[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 127 (Wednesday, July 7, 2021)]
[Notices]
[Pages 35831-35837]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2021-14456]
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NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION
[Docket Nos. 50-456 and 50-457; NRC-2021-0128]
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 amendments 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 amendments are contained in the licensee's letter dated May
27, 2021, and would change technical specifications (TSs) 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, 2021.
DATES: The environmental assessment and finding of no significant
impact referenced in this document are available on July 7, 2021.
ADDRESSES: Please refer to Docket ID NRC-2021-0128 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-2021-0128. Address
questions about Docket IDs in Regulations.gov to Stacy Schumann;
telephone: 301-415-0624; 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, 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.
Attention: The PDR, where you may examine and order copies
of public documents, is currently closed. You may submit your request
to the PDR via email at [email protected] or call 1-800-397-4209 or
301-415-4737, between 8:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. (ET), Monday through
Friday, except Federal holidays.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Briana Arlene, Office of Nuclear
Material Safety and Safeguards, telephone: 301-415-1042; email:
[email protected]; and 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, 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 May 27, 2021. If approved, the license amendments would revise
technical specification SR in TS 3.7.9.2 to allow a temporary increase
in the allowable UHS average temperature of less than or equal to (<=)
102.8 [deg]F (39.3 degrees Celsius ([deg]C)) through September 30,
2021. Therefore, as required by 10
[[Page 35832]]
CFR 50.21, the NRC performed an environmental assessment (EA). Based on
the results of the EA 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 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-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 warm 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)
(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, 2021. Specifically, the proposed action would revise TS SR 3.7.9.2,
which currently states, ``Verify average water temperature of UHS is
<=102.8 [deg]F until September 30, 2020. After September 30, 2020,
verify average water temperature of UHS is <=102 [deg]F'' to state
``Verify average water temperature of UHS is <=102.8 [deg]F until
September 30, 2021. After September 30, 2021, verify average water
temperature of UHS is <=102 [deg]F.''
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 12 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, 2021.
The current TS's UHS average
[[Page 35833]]
water temperature limit of 102 [deg]F (38.9 [deg]C) would remain
applicable to all other time periods beyond September 30, 2021.
The proposed action is nearly identical to previously approved
license amendments that allowed for the average water temperature of
the UHS to be <=102.8 [deg]F until September 30, 2020. The NRC issued
an EA for the 2020 UHS amendments in the Federal Register on September
10, 2020, (85 FR 55863) and the NRC issued the amendments on September
24, 2020. The only difference between the previously approved
amendments to SR 3.7.9.2 and the proposed action is that the proposed
action would replace ``2020'' with ``2021.'' The proposed action is in
accordance with the licensee's application dated May 27, 2021.
Need for the Proposed Action
The licensee has requested the proposed amendments in connection
with historical meteorological and atmospheric conditions that have
resulted in the TS UHS temperature being challenged. These conditions
included 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. In response to these
conditions in 2020, the licensee submitted license amendment requests
contained in the licensee's letter dated July 15, 2020, as supplemented
by letter dated August 14, 2020. The NRC subsequently granted Exelon's
request in September 2020. The licensee projects that similar
conditions are likely this year.
The proposed action would provide the licensee with operational
flexibility until September 30, 2021, during which continued high UHS
temperatures are likely so that the plant shutdown criteria specified
in the TS are not triggered.
Environmental Impacts of the Proposed Action
Regarding 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.
Regarding 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, 2021. 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. 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, 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
(37.8 [deg]C) to <=102.0 [deg]F (38.9 [deg]C). In the EA associated
with these amendments, 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.
In 2020, the NRC granted license amendments that temporarily
increased the allowable UHS average water temperature TS limit from
<=102.0 [deg]F (38.9 [deg]C) to <=102.8 [deg]F (39.3 [deg]C) until
September 30, 2020. In the EA associated with these amendments, the NRC
staff concluded that temporarily increasing the TS limit to <=102.8
[deg]F (39.3 [deg]C) would have no significant environmental impacts,
and the NRC issued a FONSI with the EA.
The NRC staff finds that the proposed action would not result in
significant impacts to aquatic resources in the cooling pond for the
same reasons that the NRC staff made this conclusion regarding the 2020
amendments. The
[[Page 35834]]
staff's justification for this conclusion follows.
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, 2021. 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.
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 in this notice.
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, most 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 not result in a 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.
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
[[Page 35835]]
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
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 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 in this notice. 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 from temporarily increasing the allowable
UHS average water temperature TS limit.
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. 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. The results of the
consultation are further summarized in the Record of Decision for
Braidwood license renewal.
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.
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 2021 through September 2021. 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.
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.
On the basis of the EA included in Section II and incorporated by
reference
[[Page 35836]]
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 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 available
for public inspection and 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 the methods indicated.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Document ADAMS Accession No.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
License Amendment Request
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Exelon Generation Company, LLC........... ML21147A543
License Amendment to Braidwood Station,
Units 1 and 2, Technical Specification
3.7.9, ``Ultimate Heat Sink.''
Dated May 27, 2021.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
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 n/a (1)
effects on 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........... ML15299A013
Concurrence Letter Concluding Informal
Consultation with the NRC for Braidwood
License Renewal.
Dated October 20, 2015.
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.
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.
U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission....... ML20231A469
Environmental Assessment and Finding of
No Significant Impact Related to
Temporary Revision of Technical
Specifications for the Ultimate Heat
Sink.
Dated September 3, 2020.
U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission....... ML20245E419
Braidwood Station, Units 1 and 2--
Issuance of Amendments Re: Temporary
Revision of Technical Specifications for
the Ultimate Heat Sink.
Dated September 24, 2020.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
(1) These references are subject to copyright laws and are, therefore,
not reproduced in ADAMS.
[[Page 35837]]
Dated: June 30, 2021.
For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
Joel S. Wiebe,
Senior Project Manager, Plant Licensing Branch III, Division of
Operating Reactor Licensing, Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation.
[FR Doc. 2021-14456 Filed 7-6-21; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7590-01-P