[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 122 (Tuesday, June 25, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Pages 53124-53126]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2024-13911]
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NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION
[Docket Nos. 50-352 and 50-353; NRC-2024-0113]
Constellation Energy Generation, LLC; Limerick Generating
Station, Units 1 and 2; License Amendment Request
AGENCY: Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
ACTION: Opportunity to comment, request a hearing, and petition for
leave to intervene.
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SUMMARY: The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is considering
issuance of amendments to Renewed Facility Operating License Nos. NPF-
39 and NPF-85, issued to Constellation Energy Generation, LLC for
operation of the Limerick Generating Station, Units 1 and 2. The
proposed amendments would revise the technical specifications for
detecting and responding to leakage in the turbine enclosure main steam
line tunnel.
DATES: Submit comments by July 25, 2024. Comments received after this
date will be considered if it is practical to do so, but the NRC is
able to ensure consideration only for comments received on or before
this date. Requests for a hearing or petition for leave to intervene
must be filed by August 26, 2024.
ADDRESSES: You may submit comments by any of the following methods;
however, the NRC encourages electronic comment submission through the
Federal rulemaking website.
Federal rulemaking website: Go to https://www.regulations.gov and search for Docket ID NRC-2024-0113. Address
questions about Docket IDs in Regulations.gov to Stacy Schumann;
telephone: 301-415-0624; email: [email protected]. For technical
questions, contact the individual listed in the For Further Information
Contact section of this document.
Mail comments to: Office of Administration, Mail Stop:
TWFN-7-A60M, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Washington, DC 20555-
0001, ATTN: Program Management, Announcements and Editing Staff.
For additional direction on obtaining information and submitting
comments, see ``Obtaining Information and Submitting Comments'' in the
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section of this document.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Audrey Klett, Office of Nuclear
Reactor Regulation, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Washington, DC
20555-0001, telephone: 301-415-0489; email: [email protected].
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
I. Obtaining Information and Submitting Comments
A. Obtaining Information
Please refer to Docket ID NRC-2024-0113 when contacting the NRC
about the availability of information for this action. You may obtain
publicly available information related to this action by any of the
following methods:
Federal Rulemaking website: Go to https://www.regulations.gov and search for Docket ID NRC-2024-0113.
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, at 301-415-4737,
or by email to [email protected]. The license amendment request is
available in ADAMS under Accession No. ML24165A264.
NRC's PDR: The PDR, where you may examine and order copies
of publicly available documents, is open by appointment. To make an
appointment to visit the PDR, please send an email to
[email protected] or call 1-800-397-4209 or 301-415-4737, between 8
a.m. and 4 p.m. eastern time (ET), Monday through Friday, except
Federal holidays.
B. Submitting Comments
The NRC encourages electronic comment submission through the
Federal rulemaking website (https://www.regulations.gov). Please
include Docket ID NRC-2024-0113 in your comment submission.
The NRC cautions you not to include identifying or contact
information that you do not want to be publicly disclosed in your
comment submission. The NRC will post all comment submissions at
https://www.regulations.gov as well as enter the comment submissions
into ADAMS. The NRC does not routinely edit comment submissions to
remove identifying or contact information.
If you are requesting or aggregating comments from other persons
for submission to the NRC, then you should inform those persons not to
include identifying or contact information that they do not want to be
publicly disclosed in their comment submission. Your request should
state that the NRC does not routinely edit comment submissions to
remove such information before making the comment submissions available
to the public or entering the comment into ADAMS.
II. Introduction
The NRC is considering issuance of amendments to Renewed Facility
Operating License Nos. NPF-39 and NPF-85 (Docket Nos. 50-352 and 50-
353, respectively) issued to Constellation Energy Generation, LLC for
operation of the Limerick Generating Station, Units 1 and 2, located in
Montgomery County, Pennsylvania.
The proposed amendments would revise the technical specifications
for detecting and responding to leakage in the turbine enclosure main
steam line tunnel. The proposed amendments would delete turbine
enclosure main steam line tunnel temperature requirements from various
instrumentation-related technical specifications and add a new
specification to verify there is no leakage from the main steam line
pressure boundary when the turbine enclosure main steam line tunnel
temperature exceeds a certain value.
Before issuance of the proposed license amendments, the NRC will
need to make the findings required by the Atomic Energy Act of 1954, as
amended (the Act), and NRC's regulations.
The NRC has made a proposed determination that the license
amendment request involves no significant hazards consideration. Under
the NRC's regulations in section 50.92 of title 10 of the Code of
Federal Regulations (10 CFR), ``Issuance of amendment,'' this means
that operation of the facility in accordance with the proposed
amendment would not (1) involve a significant increase in the
probability or consequences of an accident previously evaluated; or (2)
create the possibility of a new or different kind of accident from any
accident previously evaluated; or (3) involve a significant reduction
in a margin of safety. As required by 10 CFR 50.91(a), the licensee has
provided its analysis of the issue of no significant hazards
consideration, which is presented as follows:
[[Page 53125]]
1. Do the proposed amendments involve a significant increase in the
probability or consequences of an accident previously evaluated?
Response: No.
The proposed changes do not alter any of the previously evaluated
accidents in the UFSAR [updated final safety analysis report]. The
proposed changes do not affect any of the initiators of previously
evaluated accidents in a manner that would increase the likelihood of
the event. The proposed change also eliminates the automatic MSIV [main
steam isolation valve] isolation function associated with TE [turbine
enclosure] MSL [main steam line] Tunnel high temperature from the
requirements of the Technical Specifications (TS) and creates TS
requirements for TE MSL tunnel temperature monitoring in a new TS \3/
4\.7.9.
Automatic isolation of the MSIVs on TE MSL tunnel high temperature
is not an initiator of any accident previously evaluated. A manual
plant shutdown initiated due to MSL leakage in the TE MSL tunnel is not
an initiator of any accident previously evaluated. There is no credit
taken in any licensing basis analysis for MSIV closure on TE MSL tunnel
high temperature, and there are no calculations that credit the subject
isolation function as a mitigative feature.
As a result, the likelihood of malfunction of an SSC [structure,
system, and component] is not increased. The capability and operation
of the mitigation systems are not affected by the proposed changes.
Thus, the mitigating systems will continue to be initiated and mitigate
the consequences of an accident as assumed in the analysis of accidents
previously evaluated.
Therefore, the proposed changes do not involve a significant
increase in the probability or consequences of an accident previously
evaluated.
2. Do the proposed amendments create the possibility of a new or
different kind of accident from any accident previously evaluated?
Response: No.
The proposed changes will not introduce any new operating modes,
safety-related equipment lineups, accident scenarios, system
interactions, or failure modes that would create a new or different
type of accident. Failure(s) of the system will have the same effect as
the present design.
The proposed change also eliminates the automatic MSIV isolation
function associated with TE MSL Tunnel high temperature from the
requirements of the TS and creates TS requirements for TE MSL tunnel
temperature monitoring in a new TS 3/4.7.9. Eliminating the automatic
isolation of the MSIVs will not create a new or different kind of
accident from those previously evaluated as a Main Steam Line Break has
been evaluated. Elimination of the automatic isolation function will
not create a new failure mechanism as a plant shutdown continues to be
required if an MSL leak is detected.
The proposed change from an automatic shutdown to a manual shutdown
will not create any credible new failure mechanisms, malfunctions, or
accident initiators not considered in the design and licensing bases.
The unlikely failure to manually detect an MSL leak and shutdown the
plant and that failure leading to a Main Steam Line Break has already
been evaluated and is not a new type of accident.
Therefore, the proposed changes do not create the possibility of a
new or different kind of accident from any accident previously
evaluated.
3. Do the proposed amendments involve a significant reduction in a
margin of safety?
Response: No.
The proposed changes do not affect the accident source term,
containment isolation, or radiological release assumptions used in
evaluating the radiological consequences of any accident previously
evaluated and are consistent with safety analysis assumptions and
resultant consequences. The proposed changes do not impact reactor
operating parameters or the functional requirements of the affected
instrumentation systems. These systems will continue to provide the
design basis reactor trips and protective system actuations. All design
basis events, and the reliance on the reactor trips and protective
system actuations will remain unchanged. No controlling numerical
values for parameters established in the UFSAR or the license or Safety
Limits are affected by the proposed changes.
Therefore, the proposed changes do not involve a significant
reduction in a margin of safety.
The NRC staff has reviewed the licensee's analysis and, based on
this review, it appears that the three standards of 10 CFR 50.92(c) are
satisfied. Therefore, the NRC staff proposes to determine that the
license amendment request involves no significant hazards
consideration.
The NRC is seeking public comments on this proposed determination
that the license amendment request involves no significant hazards
consideration. Any comments received within 30 days after the date of
publication of this notice will be considered in making any final
determination.
Normally, the Commission will not issue the amendment until the
expiration of 60 days after the date of publication of this notice. The
Commission may issue the license amendment before expiration of the 60-
day notice period if the Commission concludes the amendment involves no
significant hazards consideration. In addition, the Commission may
issue the amendment prior to the expiration of the 30-day comment
period if circumstances change during the 30-day comment period such
that failure to act in a timely way would result, for example, in
derating or shutdown of the facility. If the Commission takes action
prior to the expiration of either the comment period or the notice
period, it will publish in the Federal Register a notice of issuance.
If the Commission makes a final no significant hazards consideration
determination, any hearing will take place after issuance. The
Commission expects that the need to take this action will occur very
infrequently.
III. Opportunity To Request a Hearing and Petition for Leave To
Intervene
Within 60 days after the date of publication of this notice, any
person (petitioner) whose interest may be affected by this action may
file a request for a hearing and petition for leave to intervene
(petition) with respect to the action. Petitions shall be filed in
accordance with the Commission's ``Agency Rules of Practice and
Procedure'' in 10 CFR part 2. Interested persons should consult 10 CFR
2.309. If a petition is filed, the presiding officer will rule on the
petition and, if appropriate, a notice of a hearing will be issued.
Petitions must be filed no later than 60 days from the date of
publication of this notice in accordance with the filing instructions
in the ``Electronic Submissions (E-Filing)'' section of this document.
Petitions and motions for leave to file new or amended contentions that
are filed after the deadline will not be entertained absent a
determination by the presiding officer that the filing demonstrates
good cause by satisfying the three factors in 10 CFR 2.309(c)(1)(i)
through (iii).
If a hearing is requested and the Commission has not made a final
determination on the issue of no significant hazards consideration, the
Commission will make a final determination on the issue of no
significant hazards consideration, which will serve to establish when
the hearing is held. If the final determination is that
[[Page 53126]]
the amendment request involves no significant hazards consideration,
the Commission may issue the amendment and make it immediately
effective, notwithstanding the request for a hearing. Any hearing would
take place after issuance of the amendment. If the final determination
is that the amendment request involves a significant hazards
consideration, then any hearing held would take place before the
issuance of the amendment unless the Commission finds an imminent
danger to the health or safety of the public, in which case it will
issue an appropriate order or rule under 10 CFR part 2.
A State, local governmental body, Federally recognized Indian
Tribe, or designated agency thereof, may submit a petition to the
Commission to participate as a party under 10 CFR 2.309(h) no later
than 60 days from the date of publication of this notice.
Alternatively, a State, local governmental body, Federally recognized
Indian Tribe, or agency thereof may participate as a non-party under 10
CFR 2.315(c).
For information about filing a petition and about participation by
a person not a party under 10 CFR 2.315, see ADAMS Accession No.
ML20340A053 (https://adamswebsearch2.nrc.gov/webSearch2/main.jsp?AccessionNumber=ML20340A053) and on the NRC's public website
at https://www.nrc.gov/about-nrc/regulatory/adjudicatory/hearing.html#participate.
IV. Electronic Submissions and E-Filing
All documents filed in NRC adjudicatory proceedings, including
documents filed by an interested State, local governmental body,
Federally recognized Indian Tribe, or designated agency thereof that
requests to participate under 10 CFR 2.315(c), must be filed in
accordance with 10 CFR 2.302. The E-Filing process requires
participants to submit and serve all adjudicatory documents over the
internet, or in some cases, to mail copies on electronic storage media,
unless an exemption permitting an alternative filing method, as further
discussed, is granted. Detailed guidance on electronic submissions is
located in the ``Guidance for Electronic Submissions to the NRC''
(ADAMS Accession No. ML13031A056) and on the NRC's public website at
https://www.nrc.gov/site-help/e-submittals.html.
To comply with the procedural requirements of E-Filing, at least 10
days prior to the filing deadline, the participant should contact the
Office of the Secretary by email at [email protected], or by
telephone at 301-415-1677, to (1) request a digital identification (ID)
certificate, which allows the participant (or its counsel or
representative) to digitally sign submissions and access the E-Filing
system for any proceeding in which it is participating; and (2) advise
the Secretary that the participant will be submitting a petition or
other adjudicatory document (even in instances in which the
participant, or its counsel or representative, already holds an NRC-
issued digital ID certificate). Based upon this information, the
Secretary will establish an electronic docket for the proceeding if the
Secretary has not already established an electronic docket.
Information about applying for a digital ID certificate is
available on the NRC's public website at https://www.nrc.gov/site-help/e-submittals/getting-started.html. After a digital ID certificate is
obtained and a docket created, the participant must submit adjudicatory
documents in Portable Document Format. Guidance on submissions is
available on the NRC's public website at https://www.nrc.gov/site-help/electronic-sub-ref-mat.html. A filing is considered complete at the
time the document is submitted through the NRC's E-Filing system. To be
timely, an electronic filing must be submitted to the E-Filing system
no later than 11:59 p.m. ET on the due date. Upon receipt of a
transmission, the E-Filing system time-stamps the document and sends
the submitter an email confirming receipt of the document. The E-Filing
system also distributes an email that provides access to the document
to the NRC's Office of the General Counsel and any others who have
advised the Office of the Secretary that they wish to participate in
the proceeding, so that the filer need not serve the document on those
participants separately. Therefore, applicants and other participants
(or their counsel or representative) must apply for and receive a
digital ID certificate before adjudicatory documents are filed to
obtain access to the documents via the E-Filing system.
A person filing electronically using the NRC's adjudicatory E-
Filing system may seek assistance by contacting the NRC's Electronic
Filing Help Desk through the ``Contact Us'' link located on the NRC's
public website at https://www.nrc.gov/site-help/e-submittals.html, by
email to [email protected], or by a toll-free call at 1-866-672-
7640. The NRC Electronic Filing Help Desk is available between 9 a.m.
and 6 p.m., ET, Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays.
Participants who believe that they have good cause for not
submitting documents electronically must file an exemption request, in
accordance with 10 CFR 2.302(g), with their initial paper filing
stating why there is good cause for not filing electronically and
requesting authorization to continue to submit documents in paper
format. Such filings must be submitted in accordance with 10 CFR
2.302(b)-(d). Participants filing adjudicatory documents in this manner
are responsible for serving their documents on all other participants.
Participants granted an exemption under 10 CFR 2.302(g)(2) must still
meet the electronic formatting requirement in 10 CFR 2.302(g)(1),
unless the participant also seeks and is granted an exemption from 10
CFR 2.302(g)(1).
Documents submitted in adjudicatory proceedings will appear in the
NRC's electronic hearing docket, which is publicly available at https://adams.nrc.gov/ehd, unless excluded pursuant to an order of the
presiding officer. If you do not have an NRC-issued digital ID
certificate as previously described, click ``cancel'' when the link
requests certificates and you will be automatically directed to the
NRC's electronic hearing docket where you will be able to access any
publicly available documents in a particular hearing docket.
Participants are requested not to include personal privacy information
such as social security numbers, home addresses, or personal phone
numbers in their filings unless an NRC regulation or other law requires
submission of such information. With respect to copyrighted works,
except for limited excerpts that serve the purpose of the adjudicatory
filings and would constitute a Fair Use application, participants
should not include copyrighted materials in their submission.
For further details with respect to this action, see the
application for license amendment dated June 13, 2024 (ADAMS Accession
No. ML24165A264).
Attorney for licensee: Jason Zorn, Associate General Counsel,
Constellation Energy Generation, LLC, 101 Constitution Ave. NW, Suite
400 East, Washington, DC 20001.
NRC Branch Chief: Hipolito Gonzalez.
Dated: June 20, 2024.
For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
Audrey L. Klett,
Senior Project Manager, Plant Licensing Branch I, Division of Operating
Reactor Licensing, Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation.
[FR Doc. 2024-13911 Filed 6-24-24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7590-01-P