[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 176 (Thursday, September 10, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Pages 55863-55869]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-19937]
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NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION
[Docket Nos. 50-456; 50-457; NRC-2020-0208]
Exelon Generation Company, LLC; Braidwood 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 an amendment to Renewed Facility Operating License Nos.
NPF-72 and NPF-77 that were issued to Exelon Generation Company, LLC,
(licensee) for operation of the Braidwood Station, Units 1 and 2. The
proposed amendment is contained in the licensee's letter dated July 15,
2020, as supplemented by letter dated August 14, 2020, and would change
technical specifications (TS) surveillance requirement (SR) 3.7.9.2 to
allow an ultimate heat sink (UHS) temperature of less than or equal to
102.8 degrees Fahrenheit ([deg]F) until September 30, 2020. The
proposed amendment would also permanently extend the completion time
for the Required Action of both Braidwood Station, Units 1 and 2, to be
placed in Mode 3 within 12 hours when the UHS is inoperable due to the
average water temperature.
DATES: The environmental assessment and finding of no significant
impact referenced in this document is available on September 10, 2020.
ADDRESSES: Please refer to Docket ID NRC-2020-0208 when contacting the
NRC about the availability of information regarding this document. You
may obtain publicly-available information related to this document
using any of the following methods:
Federal Rulemaking Website: Go to https://www.regulations.gov and search for Docket ID NRC-2020-0208. Address
questions about Docket IDs in Regulations.gov to Jennifer Borges;
telephone: 301-287-9127; email: [email protected]. For technical
questions, contact the individuals listed in the FOR FURTHER
INFORMATION CONTACT 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 https://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/adams.html. To begin the search, 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 or 301-415-4737,
or by email to [email protected]. For the convenience of the reader,
the ADAMS accession numbers are provided in a table in the
``Availability of Documents'' section of this document.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Briana Grange, Office of Material
Safety and Safeguards, telephone: 301-415-1042; email:
[email protected]; or Joel Wiebe, Office of Nuclear Reactor
Regulation, telephone: 301-415-6606; email: [email protected]. Both
are staff of the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Washington, DC
20555-0001.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
I. Introduction
The NRC is considering issuance of amendments to Renewed Facility
Operating License Nos. NPF-72 and NPF-77 that were issued to Exelon
Generation Company, LLC (Exelon), for operation of the Braidwood
Station, Units 1 and 2 (Braidwood), located in Will County Illinois.
Exelon submitted its license amendment request in accordance with
section 50.90 of title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulation (10 CFR),
by letter dated July 15, 2020 (ADAMS Accession No. ML20197A434) as
supplemented by letter dated August 14, 2020 (ADAMS Accession No.
ML20227A375). If approved, the license amendments would revise TS
surveillance requirement (SR) in TS 3.7.9.2 to allow a temporary
increase in the allowable ultimate heat sink (UHS) average temperature
of less than or equal to (<=) 102.8 degrees Fahrenheit ([deg]F) (39.3
degrees Celsius ([deg]C)) through September 30, 2020. The amendments
would also permanently extend the completion time for TS 3.7.9 Required
Action A.1, which requires Exelon to place Braidwood in hot standby
(Mode 3), from 6 hours to 12 hours when the UHS is inoperable due to
the average water temperature. The completion time for placing
Braidwood in hot standby for all other reasons would remain 6 hours.
Therefore, as required by 10 CFR 51.21, the NRC performed an
environmental assessment (EA). Based on the results of the EA
assessment that follows, the NRC has determined not to prepare an
environmental impact statement for the proposed amendments, and is
issuing a finding of no significant impact (FONSI).
II. Environmental Assessment
Plant Site and Environs
Braidwood is located in Will County, Illinois approximately 50
miles (mi; 80 kilometers [km]) southwest of the Chicago Metropolitan
Area and 20 mi (32 km) south-southwest of Joliet. The Kankakee River is
approximately 5 mi (8 km) east of the eastern site boundary. An onsite
2,540-acre (ac; 1,030-hectare [ha]) cooling pond provides condenser
cooling. Cooling water is withdrawn from the pond through the lake
screen house, which is located at the north end of the pond. Heated
water returns to the cooling pond through a discharge canal west of the
lake screen house intake that is separated from the intake by a dike.
The pond typically holds 22,300 acre-
[[Page 55864]]
feet (27.5 million cubic meters) of water at any given time. The
cooling pond includes both ``essential'' and ``non-essential'' areas.
The essential cooling pond is the portion of the cooling pond that
serves as the UHS for emergency core cooling, and it consists of a 99-
ac (40-ha) excavated area of the pond directly in front of the lake
screen house. The essential cooling pond's principal functions are to
dissipate residual heat after reactor shutdown and to dissipate heat
after an accident. It is capable of supplying Braidwood's cooling
system with water for 30 days of station operation without additional
makeup water. For clarity, use of the term ``UHS'' in this EA refers to
the 99-ac (40-ha) essential cooling pond, and use of the term ``cooling
pond'' or ``pond'' describes the entire 2,540-ac (1,030-ha) area, which
includes both the essential and non-essential areas.
The cooling pond is part of the Mazonia-Braidwood State Fish and
Wildlife Area, which encompasses the majority of the non-UHS area of
the cooling pond as well as Illinois Department of Natural Resources
(IDNR)-owned lands adjacent to the Braidwood site to the south and
southwest of the cooling pond. Exelon and the IDNR have jointly managed
the cooling pond as part of the Mazonia-Braidwood State Fish and
Wildlife Area since 1991 pursuant to a long-term lease agreement. Under
the terms of the agreement, the public has access to the pond for
fishing, waterfowl hunting, fossil collecting, and other recreational
activities.
The cooling pond is a wastewater treatment works as defined by
Section 301.415 of Title 35 of the 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. 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.
Since the beginning of the lease agreement between Exelon and IDNR,
the IDNR has stocked the cooling pond with a variety of game fish,
including largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides), smallmouth bass (M.
dolomieu), blue catfish (Ictalurus furcatus), striped bass (Morone
saxatilis), crappie (Pomoxis spp.), walleye (Sander vitreum), and tiger
muskellunge (Esox masquinongy x lucius). IDNR performs annual surveys
to determine which fish to stock based on fishermen preferences, fish
abundance, different species' tolerance to warm waters, predator and
prey dynamics, and other factors. Because of the high water
temperatures experienced in the summer months, introductions of warm-
water species, such as largemouth bass and blue catfish, have been more
successful than introductions of cool-water species, such as walleye
and tiger muskellunge. Since annual surveys began in 1980, IDNR has
collected 47 species in the cooling pond. In recent years, bluegill
(Lepomis macrochirus), channel catfish (Ictalurus punctatus), threadfin
shad (Dorosoma petenense), and common carp (Cyprinus carpio) have been
among the most abundant species in the cooling pond. Gizzard shad
(Dorosoma cepedianum), one of the most frequently affected species
during periods of elevated pond temperatures, have decreased in
abundance dramatically in recent years, while bluegills, which can
tolerate high temperatures with relatively high survival rates, have
noticeably increased in relative abundance. IDNR-stocked warm water
game species, such as largemouth bass and blue catfish, continue to
persist in small numbers, while cooler water stocked species, such as
walleye and tiger muskellunge, no longer appear in IDNR survey
collections. No federally listed species or designated critical
habitats protected under the Endangered Species Act (ESA) occur within
or near the cooling pond.
The Kankakee River serves as the source of makeup water for the
cooling pond. The river also receives continuous blowdown from the
cooling pond. Water is withdrawn from a small river screen house
located on the Kankakee River, and liquid effluents from Braidwood are
discharged into the cooling pond blowdown line, which subsequently
discharges into the Kankakee River.
The plant site and environs are described in greater detail in
Chapter 3 of the NRC's November 2015, Generic Environmental Impact
Statement for License Renewal of Nuclear Plants: Regarding Braidwood
Station, Units 1 and 2, Final Report (NUREG-1437, Supplement 55; ADAMS
Accession No. ML15314A814) (herein referred to as the ``Braidwood
FSEIS'' [Final Supplemental Environment Impact Statement]). Figure 3-5
on page 3-7 of the Braidwood FSEIS depicts the Braidwood plant layout,
and Figure 3-4 on page 3-6 depicts the cooling pond, including the
portion of the pond that constitutes the essential cooling pond (or
UHS) and the blowdown line to the Kankakee River.
Description of the Proposed Action
The proposed action would revise the Braidwood TS to allow a
temporary increase in the allowable average temperature of water
withdrawn from the UHS and supplied to the plant for cooling from <=102
[deg]F (38.9 [deg]C) to <=102.8 [deg]F (39.3 [deg]C) until September
30, 2020. Specifically, the proposed action would revise TS S R
3.7.9.2, which currently states, ``Verify average water temperature of
UHS is <=102 [deg]F,'' to add the statement, ``Verify average water
temperature of the UHS is <=102.8 [deg]F until September 30, 2020.
After September 30, 2020, verify average water temperature of UHS is <=
102 [deg]F'' The amendments would also permanently extend the
completion time for TS 3.7.9 Required Action A.1, which requires Exelon
to place Braidwood in hot standby (Mode 3), from 6 hours to 12 hours
when the UHS is inoperable due to the average water temperature. The
completion time for placing Braidwood in hot standby for all other
reasons would remain 6 hours. To implement this revision, TS 3.7.9
Required Action A.1 would be divided into two conditions: Condition A
and Condition B.
Under the current TS, if the average UHS temperature as measured at
the discharge of the operating essential service water system pumps is
greater than 102 [deg]F (38.9 [deg]C), TS 3.7.9 Required Actions A.1
and A.2 would be entered concurrently and would require the licensee to
place Braidwood in hot standby (Mode 3) within 6 hours and cold
shutdown (Mode 5) within 36 hours. The proposed action would allow
Braidwood to continue to operate during times when the UHS indicated
average water temperature exceeds 102 [deg]F (38.9 [deg]C) but is less
than or equal to 102.8 [deg]F (39.3 [deg]C) until September 30, 2020.
The current TS's UHS average water temperature limit of 102 [deg]F
(38.9 [deg]C) would remain applicable to all other time periods beyond
September 30, 2020. The proposed action would also allow for 12 hours
to complete hot standby (Mode 3) when temperatures exceed the SR (i.e.,
if the UHS indicated temperature is greater than 102.8 [deg]F (39.3
[deg]C) through September 30, 2020, or greater than 102 [deg]F (38.9
[deg]C) during any other time period). The proposed action would not
affect the 6-hour completion time for placing Braidwood in hot standby
for any reasons other than exceeding the average water temperature
condition.
The proposed action is in accordance with the licensee's
application dated
[[Page 55865]]
July 15, 2020 as supplemented by letter dated August 14, 2020.
Need for the Proposed Action
The licensee has requested the proposed amendments in connection
with recent meteorological and atmospheric conditions that have
resulted in the TS UHS temperature being challenged. These conditions
include elevated air temperatures, high humidity, and low wind speed.
Specifically, from July 4, 2020, through July 9, 2020, northern
Illinois experienced high air temperatures and drought conditions,
which caused sustained elevated UHS temperatures.
The proposed action would provide the licensee with operational
flexibility until September 30, 2020, during which continued high UHS
temperatures are likely so that the plant shutdown criteria specified
in the TS are not triggered. The proposed action would also provide the
licensee with a longer time to place the plant in hot standby when the
allowable average water temperature is exceeded.
Environmental Impacts of the Proposed Action
With regard to radiological impacts, the proposed action would not
result in any changes 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 this EA, the NRC staff is evaluating the
licensee's safety analyses of the potential radiological consequences
of an accident that may result from the proposed action. The results of
the NRC staff's safety analysis will be documented in a safety
evaluation (SE). If the NRC staff concludes in the SE that all
pertinent regulatory requirements related to radiological effluents are
met by the proposed UHS temperature limit increase, then the proposed
action would result in no significant radiological impact to the
environment. The NRC staff's SE will be issued with the license
amendments, if approved by the NRC. If the NRC staff concludes that all
pertinent regulatory requirements are not met by the proposed UHS
temperature limit increase, the requested amendment would not be
issued.
With regard to potential non-radiological impacts, temporarily
raising the maximum allowable UHS temperature from <=102 [deg]F (38.9
[deg]C) to <=102.8 [deg]F (39.3 [deg]C) could cause increased cooling
pond water temperatures until September 30, 2020. Because the proposed
action would not affect Braidwood's licensed thermal power level, the
temperature rise across the condensers as cooling water travels through
the cooling system would remain constant. Thus, if water in the UHS
were to rise to 102.8 [deg]F (39.3 [deg]C), heated water returning to
the cooling pond through the discharge canal, which lies west of the
river screen house, would also experience a corresponding 0.8 [deg]F
(0.4 [deg]C) increase. That additional heat load would dissipate across
some thermal gradient as discharged water travels down the discharge
canal and through the 99-ac (40-ha) UHS.
Fish kills are likely to 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, Section 3.7.4 of the
Braidwood FSEIS describes six fish kill events for the period of 2001
through 2015. The fish kill events, which occurred in July 2001, August
2001, June 2005, August 2007, June 2009, and July 2012, primarily
affected threadfin shad and gizzard shad, although bass, catfish, carp,
and other game fish were also affected. Reported peak temperatures in
the cooling pond during these events ranged from 98.4 [deg]F (36.9
[deg]C) to over 100 [deg]F (37.8 [deg]C), and each event resulted in
the death of between 700 to as many as 10,000 fish. During the July
2012 event, cooling pond temperatures exceeded 100 [deg]F (37.8
[deg]C), which resulted in the death of approximately 3,000 gizzard
shad and 100 bass, catfish, and carp (ADAMS Accession No. ML14339A044).
This event coincided with the NRC's granting of Enforcement Discretion
to allow Braidwood to continue to operate above the TS limit of <=100
[deg]F (37.8 [deg]C). The IDNR attributed this event, as well as four
of the other fish kill events, to high cooling pond temperatures
resulting from Braidwood operation. Appendix B, Section 4.1 of the
Braidwood renewed facility operating licenses (ADAMS Accession Nos.
ML053040362 and ML053040366), requires Exelon to report to the NRC the
occurrence of unusual or important environmental events, including fish
kills, causally related to plant operation. Since the issuance of the
Braidwood FSEIS in November 2015, Exelon has not reported any
additional fish kill events to the NRC. Although not causally related
to plant operation, fish kills have occurred since this time, the most
recent of which occurred in August 2018 and July 2020.
In Section 4.7.1.3 of the Braidwood FSEIS, the NRC staff concluded
that thermal impacts associated with continued operation of Braidwood
during the license renewal term would result in SMALL to MODERATE
impacts to aquatic resources in the cooling pond. MODERATE impacts
would primarily be experienced by gizzard shad and other non-stocked
and low-heat tolerant species. As part of its conclusion, the NRC staff
also noted that because the cooling pond is a highly managed system,
any cascading effects that result from the loss of gizzard shad (such
as reduction in prey for stocked species, which in turn could affect
those stocked species' populations) could be mitigated through IDNR's
annual stocking and continual management of the pond. At that time, the
UHS TS limit was <=100 [deg]F (37.8 [deg]C).
In 2016, the NRC granted license amendments that increased the
allowable UHS average water temperature TS limit from <=100 [deg]F
(38.9 [deg]C) to <=102.0 [deg]F (39.3 [deg]C) (ADAMS Accession No.
ML16133A438). In the EA associated with these amendments (ADAMS
Accession No. ML16181A007), the NRC staff concluded that increasing the
TS limit to <=102.0 [deg]F (38.9 [deg]C) would have no significant
environmental impacts, and the NRC issued a FONSI with the EA.
Regarding the proposed action, the proposed increase in the
allowable UHS average water temperature limit by 0.8 [deg]F (0.4
[deg]C) would not increase the likelihood of a fish kill event
attributable to high cooling pond temperatures because the current TS
limit for the UHS of 102.0 [deg]F (38.9 [deg]C) already allows cooling
pond temperatures above those at which most fish species are thermally
stressed (95 [deg]F (35 [deg]C)). In effect, if the UHS temperature
rises to the current TS limit, fish within or near the discharge canal,
within the flow path between the discharge canal and UHS, or within the
UHS itself would have already experienced thermal stress and possibly
died. Thus, an incremental increase in the allowable UHS water
temperature by 0.8 [deg]F (0.4 [deg]C) and the corresponding
temperature increases within and near the discharge canal and within
the flow path between the discharge canal and UHS would not
significantly affect the number of fish kill events experienced in the
cooling pond. Additionally, the proposed action would only increase the
allowable UHS average water temperature until September 30, 2020. Thus,
any impacts to the aquatic community of the cooling pond, if
experienced, would be temporary in nature, and fish populations would
likely recover relatively quickly.
[[Page 55866]]
While the proposed action would not affect the likelihood of a fish
kill event occurring during periods when the average UHS water
temperature approaches the TS limit, the proposed action could increase
the number of fish killed per high temperature event. For fish with
thermal tolerances at or near 95 [deg]F (35 [deg]C), there would likely
be no significant difference in the number of affected fish per high
temperature event because, as already stated, these fish would have
already experienced thermal stress and possibly died and the additional
temperature increase would not measurably affect the mortality rate of
these individuals. For fish with thermal tolerances above 95 [deg]F (35
[deg]C), such as bluegill, increased mortality is possible, as
described below.
The available scientific literature provides conflicting
information as to whether incremental temperature increases would cause
a subsequent increase in mortality rates of bluegill or other high-
temperature-tolerant fish when temperatures exceed 100 [deg]F (37.8
[deg]C). For instance, in laboratory studies, Banner and Van Arman
(1973) demonstrated 85 percent survival of juvenile bluegill after 24
hours of exposure to 98.6 [deg]F (37.0 [deg]C) water for stock
acclimated to 91.2 [deg]F (32.9 [deg]C). At 100.0 [deg]F (37.8 [deg]C),
survival decreased to 25 percent, and at 100.4 [deg]F (38.0 [deg]C) and
102.0 [deg]F (38.9 [deg]C), no individuals survived. Even at one hour
of exposure to 102.0 [deg]F (38.9 [deg]C) water, average survival was
relatively low at between 40 to 67.5 percent per replicate. However, in
another laboratory study, Cairns (1956 in Banner and Van Arman 1973)
demonstrated that if juvenile bluegill were acclimated to higher
temperatures at a 3.6 [deg]F (2.0 [deg]C) increase per day, individuals
could tolerate water temperatures up to 102.6 [deg]F (39.2 [deg]C) with
80 percent survival after 24 hours of exposure.
Although these studies provide inconsistent thermal tolerance
limits, information from past fish kill events indicates that Cairns'
results better describe the cooling pond's bluegill population because
Exelon has not reported bluegill as one of the species that has been
affected by past high temperature events. Thus, bluegills are likely
acclimating to temperature rises at a rate that allows those
individuals to remain in high temperature areas until temperatures
decrease or that allows individuals time to seek refuge in cooler areas
of the pond. Alternately, if Banner and Van Arman's results were more
predictive, 75 percent or more of bluegill individuals in high
temperature areas of the cooling pond could be expected to die at
temperatures approaching or exceeding 100 [deg]F (37.8 [deg]C) for 24
hours, and shorter exposure time would likely result in the death of
some reduced percentage of bluegill individuals.
Under the proposed action, fish exposure to temperatures
approaching the proposed UHS TS average water temperature limit of
102.8 [deg]F (39.3 [deg]C) and those exposed to the associated
discharge, which would be 0.8 [deg]F (0.4 [deg]C) higher than under the
current TS limit, for at least one hour would result in observable
deaths. However, as stated previously, Exelon has not reported bluegill
as one of the species that has been affected during past fish kills.
Consequently, the NRC staff assumes that bluegill and other high-
temperature-tolerant species in the cooling pond would experience
effects similar to those observed in Cairn's study. Based on Cairn's
results, the proposed action's incremental and short-term increase of
0.8 [deg]F (0.4 [deg]C) could result in the death of some additional
high-temperature-tolerant individuals, especially in cases where
cooling pond temperatures rise dramatically over a short period of time
(more than 3.6 [deg]F (2.0 [deg]C) in a 24-hour period).
Nonetheless, the discharge canal, flow path between the discharge
canal and the UHS, and the UHS itself is a small portion of the cooling
pond. Thus, while the incremental increase would likely increase the
area over which cooling pond temperatures would rise, the majority of
the cooling pond would remain at tolerable temperatures, and fish would
be able to seek refuge in those cooler areas. Therefore, only fish
within or near the discharge canal, within the flow path between the
discharge canal and UHS, or within the UHS itself at the time of
elevated temperatures would likely be affected, and fish would
experience such effects to lessening degrees over the thermal gradient
that extends from the discharge canal. This would result in no
significant difference in the number of fish killed per high
temperature event resulting from the proposed action when compared to
current operations for those species with thermal tolerances at or near
95 [deg]F (35 [deg]C) and an insignificant increase in the number of
individuals affected for species with thermal tolerances above 95
[deg]F (35 [deg]C), such as bluegill. Additionally, the cooling pond is
a managed ecosystem in which fish stocking, fishing pressure, and
predator-prey relationships constitute the primary population
pressures.
Fish populations affected by fish kills generally recover quickly,
and thus, fish kills do not appear to significantly influence the fish
community structure. This is demonstrated by the fact that the species
that are most often affected by high temperature events (threadfin shad
and gizzard shad) are also among the most abundant species in the
cooling pond. Managed species would continue to be assessed and stocked
by the IDNR on an annual basis in accordance with the lease agreement
between Exelon and IDNR. Continued stocking would mitigate any minor
effects resulting from the proposed action.
The proposed action also would permanently extend the completion
time for placing Braidwood in hot standby (Mode 3) from 6 hours to 12
hours when the UHS is inoperable due to average water temperature. This
change would still require Exelon to transition the plant to hot
standby if the average water temperature limit is exceeded, but it
would give Exelon more time to complete this action. This would not
have any measurable or noticeable impact on the aquatic community.
Based on the foregoing analysis, the NRC staff concludes that the
proposed action would not result in significant impacts to aquatic
resources in the cooling pond.
Some terrestrial species, 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
could consume many of the floating, dead fish. Additionally, and as
described previously, the NRC staff does not expect that the proposed
action would result in a significant difference in the number or
intensity of fish kill events or otherwise result in significant
impacts on aquatic resources in the cooling pond.
With respect to water resources and ecological resources along and
within the Kankakee River, the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency
(IEPA) imposes regulatory controls on Braidwood's thermal effluent
through Title 35, Environmental Protection, Section 302, 'Water Quality
Standards,'' of the Illinois Administrative Code (35 IAC 302) and
through the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES)
permitting process pursuant to the Clean Water Act. Section 302 of the
Illinois Administrative Code stipulates that ``[t]he maximum
temperature rise shall not exceed 2.8 [deg]C (5 [deg]F) above natural
receiving water body
[[Page 55867]]
temperatures,'' (35 IAC 302.211(d)) and that ``[w]ater temperature at
representative locations in the main river shall at no time exceed 33.7
[deg]C (93 [deg]F) from April through November and 17.7 [deg]C (63
[deg]F) in other months'' (35 IAC 302.211(e)). Additional stipulations
pertaining to the mixing zone further protect water resources and biota
from thermal effluents. The Braidwood NPDES permit contains special
conditions that mirror these temperature requirements and that
stipulate more detailed temperature requirements at the edge of the
mixing zone. Under the proposed action, Braidwood thermal effluent
would continue to be limited by the Illinois Administrative Code and
the Braidwood NPDES permit to ensure that Braidwood operations do not
create adverse effects on water resources or ecological resources along
or within the Kankakee River. Occasionally, Exelon has applied for a
provisional variance to allow higher-than-permitted temperatures at the
edge of the discharge mixing zone. For instance, Exelon applied for and
the IEPA granted one provisional variance in 2012 during a period of
extremely warm weather and little to no precipitation. Exelon reported
no fish kills or other events to the IEPA or the NRC that would
indicate adverse environmental effects resulting from the provisional
variance. The details of this provisional variance are described in
Section 4.7.1.3 of the Braidwood FSEIS.
Under the proposed action, Exelon would remain subject to the
regulatory controls described above. The NRC staff finds it reasonable
to assume that Exelon's continued compliance with, and the State's
continued enforcement of, the Illinois Administrative Code and the
Braidwood NPDES permit would ensure that Kankakee River water and
ecological resources are protected. Further, the proposed action would
not alter the types or amount of effluents being discharged to the
river as blowdown. Therefore, the NRC staff does not expect any
significant impacts to water resources or ecological resources within
and along the Kankakee River as a result of temporarily increasing the
allowable UHS average water temperature TS limit or permanently
extending the completion time for placing Braidwood in hot standby when
the UHS is inoperable due to the average water temperature.
With respect to federally listed species, the NRC staff consulted
with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) pursuant to section 7 of
the ESA during its license renewal environmental review for Braidwood.
During that consultation, the NRC staff found that the sheepnose
(Plethobasus cyphyus) and snuffbox (Epioblasma triquetra) mussels had
the potential to occur in the areas that would be directly or
indirectly affected by license renewal (i.e., the action area). In
September 2015, Exelon transmitted the results of a mussel survey to
the NRC and FWS (ADAMS Accession No. ML15274A093). The survey
documented the absence of federally listed mussels near the Braidwood
discharge site in the Kankakee River. Based on this survey and other
information described in the Braidwood FSEIS, the NRC concluded that
the license renewal may affect, but is not likely to adversely affect
the sheepnose mussel, and the NRC determined that license renewal would
have no effect on the snuffbox mussel. The FWS concurred with the NRC's
``not likely to adversely affect'' determination in a letter dated
October 20, 2015 (ADAMS Accession No. ML15299A013). The results of the
consultation are further summarized in the Record of Decision for
Braidwood license renewal (ADAMS Accession No. ML15322A317).
As previously described, impacts of the proposed action would be
confined to the cooling pond and would not affect water resources or
ecological resources along and within the Kankakee River. The NRC's
previous ESA section 7 consultation confirmed that no federally listed
aquatic species occur within or near the cooling pond. The NRC has not
identified any information indicating the presence of federally listed
species in the area since that consultation concluded, and the FWS has
not listed any new aquatic species that may occur in the area since
that time. The proposed action would not result in any disturbance or
other impacts to terrestrial habitats, and thus, no federally listed
terrestrial species would be affected. Accordingly, the NRC staff
concludes that the proposed action would have no effect on federally
listed species or designated critical habitat. Consultation with the
FWS for the proposed action is not necessary because Federal agencies
are not required to consult with the FWS if the agency determines that
an action will have no effect on listed species or critical habitat
(ADAMS Accession No. ML16120A505).
The NRC staff has identified no foreseeable land use, visual
resource, noise, or waste management impacts given that the proposed
action would not result in any physical changes to Braidwood facilities
or equipment or changes any land uses on or off site. The NRC staff has
identified no air quality impacts given that the proposed action would
not result in air emissions beyond what would be experienced during
current operations. Additionally, there would be no socioeconomic,
environmental justice, or historic and cultural resource impacts
associated with the proposed action since no physical changes would
occur beyond the site boundaries and any impacts would be limited to
the cooling pond.
Based on the foregoing analysis, 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 staff considered
the denial of the proposed action (i.e., the ``no-action''
alternative). Denial of the proposed action would result in no changes
to the current TS. Thus, under the proposed action, the licensee would
continue to be required to place Braidwood in hot standby (Mode 3) if
average UHS water temperatures exceed 102 [deg]F (38.9 [deg]C) for the
temporary period of July 15, 2020, through September 30, 2020. The TS
would continue to specify a 6-hour timeframe for placing Braidwood in
hot standby. The no-action alternative would result in no change in
current environmental conditions or impacts at Braidwood.
Alternative Use of Resources
There are no unresolved conflicts concerning alternative uses of
available resources under the proposed action.
Agencies and Persons Consulted
No additional agencies or persons were consulted regarding the
environmental impact of the proposed action. However, in accordance
with 10 CFR 50.91(b), the licensee provided copies of its application
to the State of Illinois. In accordance with 10 CFR 50.91(b), the State
of Illinois will have the opportunity to provide comments before
issuance of the amendments.
III. Finding of No Significant Impact
The NRC is considering issuing amendments for Renewed Facility
Operating License Nos. NPF-72 and NPF-77, issued to Exelon for
operation of Braidwood that would revise the TS for the plant to
temporarily increase the allowable average temperature of the UHS and
permanently extend the completion time for placing Braidwood in hot
standby when the UHS is inoperable due to the average water
temperature.
On the basis of the EA included in Section II above and
incorporated by
[[Page 55868]]
reference in this finding, the NRC concludes that the proposed action
would not have significant effects on the quality of the human
environment. The NRC's evaluation considered information provided in
the licensee's application as well as the NRC's independent review of
other relevant environmental documents. Section IV below lists the
environmental documents related to the proposed action and includes
information on the availability of these documents. Based on its
finding, the NRC has decided not to prepare an environmental impact
statement for the proposed action.
This FONSI and other related environmental documents are accessible
online in the ADAMS Public Documents collection at https://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's PDR reference staff by telephone at 1-800-397-4209 or
301-415-4737, or by email to [email protected].
IV. Availability of Documents
The documents identified in the following table are available to
interested persons through one or more of the following methods, as
indicated.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Document ADAMS Accession No.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
License Amendment Request
Exelon Generation Company, LLC.................... ML20197A434.
License Amendment to Braidwood Station, Units 1
and 2, Technical Specification 3.7.9, ``Ultimate
Heat Sink.''
Dated July 15, 2020.
Exelon Generation Company, LLC.................... ML20227A375.
Supplement to License Amendment to Braidwood
Station, Unit 1 and 2, Technical Specification
3.7.9, ``Ultimate Heat Sink.''
Dated August 14, 2020.
Other Referenced Documents
Cairns J. 1956. Effects of heat on fish. n/a 1.
Industrial Wastes, 1 :180-183....................
Banner A, Van Arman JA. 1973. Thermal effects on n/a 1.
eggs, larvae and juveniles of bluegill sunfish.
Washington, DC: U.S. Environmental Protection
Agency. EPA-R3-73-041............................
Ecological Specialists, Inc....................... ML15274A093 (Package).
Final Report: Five Year Post-Construction
Monitoring of the Unionid Community Near the
Braidwood Station Kankakee River Discharge.
Dated September 29, 2015.
Exelon Generation Company, LLC.................... ML14339A044.
Byron and Braidwood Stations, Units 1 and 2,
License Renewal Application, Braidwood Station
Applicant's Environmental Report, Responses to
Requests for Additional Information,
Environmental RAIs AQ-11 to AQ-15.
Dated April 30, 2014.
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.................... ML16120A505.
Endangered Species Consultations: Frequently Asked
Questions.
Dated July 15, 2013.
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.................... ML15299A013.
Concurrence Letter Concluding Informal
Consultation with the NRC for Braidwood License
Renewal.
Dated October 20, 2015.
U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission................ ML15314A814.
Generic Environmental Impact Statement for License
Renewal of Nuclear Plants: Regarding Braidwood
Station, Units 1 and Final Report (NUREG-1437,
Supplement 55).
Dated November 30, 2015.
U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission................ ML053040362.
Exelon Generation Company, LLC; Docket No. STN 50-
456; Braidwood Station, Unit 1 Renewed Facility
Operating License.
Issued on January 27, 2016.
U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission................ ML053040366.
Exelon Generation Company, LLC; Docket No. STN 50-
457; Braidwood Station, Unit 2 Renewed Facility
Operating License.
Issued on January 27, 2016.
U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission................ ML15322A317.
Record of Decision; U.S. Nuclear Regulatory
Commission; Docket Nos. 50-456 and 560-457;
License Renewal Application for Braidwood
Station, Units 1 and 2.
Dated January 27, 2016.
U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission................ ML16181A007.
Environmental Assessment and Finding of No
Significant Impact Related to Ultimate Heat Sink
Modification.
Dated July 18, 2016.
U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission................ ML16133A438.
Braidwood Station, Units 1 and 2--Issuance of
Amendments Re: Ultimate Heat Sink Temperature
Increase.
Dated July 26, 2016.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1 These references are subject to copyright laws and are, therefore, not reproduced in ADAMS.
[[Page 55869]]
Dated: September 3, 2020.
For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
Joel S. Wiebe,
Senior Project Manager, Plant Licensing Branch III-2, Division of
Operating Reactor Licensing, Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation.
[FR Doc. 2020-19937 Filed 9-9-20; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7590-01-P