Notice2024-00817
Browns Ferry Nuclear Plant Subsequent License Renewal Project; Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement
Primary source
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Published
January 17, 2024
Issuing agencies
Tennessee Valley Authority
Abstract
The Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) has decided to adopt the Preferred Alternative identified in the Browns Ferry Nuclear Plant (BFN) Subsequent License Renewal (SLR) project Final Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (Final SEIS). The Notice of Availability of the Final SEIS for the Browns Ferry Nuclear Plant Subsequent License Renewal project was published in the Federal Register on August 11, 2023. The Preferred Alternative, Alternative B--BFN Units 1, 2, and 3 Subsequent License Renewal, supports TVA's goal to continue to generate baseload power at the BFN site between 2033 and 2056, thus generating sufficient electricity to supply the Tennessee Valley with increasingly clean, reliable, and affordable electricity for the region's homes and businesses as outlined in TVA's 2019 Integrated Resource Plan (IRP).
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 89 Issue 11 (Wednesday, January 17, 2024)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 11 (Wednesday, January 17, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Pages 3017-3020]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2024-00817]
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TENNESSEE VALLEY AUTHORITY
Browns Ferry Nuclear Plant Subsequent License Renewal Project;
Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement
AGENCY: Tennessee Valley Authority.
ACTION: Record of decision.
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SUMMARY: The Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) has decided to adopt the
Preferred Alternative identified in the Browns Ferry Nuclear Plant
(BFN) Subsequent License Renewal (SLR) project Final Supplemental
Environmental Impact Statement (Final SEIS). The Notice of Availability
of the Final SEIS for the Browns Ferry Nuclear Plant Subsequent License
Renewal project was published in the Federal Register on August 11,
2023. The Preferred Alternative, Alternative B--BFN Units 1, 2, and 3
Subsequent License Renewal, supports TVA's goal to continue to generate
baseload power at the BFN site between 2033 and 2056, thus generating
sufficient electricity to supply the Tennessee Valley with increasingly
clean, reliable, and affordable electricity for the region's homes and
businesses as outlined in TVA's 2019 Integrated Resource Plan (IRP).
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: J. Taylor Johnson, NEPA Compliance
Specialist, Tennessee Valley Authority, 1101 Market Street, BR 2C-C,
Chattanooga, Tennessee 37402; by telephone (423) 751-2732, or email at
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#7a100e191b0e1f093a0e0c1b541d150c"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="e08a948381948593a0949681ce878f96">[email protected]</span></a>. The Final SEIS, this Record of Decision (ROD), and
other project documents are available on TVA's website <a href="https://www.tva.gov/nepa">https://www.tva.gov/nepa</a>.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This notice is provided in accordance with
the Council on Environmental Quality's regulations for implementing the
National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) (40 Code of Federal
Regulations (CFR) 1500 through 1508) and TVA's NEPA procedures 18 CFR
part 1318. TVA is a corporate agency and instrumentality of the United
States that provides electricity for business customers and local power
distributors serving 10 million people in the Tennessee Valley--an
80,000-square-mile region comprised of Tennessee and parts of Alabama,
Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi, North Carolina, and Virginia. TVA
receives no taxpayer funding and derives virtually all revenues from
the sale of electricity. In addition to operating and investing
revenues in its power system, TVA provides flood control, navigation,
and land management for the Tennessee Valley watershed, and provides
economic development and job creation assistance within the Tennessee
Valley power service area.
In March 2002 and June 2002, TVA issued a Final SEIS and a ROD for
the operating license renewal of BFN. TVA submitted a License Renewal
Application (LRA) to the NRC in December 2003 for a 20-year renewal of
the operating licenses for each BFN unit. The environmental conclusions
of the NRC Final SEIS did not differ from the TVA Final SEIS
conclusions, and the NRC issued Supplement 21 regarding Browns Ferry
Nuclear Plant Units 1, 2, and 3, to the Generic EIS (GEIS) for License
Renewal of Nuclear Plants (NUREG-1437) in June 2005. The NRC issued
operating license renewals for Units 1, 2, and 3 in May 2006, allowing
continued operation of the three BFN units until 2033, 2034, and 2036,
respectively.
In September 2015, TVA submitted a license amendment request (LAR)
for extended power uprate (EPU) of all three units. The NRC issued a
draft Environmental Assessment (EA) and Finding of No Significant
Impact (FONSI) in the Federal Register on December 1, 2016, for public
comment. On May 22, 2017, the NRC issued the Final EA and FONSI related
to the EPU license amendment.
BFN's 3,900 MWe of electric generating capability provides power to
the Tennessee Valley Power Service Area. The TVA service area obtains
approximately 40 percent of its power from nuclear generation and BFN
provides approximately half of that total. BFN's current baseload
generation supports future forecasted baseload power needs, as outlined
in the TVA's 2019 IRP, by helping to maintain grid stability and
generating capacity for TVA's generation portfolio mix. TVA prepared
the Final SEIS pursuant to NEPA to assess the environmental impacts
associated with SLR for BFN Units 1, 2, and 3.
Alternatives Considered
TVA considered a wide range of options to identify feasible
alternatives available to supply approximately 3,900 MWe between 2033
to 2056, and ultimately carried forward two alternatives for
evaluation. The two alternatives considered by TVA in the Final SEIS
are:
Alternative A--No Action. Under this alternative, TVA would not
submit a SLR application to the NRC to renew the BFN operating
licenses. If Alternative A were to be selected, TVA would allow the
current BFN operating licenses to
[[Page 3018]]
expire at the end of their terms, shutting down each unit no later than
the current license expiration dates: December 20, 2033, for Unit 1;
June 28, 2034, for Unit 2; and July 2, 2036, for Unit 3.
Unlike the Proposed Action, the No Action Alternative does not
provide a practicable means of meeting future electric system needs.
Therefore, unless replacement generating capacity is provided as part
of the No-Action Alternative, approximately 3,900 MWe of baseload
generation would no longer be available to meet TVA's electricity
customers' needs, and the alternative would not satisfy the Purpose and
Need for the Proposed Action. For this reason, the No-Action
Alternative is defined as having two components: (1) replacing the
generating capacity of BFN with alternative generating supply available
during or by the end of the term of the existing BFN operating
licenses, and (2) decommissioning the BFN facility. The replacement
generation options considered as part of the No Action Alternative
include construction of a combination of new generating capacity using
energy from natural gas, solar, storage, and nuclear small modular
reactors.
Alternative B--BFN Units 1, 2, and 3 SLR. TVA would seek renewal of
operating licenses to allow for the continued operation of Units 1, 2,
and 3 for an additional 20 years. License renewal does not require any
new construction or modifications beyond normal maintenance and minor
refurbishment. Under Alternative B, BFN would continue to produce
electrical power by using boiling water reactors and steam-driven
turbine generators. The cooling water needed to support BFN power
generation would continue to be drawn from Wheeler Reservoir. Once-
through cooling would continue to be used, with helper cooling towers
operating when river temperatures near one or more of the National
Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit require their use
to ensure BFN complies with regulatory thermal limits. Water from the
circulating water system would continue to be discharged into Wheeler
Reservoir in accordance with BFN's NPDES permit. Solid Low Level
Radioactive Waste (LLRW) would continue to be generated during the
proposed subsequent period of extended operation. Routine releases of
as low as reasonably achievable amounts of radioactive liquids and
gases would also continue during the proposed subsequent period of
extended operation and would continue to be controlled in accordance
with all applicable permit and regulatory requirements, to ensure
protection of human health and the environment.
Routine maintenance and upkeep of BFN would continue through the
proposed SLR period of extended operation to ensure the safe and
reliable operation of the three units and would be managed in
accordance with appropriate TVA programs and procedures.
Current work force requirements, approximately 2,147 personnel,
would continue during the additional years of operation.
The proposed SLR period of extended operation would require
approximately 10 additional refuel cycles per unit, resulting in
approximately 3,900 acres of additional land being affected by the
uranium mining necessary to fuel BFN. Refueling of one third of the
fuel in each unit would continue to be performed approximately every 24
months. The spent fuel would be stored in the spent fuel storage pools
until they could be moved to dry cask storage on the onsite Independent
Spent Fuel Storage Installation (ISFSI).
Environmentally Preferred Alternative
The SEIS includes baseline information for understanding the
potential environmental and socioeconomic impacts associated with the
alternatives considered by TVA. TVA considered 23 resource areas
related to the human and natural environments and the impacts on these
resources associated with each alternative. The anticipated
environmental impacts of the No Action and Action Alternative are
described in detail in the Final SEIS.
Impacts under Alternative A would occur in association with
shutdown and decommissioning of BFN, and offsite in association with
construction and operation of new generation facilities. In association
with shutdown and decommissioning of BFN, there would be no impacts to
groundwater, floodplains and flood risk, wetlands, managed and natural
areas, recreation, and visual resources. There would be minor impacts
associated with BFN shutdown and decommissioning for land use; soils;
surface water; air quality; greenhouse gases; socioeconomics;
environmental justice; archaeological and historic resources;
hazardous, solid, and low-level radioactive waste; radiological
effects; uranium fuel cycle; nuclear and plant safety; and non-
radiological public health and safety. Additionally, there would be
minor and potentially beneficial impacts from shutdown and
decommissioning of BFN for surface water, aquatic ecology, terrestrial
ecology, endangered and threatened species, air quality, noise, and
non-radiological public health and safety.
Implementation of Alternative A, the No Action Alternative would
include the impacts of constructing up to 3,900 MWe of new generation
at sites yet to be determined across the Tennessee Valley. The
construction and operation of these new generation facilities would
have potential impacts to most resource areas. Small to moderate
impacts could occur at the selected generation sites in association
with land use changes. Ground-disturbing activities during construction
would result in small to moderate impacts to geology and soils. With
implementation of permit requirements and best management practices,
impacts to surface water would be small to large depending on plant
water needs and thermal impacts. Impacts to groundwater could range
from small to large depending on the nature of groundwater use and
site-conditions. Small impacts to floodplains and flood risk would be
anticipated as all construction would be consistent with Executive
Order 11988. Impacts to wetlands could be small to large depending on
site conditions and the physical location of various structures.
Aquatic ecology impacts would range from small to large depending on
site-specific conditions, species present, location of structures, and
water use needs. Terrestrial ecology impacts would be small to moderate
for the same reasons. Impacts to aquatic and terrestrial ecology would
be mitigated through permit requirements and best management practices.
Endangered and threatened species impacts would be small to large
depending on the presence of such species, alterations in land use,
habitat loss/fragmentation, and loss of biodiversity. Small to large
impacts would be anticipated for managed and natural areas due to site
development. Recreational impacts would be small to moderate depending
on site location, and the associated noise, dust, viewshed, and
watershed impacts. There would be temporary small impacts to air
quality and greenhouse gases during construction which would be
mitigated through adherence to permit requirements and application of
best management practices. Small to moderate impacts to air quality and
greenhouse gases would occur with operations depending on the nature of
the generation source. Transportation impacts would range from small to
moderate depending on the local infrastructure, existing traffic
levels, and project traffic. Impacts to visual resources would range
from small
[[Page 3019]]
to moderate depending on site location. Noise impacts would range from
small to moderate during construction to small during operations. New
generation facilities could partially offset impacts to socioeconomics
associated with shutdown of BFN if workers transfer to new sites.
Impacts on housing and schools and education could range from small to
large depending on site location and existing availability. Impacts to
local government revenues would be small. Environmental justice impacts
could range from small to moderate depending on location and the
socioeconomic impacts. Impacts to archaeological and historic resources
would be small to large depending on site location, presence of these
features, and ability to avoid them. Mitigation would be developed as
appropriate. Hazardous, solid, and low-level waste impacts would be
small due to adherence to permit requirements and TVA waste management
practices. Radiological effects, uranium fuel cycle impacts, and
nuclear plant safety and security effects would only occur for a new
nuclear generation source and would be expected to be small and
mitigated through adherence to all applicable permits and requirements.
Non-radiological public health and safety impacts would range from
small to moderate depending on the type of facility, equipment, and
site conditions.
Implementation of Alternative B, TVA's preferred alternative, would
result in no impact or small impacts to the environment for all
resource areas. The renewal of the BFN licenses would allow for the
proposed SLR period of extended operation of the units under the same
requirements, technical specifications, and limits currently in place.
Any changes to the provisions of the operating licenses (i.e., license
amendments) would require appropriate environmental review and NRC
approval in accordance with applicable regulations. The decommission
impacts would be the same as Alternative A after the SLR period, 20
years later. No changes would be expected for the permits currently in
place. The current programs, procedures, and permits would be followed;
no major changes would be needed to implement this alternative. There
would continue to be small impacts to surface water, wetlands, aquatic
ecology; terrestrial ecology; endangered and threatened species;
managed and natural areas; air quality, climate change, and greenhouse
gases; noise and vibration; hazardous, solid, and low-level radioactive
waste; radiological effects; uranium fuel cycle; nuclear plant safety
and security; and non-radiological public health and safety.
Additionally, there would be no changes to land use; geology and soils;
groundwater; floodplains and flood risk; recreation; transportation;
visual resources; socioeconomics; environmental justice; and
archaeological and historic resources.
Alternative B--BFN Units 1, 2, and 3 SLR, would provide the
Tennessee Valley Authority service area with an additional 20 years of
reliable base load power while promoting TVA's aspiration for net-zero
carbon emissions by 2050, make beneficial use of existing assets, and
deliver power at the lowest feasible cost. Therefore, the
environmentally preferred action alternative that meets the project
purpose and need is Alternative B, TVA's preferred alternative.
Alternative B would meet the purpose and need of the project and would
have less impact than Alternative A.
Decision
Informed by the summary of the submitted alternatives, information,
and analyses in the Final SEIS, TVA certifies it has considered all the
alternatives, information, analyses, and objections submitted by State,
Tribal, and local governments, and public commenters for consideration
in developing the SEIS. TVA has selected the preferred alternative
identified in the Final PEIS, Alternative B--BFN Units 1, 2, and 3 SLR.
Public Involvement
On June 1, 2021, TVA published a Notice of Intent (NOI) in the
Federal Register (86 FR 29351) announcing plans to prepare a SEIS to
address the potential environmental effects associated with extending
the operation of BFN Units 1, 2, and 3, for an additional 20 years. The
NOI initiated a 30-day public scoping period, which concluded on July
1, 2021. In addition to the NOI in the Federal Register, TVA published
notices regarding this effort in two local newspapers: The Decatur
Daily, which serves Decatur and the Tennessee Valley in northern
Alabama, and the News Courier, which serves Limestone County. TVA also
issued a news release to media and posted the news release on the TVA
website. The scoping report is included in Appendix A of the Final
SEIS.
TVA also created a virtual meeting room that remained available for
the duration of the NEPA analysis. The virtual meeting room can be
accessed through TVA's website (<a href="https://www.tva.com/environment/environmental-stewardship/environmental-reviews/nepa-detail/browns-ferry-nuclear-plant-subsequent-license-renewal">https://www.tva.com/environment/environmental-stewardship/environmental-reviews/nepa-detail/browns-ferry-nuclear-plant-subsequent-license-renewal</a>). The virtual scoping
meeting room contains information on the NEPA process and the proposed
action, as well as links to TVA and NRC websites related to the
project.
On February 10, 2023, the Draft SEIS was released for public review
and comment in a Notice of Availability (NOA) in the Federal Register
(88 FR 8843). The availability of the Draft SEIS and request for
comments was announced in newspapers that serve the Limestone County
area, and the Draft SEIS was posted on TVA's website. TVA's agency
involvement included notification of the availability of the Draft SEIS
to local, state, and federal agencies and federally recognized tribes.
Comments were accepted through March 27, 2023, via TVA's website, mail,
and email.
TVA received two comment letters from members of the public via
TVA's website and one comment letter from the U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency (EPA). TVA carefully reviewed all the comments.
Comments raised during the comment period are summarized by topic along
with TVA's responses to each comment in Appendix B of the Final SEIS. A
copy of each of the comments are included at the end of the appendix.
The NOA for the Final SEIS was published in the Federal Register
(88 FR 54612) on August 11, 2023. Following the publication of the NOA
for the Final SEIS, and therefore outside of the comment period for the
EIS, TVA received an additional public comment in September 2023, from
the EPA. The EPA reviewed the document in accordance with section 309
of the Clean Air Act (CAA) and section 102(2)(C) of NEPA. The comments
raised by the EPA reiterated the agency's earlier comments on the Draft
SEIS, recognized TVA's efforts that were revised in the Final SEIS, and
did not raise new issues of relevance that were not already addressed
by TVA in the Final SEIS or Appendix B of the Final EIS. TVA recognizes
EPA's additional recommendations. TVA plans to stay up to date on best
practices for heightened engagement with communities with environmental
justice concerns to ensure that all communities, including those with
environmental justice concerns, are meaningfully engaged throughout the
NEPA process. As appropriate, TVA incorporates Environmental Justice
into its environmental reviews, including the BFN SLR Final SEIS.
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Mitigation Measures
Because BFN would continue operating within all applicable federal,
state, and local regulations, and because no new construction or
modifications to the facility is anticipated or planned during the
proposed subsequent period of extended operations, no new mitigation
measures would be required beyond those already implemented as a result
of initial construction and operations. Should any construction or
modification be anticipated or planned, TVA would follow all
appropriate permitting requirements and environmental reviews would be
pursued prior to deciding to pursue those projects. Best Management
Practices would be implemented including those described in A Guide for
Environmental Protection and Best Management Practices for Tennessee
Valley Authority (TVA 2017b), stormwater pollution and Spill
Prevention, Control, and Countermeasure (SPCC) plan, and other permit
conditions
<bullet> BFN also has an Integrated Pollution Prevention Plan that
addresses storage, secondary containment, and inspections of fuel,
hazardous materials, and chemicals like biocides. Attachment 5 of the
plan provides an inventory of all tanks, pumps, transformers, and other
containers where these materials are used or stored, including the type
of secondary containment for each. The secondary containment limits the
potential for minor chemical spills to occur outside of containment
areas.
<bullet> The discharge of chemicals to surface water would be
regulated by the conditions set forth in the NPDES permit.
<bullet> Dredged material would be disposed of on land lying and
being outside the 500-year floodplain in an onsite spoils area and
above the 500-year flood elevation.
<bullet> Water-use and water-dependent structures and facilities
would be located within 100-year floodplains, and flood-damageable
equipment and facilities would be located at a minimum outside 100-year
floodplains, and Critical Actions would be located at a minimum outside
500-year floodplains.
<bullet> All handling and disposal of non-radioactive and
radioactive wastes would be in accordance with applicable rules,
regulations and requirements of local, state, and federal laws.
Timothy Rausch,
Executive Vice President and Chief Nuclear Officer, Tennessee Valley
Authority.
[FR Doc. 2024-00817 Filed 1-16-24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE P
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