[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 183 (Friday, September 24, 2021)]
[Notices]
[Pages 53039-53041]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2021-20546]


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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Office of the Secretary


Notice of Availability of Draft Construction and Demonstration of 
a Prototype Mobile Microreactor Environmental Impact Statement

AGENCY: Strategic Capabilities Office (SCO), Office of the Secretary, 
Department of Defense (DoD).

ACTION: Notice of availability and public hearings; request for 
comment.

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SUMMARY: The DoD, acting through SCO and with the United States (U.S.) 
Department of Energy (DOE) serving as a cooperating agency, announces 
the availability of the Draft Construction and Demonstration of a 
Prototype Mobile Microreactor Environmental Impact Statement. SCO is 
also announcing a public comment period and public hearings on the 
Draft EIS. SCO prepared the Draft EIS to evaluate the potential 
environmental impacts of alternatives for constructing and operating a 
prototype mobile microreactor capable of producing 1 to 5 megawatts of 
electrical power (MWe).

DATES: Comments are due by November 8, 2021.
    Public hearings:

1. October 20, 2021, 3:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. Mountain time, Fort Hall, 
ID (livestreamed)
2. October 20, 2021, 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. Mountain time, Fort Hall, 
ID (livestreamed)

ADDRESSES: You may submit written comments on the Draft EIS by any of 
the following methods:
    Mail: Mobile Microreactor EIS Comment, c/o Leidos, 2109 Air Park Rd 
SE, Suite 200, Albuquerque, NM 87106.
    Email: [email protected].
    Online: https://www.mobilemicroreactoreis.com.
    The Draft EIS is available for review online at the website listed 
above. Send requests to be placed on the Draft EIS distribution list to 
receive future updates to the email listed above.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dr. Jeff Waksman, Program Manager; 
Mail: Strategic Capabilities Office, 1155 Defense Pentagon, Washington, 
DC 20301-1155; Email: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    The DoD consumes around 30 terawatt hours of electricity per year 
and more than 10 million gallons of fuel per day. Additionally, 
military operational projections predict that energy demand will 
continue to increase significantly over the next few years. 
Prioritizing climate change considerations in national security will 
require explorations of energy-generating resources that create a 
sustainable climate pathway. Energy delivery and management continues 
to be a critical defensive risk. The challenge is to develop more 
sustainable methods to provide reliable, abundant, and continuous 
energy. Inherent dangers, logistical complexities, and overwhelming 
costs of sustaining power demands at Forward Operating Bases, Remote 
Operating Bases, and Expeditionary Bases using diesel generators 
continue to constrain operations and fundamental strategic planning. 
Additionally, technologies currently under development, such as 
unmanned aerial vehicles, new radar systems, new weapon systems, and 
the electrification of the non-tactical vehicle fleet, will require 
even greater energy demands. The Defense Science Board, commissioned by 
the DoD, recommended further engineering development and prototyping of 
very small modular reactors with an output less than 10 MWe. Before 
this technology can be deployed, a prototype mobile microreactor must 
be tested to ensure it can meet DoD specifications and requirements.
    A related Notice of Intent to Prepare an EIS for Construction and 
Demonstration of a Prototype Advanced Mobile Nuclear Microreactor was 
previously published in the Federal Register, 85 FR 12274 (March 2, 
2020).
    On March 22, 2021, SCO announced two teams--led by BWXT Advanced 
Technologies, LLC, Lynchburg, Virginia, and X-energy, LLC, Rockville, 
Maryland--would proceed with development of a final design for a mobile 
microreactor under Project Pele. The two teams were selected from a 
preliminary design competition, and each continues design development 
independently. After a final design review in early 2022 and completion 
of this EIS under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969, 
as amended, one of the two companies may be selected to build and 
demonstrate a mobile microreactor.

Alternatives

    SCO evaluated a range of reasonable alternatives for the Proposed 
Action (mobile microreactor construction and demonstration) in this 
EIS, including a No Action Alternative that serves as a basis for 
comparison with the action alternatives. The Idaho National Laboratory 
(INL Site) was identified as the preferred location for the Proposed

[[Page 53040]]

Action based on siting requirements for the mobile microreactor. Other 
sites, including the Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) did not meet 
all of the siting criteria. Specifically, these sites either lacked 
sufficient supporting infrastructure or lacked an independent 
electrical distribution system capable of scheduling and operation 
independent of and isolated from the local commercial utility grid.

Proposed Action

    The Proposed Action in the Draft EIS consists of constructing and 
demonstrating a prototype mobile microreactor at the INL site that 
would be capable of producing 1 to 5 MWe. The mobile microreactor is 
expected to be a small, advanced gas-cooled reactor using high-assay 
low-enriched uranium (HALEU) tristructural isotropic (TRISO) fuel. 
TRISO fuel is encapsulated and has been demonstrated to be capable of 
withstanding temperatures up to 1,800 degrees Celsius ([deg]C), 
allowing for a reactor design that relies primarily on simple passive 
features and inherent physics to ensure safety.
    Mobile microreactor fuel loading, final assembly, and demonstration 
would be performed at the INL Site using DOE technical expertise and 
facilities at the Materials and Fuels Complex (MFC) and Critical 
Infrastructure Test Range Complex (CITRC). Reactor fuel would be 
produced from DOE stockpiles of highly enriched uranium (HEU) located 
at DOE's Y-12 plant in Oak Ridge, Tennessee that would be converted to 
an oxide form at the Nuclear Fuel Services (a subsidiary of BWXT) 
facility in Erwin, Tennessee, and down blended to HALEU and fabricated 
into TRISO fuel at the BWXT facility in Lynchburg, Virginia.

Demonstration Activities at the INL Site

    The Project Pele activities to be performed at the CITRC and MFC 
facilities on the INL Site, would involve demonstration that the 
proposed mobile microreactor could produce reliable electric power onto 
an electrical grid that is separate from the public utility grid and 
that the mobile microreactor can be safely disassembled and moved. At 
the end of an approximately 3-year demonstration, current plans are 
that the mobile microreactor would be shut down and placed into a safe 
storage mode at the INL Site.
    The mobile microreactor would arrive at the INL Site for 
installation at MFC without reactor fuel. The possible locations to 
perform the fueling of the mobile microreactor are either the Transient 
Reactor Test Facility (TREAT) or the Hot Fuel Examination Facility 
(HFEF). Final assembly of the mobile microreactor modules would be 
performed at the site of the initial startup testing. The initial 
startup testing of the mobile microreactor could be performed at the 
Demonstration of Operation Microreactor Experiments (DOME) facilities 
in the Experimental Breeder Reactor II (EBR II) building.
    Improvements to the DOME are planned in support of other programs 
at the INL Site. These improvements to the DOME, while not a part of 
Project Pele, are necessary for the DOME to be capable of supporting 
the initial startup testing phase of the mobile microreactor 
demonstration. Should these improvements not be made in time to support 
Project Pele schedule, final assembly and startup testing would be 
performed at CITRC. At either location, final assembly entails 
connecting the mobile microreactor modules. The modules within the 
CONEX containers would be attached via cables, conduit, and pipes that 
would have been transported with the mobile microreactor to the INL 
Site. During this phase of the demonstration, the mobile microreactor 
would not be connected to an electrical distribution grid. Startup 
testing would be performed to verify that the mobile microreactor would 
perform as designed. The startup and initial testing phase is 
anticipated to take 6 months to complete.
    Disassembly and transport would occur between the startup testing 
phase and the operational testing phase at CITRC regardless of where 
startup testing would be performed. In either case, the disassembly and 
transport would provide proof-of-concept of the mobility of the mobile 
microreactor. The mobile microreactor would be disassembled at the 
startup testing site with minimal temporary laydown requirements. The 
mobile microreactor would be placed in a safe shutdown mode in which 
decay heat would be removed via the passive heat removal systems. This 
phase is anticipated to take around 5 weeks to complete.

Mobile Microreactor Activities at CITRC

    CITRC is part of the INL's 61-mile 138-kilovolt (kV) power loop 
electric test bed and supports critical infrastructure research and 
testing. CITRC includes a configurable and controllable substation and 
a 13.8-kV distribution network. Four test pads are located at CITRC 
within the CITRC distribution grid. Some testing connects multiple test 
pads using the CITRC microgrid distribution infrastructure. These 
graveled/paved test pads furnish areas to place test equipment (e.g., 
transformers, circuit breakers, switches). Test pads also serve as 
parking areas for personnel performing setup and testing. Preparation 
of the CITRC site would be performed over the course of up to 6 months 
prior to the arrival of the mobile microreactor at the site. 
Preparation would involve construction of a 200-foot by 200-foot 
concrete pad about 8 inches thick to create a level surface for the 
CONEX containers.
    Upon arrival at CITRC test pad area B, C, or D, the mobile 
microreactor would be offloaded from the transports to the new concrete 
pad at the test pad area and the mobile microreactor modules 
reconnected. The temporary shielding, consisting of concrete T-walls, 
steel-reinforced concrete roof panels, concrete wall blocks, steel 
bladders for water shielding, and HESCO[supreg] bags, would be 
installed. The completed shielding structure would be about 5,000 
square feet and up to 30 feet tall around the microreactor module. A 
limited version of the startup tests performed at DOME (or CITRC) would 
be performed to verify that no modules were damaged during transport.
    At CITRC, the mobile microreactor system would be connected to the 
CITRC microgrid which is separate and distinct from the INL/
commercially supplied electrical grid. Diesel generators and load banks 
would be attached to the microgrid. The generators and load banks would 
apply realistic loads and supplies to the microgrid to test the mobile 
microreactor in a realistic setting. Additional pads would be used to 
house the load banks and diesel generators to simulate a microgrid 
(electrical power loads for the mobile microreactor) during testing.
    At-power testing, performed according to test procedures yet to be 
developed, would verify the ability of the mobile microreactor to 
operate at its rated power level for an extended period under normal, 
off-normal (but expected), and upset (not expected but anticipated) 
conditions. Transient tests performed would demonstrate mobile 
microreactor features, not push it to damage conditions. Transient 
testing would demonstrate upset conditions that would last at most a 
couple of days but more likely hours. In addition, the CITRC site would 
require a mobile office trailer that could contain a restroom, potable 
water, donning/doffing facilities, equipment storage, charging 
stations, etc. The mobile microreactor operations phase at CITRC is 
anticipated to take around 2.5 years to complete.

[[Page 53041]]

Temporary Storage

    After operational testing, the mobile microreactor would be 
disassembled and placed in temporary storage, awaiting eventual 
disposition. There are two options for temporary storage of the mobile 
microreactor system (within their CONEX containers) at the INL Site: 
the RSWF receiving area (MFC-771) and ORSA (MFC-797). A reinforced 
concrete pad would be constructed at either of the temporary storage 
locations, and minor upgrades in fencing and instrumentation would be 
required if stored at ORSA.

Post-Irradiation Examination and Disposition

    After the mobile microreactor's useful life is complete and after a 
period of temporary storage, all of the materials would be disposed. 
The mobile microreactor components would be disposed of through the 
appropriate waste streams. It is anticipated that the mobile 
microreactor would be deconstructed and parts and/or fuel removed to 
aggregate like-class wastes. After deconstruction, irradiated materials 
would be safely stored with other similar DOE-irradiated materials and 
experiments at MFC, most likely in the HFEF or the RSWF. Ultimate 
disposal of the irradiated materials that have been declared waste 
would occur along with similar DOE-owned irradiated materials and 
experiments currently at MFC.

Public Hearings

    SCO will host two public hearings regarding the Draft EIS. Meetings 
will be held in-person with simultaneous livestream over the internet. 
A toll-free number will be available for commenters not at the in-
person meeting. Interested parties are invited to join either or both 
of the public hearings, each with identical presentation content, 
planned to be held at the Shoshone Bannock Hotel and Event Center, 777 
Bannock Trail, Fort Hall, Idaho 83203. An American Sign Language 
interpreter will be present. A recording of the public hearings will be 
made available to the public at the online website listed above. 
Individuals attending the hearings in person will be required to wear 
appropriate face coverings and to follow social distancing guidelines. 
Ongoing health concerns as a result of the evolving COVID-19 
restrictions could result in changes or cancellation of the in person 
public hearings. Further public announcements will be made in the event 
of a postponement or cancellation. In the event of cancellation of the 
in-person hearings, the online virtual hearings would still occur on 
the scheduled dates and at the scheduled times.
    The hearings will begin with a presentation providing an overview 
of the project, information on the NEPA process, and highlights of the 
Draft EIS content and analysis. Following the presentation, individuals 
participating both in-person and remotely will be offered an 
opportunity to provide oral comments on the Draft EIS. The hearings 
will conclude after two hours or when there are no additional 
commenters, whichever occurs first. Public comments will be addressed 
in the Final EIS. You may pre-register to comment by sending an email 
to [email protected]. A court reporter will be present to transcribe 
all comments.

    Dated: September 17, 2021.
Aaron T. Siegel,
Alternate OSD Federal Register Liaison Officer, Department of Defense.
[FR Doc. 2021-20546 Filed 9-23-21; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 5001-06-P