[NRC–2018–0102]
Applications and Amendments to
Facility Operating Licenses and
Combined Licenses Involving
Proposed No Significant Hazards
Considerations and Containing
Sensitive Unclassified Non-Safeguards
Information and Order Imposing
Procedures for Access to Sensitive
Unclassified Non-Safeguards
Information
Nuclear Regulatory
Commission.
AGENCY:
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License amendment request;
notice of opportunity to comment,
request a hearing, and petition for leave
to intervene; order imposing
procedures.
ACTION:
The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory
Commission (NRC) received and is
considering approval of three
amendment requests. The amendment
requests are for River Bend Station, Unit
1; Grand Gulf Nuclear Station, Unit 1;
and Browns Ferry Nuclear Plant, Units
1, 2, and 3. For each amendment
request, the NRC proposes to determine
that they involve no significant hazards
consideration. Because each amendment
request contains sensitive unclassified
non-safeguards information (SUNSI) an
order imposes procedures to obtain
access to SUNSI for contention
preparation.
SUMMARY:
Comments must be filed by July
5, 2018. A request for a hearing must be
filed by August 6, 2018. Any potential
party as defined in § 2.4 of title 10 of the
Code of Federal Regulations (10 CFR)
who believes access to SUNSI is
necessary to respond to this notice must
request document access by June 15,
2018.
DATES:
You may submit comments
by any of the following methods:
• Federal Rulemaking website: Go to
https://www.regulations.gov and search
for Docket ID NRC–2018–0102. Address
questions about NRC dockets to Jennifer
Borges; telephone: 301–287–9127;
email: Jennifer.Borges@nrc.gov. For
technical questions, contact the
individual listed in the FOR FURTHER
INFORMATION CONTACT section of this
document.
• Mail comments to: May Ma, Office
of Administration, Mail Stop: TWFN–7–
A60M, 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.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Beverly Clayton, Office of Nuclear
Reactor Regulation, U.S. Nuclear
Regulatory Commission, Washington,
DC 20555–0001; telephone: 301–415–
3475; email: Beverly.Clayton@nrc.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
ADDRESSES:
I. Obtaining Information and
Submitting Comments
A. Obtaining Information
Please refer to Docket ID NRC–2018–
0102, facility name, unit number(s),
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plant docket number, application date,
and subject 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 website: Go to
https://www.regulations.gov and search
for Docket ID NRC–2018–0102.
• 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
ADAMS accession number for each
document referenced is provided the
first time that it is mentioned in this
document.
• 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–2018–
0102, facility name, unit number(s),
plant docket number, application date,
and subject 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 will post all comment
submissions at https://
www.regulations.gov as well as enter 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 into ADAMS.
II. Background
Pursuant to Section 189a.(2) of the
Atomic Energy Act of 1954, as amended
(the Act), the NRC is publishing this
notice. The Act requires the
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Commission to publish notice of any
amendments issued, or proposed to be
issued and grants the Commission the
authority to issue and make
immediately effective any amendment
to an operating license or combined
license, as applicable, upon a
determination by the Commission that
such amendment involves no significant
hazards consideration, notwithstanding
the pendency before the Commission of
a request for a hearing from any person.
This notice includes notices of
amendments containing SUNSI.
III. Notice of Consideration of Issuance
of Amendments to Facility Operating
Licenses and Combined Licenses,
Proposed No Significant Hazards
Consideration Determination, and
Opportunity for a Hearing
The Commission has made a
proposed determination that the
following amendment requests involve
no significant hazards consideration.
Under the Commission’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. The basis for this
proposed determination for each
amendment request is shown below.
The Commission is seeking public
comments on this proposed
determination. 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 period provided that its final
determination is that 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 if 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.
If the Commission takes action prior to
the expiration of either the comment
period or the notice period, it will
publish a notice of issuance in the
Federal Register. If the Commission
makes a final no significant hazards
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26113
consideration determination, any
hearing will take place after issuance.
The Commission expects that the need
to take this action will occur very
infrequently.
A. 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 petition for leave 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. The NRC’s regulations
are accessible electronically from the
NRC Library on the NRC’s website at
https://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/doccollections/cfr/. Alternatively, a copy of
the regulations is available at the NRC’s
Public Document Room, located at One
White Flint North, Room O1–F21, 11555
Rockville Pike (first floor), Rockville,
Maryland 20852. If a petition is filed,
the Commission or a presiding officer
will rule on the petition and, if
appropriate, a notice of a hearing will be
issued.
As required by 10 CFR 2.309(d) the
petition should specifically explain the
reasons why intervention should be
permitted with particular reference to
the following general requirements for
standing: (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.
In accordance with 10 CFR 2.309(f),
the petition must also set forth the
specific contentions which the
petitioner seeks to have litigated in 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
must 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 the specific
sources and documents on which the
petitioner intends to rely to support its
position on the issue. The petition must
include sufficient information to show
that a genuine dispute exists with the
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applicant or licensee on a material issue
of law or fact. Contentions must 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 the requirements at 10
CFR 2.309(f) 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. Parties have the opportunity
to participate fully in the conduct of the
hearing with respect to resolution of
that party’s admitted contentions,
including the opportunity to present
evidence, consistent with the NRC’s
regulations, policies, and procedures.
Petitions must be filed no later than
60 days from the date of publication of
this notice. Petitions and motions for
leave to file new or amended
contentions that are filed after the
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). The petition
must be filed in accordance with the
filing instructions in the ‘‘Electronic
Submissions (E-Filing)’’ section of this
document.
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
establish 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 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 the 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
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Commission no later than 60 days from
the date of publication of this notice.
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 Federallyrecognized 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. Alternatively, a State,
local governmental body, Federallyrecognized Indian Tribe, or agency
thereof may participate as a non-party
under 10 CFR 2.315(c).
If a hearing is granted, any person
who is not a party to the proceeding and
is not affiliated with or represented by
a party may, at 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 his or her
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.
B. Electronic Submissions (E-Filing)
All documents filed in NRC
adjudicatory proceedings, including a
request for hearing and petition for
leave to intervene (petition), any motion
or other document filed in the
proceeding prior to the submission of a
request for hearing or petition to
intervene, and documents filed by
interested governmental entities that
request to participate 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 EFiling process requires participants to
submit and serve all adjudicatory
documents over the internet, or in some
cases to mail copies on electronic
storage media. Detailed guidance on
making electronic submissions may be
found in the Guidance for Electronic
Submissions to the NRC and on the NRC
website at https://www.nrc.gov/site-help/
e-submittals.html. Participants may not
submit paper copies of their filings
unless they seek an exemption in
accordance with the procedures
described below.
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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 (1) request a digital
identification (ID) certificate, which
allows the participant (or its counsel or
representative) to digitally sign
submissions and access the E-Filing
system for any proceeding in which it
is participating; and (2) advise the
Secretary that the participant will be
submitting a petition or other
adjudicatory document (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 website at https://
www.nrc.gov/site-help/e-submittals/
getting-started.html. Once a participant
has obtained a digital ID certificate and
a docket has been created, the
participant can then submit
adjudicatory documents. Submissions
must be in Portable Document Format
(PDF). Additional guidance on PDF
submissions is available on the NRC’s
public website at https://www.nrc.gov/
site-help/electronic-sub-ref-mat.html. A
filing is considered complete at the time
the document is 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 document on those
participants separately. Therefore,
applicants and other participants (or
their counsel or representative) must
apply for and receive a digital ID
certificate before adjudicatory
documents are filed so that they can
obtain access to the documents via the
E-Filing system.
A person filing electronically using
the NRC’s adjudicatory E-Filing system
may seek assistance by contacting the
NRC’s Electronic Filing Help Desk
through the ‘‘Contact Us’’ link located
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on the NRC’s public website 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 6 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
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 adjudicatory
documents 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://
adams.nrc.gov/ehd, unless excluded
pursuant to an order of the Commission
or the presiding officer. If you do not
have an NRC-issued digital ID certificate
as described above, click cancel when
the link requests certificates and you
will be automatically directed to the
NRC’s electronic hearing dockets where
you will be able to access any publicly
available documents in a particular
hearing docket. Participants are
requested not to include personal
privacy information, such as social
security numbers, home addresses, or
personal phone numbers in their filings,
unless an NRC regulation or other law
requires submission of such
information. For example, in some
instances, individuals provide home
addresses in order to demonstrate
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proximity to a facility or site. 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.
Entergy Louisiana, LLC, and Entergy
Operations, Inc., Docket No. 50–458,
River Bend Station, Unit 1 (River Bend),
West Feliciana Parish, Louisiana
Date of amendment request: April 2,
2018. A publicly-available version is in
ADAMS under Accession No.
ML18092B187.
Description of amendment request:
This amendment request contains
sensitive unclassified non-safeguards
information (SUNSI). The proposed
amendment would replace Technical
Specification (TS) Figure 3.4.11–1,
‘‘Minimum Temperature Required vs.
RCS [Reactor Coolant System]
Pressure,’’ curves, also known as the
pressure and temperature limit curves.
The current TS figure is calculated for
34 Effective Full Power Years (EFPY),
and the proposed TS figure would
provide for 54 EFPY. The proposed TS
figure includes new fluence values and
material chemistry information, and
uses the new methodologies described
in Licensing Topical Report NEDO–
33882, Revision 1, ‘‘Pressure and
Temperature Limits Report (PTLR) Up
to 54 Effective Full Power Years.’’
Basis for proposed no significant
hazards consideration determination:
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, with NRC staff edits in square
brackets:
1. Does the proposed change involve a
significant increase in the probability or
consequences of an accident previously
evaluated?
Response: No.
Basis: The proposed change to the River
Bend reactor coolant system (RCS) pressure/
temperature (P/T) limits does not modify the
boundary, operating pressure, materials or
seismic loading of the reactor coolant system.
The proposed change does adjust the P/T
limits for neutron irradiation effects to ensure
that the Reactor Pressure Vessel (RPV)
fracture toughness is consistent with analysis
assumptions and NRC regulations. Changing
the applicability of the limits to 54 effective
full power years (EFPY) will continue to
maintain appropriate limits for River Bend
during the renewed license term. The
proposed limits are more bounding than the
current limits.
Therefore, it is concluded that this change
does not significantly increase the probability
or consequences of an accident previously
evaluated.
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2. Does the proposed change create the
possibility of a new or different kind of
accident from any accident previously
evaluated?
Response: No.
Basis: The proposed change to the reactor
pressure vessel pressure-temperature limits
does not involve any physical changes
(installing new equipment or modifying
existing equipment). The change does not
affect the assumed accident performance of
any structure, system or component
previously evaluated. These revised limits
are in compliance with the brittle fracture
requirements of [10 CFR part 50] Appendix
G. The proposed change does not introduce
any new modes of system operation or failure
mechanisms.
Therefore, the proposed change 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.
Basis: The proposed change, which
corrects a non-conservative TS, does not
exceed or alter a setpoint, design basis or
safety limit. Therefore, it is concluded that
this change 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
amendment request involves no
significant hazards consideration.
Attorney for licensee: Anna Vinson
Jones, Senior Counsel/Legal
Department, Entergy Services, Inc., 101
Constitution Avenue NW, Suite 200
East, Washington, DC 20001.
NRC Branch Chief: Robert J.
Pascarelli.
Entergy Operations, Inc. (Entergy);
System Energy Resources, Inc.;
Cooperative Energy, A Mississippi
Electric Cooperative; and Entergy
Mississippi, Inc., Docket No. 50–416,
Grand Gulf Nuclear Station, Unit No. 1,
Claiborne County, Mississippi
Date of amendment request: March
26, 2018. A publicly-available version is
in ADAMS under Accession No.
ML18085A579.
Description of amendment request:
This amendment request contains
sensitive unclassified non-safeguards
information (SUNSI). The proposed
amendment would revise the Updated
Final Safety Analysis Report (UFSAR)
descriptions for the replacement of the
Turbine First Stage Pressure (TFSP)
output signals with Power Range
Neutron Monitoring System (PRNMS)
output signals. During June 2014,
Entergy implemented Engineering
Change (EC) 49880 in accordance with
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10 CFR 50.59, ‘‘Changes, tests, and
experiments,’’ that replaced the use of
the TFSP instruments with the PRNMS
to measure reactor power. On December
9, 2016, the NRC issued NRC Inspection
Report 05000416/2016007. In this
inspection report, the NRC issued noncited violation 050000416/2016007–02,
which identified that Entergy failed to
obtain a license amendment prior to
implementing the proposed change.
Specifically, modification EC 40880
eliminated the TFSP instrument signals
to the Reactor Protection System and
replaced the signals with average power
range monitor signals. The NRC
concluded that the change reduced the
diversity and resulted in a more than
minimal increase in the likelihood of
occurrence of a malfunction of a
structure, system, or component (SSC)
important to safety.
Entergy has determined that the
proposed change requires NRC approval
per 10 CFR 50.59(c)(2). Entergy
concluded that the plant modification is
potentially a reduction in diversity
based on the Grand Gulf Nuclear
Station, Unit 1, licensing basis. As such,
the potential reduction in diversity is
considered to be a change that results in
more than a minimal increase in the
likelihood of occurrence of a
malfunction of an SSC important to
safety previously evaluated in the
UFSAR.
The proposed amendment would
eliminate the potential for a transient
caused by the mechanical failure of the
TFSP sensing lines and instruments. It
would also eliminate process delays in
the steam lines, as the PRNMS voltage
output signals are based on average
power range monitoring signals, a direct
and immediate measurement of neutron
flux. The PRNMS signals are
divisionally separated, safety-related,
and provide reliability, quality, and
defense-in-depth that the TFSP sensing
lines and instruments could not
provide. The replacement of the TFSP
output signals with the PRNMS output
signals enhances plant safety and
improves reliability.
Basis for proposed no significant
hazards consideration determination:
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 amendment involve
a significant increase in the probability or
consequences of an accident previously
evaluated?
Response: No.
The proposed modification does not result
in a change to the safety related functions
including Low Power Setpoint (LPSP) and
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High Power Setpoint (HPSP), Turbine Stop
Valve (TSV) closure and Turbine Control
Valve (TCV) fast closure scram enable/
bypass, and End of Cycle Recirculation Pump
Trip (EOC–RPT) enable/bypass. The
accidents potentially affected by the TFSP
instrumentation are the turbine trip event
(UFSAR Section 15.2.3), generator load
rejection event (UFSAR Section 15.2.2),
control rod drop accident (UFSAR Section
15.4.9) and rod withdrawal error (UFSAR
Section 15.4.1). The proposed use of PRNMS
signal outputs as inputs to the trip units will
maintain the safety related functions credited
in the evaluated events. Furthermore, the
proposed modification makes no changes to
the existing PRNM system inputs, system
software or hardware architecture.
Overall protection system performance will
remain within the bounds of the previously
performed accident analyses since the
proposed modification does not change the
Reactor Protection System (RPS) or the Rod
Control and Information System (RCIS). The
same RPS and RCIS instrumentation will
continue to be used. The protection systems
will continue to function in a manner
consistent with the plant design basis. The
proposed modifications will not adversely
affect accident initiators or precursors nor
adversely alter the design assumptions and
conditions of the facility or the manner in
which the plant is operated and maintained
with respect to such initiators or precursors.
The proposed modification will not
prevent the capability of structures, systems,
and components (SSCs) to perform their
intended functions for mitigating the
consequences of an accident and meeting
applicable acceptance limits.
Therefore, operation of the facility in
accordance with the proposed amendment
would not involve a significant increase in
the probability or consequences of an
accident previously evaluated.
2. Does the proposed amendment create
the possibility of a new or different kind of
accident from any accident previously
evaluated?
Response: No.
The use of PRNMS for determining reactor
power will ensure that the protective
functions EOC–RPT, TSV closure and TCV
fast closure direct scram functions, and the
rod pattern controller (RPC) and Rod
Withdrawal Limiter functions credited in the
safety analyses are maintained. With these
automatic functions maintained, the
proposed modification does not create the
possibility of a new or different kind of
accident from any accident previously
evaluated in the UFSAR.
No new accident scenarios, transient
precursors, failure mechanisms, or limiting
single failures will be introduced as a result
of the proposed modification. No new or
different accidents result from the proposed
modification. The proposed modification
will not alter the performance of the RPS,
RCIS and PRNMS.
Thus, 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 amendment involve
a significant reduction in a margin of safety?
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Response: No.
The proposed modification does not alter
the manner in which safety limits, safety
setpoints, or limiting conditions for operation
are determined. The PRNMS hardware and
software are not changed by this
modification. The modified system responds
to a loss of power, and a restoration of power,
in the same way as the TFSP system would
have responded. The proposed modification
makes no changes to the PRNMS, RPS or
RCIS human-system interfaces. The
equipment credited to perform a safety
function has been designed and installed to
the applicable quality standards and
maintained the required redundancy. The
proposed modification is expected to provide
an improvement in accuracy for the
determination of the low power setpoint and
high power setpoint in terms of reactor
power. The replacement of the TFSP output
signals with the PRNMS output signals does
not reduce the diversity of the RPS trip
functions by use of a more direct
measurement of power given the additional
diverse capabilities available. The proposed
modification maintains conservative margins
between Analytical Limits, Allowable Values
and the Nominal Trip Setpoints.
The proposed change does not impact
accident offsite dose, containment pressure
or temperature, Emergency Core Cooling
System settings, Reactor Core Isolation
Cooling System settings or RPS settings, or
other parameter that could affect a margin of
safety.
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
amendment request involves no
significant hazards consideration.
Attorney for licensee: Anna Vinson
Jones, Senior Counsel/Legal
Department, Entergy Services, Inc., 101
Constitution Avenue NW, Suite 200
East, Washington, DC 20001.
NRC Branch Chief: Robert J.
Pascarelli.
Tennessee Valley Authority, Docket
Nos. 50–259, 50–260, and 50–296,
Browns Ferry Nuclear Plant, Units 1, 2,
and 3 (BFN), Limestone County,
Alabama
Date of amendment request: February
23, 2018, as supplemented by letter
dated March 7, 2018. Publicly-available
versions are in ADAMS under
Accession Nos. ML18079B140 and
ML18067A495, respectively.
Description of amendment request:
This amendment request contains
sensitive unclassified non-safeguards
information (SUNSI). The proposed
amendments would allow operation of
BFN in the expanded Maximum
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Extended Load Line Limit Analysis Plus
(MELLLA+) operating domain.
Basis for proposed no significant
hazards consideration determination:
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 operation in the MELLLA+
operating domain does not significantly
increase the probability or consequences of
an accident previously evaluated.
The probability (frequency of occurrence)
of Design Basis Accidents (DBAs) occurring
is not affected by the MELLLA+ operating
domain because BFN continues to comply
with the regulatory and design basis criteria
established for plant equipment. There is no
change in consequences of postulated
accidents when operating in the MELLLA+
operating domain compared to the operating
domain previously evaluated. The results of
accident evaluations remain within the NRC
approved acceptance limits.
The spectrum of postulated transients has
been investigated and is shown to meet the
plant’s currently licensed regulatory criteria.
Continued compliance with the Safety Limit
Minimum Critical Power Ratio (SLMCPR)
will be confirmed on a cycle-specific basis
consistent with the criteria accepted by the
NRC.
Challenges to the reactor coolant pressure
boundary were evaluated for the MELLLA+
operating domain conditions (pressure,
temperature, flow, and radiation) and were
found to meet their acceptance criteria for
allowable stresses and overpressure margin.
Challenges to the containment were
evaluated and the containment and its
associated cooling systems continue to meet
the current licensing basis. The calculated
post-Loss-of-Coolant Accident (LOCA)
suppression pool temperature remains
acceptable.
Therefore, the proposed change 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 proposed operation in the MELLLA+
operating domain does not create the
possibility of a new or different kind of
accident from any previously evaluated.
Equipment that could be affected by the
MELLLA+ operating domain has been
evaluated. No new operating mode, safetyrelated equipment lineup, accident scenario,
or equipment failure mode was identified.
The full spectrum of accident considerations
has been evaluated and no new or different
kind of accident has been identified. The
MELLLA+ operating domain uses developed
technology, and applies it within the
capabilities of existing plant safety-related
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equipment in accordance with the regulatory
criteria (including NRC-approved codes,
standards and methods). No new accident or
event precursor has been identified.
Therefore, the proposed change 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 operation in the MELLLA+
operating domain does not involve a
significant reduction in the margin of safety.
The MELLLA+ operating domain affects
only design and operational margins.
Challenges to the fuel, reactor coolant
pressure boundary, and containment were
evaluated for the MELLLA+ operating
domain conditions. Fuel integrity is
maintained by meeting existing design and
regulatory limits. The calculated loads on
affected structures, systems, and
components, including the reactor coolant
pressure boundary, will remain within their
design allowables for design basis event
categories. No NRC acceptance criterion is
exceeded. The BFN configuration and
responses to transients and postulated
accidents do not result in exceeding the
presently approved NRC acceptance limits.
Therefore, the proposed change 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
amendment request involves no
significant hazards consideration.
Attorney for licensee: General
Counsel, Tennessee Valley Authority,
400 West Summit Hill Dr., WT 6A–K,
Knoxville, Tennessee 37902.
NRC Acting Branch Chief: Brian W.
Tindell.
Order Imposing Procedures for Access
to Sensitive Unclassified NonSafeguards Information for Contention
Preparation
Entergy Louisiana, LLC, and Entergy
Operations, Inc., Docket No. 50–458,
River Bend Station, Unit 1, West
Feliciana Parish, Louisiana
Entergy Operations, Inc.; System Energy
Resources, Inc.; Cooperative Energy, A
Mississippi Electric Cooperative; and
Entergy Mississippi, Inc., Docket No. 50–
416, Grand Gulf Nuclear Station, Unit 1,
Claiborne County, Mississippi
Tennessee Valley Authority, Docket
Nos. 50–259, 50–260, and 50–296,
Browns Ferry Nuclear Plant, Unit Nos.
1, 2, and 3, Limestone County, Alabama
A. This Order contains instructions
regarding how potential parties to this
proceeding may request access to
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26117
documents containing Sensitive
Unclassified Non-Safeguards
Information (SUNSI).
B. Within 10 days after publication of
this notice of hearing and opportunity to
petition for leave to intervene, any
potential party who believes access to
SUNSI is necessary to respond to this
notice may request access to SUNSI. A
‘‘potential party’’ is any person who
intends to participate as a party by
demonstrating standing and filing an
admissible contention under 10 CFR
2.309. Requests for access to SUNSI
submitted later than 10 days after
publication of this notice will not be
considered absent a showing of good
cause for the late filing, addressing why
the request could not have been filed
earlier.
C. The requester shall submit a letter
requesting permission to access SUNSI
to the Office of the Secretary, U.S.
Nuclear Regulatory Commission,
Washington, DC 20555–0001, Attention:
Rulemakings and Adjudications Staff,
and provide a copy to the Associate
General Counsel for Hearings,
Enforcement and Administration, Office
of the General Counsel, U.S. Nuclear
Regulatory Commission, Washington,
DC 20555–0001. The expedited delivery
or courier mail address for both offices
is: U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission,
11555 Rockville Pike, Rockville,
Maryland 20852. The email address for
the Office of the Secretary and the
Office of the General Counsel are
Hearing.Docket@nrc.gov and
OGCmailcenter@nrc.gov, respectively.1
The request must include the following
information:
(1) A description of the licensing
action with a citation to this Federal
Register notice;
(2) The name and address of the
potential party and a description of the
potential party’s particularized interest
that could be harmed by the action
identified in C.(1); and
(3) The identity of the individual or
entity requesting access to SUNSI and
the requester’s basis for the need for the
information in order to meaningfully
participate in this adjudicatory
proceeding. In particular, the request
must explain why publicly available
versions of the information requested
would not be sufficient to provide the
basis and specificity for a proffered
contention.
D. Based on an evaluation of the
information submitted under paragraph
1 While a request for hearing or petition to
intervene in this proceeding must comply with the
filing requirements of the NRC’s ‘‘E-Filing Rule,’’
the initial request to access SUNSI under these
procedures should be submitted as described in this
paragraph.
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C.(3) the NRC staff will determine
within 10 days of receipt of the request
whether:
(1) There is a reasonable basis to
believe the petitioner is likely to
establish standing to participate in this
NRC proceeding; and
(2) The requestor has established a
legitimate need for access to SUNSI.
E. If the NRC staff determines that the
requestor satisfies both D.(1) and D.(2)
above, the NRC staff will notify the
requestor in writing that access to
SUNSI has been granted. The written
notification will contain instructions on
how the requestor may obtain copies of
the requested documents, and any other
conditions that may apply to access to
those documents. These conditions may
include, but are not limited to, the
signing of a Non-Disclosure Agreement
or Affidavit, or Protective Order 2 setting
forth terms and conditions to prevent
the unauthorized or inadvertent
disclosure of SUNSI by each individual
who will be granted access to SUNSI.
F. Filing of Contentions. Any
contentions in these proceedings that
are based upon the information received
as a result of the request made for
SUNSI must be filed by the requestor no
later than 25 days after receipt of (or
access to) that information. However, if
more than 25 days remain between the
petitioner’s receipt of (or access to) the
information and the deadline for filing
all other contentions (as established in
the notice of hearing or opportunity for
hearing), the petitioner may file its
SUNSI contentions by that later
deadline.
G. Review of Denials of Access.
(1) If the request for access to SUNSI
is denied by the NRC staff after a
determination on standing and requisite
need, the NRC staff shall immediately
notify the requestor in writing, briefly
stating the reason or reasons for the
denial.
(2) The requester may challenge the
NRC staff’s adverse determination by
filing a challenge within 5 days of
receipt of that determination with: (a)
The presiding officer designated in this
proceeding; (b) if no presiding officer
has been appointed, the Chief
Administrative Judge, or if he or she is
unavailable, another administrative
judge, or an Administrative Law Judge
with jurisdiction pursuant to 10 CFR
2.318(a); or (c) if another officer has
been designated to rule on information
access issues, with that officer.
(3) Further appeals of decisions under
this paragraph must be made pursuant
to 10 CFR 2.311.
H. Review of Grants of Access. A
party other than the requester may
challenge an NRC staff determination
granting access to SUNSI whose release
would harm that party’s interest
independent of the proceeding. Such a
challenge must be filed within 5 days of
the notification by the NRC staff of its
grant of access and must be filed with:
(a) The presiding officer designated in
this proceeding; (b) if no presiding
officer has been appointed, the Chief
Administrative Judge, or if he or she is
unavailable, another administrative
judge, or an Administrative Law Judge
with jurisdiction pursuant to 10 CFR
2.318(a); or (c) if another officer has
been designated to rule on information
access issues, with that officer.
If challenges to the NRC staff
determinations are filed, these
procedures give way to the normal
process for litigating disputes
concerning access to information. The
availability of interlocutory review by
the Commission of orders ruling on
such NRC staff determinations (whether
granting or denying access) is governed
by 10 CFR 2.311.3
I. The Commission expects that the
NRC staff and presiding officers (and
any other reviewing officers) will
consider and resolve requests for access
to SUNSI, and motions for protective
orders, in a timely fashion in order to
minimize any unnecessary delays in
identifying those petitioners who have
standing and who have propounded
contentions meeting the specificity and
basis requirements in 10 CFR part 2.
The attachment to this Order
summarizes the general target schedule
for processing and resolving requests
under these procedures.
It is so ordered.
Dated at Rockville, Maryland, this 17th day
of May, 2018.
For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
Annette L. Vietti-Cook,
Secretary of the Commission.
ATTACHMENT 1—GENERAL TARGET SCHEDULE FOR PROCESSING AND RESOLVING REQUESTS FOR ACCESS TO SENSITIVE
UNCLASSIFIED NON-SAFEGUARDS INFORMATION IN THIS PROCEEDING
Day
Event/activity
0 ....................
Publication of Federal Register notice of hearing and opportunity to petition for leave to intervene, including order with instructions for access requests.
Deadline for submitting requests for access to Sensitive Unclassified Non-Safeguards Information (SUNSI) with information:
supporting the standing of a potential party identified by name and address; and describing the need for the information in
order for the potential party to participate meaningfully in an adjudicatory proceeding.
Deadline for submitting petition for intervention containing: (i) Demonstration of standing; and (ii) all contentions whose formulation does not require access to SUNSI (+25 Answers to petition for intervention; +7 petitioner/requestor reply).
U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) staff informs the requester of the staff’s determination whether the request for access provides a reasonable basis to believe standing can be established and shows need for SUNSI. (NRC staff also informs
any party to the proceeding whose interest independent of the proceeding would be harmed by the release of the information.) If NRC staff makes the finding of need for SUNSI and likelihood of standing, NRC staff begins document processing
(preparation of redactions or review of redacted documents).
If NRC staff finds no ‘‘need’’ or no likelihood of standing, the deadline for petitioner/requester to file a motion seeking a ruling to
reverse the NRC staff’s denial of access; NRC staff files copy of access determination with the presiding officer (or Chief Administrative Judge or other designated officer, as appropriate). If NRC staff finds ‘‘need’’ for SUNSI, the deadline for any party
to the proceeding whose interest independent of the proceeding would be harmed by the release of the information to file a
motion seeking a ruling to reverse the NRC staff’s grant of access.
Deadline for NRC staff reply to motions to reverse NRC staff determination(s).
10 ..................
60 ..................
20 ..................
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25 ..................
30 ..................
2 Any motion for Protective Order or draft NonDisclosure Affidavit or Agreement for SUNSI must
be filed with the presiding officer or the Chief
Administrative Judge if the presiding officer has not
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yet been designated, within 30 days of the deadline
for the receipt of the written access request.
3 Requesters should note that the filing
requirements of the NRC’s E-Filing Rule (72 FR
49139; August 28, 2007, as amended at 77 FR
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46562; August 3, 2012), apply to appeals of NRC
staff determinations (because they must be served
on a presiding officer or the Commission, as
applicable), but not to the initial SUNSI request
submitted to the NRC staff under these procedures.
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26119
ATTACHMENT 1—GENERAL TARGET SCHEDULE FOR PROCESSING AND RESOLVING REQUESTS FOR ACCESS TO SENSITIVE
UNCLASSIFIED NON-SAFEGUARDS INFORMATION IN THIS PROCEEDING—Continued
Day
Event/activity
40 ..................
(Receipt +30) If NRC staff finds standing and need for SUNSI, deadline for NRC staff to complete information processing and
file motion for Protective Order and draft Non-Disclosure Affidavit. Deadline for applicant/licensee to file Non-Disclosure
Agreement for SUNSI.
If access granted: issuance of presiding officer or other designated officer decision on motion for protective order for access to
sensitive information (including schedule for providing access and submission of contentions) or decision reversing a final adverse determination by the NRC staff.
Deadline for filing executed Non-Disclosure Affidavits. Access provided to SUNSI consistent with decision issuing the protective
order.
Deadline for submission of contentions whose development depends upon access to SUNSI. However, if more than 25 days remain between the petitioner’s receipt of (or access to) the information and the deadline for filing all other contentions (as established in the notice of opportunity to request a hearing and petition for leave to intervene), the petitioner may file its SUNSI
contentions by that later deadline.
(Contention receipt +25) Answers to contentions whose development depends upon access to SUNSI.
(Answer receipt +7) Petitioner/Intervenor reply to answers.
Decision on contention admission.
A ....................
A + 3 .............
A + 28 ...........
A + 53 ...........
A + 60 ...........
>A + 60 .........
BILLING CODE 7590–01–P
PENSION BENEFIT GUARANTY
CORPORATION
Pendency for Request for Approval of
Special Withdrawal Liability Rules:
Alaska Electrical Pension Plan of the
Alaska Electrical Pension Fund
Pension Benefit Guaranty
Corporation.
AGENCY:
ACTION:
Notice of pendency of request.
This notice advises interested
persons that the Pension Benefit
Guaranty Corporation (PBGC) has
received a request from the Alaska
Electrical Pension Plan of the Alaska
Electrical Pension Fund for approval of
a plan amendment providing for special
withdrawal liability rules. Under
PBGC’s regulation on Extension of
Special Withdrawal Liability Rules, a
multiemployer pension plan may, with
PBGC approval, be amended to provide
for special withdrawal liability rules
similar to those that apply to the
construction and entertainment
industries. Such approval is granted
only if PBGC determines that the rules
apply to an industry with characteristics
that make use of the special rules
appropriate and that the rules will not
pose a significant risk to the pension
insurance system. Before granting an
approval, PBGC’s regulations require
PBGC to give interested persons an
opportunity to comment on the request.
The purpose of this notice is to advise
interested persons of the request and to
solicit their views on it.
amozie on DSK3GDR082PROD with NOTICES1
SUMMARY:
Comments must be submitted on
or before July 20, 2018.
DATES:
VerDate Sep<11>2014
20:19 Jun 04, 2018
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Comments may be
submitted by any of the following
methods:
• Federal eRulemaking Portal: https://
www.regulations.gov. Follow the
instructions for submitting comments.
• Email: reg.comments@pbgc.gov.
Refer to the Alaska Plan in the subject
line.
• Mail or Hand Delivery: Regulatory
Affairs Division, Office of the General
Counsel, Pension Benefit Guaranty
Corporation, 1200 K Street NW,
Washington, DC 20005–4026.
All submissions received must
include the agency’s name (Pension
Benefit Guaranty Corporation, or PBGC)
and refer to the Alaska Plan. All
comments received will be posted
without change to PBGC’s website,
https://www.pbgc.gov, including any
personal information provided. Copies
of comments may also be obtained by
writing to Disclosure Division, Office of
the General Counsel, Pension Benefit
Guaranty Corporation, 1200 K Street
NW, Washington, DC 20005–4026 or
calling 202–326–4040 during normal
business hours. (TTY users may call the
Federal relay service toll-free at 1–800–
877–8339 and ask to be connected to
202–326–4040.)
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jon
Chatalian, ext. 6757, Acting Assistant
General Counsel (Chatalian.Jon@
PBGC.gov), 202–326–4020, ext. 6757,
Office of the Chief Counsel, Suite 340,
1200 K Street NW, Washington, DC
20005–4026. (TTY users may call the
Federal relay service toll-free at 1–800–
877–8339 and ask to be connected to
202–326–4020.)
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
ADDRESSES:
[FR Doc. 2018–10982 Filed 6–4–18; 8:45 am]
Background
Section 4203(a) of the Employee
Retirement Income Security Act of 1974,
as amended by the Multiemployer
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Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
Pension Plan Amendments Act of 1980
(ERISA), provides that a complete
withdrawal from a multiemployer plan
generally occurs when an employer
permanently ceases to have an
obligation to contribute under the plan
or permanently ceases all covered
operations under the plan. Under
section 4205 of ERISA, a partial
withdrawal generally occurs when an
employer: (1) Reduces its contribution
base units by seventy percent in each of
three consecutive years; or (2)
permanently ceases to have an
obligation under one or more but fewer
than all collective bargaining
agreements under which the employer
has been obligated to contribute under
the plan, while continuing to perform
work in the jurisdiction of the collective
bargaining agreement of the type for
which contributions were previously
required or transfers such work to
another location or to an entity or
entities owned or controlled by the
employer; or (3) permanently ceases to
have an obligation to contribute under
the plan for work performed at one or
more but fewer than all of its facilities,
while continuing to perform work at the
facility of the type for which the
obligation to contribute ceased.
Although the general rules on
complete and partial withdrawal
identify events that normally result in a
diminution of the plan’s contribution
base, Congress recognized that, in
certain industries and under certain
circumstances, a complete or partial
cessation of the obligation to contribute
normally does not weaken the plan’s
contribution base. For that reason,
Congress established special withdrawal
rules for the construction and
entertainment industries.
For construction industry plans and
employers, section 4203(b)(2) of ERISA
provides that a complete withdrawal
E:\FR\FM\05JNN1.SGM
05JNN1
]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 108 (Tuesday, June 5, 2018)]
[Notices]
[Pages 26112-26119]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2018-10982]
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NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION
[NRC-2018-0102]
Applications and Amendments to Facility Operating Licenses and
Combined Licenses Involving Proposed No Significant Hazards
Considerations and Containing Sensitive Unclassified Non-Safeguards
Information and Order Imposing Procedures for Access to Sensitive
Unclassified Non-Safeguards Information
AGENCY: Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
ACTION: License amendment request; notice of opportunity to comment,
request a hearing, and petition for leave to intervene; order imposing
procedures.
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SUMMARY: The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) received and is
considering approval of three amendment requests. The amendment
requests are for River Bend Station, Unit 1; Grand Gulf Nuclear
Station, Unit 1; and Browns Ferry Nuclear Plant, Units 1, 2, and 3. For
each amendment request, the NRC proposes to determine that they involve
no significant hazards consideration. Because each amendment request
contains sensitive unclassified non-safeguards information (SUNSI) an
order imposes procedures to obtain access to SUNSI for contention
preparation.
DATES: Comments must be filed by July 5, 2018. A request for a hearing
must be filed by August 6, 2018. Any potential party as defined in
Sec. 2.4 of title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations (10 CFR) who
believes access to SUNSI is necessary to respond to this notice must
request document access by June 15, 2018.
ADDRESSES: You may submit comments by any of the following methods:
Federal Rulemaking website: Go to https://www.regulations.gov and search for Docket ID NRC-2018-0102. Address
questions about NRC dockets to Jennifer Borges; telephone: 301-287-
9127; email: [email protected]. For technical questions, contact
the individual listed in the FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT section of
this document.
Mail comments to: May Ma, Office of Administration, Mail
Stop: TWFN-7-A60M, 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.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Beverly Clayton, Office of Nuclear
Reactor Regulation, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Washington, DC
20555-0001; telephone: 301-415-3475; email: [email protected].
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
I. Obtaining Information and Submitting Comments
A. Obtaining Information
Please refer to Docket ID NRC-2018-0102, facility name, unit
number(s),
[[Page 26113]]
plant docket number, application date, and subject 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 website: Go to https://www.regulations.gov and search for Docket ID NRC-2018-0102.
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 [email protected]. The
ADAMS accession number for each document referenced is provided the
first time that it is mentioned in this document.
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-2018-0102, facility name, unit
number(s), plant docket number, application date, and subject 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 will post all comment submissions at https://www.regulations.gov as well as enter 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 into ADAMS.
II. Background
Pursuant to Section 189a.(2) of the Atomic Energy Act of 1954, as
amended (the Act), the NRC is publishing this notice. The Act requires
the Commission to publish notice of any amendments issued, or proposed
to be issued and grants the Commission the authority to issue and make
immediately effective any amendment to an operating license or combined
license, as applicable, upon a determination by the Commission that
such amendment involves no significant hazards consideration,
notwithstanding the pendency before the Commission of a request for a
hearing from any person.
This notice includes notices of amendments containing SUNSI.
III. Notice of Consideration of Issuance of Amendments to Facility
Operating Licenses and Combined Licenses, Proposed No Significant
Hazards Consideration Determination, and Opportunity for a Hearing
The Commission has made a proposed determination that the following
amendment requests involve no significant hazards consideration. Under
the Commission'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. The basis
for this proposed determination for each amendment request is shown
below.
The Commission is seeking public comments on this proposed
determination. 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 period provided that its final determination is that 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 if 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. If the Commission
takes action prior to the expiration of either the comment period or
the notice period, it will publish a notice of issuance in the Federal
Register. If the Commission makes 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.
A. 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 petition for leave 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. The NRC's regulations are accessible
electronically from the NRC Library on the NRC's website at https://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/doc-collections/cfr/. Alternatively, a copy of
the regulations is available at the NRC's Public Document Room, located
at One White Flint North, Room O1-F21, 11555 Rockville Pike (first
floor), Rockville, Maryland 20852. If a petition is filed, the
Commission or a presiding officer will rule on the petition and, if
appropriate, a notice of a hearing will be issued.
As required by 10 CFR 2.309(d) the petition should specifically
explain the reasons why intervention should be permitted with
particular reference to the following general requirements for
standing: (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.
In accordance with 10 CFR 2.309(f), the petition must also set
forth the specific contentions which the petitioner seeks to have
litigated in 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 must 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 the specific sources and
documents on which the petitioner intends to rely to support its
position on the issue. The petition must include sufficient information
to show that a genuine dispute exists with the
[[Page 26114]]
applicant or licensee on a material issue of law or fact. Contentions
must 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 the requirements at 10 CFR
2.309(f) 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.
Parties have the opportunity to participate fully in the conduct of the
hearing with respect to resolution of that party's admitted
contentions, including the opportunity to present evidence, consistent
with the NRC's regulations, policies, and procedures.
Petitions must be filed no later than 60 days from the date of
publication of this notice. Petitions and motions for leave to file new
or amended contentions that are filed after the 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). The petition must be filed in
accordance with the filing instructions in the ``Electronic Submissions
(E-Filing)'' section of this document.
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 establish 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 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 the 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 no later
than 60 days from the date of publication of this notice. 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. Alternatively, a State, local
governmental body, Federally-recognized Indian Tribe, or agency thereof
may participate as a non-party under 10 CFR 2.315(c).
If a hearing is granted, any person who is not a party to the
proceeding and is not affiliated with or represented by a party may, at
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
his or her 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.
B. Electronic Submissions (E-Filing)
All documents filed in NRC adjudicatory proceedings, including a
request for hearing and petition for leave to intervene (petition), any
motion or other document filed in the proceeding prior to the
submission of a request for hearing or petition to intervene, and
documents filed by interested governmental entities that request to
participate 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. Detailed
guidance on making electronic submissions may be found in the Guidance
for Electronic Submissions to the NRC and on the NRC website at https://www.nrc.gov/site-help/e-submittals.html. 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 [email protected], or by
telephone at 301-415-1677, to (1) request a digital identification (ID)
certificate, which allows the participant (or its counsel or
representative) to digitally sign submissions and access the E-Filing
system for any proceeding in which it is participating; and (2) advise
the Secretary that the participant will be submitting a petition or
other adjudicatory document (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 website at https://www.nrc.gov/site-help/e-submittals/getting-started.html. Once a participant has obtained a
digital ID certificate and a docket has been created, the participant
can then submit adjudicatory documents. Submissions must be in Portable
Document Format (PDF). Additional guidance on PDF submissions is
available on the NRC's public website at https://www.nrc.gov/site-help/electronic-sub-ref-mat.html. A filing is considered complete at the
time the document is 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
document on those participants separately. Therefore, applicants and
other participants (or their counsel or representative) must apply for
and receive a digital ID certificate before adjudicatory documents are
filed so that they can obtain access to the documents via the E-Filing
system.
A person filing electronically using the NRC's adjudicatory E-
Filing system may seek assistance by contacting the NRC's Electronic
Filing Help Desk through the ``Contact Us'' link located
[[Page 26115]]
on the NRC's public website at https://www.nrc.gov/site-help/e-submittals.html, by email to [email protected], or by a toll-free
call at 1-866-672-7640. The NRC Electronic Filing Help Desk is
available between 9 a.m. and 6 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 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 adjudicatory documents 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://adams.nrc.gov/ehd, unless excluded pursuant to an order of the
Commission or the presiding officer. If you do not have an NRC-issued
digital ID certificate as described above, click cancel when the link
requests certificates and you will be automatically directed to the
NRC's electronic hearing dockets where you will be able to access any
publicly available documents in a particular hearing docket.
Participants are requested not to include personal privacy information,
such as social security numbers, home addresses, or personal phone
numbers in their filings, unless an NRC regulation or other law
requires submission of such information. For example, in some
instances, individuals provide home addresses in order to demonstrate
proximity to a facility or site. 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.
Entergy Louisiana, LLC, and Entergy Operations, Inc., Docket No. 50-
458, River Bend Station, Unit 1 (River Bend), West Feliciana Parish,
Louisiana
Date of amendment request: April 2, 2018. A publicly-available
version is in ADAMS under Accession No. ML18092B187.
Description of amendment request: This amendment request contains
sensitive unclassified non-safeguards information (SUNSI). The proposed
amendment would replace Technical Specification (TS) Figure 3.4.11-1,
``Minimum Temperature Required vs. RCS [Reactor Coolant System]
Pressure,'' curves, also known as the pressure and temperature limit
curves. The current TS figure is calculated for 34 Effective Full Power
Years (EFPY), and the proposed TS figure would provide for 54 EFPY. The
proposed TS figure includes new fluence values and material chemistry
information, and uses the new methodologies described in Licensing
Topical Report NEDO-33882, Revision 1, ``Pressure and Temperature
Limits Report (PTLR) Up to 54 Effective Full Power Years.''
Basis for proposed no significant hazards consideration
determination: 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, with NRC staff edits in square
brackets:
1. Does the proposed change involve a significant increase in
the probability or consequences of an accident previously evaluated?
Response: No.
Basis: The proposed change to the River Bend reactor coolant
system (RCS) pressure/temperature (P/T) limits does not modify the
boundary, operating pressure, materials or seismic loading of the
reactor coolant system. The proposed change does adjust the P/T
limits for neutron irradiation effects to ensure that the Reactor
Pressure Vessel (RPV) fracture toughness is consistent with analysis
assumptions and NRC regulations. Changing the applicability of the
limits to 54 effective full power years (EFPY) will continue to
maintain appropriate limits for River Bend during the renewed
license term. The proposed limits are more bounding than the current
limits.
Therefore, it is concluded that this change does not
significantly increase 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.
Basis: The proposed change to the reactor pressure vessel
pressure-temperature limits does not involve any physical changes
(installing new equipment or modifying existing equipment). The
change does not affect the assumed accident performance of any
structure, system or component previously evaluated. These revised
limits are in compliance with the brittle fracture requirements of
[10 CFR part 50] Appendix G. The proposed change does not introduce
any new modes of system operation or failure mechanisms.
Therefore, the proposed change 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.
Basis: The proposed change, which corrects a non-conservative
TS, does not exceed or alter a setpoint, design basis or safety
limit. Therefore, it is concluded that this change 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
amendment request involves no significant hazards consideration.
Attorney for licensee: Anna Vinson Jones, Senior Counsel/Legal
Department, Entergy Services, Inc., 101 Constitution Avenue NW, Suite
200 East, Washington, DC 20001.
NRC Branch Chief: Robert J. Pascarelli.
Entergy Operations, Inc. (Entergy); System Energy Resources, Inc.;
Cooperative Energy, A Mississippi Electric Cooperative; and Entergy
Mississippi, Inc., Docket No. 50-416, Grand Gulf Nuclear Station, Unit
No. 1, Claiborne County, Mississippi
Date of amendment request: March 26, 2018. A publicly-available
version is in ADAMS under Accession No. ML18085A579.
Description of amendment request: This amendment request contains
sensitive unclassified non-safeguards information (SUNSI). The proposed
amendment would revise the Updated Final Safety Analysis Report (UFSAR)
descriptions for the replacement of the Turbine First Stage Pressure
(TFSP) output signals with Power Range Neutron Monitoring System
(PRNMS) output signals. During June 2014, Entergy implemented
Engineering Change (EC) 49880 in accordance with
[[Page 26116]]
10 CFR 50.59, ``Changes, tests, and experiments,'' that replaced the
use of the TFSP instruments with the PRNMS to measure reactor power. On
December 9, 2016, the NRC issued NRC Inspection Report 05000416/
2016007. In this inspection report, the NRC issued non-cited violation
050000416/2016007-02, which identified that Entergy failed to obtain a
license amendment prior to implementing the proposed change.
Specifically, modification EC 40880 eliminated the TFSP instrument
signals to the Reactor Protection System and replaced the signals with
average power range monitor signals. The NRC concluded that the change
reduced the diversity and resulted in a more than minimal increase in
the likelihood of occurrence of a malfunction of a structure, system,
or component (SSC) important to safety.
Entergy has determined that the proposed change requires NRC
approval per 10 CFR 50.59(c)(2). Entergy concluded that the plant
modification is potentially a reduction in diversity based on the Grand
Gulf Nuclear Station, Unit 1, licensing basis. As such, the potential
reduction in diversity is considered to be a change that results in
more than a minimal increase in the likelihood of occurrence of a
malfunction of an SSC important to safety previously evaluated in the
UFSAR.
The proposed amendment would eliminate the potential for a
transient caused by the mechanical failure of the TFSP sensing lines
and instruments. It would also eliminate process delays in the steam
lines, as the PRNMS voltage output signals are based on average power
range monitoring signals, a direct and immediate measurement of neutron
flux. The PRNMS signals are divisionally separated, safety-related, and
provide reliability, quality, and defense-in-depth that the TFSP
sensing lines and instruments could not provide. The replacement of the
TFSP output signals with the PRNMS output signals enhances plant safety
and improves reliability.
Basis for proposed no significant hazards consideration
determination: 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 amendment involve a significant increase in
the probability or consequences of an accident previously evaluated?
Response: No.
The proposed modification does not result in a change to the
safety related functions including Low Power Setpoint (LPSP) and
High Power Setpoint (HPSP), Turbine Stop Valve (TSV) closure and
Turbine Control Valve (TCV) fast closure scram enable/bypass, and
End of Cycle Recirculation Pump Trip (EOC-RPT) enable/bypass. The
accidents potentially affected by the TFSP instrumentation are the
turbine trip event (UFSAR Section 15.2.3), generator load rejection
event (UFSAR Section 15.2.2), control rod drop accident (UFSAR
Section 15.4.9) and rod withdrawal error (UFSAR Section 15.4.1). The
proposed use of PRNMS signal outputs as inputs to the trip units
will maintain the safety related functions credited in the evaluated
events. Furthermore, the proposed modification makes no changes to
the existing PRNM system inputs, system software or hardware
architecture.
Overall protection system performance will remain within the
bounds of the previously performed accident analyses since the
proposed modification does not change the Reactor Protection System
(RPS) or the Rod Control and Information System (RCIS). The same RPS
and RCIS instrumentation will continue to be used. The protection
systems will continue to function in a manner consistent with the
plant design basis. The proposed modifications will not adversely
affect accident initiators or precursors nor adversely alter the
design assumptions and conditions of the facility or the manner in
which the plant is operated and maintained with respect to such
initiators or precursors.
The proposed modification will not prevent the capability of
structures, systems, and components (SSCs) to perform their intended
functions for mitigating the consequences of an accident and meeting
applicable acceptance limits.
Therefore, operation of the facility in accordance with the
proposed amendment would not involve a significant increase in the
probability or consequences of an accident previously evaluated.
2. Does the proposed amendment create the possibility of a new
or different kind of accident from any accident previously
evaluated?
Response: No.
The use of PRNMS for determining reactor power will ensure that
the protective functions EOC-RPT, TSV closure and TCV fast closure
direct scram functions, and the rod pattern controller (RPC) and Rod
Withdrawal Limiter functions credited in the safety analyses are
maintained. With these automatic functions maintained, the proposed
modification does not create the possibility of a new or different
kind of accident from any accident previously evaluated in the
UFSAR.
No new accident scenarios, transient precursors, failure
mechanisms, or limiting single failures will be introduced as a
result of the proposed modification. No new or different accidents
result from the proposed modification. The proposed modification
will not alter the performance of the RPS, RCIS and PRNMS.
Thus, 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 amendment involve a significant reduction
in a margin of safety?
Response: No.
The proposed modification does not alter the manner in which
safety limits, safety setpoints, or limiting conditions for
operation are determined. The PRNMS hardware and software are not
changed by this modification. The modified system responds to a loss
of power, and a restoration of power, in the same way as the TFSP
system would have responded. The proposed modification makes no
changes to the PRNMS, RPS or RCIS human-system interfaces. The
equipment credited to perform a safety function has been designed
and installed to the applicable quality standards and maintained the
required redundancy. The proposed modification is expected to
provide an improvement in accuracy for the determination of the low
power setpoint and high power setpoint in terms of reactor power.
The replacement of the TFSP output signals with the PRNMS output
signals does not reduce the diversity of the RPS trip functions by
use of a more direct measurement of power given the additional
diverse capabilities available. The proposed modification maintains
conservative margins between Analytical Limits, Allowable Values and
the Nominal Trip Setpoints.
The proposed change does not impact accident offsite dose,
containment pressure or temperature, Emergency Core Cooling System
settings, Reactor Core Isolation Cooling System settings or RPS
settings, or other parameter that could affect a margin of safety.
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
amendment request involves no significant hazards consideration.
Attorney for licensee: Anna Vinson Jones, Senior Counsel/Legal
Department, Entergy Services, Inc., 101 Constitution Avenue NW, Suite
200 East, Washington, DC 20001.
NRC Branch Chief: Robert J. Pascarelli.
Tennessee Valley Authority, Docket Nos. 50-259, 50-260, and 50-296,
Browns Ferry Nuclear Plant, Units 1, 2, and 3 (BFN), Limestone County,
Alabama
Date of amendment request: February 23, 2018, as supplemented by
letter dated March 7, 2018. Publicly-available versions are in ADAMS
under Accession Nos. ML18079B140 and ML18067A495, respectively.
Description of amendment request: This amendment request contains
sensitive unclassified non-safeguards information (SUNSI). The proposed
amendments would allow operation of BFN in the expanded Maximum
[[Page 26117]]
Extended Load Line Limit Analysis Plus (MELLLA+) operating domain.
Basis for proposed no significant hazards consideration
determination: 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 operation in the MELLLA+ operating domain does not
significantly increase the probability or consequences of an
accident previously evaluated.
The probability (frequency of occurrence) of Design Basis
Accidents (DBAs) occurring is not affected by the MELLLA+ operating
domain because BFN continues to comply with the regulatory and
design basis criteria established for plant equipment. There is no
change in consequences of postulated accidents when operating in the
MELLLA+ operating domain compared to the operating domain previously
evaluated. The results of accident evaluations remain within the NRC
approved acceptance limits.
The spectrum of postulated transients has been investigated and
is shown to meet the plant's currently licensed regulatory criteria.
Continued compliance with the Safety Limit Minimum Critical Power
Ratio (SLMCPR) will be confirmed on a cycle-specific basis
consistent with the criteria accepted by the NRC.
Challenges to the reactor coolant pressure boundary were
evaluated for the MELLLA+ operating domain conditions (pressure,
temperature, flow, and radiation) and were found to meet their
acceptance criteria for allowable stresses and overpressure margin.
Challenges to the containment were evaluated and the containment
and its associated cooling systems continue to meet the current
licensing basis. The calculated post-Loss-of-Coolant Accident (LOCA)
suppression pool temperature remains acceptable.
Therefore, the proposed change 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 proposed operation in the MELLLA+ operating domain does not
create the possibility of a new or different kind of accident from
any previously evaluated.
Equipment that could be affected by the MELLLA+ operating domain
has been evaluated. No new operating mode, safety-related equipment
lineup, accident scenario, or equipment failure mode was identified.
The full spectrum of accident considerations has been evaluated and
no new or different kind of accident has been identified. The
MELLLA+ operating domain uses developed technology, and applies it
within the capabilities of existing plant safety-related equipment
in accordance with the regulatory criteria (including NRC-approved
codes, standards and methods). No new accident or event precursor
has been identified.
Therefore, the proposed change 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 operation in the MELLLA+ operating domain does not
involve a significant reduction in the margin of safety.
The MELLLA+ operating domain affects only design and operational
margins. Challenges to the fuel, reactor coolant pressure boundary,
and containment were evaluated for the MELLLA+ operating domain
conditions. Fuel integrity is maintained by meeting existing design
and regulatory limits. The calculated loads on affected structures,
systems, and components, including the reactor coolant pressure
boundary, will remain within their design allowables for design
basis event categories. No NRC acceptance criterion is exceeded. The
BFN configuration and responses to transients and postulated
accidents do not result in exceeding the presently approved NRC
acceptance limits.
Therefore, the proposed change 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
amendment request involves no significant hazards consideration.
Attorney for licensee: General Counsel, Tennessee Valley Authority,
400 West Summit Hill Dr., WT 6A-K, Knoxville, Tennessee 37902.
NRC Acting Branch Chief: Brian W. Tindell.
Order Imposing Procedures for Access to Sensitive Unclassified Non-
Safeguards Information for Contention Preparation
Entergy Louisiana, LLC, and Entergy Operations, Inc., Docket No. 50-
458, River Bend Station, Unit 1, West Feliciana Parish, Louisiana
Entergy Operations, Inc.; System Energy Resources, Inc.; Cooperative
Energy, A Mississippi Electric Cooperative; and Entergy Mississippi,
Inc., Docket No. 50-416, Grand Gulf Nuclear Station, Unit 1, Claiborne
County, Mississippi
Tennessee Valley Authority, Docket Nos. 50-259, 50-260, and 50-296,
Browns Ferry Nuclear Plant, Unit Nos. 1, 2, and 3, Limestone County,
Alabama
A. This Order contains instructions regarding how potential parties
to this proceeding may request access to documents containing Sensitive
Unclassified Non-Safeguards Information (SUNSI).
B. Within 10 days after publication of this notice of hearing and
opportunity to petition for leave to intervene, any potential party who
believes access to SUNSI is necessary to respond to this notice may
request access to SUNSI. A ``potential party'' is any person who
intends to participate as a party by demonstrating standing and filing
an admissible contention under 10 CFR 2.309. Requests for access to
SUNSI submitted later than 10 days after publication of this notice
will not be considered absent a showing of good cause for the late
filing, addressing why the request could not have been filed earlier.
C. The requester shall submit a letter requesting permission to
access SUNSI to the Office of the Secretary, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory
Commission, Washington, DC 20555-0001, Attention: Rulemakings and
Adjudications Staff, and provide a copy to the Associate General
Counsel for Hearings, Enforcement and Administration, Office of the
General Counsel, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Washington, DC
20555-0001. The expedited delivery or courier mail address for both
offices is: U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, 11555 Rockville Pike,
Rockville, Maryland 20852. The email address for the Office of the
Secretary and the Office of the General Counsel are
[email protected] and [email protected], respectively.\1\ The
request must include the following information:
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\1\ While a request for hearing or petition to intervene in this
proceeding must comply with the filing requirements of the NRC's
``E-Filing Rule,'' the initial request to access SUNSI under these
procedures should be submitted as described in this paragraph.
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(1) A description of the licensing action with a citation to this
Federal Register notice;
(2) The name and address of the potential party and a description
of the potential party's particularized interest that could be harmed
by the action identified in C.(1); and
(3) The identity of the individual or entity requesting access to
SUNSI and the requester's basis for the need for the information in
order to meaningfully participate in this adjudicatory proceeding. In
particular, the request must explain why publicly available versions of
the information requested would not be sufficient to provide the basis
and specificity for a proffered contention.
D. Based on an evaluation of the information submitted under
paragraph
[[Page 26118]]
C.(3) the NRC staff will determine within 10 days of receipt of the
request whether:
(1) There is a reasonable basis to believe the petitioner is likely
to establish standing to participate in this NRC proceeding; and
(2) The requestor has established a legitimate need for access to
SUNSI.
E. If the NRC staff determines that the requestor satisfies both
D.(1) and D.(2) above, the NRC staff will notify the requestor in
writing that access to SUNSI has been granted. The written notification
will contain instructions on how the requestor may obtain copies of the
requested documents, and any other conditions that may apply to access
to those documents. These conditions may include, but are not limited
to, the signing of a Non-Disclosure Agreement or Affidavit, or
Protective Order \2\ setting forth terms and conditions to prevent the
unauthorized or inadvertent disclosure of SUNSI by each individual who
will be granted access to SUNSI.
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\2\ Any motion for Protective Order or draft Non-Disclosure
Affidavit or Agreement for SUNSI must be filed with the presiding
officer or the Chief Administrative Judge if the presiding officer
has not yet been designated, within 30 days of the deadline for the
receipt of the written access request.
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F. Filing of Contentions. Any contentions in these proceedings that
are based upon the information received as a result of the request made
for SUNSI must be filed by the requestor no later than 25 days after
receipt of (or access to) that information. However, if more than 25
days remain between the petitioner's receipt of (or access to) the
information and the deadline for filing all other contentions (as
established in the notice of hearing or opportunity for hearing), the
petitioner may file its SUNSI contentions by that later deadline.
G. Review of Denials of Access.
(1) If the request for access to SUNSI is denied by the NRC staff
after a determination on standing and requisite need, the NRC staff
shall immediately notify the requestor in writing, briefly stating the
reason or reasons for the denial.
(2) The requester may challenge the NRC staff's adverse
determination by filing a challenge within 5 days of receipt of that
determination with: (a) The presiding officer designated in this
proceeding; (b) if no presiding officer has been appointed, the Chief
Administrative Judge, or if he or she is unavailable, another
administrative judge, or an Administrative Law Judge with jurisdiction
pursuant to 10 CFR 2.318(a); or (c) if another officer has been
designated to rule on information access issues, with that officer.
(3) Further appeals of decisions under this paragraph must be made
pursuant to 10 CFR 2.311.
H. Review of Grants of Access. A party other than the requester may
challenge an NRC staff determination granting access to SUNSI whose
release would harm that party's interest independent of the proceeding.
Such a challenge must be filed within 5 days of the notification by the
NRC staff of its grant of access and must be filed with: (a) The
presiding officer designated in this proceeding; (b) if no presiding
officer has been appointed, the Chief Administrative Judge, or if he or
she is unavailable, another administrative judge, or an Administrative
Law Judge with jurisdiction pursuant to 10 CFR 2.318(a); or (c) if
another officer has been designated to rule on information access
issues, with that officer.
If challenges to the NRC staff determinations are filed, these
procedures give way to the normal process for litigating disputes
concerning access to information. The availability of interlocutory
review by the Commission of orders ruling on such NRC staff
determinations (whether granting or denying access) is governed by 10
CFR 2.311.\3\
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\3\ Requesters should note that the filing requirements of the
NRC's E-Filing Rule (72 FR 49139; August 28, 2007, as amended at 77
FR 46562; August 3, 2012), apply to appeals of NRC staff
determinations (because they must be served on a presiding officer
or the Commission, as applicable), but not to the initial SUNSI
request submitted to the NRC staff under these procedures.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
I. The Commission expects that the NRC staff and presiding officers
(and any other reviewing officers) will consider and resolve requests
for access to SUNSI, and motions for protective orders, in a timely
fashion in order to minimize any unnecessary delays in identifying
those petitioners who have standing and who have propounded contentions
meeting the specificity and basis requirements in 10 CFR part 2. The
attachment to this Order summarizes the general target schedule for
processing and resolving requests under these procedures.
It is so ordered.
Dated at Rockville, Maryland, this 17th day of May, 2018.
For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
Annette L. Vietti-Cook,
Secretary of the Commission.
Attachment 1--General Target Schedule for Processing and Resolving
Requests for Access to Sensitive Unclassified Non-Safeguards Information
in This Proceeding
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Event/activity
------------------------------------------------------------------------
0...................... Publication of Federal Register notice of
hearing and opportunity to petition for leave
to intervene, including order with
instructions for access requests.
10..................... Deadline for submitting requests for access to
Sensitive Unclassified Non[dash]Safeguards
Information (SUNSI) with information:
supporting the standing of a potential party
identified by name and address; and describing
the need for the information in order for the
potential party to participate meaningfully in
an adjudicatory proceeding.
60..................... Deadline for submitting petition for
intervention containing: (i) Demonstration of
standing; and (ii) all contentions whose
formulation does not require access to SUNSI
(+25 Answers to petition for intervention; +7
petitioner/requestor reply).
20..................... U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) staff
informs the requester of the staff's
determination whether the request for access
provides a reasonable basis to believe
standing can be established and shows need for
SUNSI. (NRC staff also informs any party to
the proceeding whose interest independent of
the proceeding would be harmed by the release
of the information.) If NRC staff makes the
finding of need for SUNSI and likelihood of
standing, NRC staff begins document processing
(preparation of redactions or review of
redacted documents).
25..................... If NRC staff finds no ``need'' or no likelihood
of standing, the deadline for petitioner/
requester to file a motion seeking a ruling to
reverse the NRC staff's denial of access; NRC
staff files copy of access determination with
the presiding officer (or Chief Administrative
Judge or other designated officer, as
appropriate). If NRC staff finds ``need'' for
SUNSI, the deadline for any party to the
proceeding whose interest independent of the
proceeding would be harmed by the release of
the information to file a motion seeking a
ruling to reverse the NRC staff's grant of
access.
30..................... Deadline for NRC staff reply to motions to
reverse NRC staff determination(s).
[[Page 26119]]
40..................... (Receipt +30) If NRC staff finds standing and
need for SUNSI, deadline for NRC staff to
complete information processing and file
motion for Protective Order and draft Non-
Disclosure Affidavit. Deadline for applicant/
licensee to file Non-Disclosure Agreement for
SUNSI.
A...................... If access granted: issuance of presiding
officer or other designated officer decision
on motion for protective order for access to
sensitive information (including schedule for
providing access and submission of
contentions) or decision reversing a final
adverse determination by the NRC staff.
A + 3.................. Deadline for filing executed Non-Disclosure
Affidavits. Access provided to SUNSI
consistent with decision issuing the
protective order.
A + 28................. Deadline for submission of contentions whose
development depends upon access to SUNSI.
However, if more than 25 days remain between
the petitioner's receipt of (or access to) the
information and the deadline for filing all
other contentions (as established in the
notice of opportunity to request a hearing and
petition for leave to intervene), the
petitioner may file its SUNSI contentions by
that later deadline.
A + 53................. (Contention receipt +25) Answers to contentions
whose development depends upon access to
SUNSI.
A + 60................. (Answer receipt +7) Petitioner/Intervenor reply
to answers.
>A + 60................ Decision on contention admission.
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[FR Doc. 2018-10982 Filed 6-4-18; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7590-01-P
