[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 144 (Tuesday, July 28, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 40323-40324]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-20108]
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NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION
[Docket No. 50-260 and 50-296]
Tennessee Valley Authority; Notice of Consideration of Issuance
of Amendment to Facility Operating Licenses and Opportunity for a
Hearing
The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC, the Commission) is
considering issuance of an amendment to Facility Operating License Nos.
DPR-52 and DPR-68 issued to the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA or the
licensee) for operation of the Browns Ferry Nuclear Plant (BFN), Units
2 and 3, located in Limestone County, Alabama.
Presently, the BFN Units 2 and 3 are licensed to operate at a
maximum rated thermal power of 3293 Mwt. By letter dated October 1,
1997, as supplemented October 14, 1997, March 16, April 1 and 28, May 1
and 20, 1998, the licensee proposed changes to the BFN Units 2 and 3
Technical Specifications (TS) to allow operation of the Units at the
uprated power level of 3458 Mwt which represents a proposed power level
increase of 5 percent. The licensee proposed several TS changes to
revise the rated thermal power value, flow, pressure and temperature
values for various systems and structures, relief valve setpoints and
associated surveillance requirements to reflect operation of the BFN
Units 2 and 3 at the increased power level. The licensee's request was
noticed in the Federal Register on June 9, 1998 (63 FR 31533).
By letter dated June 26, 1998, as supplemented July 17, 1998, the
licensee proposed additional TS changes to its original power uprate
application. The licensee proposed to add a new Limiting Condition for
Operation (LCO) 3.4.10, and associated TS Bases changes. These changes
are related to operating limit for reactor steam dome pressure.
Accordingly, this notice supplements the previous notice 63 FR 31533.
For further details with respect to this action, see the application
for amendments dated June 26, and July 17, 1998.
Before issuance of the proposed license amendments, the Commission
will have made findings required by the Atomic Energy Act of 1954, as
amended (the Act) and the Commission's regulations.
By August 27, 1998, the licensee may file a request for a hearing
with respect to issuance of the amendment to the subject facility
operating license and any person whose interest may be affected by this
proceeding and who wishes to participate as a party in the proceeding
must file a written request for a hearing and a petition for leave to
intervene. Requests for a hearing and a petition for leave to intervene
shall be filed in accordance with the Commission's ``Rules of Practice
for Domestic Licensing Proceedings'' in 10 CFR Part 2. Interested
persons should consult a current copy of 10 CFR 2.714 which is
available at the Commission's Public Document Room, the Gelman
Building, 2120 L Street, NW., Washington, DC, and at the local public
document room located at the Athens Public Library, 405 E. South
Street, Athens, Alabama. If a request for a hearing or petition for
leave to intervene is filed by the above date, the Commission or an
Atomic Safety and Licensing Board, designated by the Commission or by
the Chairman of the Atomic Safety and Licensing Board Panel, will rule
on the request and/or petition; and the Secretary or the designated
Atomic Safety and Licensing Board will issue a notice of hearing or an
appropriate order.
As required by 10 CFR 2.714, a petition for leave to intervene
shall set forth with particularity the interest of the petitioner in
the proceeding, and how that interest may be affected by the results of
the proceeding. The petition should specifically explain the reasons
why intervention should be permitted with particular reference to the
following factors: (1) The nature of the petitioner's right under the
Act to be made party to the proceeding; (2) the nature and extent of
the petitioner's property, financial, or other interest in the
proceeding; and (3) the possible effect of any order which may be
entered in the proceeding on the petitioner's interest. The petition
should also identify the specific aspect(s) of the subject matter of
the proceeding as to which petitioner wishes to intervene. Any person
who has filed a petition for leave to intervene or who has been
admitted as a party may amend the petition without requesting leave of
the Board up to 15 days prior to the first prehearing conference
scheduled in the
[[Page 40324]]
proceeding, but such an amended petition must satisfy the specificity
requirements described above.
Not later than 15 days prior to the first prehearing conference
scheduled in the proceeding, a petitioner shall file a supplement to
the petition to intervene which must include a list of the contentions
which are sought to be litigated in the matter. Each contention must
consist of a specific statement of the issue of law or fact to be
raised or controverted. In addition, the petitioner shall provide a
brief explanation of the bases of the contention and a concise
statement of the alleged facts or expert opinion which support the
contention and on which the petitioner intends to rely in proving the
contention at the hearing. The petitioner must also provide references
to those specific sources and documents of which the petitioner is
aware and on which the petitioner intends to rely to establish those
facts or expert opinion. Petitioner must provide sufficient information
to show that a genuine dispute exists with the applicant on a material
issue of law or fact. Contentions shall be limited to matters within
the scope of the amendment under consideration. The contention must be
one which, if proven, would entitle the petitioner to relief. A
petitioner who fails to file such a supplement which satisfies these
requirements with respect to at least one contention will not be
permitted to participate as a party.
Those permitted to intervene become parties to the proceeding,
subject to any limitations in the order granting leave to intervene,
and have the opportunity to participate fully in the conduct of the
hearing, including the opportunity to present evidence and cross-
examine witnesses.
A request for a hearing or a petition for leave to intervene must
be filed with the Secretary of the Commission, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory
Commission, Washington, DC 20555-0001, Attention: Rulemakings and
Adjudications Staff, or may be delivered to the Commission's Public
Document Room, the Gelman Building, 2120 L Street, NW., Washington, DC,
by the above date. A copy of the petition should also be sent to the
Office of the General Counsel, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission,
Washington, DC 20555-0001, and to General Counsel, Tennessee Valley
Authority, 400 West Summit Drive, ET 10H, Knoxville, Tennessee 37902,
attorney for the licensee.
Nontimely filings of petitions for leave to intervene, amended
petitions, supplemental petitions and/or requests for hearing will not
be entertained absent a determination by the Commission, the presiding
officer or the presiding Atomic Safety and Licensing Board that the
petition and/or request should be granted based upon a balancing of the
factors specified in 10 CFR 2.714(a)(1) (i)-(v) and 2.714(d).
If a request for a hearing is received, the Commission's staff may
issue the amendment after it completes its technical review and prior
to the completion of any required hearing if it publishes a further
notice for public comment of its proposed finding of no significant
hazards consideration in accordance with 10 CFR 50.91 and 50.92. For
further details with respect to this action, see the application for
amendments dated June 26, and July 17, 1998 which are available for
public inspection at the Commission's Public Document Room, the Gelman
Building, 2120 L Street NW., Washington, DC and at the local public
document room located at the Athens Public Library, 405 E. South
Street, Athens, Alabama.
Dated at Rockville, Maryland, this 22nd day of July 1998.
For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
L. Raghavan,
Senior Project Manager, Project Directorate II-3, Division of Reactor
Projects--I/II, Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation.
[FR Doc. 98-20108 Filed 7-27-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7590-01-P
