[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 103 (Tuesday, June 1, 2021)]
[Notices]
[Pages 29351-29353]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2021-11557]


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TENNESSEE VALLEY AUTHORITY


Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement--Browns Ferry Nuclear 
Site Subsequent License Renewal

AGENCY: Tennessee Valley Authority.

ACTION: Notice of intent.

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SUMMARY: The Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) intends to prepare a 
Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (SEIS) to address the 
potential environmental effects associated with obtaining subsequent 
license renewals (SLR) for the Browns Ferry Nuclear Plant (BFN) Units 
1, 2, and 3 located in Limestone County, Alabama. Renewal of the 
operating licenses would allow the plant to continue to operate for an 
additional 20 years beyond the current operating licenses expiration 
dates of 2033, 2034, and 2036 for Units 1, 2, and 3, respectively. TVA 
plans to evaluate a variety of alternatives including a no-action 
alternative. Public comments are invited to identify other potential 
alternatives, relevant information, and analysis related 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 SEIS 
must be received or postmarked by July 1, 2021. To accommodate social 
distancing guidelines and public health recommendations related to the 
COVID-19 pandemic, TVA will have a virtual meeting room available for 
the duration of the scoping period. 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, or 423-751-2732/[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 Preservation 
Act (NHPA), and its implementing regulations (36 CFR part 800). The 
SEIS 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). The regulations of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) 
in 10 CFR part 54 set forth the applicable license extension 
requirements.

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), and created 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

[[Page 29352]]

appropriations, and funds virtually all 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 management for the Tennessee River system, and 
assists local power companies and state and local governments with 
economic development efforts.
    Dependable electrical capacity on the TVA power system is about 
33,000 Mega Watts Electric (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 and solar. TVA also gains 
available capacity through its 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 routinely buys and sells power.

Background

    TVA operates BFN Units 1, 2, and 3 in Limestone County, Alabama. 
BFN is located on an 840-acre tract on the north shore of Wheeler 
Reservoir at Tennessee River Mile (TRM) 294, approximately 10 miles 
northwest of Decatur, Alabama, and 10 miles southwest of Athens, 
Alabama. BFN consists of three General Electric boiling water reactors 
(BWRs) and associated turbine generators that collectively supply 
approximately 3,900 MWe of electric power to the TVA transmission and 
distribution system.
    In March 2002 and June 2002, TVA issued a Final SEIS (FSEIS) and a 
Record of Decision (ROD) for the operating license renewal of BFN. TVA 
submitted a License Renewal Application (LRA) to the NRC in December 
2003 for a 20-year renewal of the operating licenses for each BFN unit. 
The environmental conclusions of the NRC FSEIS did not differ from the 
TVA FSEIS conclusions, and the NRC issued Supplement 21 regarding 
Browns Ferry Nuclear Plant Units 1, 2, and 3, to the Generic EIS (GEIS) 
for License Renewal of Nuclear Plants (NUREG-1437) in June 2005. The 
NRC issued operating license renewals for Units 1, 2, and 3 in May 
2006, allowing continued operation of the three BFN units until 2033, 
2034, and 2036, respectively.
    In September 2015, TVA submitted a license amendment request (LAR) 
for extended power uprate (EPU) of all three units. The NRC issued a 
draft Environmental Assessment (EA) and Finding of No Significant 
Impact (FONSI) in the Federal Register on December 1, 2016 for public 
comment. On May 22, 2017 the NRC issued the Final EA and FONSI related 
to the EPU license amendment.

Project Purpose and Need

    The purpose of the proposed action is to help provide continued 
generation of baseload power between 2033 and 2053 by obtaining license 
renewals to operate BFN Units 1, 2, and 3. BFN is considered baseload 
power because the plant generally runs at close to maximum output. 
BFN's current baseload generation supports future forecasted baseload 
power needs, as outlined in TVA's 2019 Integrated Resource Plan (IRP), 
by helping to maintain grid stability and generating capacity for TVA's 
generation portfolio mix. As an integral part of TVA's current 
generation portfolio, in 2020, BFN produced approximately 20 percent of 
TVA's average generation capacity. Renewal of the current operating 
licenses would allow BFN to continue supplying approximately 3,900 MWe 
capacity of baseload power.
    TVA needs to generate sufficient electricity to supply the 
Tennessee Valley with increasingly clean, reliable, and affordable 
electricity for the foreseeable future for the region's homes and 
businesses, working with local power companies to keep service steady 
and reliable. By renewing the licenses, TVA would maximize use of 
existing assets to support TVA's goals of generating electricity at the 
lowest feasible cost for the people of the Tennessee Valley. BFN's 
carbon-free generating capacity supports TVA's goal of a net-zero 
carbon emissions generating system by 2050.

Preliminary Proposed Action and Alternatives

    TVA proposes to submit a Subsequent LRA (SLRA) to the NRC 
requesting renewal of BFN operating licenses. Renewal of the current 
operating licenses would permit operation for an additional 20 years 
past the current operating license terms, which expire in 2033, 2034, 
and 2036 for Units 1, 2, and 3, respectively. This SEIS is being 
prepared to provide the public and TVA decision-makers an assessment of 
the environmental impacts of renewing BFN Unit 1, 2, and 3 operations, 
as well as provide the public an opportunity to participate in the SEIS 
process. License renewal does not require any new construction or 
modifications beyond normal maintenance and minor refurbishment. 
However, there are other proposed projects not directly related to SLR 
that are connected to, or could affect, license renewal.
    The SEIS proposes to address a range of alternatives (A-D) 
including: (A) The No-Action Alternative; (B) BFN Subsequent License 
Renewal; (C) Use of Existing Generating Assets; and (D) Use of Existing 
and Construction of New Generating Assets. Two additional alternatives, 
(E) Replacement of BFN Generating Capacity Entirely with Renewable 
Energy Sources and (F) Replacement of BFN Generating Capacity Entirely 
with Purchase Power, were considered but eliminated.

Anticipated Environmental Impacts

    The SEIS will include a detailed evaluation of the environmental, 
social, and economic impacts associated with implementation of the 
proposed action. Resource areas to be addressed in the SEIS 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 SEIS.
    In preparing this SEIS, TVA will consider the analysis within the 
NRC's Generic Environmental Impact Statement (GEIS) for License Renewal 
of Nuclear Plants (NUREG-1437, Revision 1), where the NRC generically 
considered the environmental effects of renewing nuclear power plant 
operating licenses for a 20-year period (results are codified in 10 CFR 
part 51). The GEIS identified 78 environmental issues and reached 
generic conclusions on environmental impacts for 59 of those issues 
that apply to all plants or to plants with specific design or site 
characteristics. The GEIS' generic assessment is relevant to the 
assessment of impacts of the proposed action at BFN. Generic 
information from the NRC GEIS that is related to the current assessment 
would be incorporated by reference, generally following the tiering 
process described in 40 CFR 1501.11,

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with the SEIS providing a more narrow analysis relevant to the specific 
aspects of this proposed project. Additional plant-specific review 
would be conducted for impacts not covered by the GEIS and which are 
encompassed by the range of resource issue areas identified above.

Anticipated Permits and Other Authorizations

    TVA anticipates consulting with 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 Preservation Act; Clean Air Act; and Federal Clean Water Act.
    TVA anticipates seeking required permits or authorizations as 
appropriate, from the following governmental entities: The Nuclear 
Regulatory Commission; US Army Corps of Engineers; US Coast Guard; US 
Environmental Protection Agency; Alabama Department of Environment and 
Conservation; US Fish and Wildlife Service; Alabama State Historic 
Preservation Officer; and Tribal Historic Preservation Officers. 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 SEIS. 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 alternatives, and analysis relevant to the 
proposed action. Comments must be received or postmarked no later than 
July 1, 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 have a 
virtual meeting room available for the duration of the scoping period 
that includes a range of information on the proposed action. Visit 
https://www.tva.com/nepa to obtain more information about the virtual 
open house.

SEIS 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 SEIS process. Following completion of the environmental 
analysis for SLR, TVA will post a Draft SEIS 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 SEIS. Open house 
details will be posted on TVA's website in conjunction with the Draft 
SEIS. TVA expects to release the Draft SEIS in mid-2022.
    TVA will consider comments received on the Draft SEIS, as well as 
cost, engineering, risk and other applicable evaluations before 
selecting one or more alternatives as preferred in the Final SEIS. TVA 
projects completing a Final SEIS in early 2023. A final determination 
on proceeding with the preferred alternative will be documented in a 
ROD.

    Authority: 40 CFR 1501.9.

Rebecca Tolene,
Vice President, Environment.
[FR Doc. 2021-11557 Filed 5-28-21; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 8120-08-P