ML18082B076
| ML18082B076 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Rancho Seco |
| Issue date: | 08/31/2018 |
| From: | John Tappert Division of Decommissioning, Uranium Recovery and Waste Programs |
| To: | Tallman D Rancho Seco Assets Power Generation |
| TCarter NMSS DUWP | |
| Shared Package | |
| ML18213A380 | List: |
| References | |
| Download: ML18082B076 (7) | |
Text
UNITED STATES NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION WASHINGTON, D.C. 20555-0001 August 31, 2018 Mr. Dan A. Tallman Manager, Rancho Seco Assets 14440 Twin Cities Road MS N493 Herald, CA 95638
SUBJECT:
TERMINATION OF RANCHO SECO NUCLEAR GENERATING STATION OPERATING LICENSE DPR-54
Dear Mr. Tallman:
On September 21, 2017, Sacramento Municipal Utility District (SMUD) submitted to the U.S.
Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) an application for termination of the Rancho Seco Nuclear Generating Station (Rancho Seco) Operating License (No. DPR-54, Possession Only).
The application states that SMUD has completed the remaining radiological decommissioning and final status surveys (FSS) of the Rancho Seco facility and site in accordance with the NRC approved license termination plan (LTP), and the surveys demonstrate that the facility and site meet the criteria for decommissioning and release of the site for unrestricted use stipulated in Title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations (10 CFR), Part 20, Subpart E.
As indicated in the attached NRC staff review, the Commission has concluded that: (i) The remaining dismantlement has been performed in accordance with the approved LTP; (ii) The FSS and associated documentation, including an assessment of dose contributions associated with parts released for use before approval of the LTP, demonstrate that the facility and site have met the criteria for decommissioning in 10 CFR Part 20, subpart E; and (iii) SMUD has met the 10 CFR Parts 30, 40, and 70 requirements for forwarding of specific records to NRC prior to license termination. Therefore, effective August 31, 2018, License DPR-54 has been terminated, and the existing indemnity agreement between SMUD and the NRC has also been terminated. Notice of these actions has been sent to the Federal Register for publication.
Please complete, sign and return the enclosed indemnity agreement to Ted Carter, NRC, 11545 Rockville Pike, Rockville, MD 20852.
In accordance with 10 CFR 2.390 of the NRC's "Rules of General Applicability," a copy of this letter and the referenced correspondence will be available electronically in the NRC Public Document Room or from the Publically Available Records component of the NRC's document system at the referenced ML numbers. Agencywide Documents Access and Management System (ADAMS) is accessible from the NRC Web site at http://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/adams.html.
2 If you have any questions please contact Ted Carter at (301) 415-5543.
Sincerely,
/RA/
John R. Tappert, Director Division of Decommissioning, Uranium Recovery and Waste Programs Office of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards Docket Nos.: 50-312, License No. DPR-54
Enclosures:
- 1. Summary of NRC Staff Review, Conclusion Re:
Application for Termination of Rancho Nuclear Generating Station Operating License
- 2. Amendment to Indemnity Agreement No. B-66 No. 10 between SMUD and NRC cc: Rancho Seco Dist. List
Summary of NRC Staff Review and Conclusion Regarding Application for Termination of the Rancho Nuclear Generating Station Operating License On September 21, 2017, in accordance with 10 CFR 50.82(a)(9), Sacramento Municipal Utility District (SMUD) submitted to the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) an application for termination of the Rancho Seco Nuclear Generating Station (Rancho Seco) Operating License (Possession Only) No. DPR-54 (Agencywide Documents Access and Management System (ADAMS) Accession No. ML17313A481). The application states that SMUD has completed remaining radiological decommissioning and final status surveys (FSS) of the Rancho Seco facility and site in accordance with the NRC-approved license termination plan (LTP), and the FSSs demonstrate that the facility and site meet the criteria for decommissioning and release of the site for unrestricted use that are stipulated in Title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations (10 CFR), Part 20, Subpart E.
BACKGROUND SMUD permanently terminated nuclear power operations at Rancho Seco on June 7, 1989, and completed defueling the reactor on December 8, 1989. On March 17, 1992, the NRC amended the Rancho Seco operating license to Possession Only status (ML17283A071). On March 20, 1995, the NRC issued the Rancho Seco Decommissioning Order. The Order authorized SMUD to decommission the facility and accepted the Rancho Seco decommissioning funding plan.
SMUD began actively decommissioning Rancho Seco in February 1997. In March 1997, SMUD revised the Rancho Seco Decommissioning Plan to conform to the content requirements of the Post Shutdown Decommissioning Activities Report (PSDAR).
On June 30, 2000, the NRC issued Materials License SNM-2510 for the Rancho Seco Independent Spent Fuel Storage Installation (ISFSI). This site-specific 10 CFR Part 72 license authorizes SMUD to store Rancho Seco spent fuel at the Rancho Seco ISFSI. The licensee completed transferring all of the spent fuel to the ISFSI on August 21, 2002 (ML042150020).
The ISFSI is a separately licensed facility located outside the 10 CFR Part 50 licensed site. On October 10, 2002, NRC approved a license amendment that eliminated the security plan requirements from the 10 CFR Part 50 licensed facility (ADAMS Accession No. ML022840145).
The NRC approved the Rancho Seco LTP on November 27, 2007 (ADAMS Accession No. ML072070291). LTP Section 1.4.2 discusses SMUDs intent to release the Rancho Seco site for unrestricted use in two phases. The NRC approved release from the 10 CFR Part 50 license DPR-54 of a portion of the Rancho Seco site (Phase I) on September 25, 2009 (ADAMS Accession No. ML092520046). After completion of Phase I decommissioning in 2009, the only remaining portion of the site to be decommissioned was the Interim On-Site Storage Building (IOSB), which contained radiological waste (Class B and C waste) from Phase I of decommissioning. In 2014, SMUD completed the last shipment of radiological waste to a disposal facility in Texas and notified the NRC that the licensee would begin Phase II of decommissioning. Phase II of decommissioning included the approximately two-acre IOSB and surrounding area.
2 FINAL STATUS SURVEYS REPORT On February 28, 2017, SMUD submitted to the NRC the Final Status Surveys Report (ADAMS Accession Nos. ML17065A034 and ML17118A025) for the second and final phase of the Rancho Seco decommissioning. As described in Section 8.3 of the LTP, the licensee committed to follow Chapter 5 of the LTP, Final Status Survey Plan, for completing the remaining cleanup activities. Staffs evaluation of the final status surveys results for Phase II are discussed in ADAMS Accession No. ML17116A136. NRC Region IV issued inspection report 050-00312/2016-002 for the IOSB at the Rancho Seco site (ADAMS Accession No. ML16259A414). At the request of the NRC, the Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education (ORISE), managed by Oak Ridge Associated Universities, conducted confirmatory survey activities at the IOSB and surrounding area during the week of August 29, 2016. ORISE documented the conduct and results of its survey activities in a report dated March 22, 2017 (ADAMS Accession No. ML17083A983). On the basis of clean-up activities carried out by the licensee, the NRCs review of SMUDs final status survey report, and the results of NRC confirmatory surveys, the NRC approved the unrestricted use of Phase II area with the basis that the licensee has met the criteria of 10 CFR 20.1402 (ADAMS Accession No. ML17116A136). The NRC release criteria for unrestricted use is 25 mrem/year. In September 2009, Phase 1 (Release of Land from Part 50 License) of Rancho Seco License Termination activities resulted an average survey unit dose of 1.16 mrem/year. In May 2017, Phase 2 (Release of the Interim Onsite Storage Building) of Rancho Seco License Termination activities resulted in an average dose of less than 0.34 mrem/year for all survey units. The final dose from Phases I and II is well below the NRC release criteria for unrestricted use of 25 mrem/year and does not account for additional radiological decay from 2009 to present.
STATE CONSULTATION The state is on distribution for all correspondence between NRC and SMUD and thus has been informed of NRCs intention to terminate the Rancho Seco license. The California State official was notified of the proposed issuance of the amendment. The state official had no comments.
ENVIRONMENTAL CONSIDERATIONS Pursuant to 10 CFR 51.21, 51.32, and 51.35, an environmental assessment (EA) and finding of no significant impact (FONSI) was published in the Federal Register on November 8, 2007 (72 FR 63203) for approval of the LTP. The EA described the potential environmental effects (both radiological and nonradiological) from the decision to approve the LTP and release the NRC license for unrestricted use (pursuant to 10 CFR 20.1402) along with termination of the license. The licensees activities since approval of the LTP have not resulted in environmental impacts beyond those considered in the EA and FONSI. This NRC action, termination of the Rancho Seco license, was also considered in the EA and FONSI and no additional environmental impacts beyond those considered in the EA and FONSI have occurred.
Accordingly, the November 8, 2007 EA and FONSI provides the environmental analysis for termination of the Rancho Seco license.
3 RECORDS TO BE FORWARDED PRIOR TO LICENSE TERMINATION In addition to the license termination requirements of 10 CFR Part 50, Parts 30, 40, and 70 also have requirements for forwarding of specific records to NRC prior to license termination. These requirements include:
Record Forwarding Requirements 10 CFR 30.51(d)
Prior to license termination, each licensee authorized to possess radioactive material with a half-life greater than 120 days, in an unsealed form, shall forward the following records to the appropriate NRC Regional Office:
Records of disposal of licensed material made under 20.2002 (including burials authorized before January 28, 1981), 20.2003, 20.2004, 20.2005; and Records required by 20.2103(b)(4).
Prior to license termination, each licensee shall forward the records required by 30.35(g) to the appropriate NRC Regional Office.
Prior to license termination, each licensee authorized to possess source material, in an unsealed form, shall forward the following records to the appropriate NRC Regional Office:
Records of disposal of licensed material made under 20.2002 (including burials authorized before January 28, 1981), 20.2003, 20.2004, 20.2005; and Records required by 20.2103(b)(4).
Prior to license termination, each licensee shall forward the records required by 40.36(f) to the appropriate NRC Regional Office.
Prior to license termination, licensees shall forward the following records to the appropriate NRC Regional Office:
Records of disposal of licensed material made under 20.2002 (including burials authorized before January 28, 1981), 20.2003, 20.2004, 20.2005; and Records required by 20.2103(b)(4); and Records required by 70.25(g).
SMUD addressed each of these requirements in a letter to NRC dated March 30, 2017, (ADAMS Accession No. ML17108A344) as described below.
SMUD addressed the requirements of 10 CFR 30.51(d)(1), 10 CFR 40.61(d)(1), and 10 CFR 70.51(a)(1) collectively because they are identical, by stating, Rancho Seco has not disposed of any licensed material under 10 CFR 20.2002, 20.2003, 20.2004, or 20.2005.
Hence, records of such disposals do not exist because these types of disposals were never
4 made at the Rancho Seco facility. SMUD considers the record forwarding requirements in 10 CFR 30.51(d)(1), 10 CFR 40.61(d)(1), and 10 CFR 70.51(a)(1) to be met in support of Rancho Seco license termination.
SMUD addressed the requirements of 10 CFR 30.51(d)(2), 10 CFR 40.61(d)(2), and 10 CFR 70.51(a)(2) collectively because they addressed the submittal of records required by 10 CFR 20.2103(b)(4). The regulations in 10 CFR 20.2103(b)(4) address records associated with the release of radioactive effluents to the environment. Rancho Seco has submitted its Annual Radioactive Effluent Release Report (ARERR) to the NRC throughout the duration of the Rancho Seco operating license. The ARERR provides a summary of gaseous and liquid radioactive effluents released from Rancho Seco to the environment during the period of January 1 through December 31 for a given calendar year. The ARERR also provides the results of measurements and calculations used to evaluate the radiation dose for a hypothetical individual at or beyond the applicable site boundary. The last ARERR submitted to the NRC, for calendar year 2016, was on March 14, 2017. On March 31, 2017, SMUD submitted the ARERR for 2017, which includes one radioactive waste shipment. There were no gaseous or liquid effluent releases made in 2017. With the prior submittal of the records required by 10 CFR 20.2103(b)(4) as described above, SMUD's submittal of the 2016 and YTD 2017 reports, the requirements of 10 CFR 30.51(d)(2), 10 CFR 40.61(d)(2), and 10 CFR 70.51(a)(2) were met.
Due to the similarity of the requirements, SMUD also addressed the requirements of 10 CFR 30.51(f), 10 CFR 40.61(f), and 10 CFR 70.51(a)(3) collectively. These regulations require the licensee to forward information important to decommissioning as required by paragraphs (1),
(2), (3), and (4) of 10 CFR 30.35(g), 10 CFR 40.36(f), and 10 CFR 70.25(g), respectively, to NRC Regional Office. SMUD states that it has met these requirements through the submittal of:
(1) Rancho Seco License Termination Plan; (2) Radioactive Material Storage and Decommissioning Safety Analysis Report; (3) Rancho Seco Final Survey Reports; and (4) Rancho Seco Report on Decommissioning Funding Status.
The NRC concludes that SMUD has met the requirements of 10 CFR Parts 30, 40, and 70 for forwarding of specific records to NRC prior to license termination. In addition, SMUD stated that all of the licensing basis documents (LBD) will be evaluated against the criteria in 10 CFR 50.59 and 10 CFR72.48. Any LBDs that are still applicable to the ISFSI will be revised to reflect the termination of the Part 50 license.
RANCHO SECO QUALITY MANUAL (RSQM)
SMUD maintains an NRC-approved quality assurance (QA) program for Rancho Seco that satisfies the requirements of 10 CFR Part 50, Appendix B. Pursuant to 10 CFR 71.101(f) and 10 CFR 72.140(d), SMUD applies this program to satisfy the QA requirements of 10 CFR Part 71, Subpart H, and 10 CFR Part 72, Subpart G.
SMUD letter dated March 30, 2017 (ADAMS Accession No. ML17095A980), states that, upon receipt of NRC approval of revised RSQM, SMUD will issue RSQM Revision 4 concurrent with the termination of 10 CFR Part 50 license. Issuance of RSQM Revision 4 will satisfy the quality assurance requirements of 10 CFR Part 71, Subpart H, and 10 CFR Part 72, Subpart G. The NRC has reviewed proposed RSQM, Revision 4, and determined that the QA Program, as described in the RSQM, Revision 4 is in conformance with the applicable portions of Subpart H
5 to 10 CFR Part 71 and Subpart G to 10 CFR Part 72 and is, therefore, acceptable. The NRC noted that upon termination of license DPR-054, all future changes to the RSQM will be submitted for prior NRC approval, in accordance with the guidance of NRC Information Notice 2002-35: Changes to 10 CFR Parts 71 and 72 Quality Assurance Programs.
RSQM Revision 4 will be effective on the date of the 10 CFR Part 50 license termination. In accordance with the provisions of 10 CFR 71.17(b) and 10 CFR 72.140(d), the Rancho Seco QA program will be accepted as satisfying the requirements of 10 CFR 71.17(b), 10 CFR 71.101(c), and 10 CFR 72.140 (b), except that the licensee shall also meet the recordkeeping requirements of 10 CFR 72.80 and 10 CFR 72.174. Therefore, upon issuance of RSQM Revision 4, SMUD will satisfy the QA requirements of 10 CFR Part 71, Subpart H, and 10 CFR Part 72, Subpart G.
CONCLUSION The Commission has concluded, based on the considerations discussed above, that: (i) The remaining dismantlement has been performed in accordance with the approved LTP; (ii) The FSS and associated documentation, including an assessment of dose contributions associated with parts released for use before approval of the LTP, demonstrate that the facility and site have met the criteria for decommissioning in 10 CFR Part 20, subpart E; and (iii) SMUD has met the Parts 30, 40, and 70 requirements for forwarding of specific records to NRC prior to license termination. Therefore, License DPR-54 is terminated, effective August 31, 2018.
The Notice of Termination is being sent to the Federal Register for publication.
In accordance with 10 CFR 2.390 of the NRC's Rules of General Applicability, a copy of this letter and the referenced correspondence will be available electronically in the NRC Public Document Room or from the Publically Available Records component of the NRC's document system at the referenced ML numbers. ADAMS is accessible from the NRC Web site at http://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/adams.html.