[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 148 (Monday, August 3, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Pages 46062-46066]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-18890]


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NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION

[Docket Nos. 50-373 and 50-374; NRC-2015-0180]


Exelon Generation Company, LLC; LaSalle County Station, Units 1 
and 2

AGENCY: Nuclear Regulatory Commission.

ACTION: Environmental assessment and finding of no significant impact; 
issuance.

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SUMMARY: The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is considering 
issuance of amendments to Facility Operating License Nos. NPF-11 and 
NPF-18 issued to Exelon Generation Company, LLC (Exelon, the licensee) 
for operation of LaSalle County Station (LSCS), Units 1 and 2, located 
in LaSalle County, Illinois. The proposed amendment would revise the 
maximum allowable technical specification (TS) temperature of the 
ultimate heat sink for the plant. The NRC staff is issuing a final 
Environmental Assessment (EA) and Finding of No Significant Impact 
(FONSI) associated with the proposed license amendments.

DATES: The environmental assessment and finding of no significant 
impact referenced in this document is available on August 3, 2015.

[[Page 46063]]


ADDRESSES: Please refer to Docket ID NRC-2015-0180 when contacting the 
NRC about the availability of information regarding this document. You 
may obtain publically available information related to this document 
using any of the following methods:
     Federal Rulemaking Web site: Go to http://www.regulations.gov and search for Docket ID NRC-2015-0180. Address 
questions about NRC dockets to Carol Gallagher; telephone: 301-415-
3463; email: [email protected]. For technical questions, contact 
the individual listed in the FOR FURTHER INFORMATION section of this 
document.
     NRC's Agencywide Documents Access and Management System 
(ADAMS): You may obtain publicly-available documents online in the 
ADAMS Public Documents collection 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 (if it available in 
ADAMS) is provided the first time that a document is referenced. For 
the convenience of the reader, the ADAMS accession numbers are provided 
in a table in the AVAILABILITY OF DOCUMENTS section of 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.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Bhalchandra Vaidya, Office of Nuclear 
Reactor Regulation; U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Washington, DC 
20555-0001; telephone: 301-415-3308; email: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

I. Introduction

    The NRC is considering issuance of amendments to Facility Operating 
License Nos. NPF-11 and NPF-18 issued to Exelon Generation Company, LLC 
for operation of LaSalle County Station (LSCS), Units 1 and 2, located 
in LaSalle County, Illinois, in accordance with section 50.90 of Title 
10 of the Code of Federal Regulations (10 CFR).
    LSCS is located in Brookfield Township of LaSalle County in 
northeastern Illinois. The Illinois River is 5 miles north of the site. 
A 2,058-acre cooling pond provides water for the station's condenser 
cooling. A small river screen house, located on the Illinois River, 
pumps makeup water to the cooling pond. The ultimate heat sink (UHS) 
for emergency core cooling consists of an excavated portion of the 
cooling pond with an intake flume. LSCS discharges liquid effluents to 
the cooling pond blowdown line, which subsequently discharges into the 
Illinois River.
    In accordance with 10 CFR 51.21, the NRC staff prepared an 
environmental assessment documenting its finding.
    Based on the results of the EA documented herein, the NRC has 
determined not to prepare any environmental impact statement for the 
proposed license amendment, and is instead issuing a FONSI in 
accordance with 10 CFR 51.32.

II. Environmental Assessment

Plant Site and Environs

    LSCS is located in Brookfield Township in LaSalle County in 
northeastern Illinois. The Illinois River is 5 miles north of the site. 
Condenser cooling for the station is provided from a perched cooling 
lake of 2,058 acres. A small river screen house, located on the 
Illinois River, provides makeup water to the cooling lake. The ultimate 
heat sink (UHS) for emergency core cooling consists of an excavated 
pond integral with the cooling lake. Liquid effluents from LSCS are 
discharged into the cooling lake blowdown line that subsequently 
discharges into the Illinois River.

Description of the Proposed Action

    The proposed action would amend LSCS TS 3.7.3, ``Ultimate Heat 
Sink'' by changing Surveillance Requirement (SR) 3.7.3.1 and adding a 
new action statement. The SR 3.7.3.1 currently requires verification 
that the cooling water temperature supplied to the plant from the core 
standby cooling system pond (i.e., the UHS) be less than or equal to 
101.25 degrees Fahrenheit ([deg]F) (38.47 degrees Celsius [[deg]C]). 
The licensee proposes to change SR 3.7.3.1 to require verification that 
the UHS cooling water upper temperature limit is between 101.25 and 104 
[deg]F (38.47 and 40 [deg]C) depending on the time of day. The proposed 
SR change would permit the plant to continue to operate during times 
when the UHS cooling water temperature exceeds 101.25 [deg]F (38.47 
[deg]C) but is less than or equal to 104 [deg]F (40 [deg]C). In 
addition, the licensee proposes to add a new action statement to TS 
3.7.3 requiring SR 3.7.3.1, ``temperature verification,'' be performed 
each hour when the cooling water temperature supplied to the plant from 
the Core Standby Cooling System pond is greater than or equal to 101 
[deg]F (38.33 [deg]C).
    The proposed action to amend TS 3.7.3 is in accordance with the 
licensee's application dated July 12, 2012 (ADAMS Accession No. 
ML12200A330), as supplemented by letters dated September 17, 2012 
(ADAMS Accession No. ML122690041), January 18, 2013 (ADAMS Accession 
No. ML13022A476), February 11, 2013 (ADAMS Accession No. ML13042A405), 
October 4, 2013 (ADAMS Accession No. ML13282A339), December 4, 2014 
(ADAMS Accession No. ML14352A311), and April 15, 2015 (ADAMS Accession 
No. ML15113B115).

Need for the Proposed Action

    The proposed action is needed for operational flexibility during 
periods of high UHS temperature in order to prevent any unnecessary 
plant shutdown. The licensee states that recent summer weather 
conditions have resulted in the UHS temperature limit being challenged. 
These conditions include elevated air temperatures, high humidity, and 
low wind speed. The current temperature limit does not account for 
daytime weather effects on the allowable UHS temperature. The proposed 
action will allow the temperature limit to vary with the diurnal cycle, 
thereby better reflecting the effect of more severe weather conditions.

Environmental Impacts of the Proposed Action

    The NRC has completed its environmental evaluation of the proposed 
action. No changes would occur in the types of radioactive effluents 
that may be released from the plant offsite. No significant increase in 
the amount of any radioactive effluent released offsite or significant 
increase in occupational or public radiation exposure is expected from 
the proposed action. Separate from the environmental assessment in this 
document, the NRC staff is evaluating the licensee's analyses of the 
potential radiological consequences of an accident that may result from 
the proposed action. The results of the NRC staff's safety evaluation 
and conclusion will be documented in a Safety Evaluation (SE). If the 
NRC staff concludes in the SE that all pertinent regulatory 
requirements are met by the proposed elevated temperature limit, then 
there would be no significant radiological environmental impact due to 
the proposed action. The NRC staff's SE will be issued with the license 
amendment if the amendment is approved.

[[Page 46064]]

    With regard to potential non-radiological impacts, raising the 
maximum allowable temperature of the UHS would likely result in cooling 
pond water temperature increases, especially during periods of extreme 
high air temperature, high humidity, and low wind. The cooling pond is 
a wastewater treatment works as defined by Illinois Administrative Code 
(35 IAC 301.415). Under this definition, the cooling pond is not 
considered waters of the State under Illinois Administrative Code (35 
IAC 301.440) or waters of the United States under the Federal Clean 
Water Act (40 CFR 230.3(s)), and so the cooling pond is not subject to 
State water quality standards.
    Exelon leases a large portion of the LSCS cooling pond to the 
Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR), which maintains the 
LSCS cooling pond as an outdoor recreation area for public use and 
fishing. For example, IDNR surveys the cooling pond each year and 
determines which fish to stock based on fishermen preferences, fish 
abundance, different species' tolerance to warm waters, predator and 
prey dynamics, and other factors (Exelon 2002). The cooling pond can be 
characterized as a managed ecosystem where IDNR fish stocking and other 
human activities primarily influence the species composition and 
population dynamics. Commonly stocked species include largemouth bass 
(Micropterus salmoides), smallmouth bass (Micropterus dolomieu), black 
crappie (Pomoxis nigromaculatus), white crappie (Pomoxis annularis), 
channel catfish (Ictalurus punctatus), blue catfish (Ictalurus 
furcatus), striped bass hybrid (Morone saxatilis), walleye (Sander 
vitreus), bluegill (Lepomis macrochirus), and other species (Exelon 
2002, ADAMS Accession No. ML021330421). The IDNR (2007 and 2009, ADAMS 
Accession Nos. ML15160A289 and ML15160A296) reported abundant, growing 
populations of striped bass hybrids and channel catfish. Gizzard shad 
(Dorosoma cepedianum) and threadfin shad (Dorosoma petenense)--together 
called ``shad''--also occur in the cooling pond. Shad are not 
recreationally fished, and IDNR does not stock them. The IDNR stocks 
some recreationally fished species that consume shad (e.g., catfish and 
striped bass) in part to limit the size of shad populations (Exelon 
2002, ADAMS Accession No. ML021330421).
    Raising the maximum allowable temperature of the UHS could result 
in increased cooling pond water temperatures, especially during extreme 
warm weather conditions. Fish kills would sometimes occur when cooling 
pond temperatures rise above 95 [deg]F (35 [deg]C), the temperature at 
which most fish in the cooling pond are thermally stressed. For 
example, LSCS has had four reportable fish kills in the cooling pond 
since 2001, including fish kills in July 2001, June 2005, June 2009, 
and August 2010 (Exelon 2014, ADAMS Accession Nos. ML14343A883 and 
ML14343A897). The temperature in the cooling pond during these events 
ranged from 93 [deg]F (33.9 [deg]C) to 101[emsp14] [deg]F (38.3 [deg]C) 
(Exelon 2001, 2009, and 2010, ADAMS Accession Nos. ML012330070, 
ML092040381, and ML102371289, respectively). In addition, several 
smaller non-reportable fish kills have occurred when the cooling pond 
was 95 [deg]F (35 [deg]C) or above. The largest fish kill occurred in 
July 2001 when IDNR reported approximately 94,500 dead fish due to high 
temperatures that peaked at 98.2 [deg]F (36.9 [deg]C) (Exelon 2001, 
ADAMS Accession No. ML012330070). The IDNR found the maximum 
temperature in the cooling pond discharge canal to be 120 [deg]F (48.9 
[deg]C) and dissolved oxygen levels to range from 6.2 to 18.8 parts per 
million. The majority of dead fish (96 percent) were gizzard shad 
(90,800) (Exelon 2001, ADAMS Accession No. ML012330070). The IDNR 
identified other dead fish to include 1,279 carp (cyprinus carpio), 
1,143 smallmouth buffalo (Ictiobus bubalus), 610 freshwater drum 
(Aplodinotus grunniens), 345 channel catfish, 238 striped bass hybrid, 
93 smallmouth bass, 24 walleye, 13 bluegill, 12 white bass (Morone 
chrysops), 6 yellow bullhead catfish (Ameiurus natalis), and 4 yellow 
bass (M. mississippiensis) (Exelon 2001, ADAMS Accession No. 
ML012330070). Exelon (2001, ADAMS Accession No. ML012330070) attributed 
the fish kill to high water temperatures resulting in part from a 
combination of high summer air temperatures, high dew points, and low 
wind speeds.
    The majority of the fish in kills since 2001 were either gizzard 
shad or threadfin shad (Exelon 2001, 2009, and 2010, ADAMS Accession 
Nos. ML012330070, ML092040381, and ML102371289, respectively). Shad 
populations generally recovered within one year after a kill occurred 
(Exelon 2002, ADAMS Accession No. ML021330421), and loss of shad did 
not significantly affect the community dynamics within the cooling pond 
(Exelon 2010, ADAMS Accession No. ML102371289).
    The NRC staff determined that an increase in the number or 
intensity of fish kills would not result in a significant impact 
because the cooling pond is a managed ecosystem where fish populations 
affected by fish kills generally recover within a year and do not 
significantly alter the fish community structure. The NRC staff also 
did not identify any long-term changes from previous fish kills and 
many recreationally fished species continue to grow abundantly within 
the cooling pond (IDNR 2007 and 2009, ADAMS Accession Nos. ML15160A289 
and ML15160A296). The most affected fish species from fish kills are 
gizzard shad and threadfin shad, which are managed partly by stocking 
predators to limit shad populations in the cooling pond (Exelon 2002, 
ADAMS Accession No. ML021330421). Lastly, any impacts from the 
increased temperatures would be limited to the cooling pond, which is a 
managed ecosystem and sustained by IDNR's annual fish stockings.
    Some terrestrial species resources, such as birds or other 
wildlife, rely on fish or other aquatic resources from the cooling pond 
as a source of food. The NRC staff does not expect any significant 
impacts to birds or other wildlife because, if a fish kill occurs, the 
number of dead fish would be a small proportion of the total population 
of fish in the cooling pond. Furthermore, during fish kills, birds and 
other wildlife consume many of the floating, dead fish.
    In regards to water resources and ecological resources along and 
within the Illinois River, Exelon (2015, ADAMS Accession No. 
ML15023A459) reports that raising the allowable temperature in the UHS 
would not result in noticeably warmer thermal discharges to the 
Illinois River. Further, Exelon is required to administratively control 
cooling pond discharges to the Illinois River in accordance with the 
current National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit. 
Exelon's Extreme Heat Implementation Plan describes procedures for 
Exelon to follow during extreme warm weather events to maintain 
compliance with the NPDES permit requirements for thermal discharges to 
the Illinois River (Exelon 2015, ADAMS Accession No. ML15023A459). 
Therefore, the NRC staff does not expect any significant impacts to 
water resources or ecological resources within and along the Illinois 
River as a result of raising the maximum allowable intake temperature 
in the UHS.
    Exelon (2014, ADAMS Accession Nos. ML14343A883 and ML14343A897) 
reports that it is not aware of any State- or Federally listed species 
occurring in the cooling pond. As referenced above, increasing the 
allowable temperature at the UHS intake would not noticeably affect the 
discharge temperature of

[[Page 46065]]

effluent released in Illinois River. Therefore, the NRC staff does not 
expect any impacts to State- or Federally listed species. The NRC staff 
has identified no foreseeable land or air quality impacts given that 
the proposed action would not change any land uses on or off site or 
result in air emissions beyond what has already been experienced. In 
addition, there would be no socioeconomic or environmental justice 
impacts associated with the proposed action since no physical change 
would occur beyond the site boundaries and any impacts would be limited 
to the cooling pond. Accordingly, the NRC staff concludes that the 
proposed action would have no significant environmental impacts.

Environmental Impacts of the Alternatives to the Proposed Action

    As an alternative to the proposed action, the NRC considered denial 
of the proposed amendment (i.e., the ``no-action'' alternative). Denial 
of the proposed amendment would have no impact on current environmental 
conditions at LSCS.

Alternative Use of Resources

    This action does not involve the use of any resources not 
previously considered in the Final Environmental Statement (NUREG-0486, 
ADAMS Accession No. ML14353A388) for LSCS.

Agencies and Persons Consulted

    The staff did not enter into consultation with any other Federal 
Agency or with the State of Illinois regarding the environmental impact 
of the proposed action.

III. Finding of No Significant Impact

    The NRC is considering issuing amendments for Facility Operating 
License Nos. NPF-11 and NPF-18, issued to Exelon for operation of LSCS. 
The proposed amendments would revise SR 3.7.3.1 to require verification 
that the cooling water upper TS temperature limit is between 101.25 and 
104 [deg]F (38.47 and 40 [deg]C) depending on the time of day and to 
add an action statement to TS 3.7.3 requiring SR 3.7.3.1 be performed 
each hour when the cooling water temperature from the UHS being 
supplied to the plant is greater than or equal to 101 [deg]F (38.3 
[deg]C). The NRC's evaluation considered information provided in the 
licensee's application and its associated supplements, as well as the 
NRC staff's independent review of other environmental documents. 
Section IV below lists the environmental documents related to the 
proposed action and includes information on the availability of these 
documents. On the basis of the EA, the NRC staff concludes that the 
proposed action would not have a significant effect on the quality of 
the human environment. Accordingly, the NRC staff has decided an 
environmental impact statement for the proposed action would not be 
necessary.

IV. Availability of Documents

    The following table identifies the environmental and other 
documents cited in this document and related to the NRC's FONSI. These 
documents are available for public inspection online through ADAMS at 
http://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/adams.html or in person at the NRC's PDR 
as previously described.

------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                        ADAMS Accession
                       Document                               No.
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Application dated June 12, 2012......................        ML12200A330
Supplemental Response dated September 17, 2012.......        ML122690041
Supplemental Response dated January 18, 2013.........        ML13022A476
Supplemental Response dated February 11, 2013........        ML13042A405
Supplemental Response dated October 4, 2013..........        ML13282A339
Supplemental Response dated February 20, 2014........        ML14066A174
Exelon Generation Company, LLC. 2001. Letter from            ML012330070
 William Riffer, Regulatory Assurance Manager,
 LaSalle County Station to U.S. NRC, Document Control
 Desk. Subject: Environmental Non-Routine Event
 Report for Exelon Generation Company, LLC--LaSalle
 County Station. August 17, 2001.....................
Exelon Generation Company, LLC. 2002. Letter from            ML021330421
 Glen T. Kaegi, Regulatory Assurance Manager, LaSalle
 County Station to U.S. NRC, Document Control Desk.
 Subject: Environmental Protection Plan and Operating
 Report Appendix B to Facility License No. NPF-11 and
 NPF-18. April 29, 2002..............................
Exelon Generation Company, LLC. 2009. Letter from            ML092040381
 David Rhoads, Plant Manager, LaSalle County Station
 to U.S. NRC, Document Control Desk. Subject:
 Environmental Non-Routine Event Report for Exelon
 Generation Company, LLC--LaSalle County Station.
 July 22, 2009.......................................
Exelon Generation Company, LLC. 2010. Letter from            ML102371289
 Peter J. Karaba, Plant Manager, LaSalle County
 Station to U.S. NRC, Document Control Desk. Subject:
 Environmental Non-Routine Event Report for Exelon
 Generation Company, LLC--LaSalle County Station.
 August 25, 2010.....................................
Exelon Generation Company, LLC. 2014. LaSalle County         ML14343A883
 Station, Units 1 and 2, License Renewal Application,        ML14343A897
 Appendix E, Applicant's Environmental Report,
 Operating License Renewal Stage. December 9, 2014...
Exelon Generation Company, LLC (Exelon). 2015. Letter        ML15023A459
 from David M. Gullott, Manager--Licensing, LaSalle
 County Station to U.S. NRC, Document Control Desk.
 Subject: Response to Request for Additional
 Environmental Information Regarding Request to
 Revise Ultimate Heat Sink Temperature Limits.
 January 23, 2015....................................
Illinois Department of Natural Resources. 2007.              ML15160A289
 Status of the Catfish Fishery. Illinois Department
 of Natural Resources, Division of Fisheries. March
 2007. Available at: http://www.dnr.state.il.us/orc/fisheries/07/07%20catfish%20status%20report.pdf
 (accessed 21 May 2015)..............................
[IDNR] Illinois Department of Natural Resources.             ML15160A296
 2009. Status of the Striped Bass/Hybrid Striped Bass
 Fishery. Illinois Department of Natural Resources,
 Division of Fisheries. March 2009. Available at:
 http://www.prairiestateoutdoors.com/images/uploads/2009_Striped_Bass_Status.pdf (accessed 21 May 2015).
LaSalle County Station, Units 1 and 2--Request for           ML14338A612
 Additional Environmental Information Regarding
 Request to Revise Ultimate Heat Sink Temperature
 Limits..............................................
NUREG-0486, ``Environmental Statement Related to the         ML14353A388
 Operation of LaSalle County Nuclear Power Station,
 Unit Nos. 1 and 2, Commonwealth Edison Company,''
 November 1978.......................................
Response to Request for Additional Environmental             ML15023A459
 Information Regarding Request to Revise Ultimate
 Heat Sink Temperature Limits........................
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[[Page 46066]]

    Dated at Rockville, Maryland, this 24th day of July 2015.

    For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
Peter S. Tam,
Senior Project Manager, Plant Licensing Branch II-2, Division of 
Operating Reactor Licensing, Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation.
[FR Doc. 2015-18890 Filed 7-31-15; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7590-01-P