[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 23 (Friday, February 5, 2021)]
[Notices]
[Pages 8476-8478]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2021-02144]


=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

TENNESSEE VALLEY AUTHORITY


Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement--Clinch River Nuclear 
Site Advanced Nuclear Reactor Technology Park

AGENCY: Tennessee Valley Authority.

ACTION: Notice of intent.

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

SUMMARY: The Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) intends to prepare a 
Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement (PEIS) to address the 
potential environmental effects associated with the construction, 
operation, and decommissioning of an advanced nuclear reactor 
technology park at the Clinch River Nuclear (CRN) Site in Oak Ridge, 
Roane County, Tennessee. The park would contain one or more advanced 
nuclear reactors with a cumulative electrical output not to exceed 800 
megawatts electric (MWe). TVA plans to evaluate a variety of 
alternatives including a no-action alternative. Public comments are 
invited to identify other potential alternatives, information, and 
analysis relevant to the proposed action.

DATES: The public scoping period begins with the publication of this 
Notice in the Federal Register and comments on the scope of the PEIS 
must be received or postmarked by March 19, 2021. To accommodate social 
distancing guidelines and public health recommendations related to the 
COVID-19 pandemic, TVA will host a virtual open house on March 1, 2021 
from 6:00-8:00 p.m. EST. Visit https://www.tva.com/nepa to obtain more 
information.

ADDRESSES: Comments may be submitted in writing to J. Taylor Cates, 
NEPA Specialist, 1101 Market Street, BR 2C-C, Chattanooga, TN 37402. 
Comments may also be submitted online at: https://www.tva.com/nepa or 
by email to [email protected]. Due to COVID-19 teleworking restrictions, 
electronic submission of comments is encouraged to ensure timely review 
and consideration.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Other related questions should be sent 
to Tennessee Valley Authority, J. Taylor Cates, NEPA Specialist, 1101 
Market Street, BR 2C-C, Chattanooga, TN, 37402, 423-751-2732, or 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This notice is provided in accordance with 
the Council on Environmental Quality's (CEQ) regulations for 
implementing the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) at 40 CFR 
parts 1500-1508 and Section 106 of the National Historic

[[Page 8477]]

Preservation Act (NHPA), and its implementing regulations (36 CFR part 
800). The PEIS will be prepared consistent with the 2020 CEQ 
regulations for implementing NEPA at 40 CFR parts 1500-1508 (85 FR 
43304-43376, Jul. 16, 2020).

TVA Power System

    TVA is a corporate agency and instrumentality of the United States 
created by and existing pursuant to the TVA Act of 1933 (16 U.S.C. part 
831), to, among other things, foster the social and economic welfare of 
the people of the Tennessee Valley region and promote the proper use 
and conservation of the Valley's natural resources. TVA generates and 
distributes electricity for business customers and local power 
distributors, serving more than 10 million people in parts of seven 
southeastern states. TVA is fully self-financed without Federal 
appropriations and funds operations through electricity sales and power 
system bond financing. In addition to operating and investing its 
revenues in its electric system, TVA provides flood control, navigation 
and land management for the Tennessee River system, and assists local 
power companies and state and local governments with economic 
development and job creation.
    Dependable electrical capacity on the TVA power system is about 
33,000 MWe. TVA's current generating assets include one pumped-storage 
facility, one diesel generator site, three nuclear plants, five coal 
plants, nine combustion turbine plants, eight combined cycle plants, 14 
solar energy sites, 29 hydroelectric dams, and several small renewable 
generating facilities. A portion of delivered power is obtained through 
long-term power purchase agreements. About 13 percent of TVA's annual 
generation is from hydro; 14 percent is from coal; 27 percent is from 
natural gas; 41 percent is from nuclear; and the remainder is from 
wind, solar, and energy efficiency programs. TVA transmits electricity 
from these facilities over almost 16,000 miles of transmission lines. 
Like other utility systems, TVA has power interchange agreements with 
utilities surrounding the Tennessee Valley region, and buys and sells 
power on an economic basis almost daily.

Background

    The CRN Site is in Oak Ridge, Roane County, Tennessee, on 935 acres 
of TVA-managed land on the Clinch River arm of the Watts Bar Reservoir. 
The site is located adjacent to the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) 
Oak Ridge Reservation, a roughly 33,500 acre reservation with defense, 
research, and environmental cleanup missions.
    In May 2016, TVA submitted an application to the Nuclear Regulatory 
Commission (NRC) for an Early Site Permit (ESP) at the CRN Site for two 
or more new nuclear power units demonstrating Small Modular Reactors 
(SMR) technology with a total combined nuclear generating capacity not 
to exceed 800 MWe. SMRs provide the benefits of nuclear power in 
situations where large units, generally considered units with 
approximate electrical output exceeding 1000 MWe, are not appropriate 
or practical because of various constraints (i.e. local transmission 
system, limited physical space or water availability, constraints on 
the availability of capital for construction and operation, proximity 
to population centers, etc.). A NRC ESP provides early resolution of 
site safety and environmental issues, which in turn provides 
predictability and stability in any subsequent NRC licensing process.
    The NRC prepared and released a Final EIS in April 2019 to assess 
the environmental aspects of their action, to decide whether or not to 
issue an ESP to TVA for the CRN Site. Following the NRC ESP Final EIS 
determination, the NRC issued the ESP to TVA in December 2019. The ESP 
provides NRC approval of the CRN site for considering new nuclear power 
units demonstrating SMR technology; the ESP does not authorize TVA to 
construct or operate a nuclear facility. TVA must apply for and receive 
additional licenses from the NRC prior to initiating construction or 
operation of advanced nuclear reactors at the CRN Site.

Project Purpose and Need

    In June 2019, TVA released the Final 2019 Integrated Resource Plan 
(IRP) and the associated IRP Final EIS. The IRP identified the various 
resources that TVA intends to pursue to meet the energy needs of the 
Valley over the 20-year planning period in accordance with TVA's 
mission. The 2019 IRP recommends that TVA continue to evaluate emerging 
nuclear technologies, including SMRs, as part of technology innovation 
efforts aimed at developing future electricity generation capabilities.
    TVA's purpose and need for the CRN Advanced Nuclear Reactor 
Technology Park is two-fold. First is to evaluate and demonstrate the 
feasibility of deploying advanced nuclear reactors to support TVA's 
mission of providing safe, clean, reliable, and low-cost energy to the 
Tennessee Valley. Second is to evaluate emerging nuclear technologies 
as part of technology innovation efforts aimed at developing future 
generation capacities.
    TVA will consider the potential environmental effects associated 
with the proposed construction, operation, and decommissioning of one 
or more advanced nuclear reactors, with a cumulative electrical output 
not to exceed 800 MWe at the CRN Site. In addition to producing energy, 
advanced reactors could support a low carbon future, including 
demonstration of technologies such as microgrids, grid resiliency, 
waste heat energy storage for grid support, and the production of 
isotopes of hydrogen and other elements.

Preliminary Proposed Action and Alternatives

    The PEIS will address a range of alternatives for construction, 
operation, and decommissioning of an advanced nuclear reactor 
technology park at the CRN Site. Action alternatives include 
construction of light water reactor (LWR) alternatives and/or non-LWR 
alternatives at the CRN Site. There are two areas within the 935-acre 
CRN Site that are best suitable for development; these are designated 
as Area 1 and Area 2. Therefore, TVA plans to evaluate four discrete 
alternatives (A-D) for these proposed actions including the No-Action 
Alternative (A) and an advanced nuclear reactor technology park at Area 
1 (B); at Area 2 (C); at Area 1 and Area 2 (D). Two additional 
alternatives E and F were considered but eliminated.

Anticipated Environmental Impacts

    The PEIS will include a detailed evaluation of all environmental, 
social, and economic impacts associated with implementation of the 
proposed action. Resource areas to be addressed in the PEIS include, 
but are not limited to: Air quality; aquatics; botany; climate change; 
cultural resources; emergency planning; floodplains; geology and 
groundwater; hydrothermal; land use; navigation; noise and vibration; 
radiological safety; soil erosion and surface water; socioeconomics and 
environmental justice; threatened and endangered species; 
transportation; visual; waste; water use; wetlands; and wildlife. 
Measures to avoid, minimize, and mitigate adverse effects will be 
identified and evaluated in the PEIS.

Anticipated Permits and Other Authorizations

    TVA anticipates consulting on the required authorities including, 
but not limited to: The Endangered Species Act; Bald and Golden Eagle 
Protection Act; Rare Species Protection and Conservation Act; National 
Historic

[[Page 8478]]

Preservation Act; Clean Air Act; and Federal Clean Water Act.
    TVA anticipates seeking required permits or authorizations, from 
the following governmental entities: The Nuclear Regulatory Commission; 
Federal Aviation Administration; U.S. Department of Transportation; 
Tennessee Department of Transportation; U.S. Army Corps of Engineers; 
U.S. Coast Guard; U.S. Environmental Protection Agency; Tennessee 
Department of Environment and Conservation; U.S. Fish and Wildlife 
Service; the City of Oak Ridge; Tennessee State Historic Preservation 
Officer; Tribal Historic Preservation Officers; and Texas Department of 
State Health Services, Radiation Control Program, Radiation Safety 
Licensing Branch. This is not an exhaustive list, other permits or 
authorizations may be sought as required or appropriate.

Public Participation and Scoping Process

    TVA seeks comment and participation from all interested parties for 
the proposed action, including, but not limited, to assisting TVA in 
determining the scope of issues for analysis in the PEIS. Information 
about this project is available at https://www.tva.com/nepa, which 
includes a link to an online public comment page. TVA invites the 
public to identify other potential alternatives, information, and 
analysis relevant to the proposed action. Comments must be received or 
postmarked no later than March 19, 2021. Federal, state, local 
agencies, and Native American Tribes are also invited to provide 
comments. Please note that any comments received, including names and 
addresses, will become part of the project administrative record and 
will be available for public inspection.
    To accommodate social distancing guidelines and public health 
recommendations related to the COVID-19 pandemic, TVA will host a 
virtual open house during the scoping period. The virtual open house 
will be held on March 1, 2021, from 6:00-8:00 p.m. EST. Visit https://www.tva.com/nepa to obtain more information about the virtual open 
house. Additional open house details will be available on the project 
site by February 17, 2021.

PEIS Preparation and Schedule

    TVA will consider comments received during the scoping period and 
develop a scoping report, which will be published at https://www.tva.com/nepa. The scoping report will summarize public and agency 
comments that were received and identify the projected schedule for 
completing the PEIS process. Following completion of the CRN Site 
environmental analysis, TVA will post a Draft PEIS for public review 
and comment on the project web page. TVA anticipates holding a public 
open house, which may be virtual, after releasing the Draft PEIS. Open 
house details will be posted on TVA's website in conjunction with the 
Draft PEIS. TVA expects to release the Draft PEIS in the Fall of 2021.
    TVA will consider the substantive comments received on the Draft 
PEIS, financial assessments, engineering evaluations, risk evaluations, 
and other applicable evaluations in the Final PEIS before selecting one 
or more alternatives. TVA projects completing a Final PEIS in Spring 
2022. Subsequently, a final determination on proceeding with the CRN 
Site will be documented in a Record of Decision.

    Authority: 40 CFR 1501.9.

Rebecca Tolene,
Vice President, Environment.
[FR Doc. 2021-02144 Filed 2-4-21; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE P