[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 143 (Friday, July 25, 2003)]
[Notices]
[Pages 44107-44108]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-18963]



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NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION

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


Duke Energy Corporation, et al., Catawba Nuclear Station, Units 1 
and 2; McGuire Nuclear Station, Units 1 and 2; Notice of Consideration 
of Issuance of Amendment to Facility Operating License 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-9 and NPF-17, issued to Duke Power Company (the licensee), for 
operation of the McGuire Nuclear Station, Unit Nos. 1 and 2 (McGuire), 
located in Mecklenburg County, North Carolina and to Facility Operating 
License Nos. NPF-35 and NPF-52, issued to Duke Power Company, et al. 
(the licensee), for operation of the Catawba Nuclear Station (CNS), 
Units 1 and 2, located in York County, South Carolina.
    The proposed amendments, requested by the licensee in a letter 
dated February 27, 2003, would revise the Technical Specifications 
(TSs) to allow the use of four mixed oxide (MOX) lead assemblies at 
either the Catawba Nuclear Station or the McGuire Nuclear Station. The 
licensee has proposed changes to two sections of the TSs that address 
the storage of MOX fuel assemblies in the spent fuel storage racks: 
Section 3.7.15, ``Spent Fuel Assembly Storage'' and Section 4.3, ``Fuel 
Storage.'' The licensee has also proposed changes to TS Section 4.2, 
``Reactor Core,'' to reflect the use of MOX fuel in addition to the 
currently specified slightly enriched uranium dioxide fuel and to 
reflect the use of fuel rods clad with an M5TM zirconium 
alloy that has a different material specification than the materials 
currently referenced in the TS. Associated changes are proposed for TS 
Section 5.6.5, ``Core Operating Limits Report (COLR),'' to add several 
more methodologies that will be used to develop the limits that will be 
included in the COLR. Associated changes have also been proposed for 
the TS Bases section.
    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.
    By August 25, 2003, the licensee may file a request for a hearing 
with respect to issuance of the amendment 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, 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/NRC/CFR/index.html. 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 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.
    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 a 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 amendment 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.
    A request for a hearing and 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, located at One White Flint North, 11555 Rockville Pike 
(first floor), Rockville, Maryland, by the above date. A copy of the 
petition should also be sent to the Office of the General Counsel, U.S. 
Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Washington, DC 20555-0001, and to Ms. 
Lisa F. Vaughn, Legal Department (ECIIX), 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)(l)-(v) and 2.714(d).

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    If a request for a hearing is received, the Commission's staff may 
issue the amendment after it completes its technical review and prior 
to the completion of any required hearing if it publishes a further 
notice for public comment of its proposed finding of no significant 
hazards consideration in accordance with 10 CFR 50.91 and 50.92. For 
further details with respect to the proposed action, see the licensee's 
application dated February 27, 2003. 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. Publicly available records will be accessible electronically 
from the Agencywide Documents Access and Management Systems (ADAMS) 
Public Electronic Reading Room on the Internet at the NRC web site, 
http://www.nrc.gov. If you do not have access to ADAMS or if there are 
problems in accessing the documents located in ADAMS, contact the NRC 
Public Document Room (PDR) Reference staff at 1-800-397-4209, 301-415-
4737 or by email to [email protected].

    Dated at Rockville, Maryland, this 21st day of July, 2003.

    For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
Robert E. Martin, Sr.,
Project Manager, Section 1, Project Directorate II, Division of 
Licensing Project Management, Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation.
[FR Doc. 03-18963 Filed 7-24-03; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7590-01-P