[Federal Register Volume 90, Number 38 (Thursday, February 27, 2025)]
[Notices]
[Pages 10832-10835]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2025-03195]
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NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION
[Docket No. 50-483; NRC-2025-0036]
Union Electric Company; Callaway Plant, Unit No. 1; 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, the Commission)
is considering issuance of an amendment to Renewed Facility Operating
License No. NPF-30, issued to Union Electric Company, doing business as
Ameren Missouri (the licensee), for the operation of Callaway Plant,
Unit No. 1 (Callaway). The proposed amendment would add a note to
Callaway Technical Specification (TS) 4.2.2, ``Control Rod
Assemblies,'' to permit the Cycle 28 core to contain 52 control rods
(i.e., with no control rod in core location H-08) in lieu of the
current requirement for 53 control rods.
DATES: Submit comments by March 31, 2025. Requests for a hearing or
petitions for leave to intervene must be filed by April 28, 2025.
[[Page 10833]]
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-2025-0036. Address
questions about Docket IDs in Regulations.gov to Bridget Curran;
telephone: 301-415-1003; 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: Mahesh Chawla, Office of Nuclear
Reactor Regulation, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Washington, DC
20555-0001; telephone: 301-415-8371; email: [email protected].
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
I. Obtaining Information and Submitting Comments
A. Obtaining Information
Please refer to Docket ID NRC-2025-0036 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-2025-0036.
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 Package Accession No. ML25029A188.
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-2025-0036 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 an amendment to Renewed Facility
Operating License No. NPF-30, issued to Union Electric Company, doing
business as Ameren Missouri, for the operation of Callaway, located in
Callaway County, Missouri.
The proposed amendment would add a note to Callaway TS 4.2.2 to
permit the Cycle 28 core to contain 52 control rods (i.e., with no
control rod in core location H-08) in lieu of the current requirement
for 53 control rods. A Callaway operating cycle is nominally 18 months.
The results of control rod drop time testing performed during recent
refueling outages indicate a slowing rod drop time for the H-08 control
rod. The rod drop time is still within the TS allowable limits (per TS
Surveillance Requirement 3.1.4.3), but troubleshooting is planned for
the upcoming outage, Refuel 27. The troubleshooting could indicate the
need for a repair that would not be able to be performed during the
outage. If so, the H-08 control rod would be removed with the intent of
leaving it removed from the H-08 core location throughout Cycle 28 such
that the H-08 control rod drive mechanism would be repaired or replaced
during Refuel 28.
Before any issuance of the proposed license amendment, 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:
1. Does the proposed change involve a significant increase in
the probability or consequences of an accident previously evaluated?
Response: No.
The proposed license amendment would add a note to Callaway Unit
1 Technical Specification (TS) 4.2.2, ``Control Rod Assemblies,'' to
permit Cycle 28 to contain 52 control rods, i.e., with no control
rod in core location H-08. Currently, TS 4.2.2 requires 53 control
rod assemblies in each reactor core.
This proposed license amendment would allow for the temporary
removal of the control rod in core location H-08 during Cycle 28.
Operation of Callaway Cycle 28 with the H-08 control rod removed
will not involve a significant increase in the probability or
consequences of an accident previously evaluated. Shutdown margin
(SDM) is reduced by the absence of the H-08 control rod but remains
bounded by the limits specified by the Core Operating Limits Report
(COLR). Because the impacts on the cycle-specific nuclear design
parameters are bounded by the conservative input values used in the
Final Safety Analysis Report (FSAR) accident analyses, the current
accident analyses remain bounding. Therefore, the proposed change
does not involve a significant increase in the probability or
consequences of an accident previously evaluated.
The proposed changes will not alter or prevent the ability of
the remaining 52 control rods from performing their intended
functions to mitigate the consequences of an initiating event within
the assumed acceptance limits. The mechanical removal of the control
rod drive shaft and Rod Cluster Control Assembly (RCCA) does not
have any mechanical impact on the function of the remaining 52
control rods. The electrical
[[Page 10834]]
removal from service of the H-08 control rod involves pulling fuses
to remove control power to the respective stationary, lift, and
movable coils. The remaining control rods are not impacted by this
electrical change and will continue to meet their design function.
The modification design change process ensures that the associated
plant modifications involve only the H-08 control rod and do not
affect other control rods.
The proposed changes do not alter any accident analysis
assumptions discussed in the FSAR. Shutdown Margin (SDM) is reduced
by the absence of the H-08 control rod but remains bounded by the
limits specified by the COLR.
Therefore, it is concluded that this change does not involve a
significant increase in the probability or consequences of an
accident previously evaluated.
2. Does the proposed change create the possibility of a new or
different kind of accident from any accident previously evaluated?
Response: No.
Operation of Callaway Cycle 28 with the H-08 control rod removed
will not create the possibility of a new or different kind of
accident from any accident previously evaluated. The proposed change
involves no physical change beyond the removal of the H-08 control
rod. The safety evaluations performed for Cycle 28 with the H-08
control rod removed validated that the impacts to the nuclear design
parameters were within the bounds of those already assumed in the
FSAR Chapter 15 accident analyses. The change in core bypass flow
through the upper head region has been evaluated, and it has been
determined that the increase is negligible and there is no impact to
the safety analysis due to this negligible increase. The current
accident analyses remain bounding. All plant equipment will continue
to meet applicable design and safety requirements.
Therefore, it is concluded that this change does not create the
possibility of a new or different kind of accident from any accident
previously evaluated.
3. Does the proposed change involve a significant reduction in a
margin of safety?
Response: No.
The margin of safety is established through equipment design,
operating parameters, and the setpoints at which automatic actions
are initiated. The proposed change does not alter any FSAR design
basis or safety limit and does not change any setpoint at which
automatic actuations are initiated. The proposed change has been
evaluated for effects on available shutdown margin, boron worth,
trip reactivity as a function of time, and moderator temperature
coefficient. The results of these evaluations show that adequate
margin is maintained such that the proposed change would not cause a
design basis or safety limit to be altered or exceeded.
Therefore, it is concluded that the proposed change does 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 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 designated 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 (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)
[[Page 10835]]
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 January 29, 2025 (ADAMS Package
Accession No. ML25029A188).
Attorney for licensee: Jay Silberg, Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman
LLP, 1200 17th Street NW, Washington, DC 20036.
NRC Branch Chief: Tony Nakanishi.
For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
Dated: February 24, 2025.
Mahesh Chawla,
Project Manager, Plant Licensing Branch IV, Division of Operating
Reactor Licensing, Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation.
[FR Doc. 2025-03195 Filed 2-26-25; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7590-01-P