[Federal Register Volume 67, Number 164 (Friday, August 23, 2002)]
[Notices]
[Pages 54680-54682]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 02-21522]


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NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION

[Docket Nos. 50-413, 50-414, 50-369, and 50-370]


Duke Energy Corporation, et al.; Notice of Consideration of 
Issuance of Amendment to Facility Operating License, Proposed No 
Significant Hazards Consideration Determination, and Opportunity for a 
Hearing

    The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (the Commission) is 
considering issuance of an amendment to Facility Operating License Nos. 
NPF-35, NPF-52, NPF-9, and NPF-17 issued to Duke Energy Corporation, et 
al., (the licensee) for operation of the Catawba Nuclear Station, Units 
1 and 2, and McGuire Nuclear Station, Units 1 and 2, located in York 
County, South Carolina and Mecklenburg County, North Carolina.
    The proposed amendments would revise Technical Specification (TS) 
5.6.5 regarding the Core Operating Limits Report (COLR). TS 5.6.5.a 
lists the parameters for which the limiting values have been relocated 
by previous TS amendments from the TS to the COLR. Specifically, for 
both Catawba and McGuire Nuclear Stations, the amendments would revise 
the TS 5.6.5.a by (1) adding ``60 ppm'' to Item 5.6.5.a.1 regarding the 
moderator temperature coefficient (MTC) surveillance limit for 
Specification 3.1.3, and (2) by adding Item 5.6.5.a.12, ``31 EFPD 
[effective full-power day] surveillance penalty factors for 
Specifications 3.2.1 and 3.2.2.'' In addition, for Catawba Nuclear 
Station, the amendments would add Item 5.6.5.a.13, ``Reactor makeup 
water pumps combined flow rates limit for Specifications 3.3.9 and 
3.9.2.'' The limiting values for these parameters were previously 
relocated from the TS to the COLR without the parameter identifier 
being retained in the TS. Inclusion of the parameter identifier in the 
TS will improve consistency between the TS and the COLR. The amendments 
would also change Bases

[[Page 54681]]

3.2.1 and 3.2.3 to remove the specific date of the referenced topical 
report.
    Before issuance of the proposed license amendments, the Commission 
will have made findings required by the Atomic Energy Act of 1954, as 
amended (the Act), and the Commission's regulations.
    The Commission has made a proposed determination that the amendment 
request involves 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 amendments would not: (1) 
Involve a significant increase in the probability or consequences of an 
accident previously evaluated; (2) create the possibility of a new or 
different kind of accident from any accident previously evaluated; or 
(3) involve a significant reduction in a margin of safety. As required 
by 10 CFR 50.91(a), the licensee has provided its analysis of the issue 
of no significant hazards consideration. The NRC staff has reviewed the 
licensee's analysis against the standards of 10 CFR 50.92(c). The NRC 
staff's review is presented below:
    1. Would implementation of the changes proposed in these amendments 
involve a significant increase in the probability or consequences of an 
accident previously evaluated?
    No. These amendments make clarifications and additions to the list 
of referenced TS listed in both McGuire and Catawba Nuclear Stations TS 
5.6.5.a. The additions to the list of referenced TS are consistent with 
the COLR and provide additional clarifications. Therefore, the proposed 
changes have no impact on any accident probabilities or consequences.
    2. Would implementation of the changes proposed in these amendments 
create the possibility of a new or different kind of accident from any 
accident previously evaluated?
    No. The proposed changes contained in these amendments only make 
additions or clarifications that are consistent with the McGuire and 
Catawba Nuclear Stations COLR and established plant operating 
practices. Therefore, no new or different kinds of accidents are being 
created.
    3. Would implementation of the changes proposed in these amendments 
Involve a significant reduction in a margin of safety?
    No. Margin of safety is related to the confidence in the ability of 
the fission product barriers to perform their design functions during 
and following an accident situation. These barriers include the fuel 
cladding, the reactor coolant system, and the containment system. These 
barriers are unaffected by the changes proposed in these amendments. 
The margin of safety is established through the design of the plant 
structures, systems, and components, the parameters within which the 
plant is operated, and the establishment of the setpoints for the 
actuation of equipment relied upon to respond to an event and thereby 
protect the fission product barriers. The changes proposed in these 
amendments make additions to a list of referenced TS that are currently 
approved for use at McGuire and Catawba Nuclear Stations. These changes 
have no affect on the applicable McGuire and Catawba Nuclear Stations 
licensing bases, and following implementation of the proposed changes, 
all applicable acceptance criteria will continue to be met. 
Consequently, no margin of safety will be significantly impacted by 
these amendments.
    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.
    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 amendments until the 
expiration of the 30-day notice period. However, should circumstances 
change during the notice period such that failure to act in a timely 
way would result, for example, in derating or shutdown of the facility, 
the Commission may issue the license amendments before the expiration 
of the 30-day notice period, provided that its final determination is 
that the amendments involve no significant hazards consideration. The 
final determination will consider all public and State comments 
received. Should the Commission take this action, it will publish in 
the Federal Register a notice of issuance and provide for opportunity 
for a hearing after issuance. The Commission expects that the need to 
take this action will occur very infrequently.
    Written comments may be submitted by mail to the Chief, Rules and 
Directives Branch, Division of Administrative Services, Office of 
Administration, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Washington, DC 
20555-0001, and should cite the publication date and page number of 
this Federal Register notice. Written comments may also be delivered to 
Room 6D59, Two White Flint North, 11545 Rockville Pike, Rockville, 
Maryland, from 7:30 a.m. to 4:15 p.m. Federal workdays. Documents may 
be examined, and/or copied for a fee, at the NRC's Public Document 
Room, located at One White Flint North, 11555 Rockville Pike (first 
floor), Rockville, Maryland.
    The filing of requests for hearing and petitions for leave to 
intervene is discussed below.
    By September 23, 2002, the licensee may file a request for a 
hearing with respect to issuance of the amendments to the subject 
facility operating license and any person whose interest may be 
affected by this proceeding and who wishes to participate as a party in 
the proceeding must file a written request for a hearing and a petition 
for leave to intervene. Requests for a hearing and a petition for leave 
to intervene shall be filed in accordance with the Commission's ``Rules 
of Practice for Domestic Licensing Proceedings'' in 10 CFR part 2. 
Interested persons should consult a current copy of 10 CFR 2.714,\1\ 
which is available at the Commission's Public Document Room, located at 
One White Flint North, 11555 Rockville Pike (first floor), Rockville, 
Maryland, or electronically on the Internet at the NRC Web site http://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/doc-collections/cfr/. If there are problems in 
accessing the document, contact the Public Document Room Reference 
staff at 1-800-397-4209, 301-415-4737, or by e-mail to [email protected]. If 
a request for a hearing or petition for leave to intervene is filed by 
the above date, the Commission or an Atomic Safety and Licensing Board, 
designated by the Commission or by the Chairman

[[Page 54682]]

of the Atomic Safety and Licensing Board Panel, will rule on the 
request and/or petition; and the Secretary or the designated Atomic 
Safety and Licensing Board will issue a notice of hearing or an 
appropriate order.
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    \1\ The most recent version of Title 10 of the Code of Federal 
Regulations, published January 1, 2002, inadvertently omitted the 
last sentence of 10 CFR 2.714(d) and subparagraphs (d)(1) and (2), 
regarding petitions to intervene and contentions. Those provisions 
are extant and still applicable to petitions to intervene. Those 
provisions are as follows: ``In all other circumstances, such ruling 
body or officer shall, in ruling on--
    (1) A petition for leave to intervene or a request for hearing, 
consider the following factors, among other things:
    (i) The nature of the petitioner's right under the Act to be 
made a party to the proceeding.
    (ii) The nature and extent of the petitioner's property, 
financial, or other interest in the proceeding.
    (iii) The possible effect of any order that may be entered in 
the proceeding on the petitioner's interest.
    (2) The admissibility of a contention, refuse to admit a 
contention if:
    (i) The contention and supporting material fail to satisfy the 
requirements of paragraph (b)(2) of this section; or
    (ii) The contention, if proven, would be of no consequence in 
the proceeding because it would not entitle petitioner to relief.''
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    As required by 10 CFR 2.714, a petition for leave to intervene 
shall set forth with particularity the interest of the petitioner in 
the proceeding, and how that interest may be affected by the results of 
the proceeding. The petition should specifically explain the reasons 
why intervention should be permitted with particular reference to the 
following factors: (1) The nature of the petitioner's right under the 
Act to be made party to the proceeding; (2) the nature and extent of 
the petitioner's property, financial, or other interest in the 
proceeding; and (3) the possible effect of any order which may be 
entered in the proceeding on the petitioner's interest. The petition 
should also identify the specific aspect(s) of the subject matter of 
the proceeding as to which petitioner wishes to intervene. Any person 
who has filed a petition for leave to intervene or who has been 
admitted as a party may amend the petition without requesting leave of 
the Board up to 15 days prior to the first prehearing conference 
scheduled in the proceeding, but such an amended petition must satisfy 
the specificity requirements described above.
    Not later than 15 days prior to the first prehearing conference 
scheduled in the proceeding, a petitioner shall file a supplement to 
the petition to intervene which must include a list of the contentions 
which are sought to be litigated in the matter. Each contention must 
consist of a specific statement of the issue of law or fact to be 
raised or controverted. In addition, the petitioner shall provide a 
brief explanation of the bases of the contention and a concise 
statement of the alleged facts or expert opinion which support the 
contention and on which the petitioner intends to rely in proving the 
contention at the hearing. The petitioner must also provide references 
to those specific sources and documents of which the petitioner is 
aware and on which the petitioner intends to rely to establish those 
facts or expert opinion. Petitioner must provide sufficient information 
to show that a genuine dispute exists with the applicant on a material 
issue of law or fact. Contentions shall be limited to matters within 
the scope of the amendments under consideration. The contention must be 
one which, if proven, would entitle the petitioner to relief. A 
petitioner who fails to file such a supplement which satisfies these 
requirements with respect to at least one contention will not be 
permitted to participate as a party.
    Those permitted to intervene become parties to the proceeding, 
subject to any limitations in the order granting leave to intervene, 
and have the opportunity to participate fully in the conduct of the 
hearing, including the opportunity to present evidence and cross-
examine witnesses.
    If a hearing is requested, the Commission will make a final 
determination on the issue of no significant hazards consideration. The 
final determination will serve to decide when the hearing is held.
    If the final determination is that the amendment request involves 
no significant hazards consideration, the Commission may issue the 
amendments and make it immediately effective, notwithstanding the 
request for a hearing. Any hearing held would take place after issuance 
of the amendments.
    If the final determination is that the amendment request involves a 
significant hazards consideration, any hearing held would take place 
before the issuance of any amendments.
    A request for a hearing or a petition for leave to intervene must 
be filed with the Secretary of the Commission, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory 
Commission, Washington, DC 20555-0001, Attention: Rulemakings and 
Adjudications Staff, or may be delivered to the Commission's Public 
Document Room (PDR), located at One White Flint North, 11555 Rockville 
Pike (first floor), Rockville, Maryland, by the above date. Because of 
the continuing disruptions in delivery of mail to United States 
Government offices, it is requested that petitions for leave to 
intervene and requests for hearing be transmitted to the Secretary of 
the Commission either by means of facsimile transmission to 301-415-
1101 or by e-mail to [email protected]. A copy of the petition for 
leave to intervene and request for hearing should also be sent to the 
Office of the General Counsel, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, 
Washington, DC 20555-0001, and because of continuing disruptions in 
delivery of mail to United States Government offices, it is requested 
that copies be transmitted either by means of facsimile transmission to 
301-415-3725 or by e-mail to [email protected]. A copy of the 
request for hearing and petition for leave to intervene should also be 
sent to Ms. Lisa F. Vaughn , Legal Department (PB05E), Duke Energy 
Corporation, 422 South Church Street, Charlotte, North Carolina 28201-
1006, attorney for the licensee.
    Nontimely filings of petitions for leave to intervene, amended 
petitions, supplemental petitions and/or requests for hearing will not 
be entertained absent a determination by the Commission, the presiding 
officer or the presiding Atomic Safety and Licensing Board that the 
petition and/or request should be granted based upon a balancing of the 
factors specified in 10 CFR 2.714(a)(1)(i)-(v) and 2.714(d).
    For further details with respect to this action, see the 
application for amendments dated October 7, 2001, as supplemented by 
letter dated August 7, 2002, which is available for public inspection 
at the Commission's PDR, located at One White Flint North, 11555 
Rockville Pike (first floor), Rockville, Maryland. Publicly available 
records will be accessible from the Agencywide Documents Access and 
Management System's (ADAMS) Public Electronic Reading Room on the 
Internet at the NRC Web site, http://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/adams.html. 
Persons who do not have access to ADAMS or who encounter problems in 
accessing the documents located in ADAMS, should contact the NRC PDR 
Reference staff by telephone at 1-800-397-4209, 301-415-4737, or by e-
mail to [email protected].

    Dated at Rockville, Maryland, this 20th day of August 2002.

    For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
Chandu P. Patel,
Project Manager, Section 1, Project Directorate II, Division of 
Licensing Project Management.
[FR Doc. 02-21522 Filed 8-22-02; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7590-01-P