[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 214 (Monday, November 5, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Pages 66486-66492]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-26762]


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NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION

[NRC-2012-0259]


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, opportunity to comment, and 
opportunity to request a hearing, order.

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DATES: Comments must be filed by December 5, 2012. A request for a 
hearing must be filed by January 4, 2013. Any potential party as 
defined in section 2.4 of Title of the Code of Federal Regulations (10 
CFR), who believes access to Sensitive Unclassified Non-Safeguards 
Information (SUNSI) is necessary to respond to this notice must request 
document access by November 15, 2012.

ADDRESSES: You may access information and comment submissions related 
to this document, which the NRC possesses and are publicly available, 
by searching on http://www.regulations.gov under Docket ID NRC-2012-
0259. You may submit comments by any of the following methods:
     Federal Rulemaking Web site: Go to http://www.regulations.gov and search for Docket ID NRC-2012-0259. Address 
questions about NRC dockets to Carol Gallagher; telephone: 301-492-
3668; email: [email protected].
     Mail comments to: Cindy Bladey, Chief, Rules, 
Announcements, and Directives Branch (RADB), Office of Administration, 
Mail Stop: TWB-05-B01M, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Washington, 
DC 20555-0001.
     Fax comments to: RADB at 301-492-3446.
    For additional direction on accessing information and submitting 
comments, see ``Accessing Information and Submitting Comments'' in the 
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section of this document.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

I. Accessing Information and Submitting Comments

A. Accessing Information

    Please refer to Docket ID NRC-2012-0259 when contacting the NRC 
about the availability of information regarding this document. You may 
access information related to this document, which the NRC possesses 
and is publicly available, by the following methods:
     Federal Rulemaking Web site: Go to http://www.regulations.gov and search for Docket ID NRC-2012-0259.
     NRC's Agencywide Documents Access and Management System 
(ADAMS): You may access publicly available documents online in the NRC 
Library at http://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 in this notice (if that document is 
available in ADAMS) is provided the first time that a document is 
referenced.
     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-2012-0259 in the subject line of your 
comment submission, in order to ensure that the NRC is able to make 
your comment submission available to the public in this docket.
    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 http://www.regulations.gov as well as entering the comment submissions into 
ADAMS. The NRC does not routinely edit comment submissions to remove 
identifying or contact information.
    If you are requesting or aggregating comments from other persons 
for submission to the NRC, then you should inform those persons not to 
include identifying or contact information that they do not want to be 
publicly disclosed in their comment submission. Your request should 
state that the NRC does not routinely edit comment submissions to 
remove such information before making the comment submissions available 
to the public or entering the comment submissions into ADAMS.

II. Background

    Pursuant to Section 189a.(2) of the Atomic Energy Act of 1954, as 
amended

[[Page 66487]]

(the Act), the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (the Commission or 
NRC staff) is publishing this notice. The Act requires the Commission 
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.

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 should circumstances change during the 30-day 
comment period such that failure to act in a timely way would result, 
for example in derating or shutdown of the facility. Should the 
Commission take action prior to the expiration of either the comment 
period or the notice period, it will publish in the Federal Register a 
notice of issuance. Should the Commission make a final No Significant 
Hazards Consideration Determination, any hearing will take place after 
issuance. The Commission expects that the need to take this action will 
occur very infrequently.
    Within 60 days after the date of publication of this notice, any 
person(s) whose interest may be affected by this action may file a 
request for a hearing and a petition to intervene with respect to 
issuance of the amendment to the subject facility operating license or 
combined license. 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 person(s) should consult a current copy of 10 CFR 2.309, 
which is available at the NRC's PDR, located at One White Flint North, 
Room O1-F21, 11555 Rockville Pike (first floor), Rockville, Maryland 
20852. The NRC regulations are accessible electronically from the NRC 
Library on the NRC's Web site at http://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/doc-collections/cfr/. If a request for a hearing or petition for leave to 
intervene is filed within 60 days, the Commission or a presiding 
officer designated by the Commission or by the Chief Administrative 
Judge of the Atomic Safety and Licensing Board Panel, will rule on the 
request and/or petition; and the Secretary or the Chief Administrative 
Judge of the Atomic Safety and Licensing Board will issue a notice of a 
hearing or an appropriate order.
    As required by 10 CFR 2.309, 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 general requirements: (1) The name, address, and telephone 
number of the requestor or petitioner; (2) the nature of the 
requestor's/petitioner's right under the Act to be made a party to the 
proceeding; (3) the nature and extent of the requestor's/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 requestor's/petitioner's interest. The petition must 
also set forth the specific contentions which the requestor/petitioner 
seeks to have litigated at the proceeding.
    Each contention must consist of a specific statement of the issue 
of law or fact to be raised or controverted. In addition, the 
requestor/petitioner shall provide a brief explanation of the bases for 
the contention and a concise statement of the alleged facts or expert 
opinion which support the contention and on which the requestor/
petitioner intends to rely in proving the contention at the hearing. 
The requestor/petitioner must also provide references to those specific 
sources and documents of which the petitioner is aware and on which the 
requestor/petitioner intends to rely to establish those facts or expert 
opinion. The petition must include sufficient information to show that 
a genuine dispute exists with the applicant on a material issue of law 
or fact. Contentions shall be limited to matters within the scope of 
the amendment under consideration. The contention must be one which, if 
proven, would entitle the requestor/petitioner to relief. A requestor/
petitioner who fails to satisfy these requirements with respect to at 
least one contention will not be permitted to participate as a party.
    Those permitted to intervene become parties to the proceeding, 
subject to any limitations in the order granting leave to intervene, 
and have the opportunity to participate fully in the conduct of the 
hearing.
    If a hearing is requested, and the Commission has not made a final 
determination on the issue of no significant hazards consideration, the 
Commission will make a final determination on the issue of no 
significant hazards consideration. The final determination will serve 
to decide when the hearing is held. If the final determination is that 
the amendment request involves no significant hazards consideration, 
the Commission may issue the amendment and make it immediately 
effective, notwithstanding the request for a hearing. Any hearing held 
would take place after issuance of the amendment. If the final 
determination is that the amendment request involves a significant 
hazards consideration, then any hearing held would take place before 
the issuance of any amendment.
    All documents filed in the NRC adjudicatory proceedings, including 
a request for hearing, a petition for leave to intervene, any motion or 
other document filed in the proceeding prior to the submission of a 
request for hearing or petition to intervene, and documents filed by 
interested governmental entities participating under 10 CFR 2.315(c), 
must be filed in accordance with the NRC's E-Filing rule

[[Page 66488]]

(72 FR 49139; August 28, 2007). The E-Filing process requires 
participants to submit and serve all adjudicatory documents over the 
internet, or in some cases to mail copies on electronic storage media. 
Participants may not submit paper copies of their filings unless they 
seek an exemption in accordance with the procedures described below.
    To comply with the procedural requirements of E-Filing, at least 10 
days prior to the filing deadline, the participant should contact the 
Office of the Secretary by email at [email protected], or by 
telephone at 301-415-1677, to request (1) a digital identification (ID) 
certificate, which allows the participant (or its counsel or 
representative) to digitally sign documents and access the E-Submittal 
server for any proceeding in which it is participating; and (2) advise 
the Secretary that the participant will be submitting a request or 
petition for hearing (even in instances in which the participant, or 
its counsel or representative, already holds an NRC-issued digital ID 
certificate). Based upon this information, the Secretary will establish 
an electronic docket for the hearing in this proceeding if the 
Secretary has not already established an electronic docket.
    Information about applying for a digital ID certificate is 
available on the NRC's public Web site at http://www.nrc.gov/site-help/e-submittals/apply-certificates.html. System requirements for accessing 
the E-Submittal server are detailed in the NRC's ``Guidance for 
Electronic Submission,'' which is available on the agency's public Web 
site at http://www.nrc.gov/site-help/e-submittals.html. Participants 
may attempt to use other software not listed on the Web site, but 
should note that the NRC's E-Filing system does not support unlisted 
software, and the NRC Meta System Help Desk will not be able to offer 
assistance in using unlisted software.
    If a participant is electronically submitting a document to the NRC 
in accordance with the E-Filing rule, the participant must file the 
document using the NRC's online, Web-based submission form. In order to 
serve documents through the Electronic Information Exchange System, 
users will be required to install a Web browser plug-in from the NRC's 
Web site. Further information on the Web-based submission form, 
including the installation of the Web browser plug-in, is available on 
the NRC's public Web site at http://www.nrc.gov/site-help/e-submittals.html.
    Once a participant has obtained a digital ID certificate and a 
docket has been created, the participant can then submit a request for 
hearing or petition for leave to intervene. Submissions should be in 
Portable Document Format (PDF) in accordance with the NRC guidance 
available on the NRC's public Web site at http://www.nrc.gov/site-help/e-submittals.html. A filing is considered complete at the time the 
documents are submitted through the NRC's E-Filing system. To be 
timely, an electronic filing must be submitted to the E-Filing system 
no later than 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time on the due date. Upon receipt of 
a transmission, the E-Filing system time-stamps the document and sends 
the submitter an email notice confirming receipt of the document. The 
E-Filing system also distributes an email notice that provides access 
to the document to the NRC's Office of the General Counsel and any 
others who have advised the Office of the Secretary that they wish to 
participate in the proceeding, so that the filer need not serve the 
documents on those participants separately. Therefore, applicants and 
other participants (or their counsel or representative) must apply for 
and receive a digital ID certificate before a hearing request/petition 
to intervene is filed so that they can obtain access to the document 
via the E-Filing system.
    A person filing electronically using the agency's adjudicatory E-
Filing system may seek assistance by contacting the NRC Meta System 
Help Desk through the ``Contact Us'' link located on the NRC's Web site 
at http://www.nrc.gov/site-help/e-submittals.html, by email at 
[email protected], or by a toll-free call at 1-866-672-7640. The 
NRC Meta System Help Desk is available between 8 a.m. and 8 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 
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, Sixteenth 
Floor, One White Flint North, 11555 Rockville Pike, Rockville, 
Maryland, 20852, Attention: Rulemaking and Adjudications Staff. 
Participants filing a document in this manner are responsible for 
serving the document on all other participants. Filing is considered 
complete by first-class mail as of the time of deposit in the mail, or 
by courier, express mail, or expedited delivery service upon depositing 
the document with the provider of the service. A presiding officer, 
having granted an exemption request from using E-Filing, may require a 
participant or party to use E-Filing if the presiding officer 
subsequently determines that the reason for granting the exemption from 
use of E-Filing no longer exists.
    Documents submitted in adjudicatory proceedings will appear in 
NRC's electronic hearing docket which is available to the public at 
http://ehd1.nrc.gov/ehd/, unless excluded pursuant to an order of the 
Commission, or the presiding officer. Participants are requested not to 
include personal privacy information, such as social security numbers, 
home addresses, or home phone numbers in their filings, unless an NRC 
regulation or other law requires submission of such information. 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.
    Petitions for leave to intervene must be filed no later than 60 
days from the date of publication of this notice. Requests for hearing, 
petitions for leave to intervene, and motions for leave to file new or 
amended contentions that are filed after the 60-day deadline will not 
be entertained absent a determination by the presiding officer that the 
filing demonstrates good cause by satisfying the following three 
factors in 10 CFR 2.309(c)(1): (i) The information upon which the 
filing is based was not previously available; (ii) the information upon 
which the filing is based is materially different from information 
previously available; and (iii) the filing has been submitted in a 
timely fashion based on the availability of the subsequent information.
    For further details with respect to this amendment action, see the 
application for amendment which is available for public inspection at 
the NRC's PDR, located at One White Flint North, Room O1-F21, 11555 
Rockville Pike (first floor), Rockville, Maryland 20852. Publicly 
available documents created or received at the NRC are accessible 
electronically through ADAMS in the NRC Library at http://www.nrc.gov/

[[Page 66489]]

reading-rm/adams.html. If you do not have access to ADAMS or if there 
are problems in accessing the documents located in ADAMS, contact the 
PDR's Reference staff at 1-800-397-4209, 301-415-4737, or by email to 
[email protected].

Exelon Generation Company, LLC, Docket No. 50-374, LaSalle County 
Station (LSCS), Unit 2, LaSalle County, Illinois

    Date of amendment request: October 11, 2012. A publicly available 
version is in ADAMS under Accession No. ML12285A387.
    Description of amendment request: This amendment request contains 
sensitive unclassified non-safeguards information (SUNSI). The proposed 
amendment would revise Technical Specifications (TS) Section 2.1.1, 
``Reactor Core SLs [Safety Limits],'' to reflect an increase of: 1) The 
two-recirculation loop minimum critical power ratio (MCPR) SL from >= 
1.11 to >= 1.14 and, 2) an increase in the single recirculation loop 
MCPR SL from >= 1.12 to >= 1.17. The change is required to support the 
LSCS, Unit 2, Cycle 15, operation. Cycle 15 will be the first cycle of 
operation with a mixed core containing the following fuel types: Global 
Nuclear Fuel (GNF) 2 fuel, and Areva ATRIUM-10 fuel.
    Basis for proposed no significant hazards consideration 
determination: In support of the no significant hazards consideration 
determination, an evaluation of each of the criteria set forth in 10 
CFR 50.92, ``Issuance of Amendment'' is provided below:

    1. Does the proposed change involve a significant increase in 
the probability or consequences of an accident previously evaluated?
    Response: No.
    The [MCPR SL] is defined in the TS Bases Section B 2.1.1 as that 
limit ``that, in the event of an AOO [Anticipated Operational 
Occurrence] from the limiting condition of operation, at least 99.9% 
of the fuel rods in the core would be expected to avoid boiling 
transition.'' The MCPR SL satisfies the requirements of General 
Design Criterion 10 of Appendix A to 10 CFR Part 50 regarding 
acceptable fuel design limits. The MCPR SL is reevaluated for each 
reload using NRC-approved methodologies. The analyses for LSCS, Unit 
2, Cycle 15 have concluded that a two-loop MCPR SL of >= 1.14, based 
on the application of [GNF's] NRC-approved MCPR SL methodology, will 
ensure that this acceptance criterion is met. For single-loop 
operation, a MCPR SL of >= 1.17 also ensures that this acceptance 
criterion is met. The MCPR operating limits are presented and 
controlled in accordance with the LSCS, Unit 2, Core Operating 
Limits Report (COLR).
    The requested TS changes do not involve any plant modifications 
or operational changes that could affect system reliability or 
performance, or that could affect the probability of operator error. 
The requested changes do not affect any postulated accident 
precursors, do not affect any accident mitigating systems, and do 
not introduce any new accident initiation mechanisms.
    Therefore, the changes to the [MCPR SL] do not involve a 
significant increase in the probability or consequences of any 
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 GNF2 fuel to be used in Cycle 15 is of a design compatible 
with the co-resident Areva ATRIUM-10 fuel. Therefore, the 
introduction of GNF2 fuel into the Cycle 15 core will not create the 
possibility of a new or different kind of accident. The proposed 
change does not involve any new modes of operation, any changes to 
setpoints, or any plant modifications. The proposed revised MCPR SLs 
have accounted for the mixed fuel core and have been shown to be 
acceptable for Cycle 15 operation. Compliance with the criterion for 
incipient boiling transition continues to be ensured. The core 
operating limits will continue to be developed using NRC approved 
methods which also account for the mixed fuel core design. The 
proposed MCPR SLs or methods for establishing the core operating 
limits do not result in the creation of any new precursors to an 
accident.
    Therefore, this change does not create the possibility of a new 
or different kind of accident from any previously evaluated.
    3. Does the proposed change involve a significant reduction in a 
margin of safety?
    Response: No.
    The MCPR SLs have been evaluated in accordance with GNF's NRC-
approved cycle-specific limit methodology to ensure that during 
normal operation and during AOO's at least 99.9% of the fuel rods in 
the core are not expected to experience transition boiling. The 
proposed revised MCPR SLs have accounted for the mixed fuel core and 
have been shown to be acceptable for Cycle 15 operation. Compliance 
with the criterion for incipient boiling transition continues to be 
ensured. On this basis, the implementation of the change to the MCPR 
SLs does not involve a significant reduction in a margin of safety.
    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 
requested amendments involve no significant hazards consideration.
    Attorney for licensee: Ms. Tamra Domeyer, Associate General 
Counsel, Exelon Nuclear, 4300 Winfield Road, Warrenville, IL 60555.
    NRC Acting Branch Chief: Michael I. Dudek.

Nebraska Public Power District, Docket No. 50-298, Cooper Nuclear 
Station, Nemaha County, Nebraska

    Date of amendment request: May 30, 2012, as supplemented by letter 
dated October 3, 2012. Public versions of the May 30 and October 3, 
2012, letters are available in ADAMS under Accession Nos. ML121570406 
and ML12285A356, respectively.
    Description of amendment request: This amendment request contains 
sensitive unclassified non-safeguards information (SUNSI). This 
amendment request was originally noticed on August 7, 2012 (77 FR 
47127); however, it is being re-noticed because the original notice did 
not provide information about accessing SUNSI information or include 
the Order Imposing Procedures for Access to Sensitive Unclassified Non-
Safeguards Information for Contention Preparation. The proposed 
amendment would revise Technical Specification Section 2.0, ``Safety 
Limits.'' Specifically, the proposed amendment would revise two 
recirculation loop and single recirculation loop Safety Limit Minimum 
Critical Power Ratio (SLMCPR) values to reflect results of a cycle-
specific calculation.
    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. Do the proposed changes involve a significant increase in the 
probability or consequences of an accident previously evaluated?
    Response: No.
    Four accidents have been evaluated previously as reflected in 
the CNS [Cooper Nuclear Station] Updated Safety Analysis Report 
(USAR). These four accidents are (1) loss-of-coolant, (2) control 
rod drop, (3) main steam line break, and (4) fuel handling. The 
probability of an evaluated accident is derived from the 
probabilities of the individual precursors to that accident. 
Changing the SLMCPR values does not increase the probability of an 
evaluated accident. The change does not require any physical 
modifications to the plant or any components, nor does it require a 
change in plant operation. Therefore, no individual precursors of an 
accident are affected.
    The consequences of an evaluated accident are determined by the 
operability of plant systems designed to mitigate those 
consequences. This proposed change makes no modification to the 
design or operation of the systems that are used in mitigation of 
accidents. Limits have been established, consistent with Nuclear 
Regulatory Commission (NRC) approved methods, to ensure that fuel 
performance during normal, transient, and accident conditions is

[[Page 66490]]

acceptable. The proposed change to the values of the SLMCPR 
continues to conservatively establish this safety limit such that 
the fuel is protected during normal operation and during any plant 
transients or anticipated operational occurrences.
    Based on the above, NPPD [Nebraska Public Power District] 
concludes that the proposed change does not involve a significant 
increase in the probability or consequences of an accident 
previously evaluated.
    2. Do the proposed changes create the possibility of a new or 
different kind of accident from any accident previously evaluated?
    Response: No.
    Creation of the possibility of a new or different kind of 
accident from an accident previously evaluated would require 
creation of precursors of that accident. New accident precursors may 
be created by modification of the plant configuration or changes in 
how the plant is operated. The proposed change does not involve a 
modification of the plant configuration or in how the plant is 
operated. The proposed change to the SLMCPR values assures that 
safety criteria are maintained.
    Based on the above, NPPD concludes that the proposed change does 
not create the possibility of a new or different kind of accident 
from any previously evaluated.
    3. Do the proposed changes involve a significant reduction in a 
margin of safety?
    Response: No.
    The values of the proposed SLMCPR provides a margin of safety by 
ensuring that no more than 0.1% of fuel rods are expected to be in 
boiling transition if the Minimum Critical Power Ratio limit is not 
violated. The proposed change will ensure the appropriate level of 
fuel protection is maintained. Additionally, operational limits are 
established based on the proposed SLMCPR to ensure that the SLMCPR 
is not violated during all modes of operation. This will ensure that 
the fuel design safety criteria are met (i.e., that at least 99.9% 
of the fuel rods do not experience transition boiling during normal 
operation as well as anticipated operational occurrences).
    Based on the above, NPPD concludes that the proposed changes do 
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: Mr. John C. McClure, Nebraska Public Power 
District, Post Office Box 499, Columbus, NE 68602-0499.
    NRC Branch Chief: Michael T. Markley.

Tennessee Valley Authority, Docket Nos. 50-260 and 50-296, Browns Ferry 
Nuclear Plant (BFN), Units 2 and 3, Limestone County, Alabama

    Date of amendment request: July 30, 2012. A publicly available 
version is in ADAMS under Accession No. ML12215A005.
    Description of amendment request: This amendment request contains 
sensitive unclassified non-safeguards information (SUNSI). The proposed 
amendments would delete the BFN, Units 2 and 3, Technical Specification 
(TS) Surveillance Requirement 3.5.1.12, which requires the verification 
of the capability to automatically transfer the power supply from the 
normal source to the alternate source for each Low-Pressure Coolant 
Injection (LPCI) subsystem inboard injection valve and each 
recirculation pump discharge valve on a 24-month frequency. In 
addition, the licensee is requesting approval for the use of a modified 
loss-of-coolant accident (LOCA) methodology that will require revising 
TS 5.6.5.b to include a reference to the modified LOCA methodology. 
Also, the request revises TSs 3.3.1.1, 5.6.5.a, and 5.6.5.b to include 
the modified LOCA methodology for the oscilliation power range monitor 
upscale function period based detection algorithm setpoint limits.
    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 Technical Specification change involve a 
significant increase in the probability or consequences of an 
accident previously evaluated?
    Response: No.
    The 480V RMOV [Reactor Motor-Operational Value] Boards D or E, 
the equipment they power, or the automatic power transfer feature 
provided for these boards are not precursors to any accident 
previously evaluated in the Updated Final Safety Analysis Report 
(UFSAR). Therefore, the probability of an evaluated accident is not 
increased by modifying this equipment.
    The proposed deletion of a surveillance requirement to verify 
automatic transfer capability for the power supply to the LPCI 
inboard injection valves, RHR [residual heat removal] minimum flow 
valves and recirculation pump discharge valves does not change the 
number of Emergency Core Cooling System (ECCS) subsystems credited 
in the BFN licensing basis. The proposed change does not affect the 
operational characteristics or function of systems, structures, or 
components (SSCs), the interfaces between credited SSCs and other 
plant systems, or the reliability of SSCs. The proposed change does 
not impact the capability of credited SSCs to perform their required 
safety functions.
    The proposed change to the ECCS Evaluation Model meets the 
requirements of 10 CFR 50.46(a)(1)(ii) and ensures the limits of 10 
CFR 50.46(b) are maintained. The proposed changes to TS 5.6.5a, 
5.6.5b and 3.3.1.1 are required to implement AREVA Analytical 
Methodologies.
    Therefore, the proposed TS changes will not significantly 
increase the consequences of an accident previously evaluated.
    2. Does the proposed Technical Specification change create the 
possibility of a new or different kind of accident from any accident 
previously evaluated?
    Response: No.
    The proposed deletion of a surveillance requirement to verify 
automatic transfer capability for the power supply to the LPCI 
inboard injection valves, RHR minimum flow valves and recirculation 
pump discharge valves does not introduce new equipment, which could 
create a new or different kind of accident.
    The proposed change to the ECCS Evaluation Model meets the 
requirements of 10 CFR 50.46(a)(1)(ii) and ensures the limits of 10 
CFR 50.46(b) are maintained. The proposed changes to TS 5.6.5.a, 
5.6.5.b and 3.3.1.1 are required to implement AREVA Analytical 
Methodologies.
    The proposed change does not alter the manner in which equipment 
operation is initiated, nor will the functional demands on credited 
equipment be changed. The capability of credited SSCs to perform 
their required function will not be affected by the proposed change. 
In addition, the proposed change does not affect the interaction of 
plant SSCs with other plant SSCs whose failure or malfunction can 
initiate an accident or transient. As such, no new failure modes are 
being introduced. No new external threats, release pathways, or 
equipment failure modes are created. Therefore, the proposed 
deletion of a surveillance requirement to verify automatic transfer 
capability for the power supply to the LPCI inboard injection 
valves, RHR minimum flow valves and recirculation pump discharge 
valves will not create a possibility for an accident of a new or 
different type than those previously evaluated.
    3. Does the proposed Technical Specification change involve a 
significant reduction in a margin of safety?
    Response: No.
    The proposed change to the ECCS Evaluation Model and the 
deletion of a surveillance requirement to verify automatic transfer 
capability for the power supply to the LPCI inboard injection 
valves, RHR minimum flow valves and recirculation pump discharge 
valves does not change the conditions, operating configurations, or 
minimum amount of operating equipment credited in the safety 
analyses for accident or transient mitigation.
    The proposed change does not alter the assumptions contained in 
the safety analyses. The proposed change does not alter the manner 
in which safety limits, limiting safety system settings or limiting 
conditions for operation are determined.
    The proposed change does not impact the safety analysis-credited 
redundancy or

[[Page 66491]]

availability of SSCs required for accident or transient mitigation, 
or the ability of the plant to cope with design basis events as 
assumed in safety analyses. In addition, no changes are proposed in 
the manner in which the credited SSCs provide plant protection or 
which create new modes of plant operation. The requirements of 10 
CFR 50.46 and Appendix K continue to be met. Therefore, the proposed 
change does not involve a significant reduction in the margin of 
safety.
    The proposed changes to TS 5.6.5a, 5.6.5b, and 3.3.1.1 are 
required to implement AREVA Analytical Methodologies.

    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 Drive, 6A West Tower, Knoxville, Tennessee 37902.
    NRC Acting Branch Chief: Jessie F. Quichocho.

Order Imposing Procedures for Access to Sensitive Unclassified Non-
Safeguards Information for Contention Preparation

Exelon Generation Company, LLC, Docket No. 50-374, LaSalle County 
Station, Unit 2, LaSalle County, Illinois

Nebraska Public Power District, Docket No. 50-298, Cooper Nuclear 
Station, Nemaha County, Nebraska

Tennessee Valley Authority, Docket Nos. 50-260 and 50-296, Browns Ferry 
Nuclear Plant, Units 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 such access. 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 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 requestor 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, 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:
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \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.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    (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 requestor'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 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.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \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.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    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 
the requestor is granted access to that information. However, if more 
than 25 days remain between the date the petitioner is granted 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 need for access, the NRC staff 
shall immediately notify the requestor in writing, briefly stating the 
reason or reasons for the denial.
    (2) The requestor 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.
    H. Review of Grants of Access. A party other than the requestor 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 with the Chief Administrative Judge 
within 5 days of the notification by the NRC staff of its grant of 
access.
    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\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \3\ Requestors should note that the filing requirements of the 
NRC's E-Filing Rule (72 FR 49139; August 28, 2007) 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.

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

[[Page 66492]]

    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. 
Attachment 1 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 25th day of October 2012.

    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-
                                 Safeguards Information (SUNSI) with
                                 information: Supporting the standing of
                                 a potential party identified by name
                                 and address; 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; (ii) all
                                 contentions whose formulation does not
                                 require access to SUNSI (+25 Answers to
                                 petition for intervention; +7 requestor/
                                 petitioner reply).
20............................  Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC)
                                 staff informs the requestor 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 requestor/petitioner 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).
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 hearing or opportunity for
                                 hearing), 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.
------------------------------------------------------------------------

[FR Doc. 2012-26762 Filed 11-2-12; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7590-01-P