[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 37 (Friday, February 23, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Pages 13757-13762]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2024-03665]


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NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION

[Docket Nos. 50-390 and 50-391; NRC-2024-0035]


Tennessee Valley Authority; Watts Bar Nuclear Plant, Units 1 and 
2; Environmental Assessment and Finding of No Significant Impact

AGENCY: Nuclear Regulatory Commission.

ACTION: Notice; issuance.

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SUMMARY: The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is considering 
issuance of amendments to Facility Operating License Nos. NPF-90 and 
NPF-96, issued on February 7, 1996, and October 22, 2015, respectively, 
and held by Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA, the licensee) for the 
operation of Watts Bar Nuclear Plant (Watts Bar), Units 1 and 2. The 
proposed amendments would revise the Watts Bar, Units 1 and 2, 
Technical Specification (TS) 4.2.1, ``Fuel Assemblies,'' and TS 5.9.6, 
``Reactor Coolant System (RCS) Pressure and Temperature Limits Report 
(PTLR),'' to increase the maximum number of tritium producing burnable 
absorber rods (TPBARs) and to add supporting methodologies. The 
proposed amendments would also revise the Watts Bar Dual-Unit Updated 
Final Safety Analysis Report to modify the source term for design basis 
accident analyses. The NRC is issuing an environmental assessment (EA) 
and finding of no significant impact (FONSI) associated with the 
proposed amendments.

DATES: The EA and FONSI referenced in this document are available on 
February 23, 2024.

ADDRESSES: Please refer to Docket ID NRC-2024-0035 when contacting the 
NRC about the availability of information regarding this document. You 
may obtain publicly available information related to this document 
using any of the following methods:
    <bullet> Federal Rulemaking website: Go to https://www.regulations.gov and search for Docket ID NRC-2024-0035. Address 
questions about Docket IDs in Regulations.gov to Stacy Schumann; 
telephone: 301-415-0624; email: <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#3162455052481f625259445c505f5f715f43521f565e47"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="5e0d2a3f3d27700d3d362b333f30301e302c3d70393128">[email protected]</span></a>. For technical

[[Page 13758]]

questions, contact the individual listed in the FOR FURTHER INFORMATION 
CONTACT section of this document.
    <bullet> 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 <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#401004126e1225332f35322325002e32236e272f36"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="3b6b7f6915695e48544e49585e7b554958155c544d">[email protected]</span></a>. The ADAMS accession number for 
each document referenced (if it is available in ADAMS) is provided the 
first time that it is mentioned in this document. In addition, for the 
convenience of the reader, the ADAMS accession numbers are provided in 
a table in the ``Availability of Documents'' section of this document.
    <bullet> 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 
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#603024324e3205130f15120305200e12034e070f16"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="d8889c8af68abdabb7adaabbbd98b6aabbf6bfb7ae">[email protected]</span></a> 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.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Kimberly Green, Office of Nuclear 
Reactor Regulation, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Washington, DC 
20555-0001, telephone: 301-415-1627; email: <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#175c7e7a7572657b6e3950657272795779657439707861"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="6a210307080f180613442d180f0f042a041809440d051c">[email protected]</span></a>.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Introduction

    The NRC is considering issuance of amendments to Facility Operating 
License Nos. NPF-90 and NPF-96, issued to TVA, for the operation of 
Watts Bar, Units 1 and 2, located in Rhea County, Tennessee. Therefore, 
as required by section 51.21, ``Criteria for and identification of 
licensing and regulatory actions requiring environmental assessments,'' 
of title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations (10 CFR), the NRC 
performed an EA that analyzes the environmental impacts of the proposed 
licensing action and alternatives as appropriate. Based on the results 
of the EA that follows, and in accordance with 10 CFR 51.31(a), the NRC 
has determined not to prepare an environmental impact statement for the 
proposed licensing action and is issuing a FONSI.

II. Environmental Assessment

Description of the Proposed Action

    The proposed action would revise Watts Bar, Units 1 and 2, TS 4.2.1 
to increase the limit on the maximum number of TPBARs that can be 
irradiated in the reactor core in an operating cycle from 1,792 to 
2,496. The proposed action would also revise Watts Bar, Units 1 and 2, 
TS 5.9.6 to add supporting methodologies. Additionally, the proposed 
action would revise the Watts Bar Dual-Unit Updated Final Safety 
Analysis Report to modify the source term for design basis accident 
analyses to allow the core fission product inventory to be calculated 
using an updated version of the ORIGEN computer code.
    The proposed action is in accordance with the licensee's 
application dated March 20, 2023 (ADAMS Accession No. ML23079A270).

Need for the Proposed Action

    The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) and TVA are cooperating in a 
program to produce tritium for the National Security Stockpile by 
irradiating TPBARs in the Watts Bar, Units 1 and 2, reactor cores. 
Tritium is produced when the neutrons produced by nuclear fission in 
the core are absorbed by the lithium target material of the TPBARs. A 
solid zirconium metal cladding covering the TPBARs (called a 
``getter'') captures the tritium produced.
    This proposed action is needed to support the DOE, National Nuclear 
Security Administration, National Security Stockpile, in accordance 
with Public Law (Pub. L.) 106-65. Section 3134 of Public Law 106-65 
directs the Secretary of Energy to produce new tritium at Watts Bar. By 
letters dated July 29, 2016 (ADAMS Accession No. ML16159A057), and May 
22, 2019 (ADAMS Accession No. ML18347B330), the NRC approved similar 
amendments to irradiate up to 1,792 TPBARs in the Watts Bar reactor 
cores. The EA and FONSI for those licensing actions, completed on June 
23, 2016, and February 6, 2019, can be found in ADAMS under Accession 
Nos. ML16138A045 and ML18332A013, respectively.

Environmental Impacts of the Proposed Action

    The NRC staff has assessed the potential environmental impacts from 
the proposed increase in the maximum number of TPBARs that can be 
irradiated in the Watts Bar reactor cores.
    The non-radiological and radiological impacts on the environment 
that may result from the proposed action are summarized as follows.
Non-Radiological Impacts
    The proposed action involves no new construction or modification of 
Watts Bar, Units 1 and 2, operational systems and would have no direct 
impact on land and water use or water quality, including terrestrial 
and aquatic biota. There would also be no change in the quality or 
quantity of non-radiological effluents and no need to modify the 
nuclear plant's National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System permit. 
The proposed action would have no effect on air pollutant emissions or 
ambient air quality. In addition, the proposed action would have no 
noticeable effect on socioeconomic and environmental justice conditions 
in the region, and no adverse effect on historic and cultural 
resources. Therefore, the proposed action would have no significant 
non-radiological effect on the quality of the human environment.
Radiological Impacts
    All nuclear power plants, including Watts Bar, Units 1 and 2, 
release small amounts of radioactive material to the environment as 
liquid or gaseous effluents as part of normal operations. The NRC 
summarizes U.S. nuclear power plant effluent data on its public website 
[https://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/doc-collections/nuregs/contract/cr2907/index.html]. These effluents are controlled, monitored, and reported 
per NRC requirements to ensure that doses to the public are known and 
within acceptable guidelines that are as low as is reasonably 
achievable (ALARA). The Watts Bar Offsite Dose Calculation Manual 
(ODCM), documented in the Watts Bar Nuclear Power Plant 2022, Annual 
Radioactive Effluent Release Report (ADAMS Accession No. ML23117A100), 
provides the limits and methods used by TVA to ensure compliance with 
requirements that apply to radioactive effluents. Watts Bar, Units 1 
and 2, use waste treatment systems to collect, process, and recycle 
plant fluids that contain radioactive material and to dispose of 
gaseous and liquid effluents and solid wastes in a safe and controlled 
manner within NRC and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency radiation 
safety standards. Implementation of the proposed action would allow up 
to 2,496 TPBARs per cycle to be irradiated in the Watts Bar, Units 1 
and 2, reactor cores. Increasing the number of TPBARs irradiated from 
1,792 to 2,496 per reactor core could increase the quantities of 
radioactive material released from Watts Bar to the environment because 
some of the

[[Page 13759]]

tritium that is produced permeates through the TPBAR cladding and is 
released into the reactor coolant system (RCS) fluid. Radioactive 
material in RCS fluid can be released as gaseous or liquid effluent. 
For the purposes of assessing the environmental impacts and the 
regulatory compliance of this proposed action for tritium production, 
TVA assumed a core load of 2,496 TPBARs with a permeation rate of 5.0 
curies per TPBAR per year (Ci/TPBAR/year) of tritium and was able to 
demonstrate that liquid and gaseous effluents would be within 
applicable limits. The assumed permeation rate is conservative in that 
it bounds the observed and maximum TPBAR tritium permeation rates at 
Watts Bar, Units 1 and 2. Specifically, based on the licensee's 
experience with TPBARs dating back to 2004, the licensee has observed a 
permeation rate for tritium production of less than 3.5 Ci/TPBAR/year. 
Additionally, as provided in this document, the licensee demonstrated 
that other changes to the radioisotope inventory that can impact 
effluent levels would be minor and would not impact the licensee's 
ability to meet applicable limits. Therefore, while the quantity of 
tritium generated during plant operations would increase under the 
proposed action, radioactive effluents from Watts Bar would remain 
within applicable limits.

Radioactive Gaseous Effluents

    The Watts Bar units maintain a gaseous waste management system 
(GWMS) that is designed to process and control the release of 
radioactive gaseous effluents into the environment in accordance with 
the requirements of 10 CFR 20.1301, ``Dose limits for individual 
members of the public,'' and to ensure consistency with the ALARA dose 
objectives set forth in appendix I, ``Numerical Guides for Design 
Objectives and Limiting Conditions for Operation to Meet the Criterion 
`As Low as is Reasonably Achievable' for Radioactive Material in Light-
Water-Cooled Nuclear Power Reactor Effluents,'' to 10 CFR part 50, 
``Domestic Licensing of Production and Utilization Facilities.''
    As stated in the license amendment request, TVA assumed a core load 
of 2,496 TPBARs with a permeation rate of 5.0 Ci/TPBAR/year of tritium, 
which is a conservative source term that bounds the observed and 
maximum TPBAR tritium permeation rate as seen from historic Watts Bar, 
Units 1 and 2, tritium production.
    To determine whether the resultant gaseous effluents would fall 
within the requirements of 10 CFR 20.1301, TVA calculated the sum of 
the ratios of each isotope concentration (C) to its corresponding 
gaseous Effluent Concentration Limit (ECL, as listed in 10 CFR part 20, 
``Standards for Protection against Radiation,'' appendix B, ``Annual 
Limits on Intake (ALIs) and Derived Air Concentrations (DACs) of 
Radionuclides for Occupational Exposure; Effluent Concentrations; 
Concentrations for Release to Sewerage,'' table 2, ``Effluent 
Concentration,'' column 1). Consistent with the requirements of 10 CFR 
20.1302(b)(2)(i), a C/ECL sum of less than 1.0 indicates that the 
annual average effluent release is within the limits of 10 CFR 20.1301. 
Tables 4.11-6 and 4.11-7 of the license amendment request demonstrate 
that TVA's calculated C/ECL sums for gaseous effluent releases at the 
Watts Bar units from an assumed core load of 2,496 TPBARs for 
containment purge without filtration would be 0.458 (single unit) and 
with continuous filtration would be 0.402 (single unit). TVA's 
calculated C/ECL sums for gaseous effluent releases for both Watts Bar, 
Units 1 and 2 (dual-unit operation) for containment purge without 
filtration would be 0.915 and with continuous filtration would be 
0.805. Therefore, the licensee demonstrated that the C/ECL ratios are 
less than 1.0 indicating that gaseous effluent releases from an assumed 
core load of 2,496 TPBARs would be within the limits of 10 CFR part 20.
    To determine whether the gaseous effluent releases would be 
consistent with the ALARA dose objectives set forth in appendix I to 10 
CFR part 50 (which are per-unit numbers), TVA calculated bounding 
public doses from the applicable plant effluent dose pathways with the 
tritium release attributable to TPBAR permeability. These doses were 
based on an assumed core load of 2,496 TPBARs and the methods and 
assumptions in the current Watts Bar ODCM. TVA calculated that the 
whole-body dose to a Maximally Exposed Individual from a single Watts 
Bar unit would be 0.60 millirem (mrem) (0.0060 millisievert (mSv)), 
which is much less than the whole-body dose objective in appendix I to 
10 CFR part 50 of 5.00 mrem (0.05 mSv). TVA also calculated that the 
organ dose (bone) to the Maximally Exposed Individual from a single 
Watts Bar unit would be 11.30 mrem (0.113 mSv), which is less than the 
organ dose objective in appendix I to 10 CFR part 50 of 15.00 mrem 
(0.15 mSv).
    Based on this information, TVA's analyses demonstrate that Watts 
Bar, Units 1 and 2, can be operated with the proposed maximum core 
loading of 2,496 TPBARs such that the current GWMS can maintain the 
gaseous effluents within the Effluent Concentration Limits listed in 10 
CFR part 20, appendix B, to meet the dose limit requirements to members 
of the public in 10 CFR 20.1301, as well as to maintain doses to the 
public ALARA as per the dose objectives set forth in appendix I to 10 
CFR part 50. Therefore, there would be no significant radiological 
effect on the quality of the human environment from gaseous effluents.

Radioactive Liquid Effluents

    The Watts Bar units' liquid radioactive waste system (LRWS) is used 
to collect and process radioactive liquid wastes to reduce 
radioactivity and chemical concentrations to levels acceptable for 
discharge to the environment. The LRWS maintains sufficient processing 
capability so that liquid waste may be discharged to the environment 
below the regulatory limits of 10 CFR 20.1301 and consistent with the 
ALARA dose objectives in appendix I to 10 CFR part 50. The Watts Bar 
units share three large storage tanks in the LRWS, which includes a 
tritiated water storage tank with a capacity of 500,000 gallons. This 
storage tank supports managing large volume/high tritium concentrations 
in the RCS for both units. These storage tanks can be used for liquid 
effluent holdup, dilution, and timing of releases to ensure that 
regulatory requirements are met. The release of radioactive liquids 
from the LRWS only occurs after laboratory analysis of the storage tank 
contents. If the activity is found to be above ODCM limits, the liquid 
waste streams are returned to the system for further processing by a 
mobile demineralizer. If the activity is found to be below the ODCM 
limits, the liquid waste stream is pumped to a discharge pipe where it 
is monitored for radiation levels and flowrate before it enters the 
cooling tower blowdown line, where it can ultimately be discharged by 
permit into the Tennessee River.
    To determine whether the liquid effluents from an assumed core load 
of 2,496 TPBARs would be within the requirements of 10 CFR 20.1301, TVA 
calculated the sum of the ratios of each isotope concentration (C) to 
its corresponding liquid Effluent Concentration Limit (ECL, as listed 
in 10 CFR part 20, appendix B, table 2, column 2). Consistent with the 
requirements of 10 CFR 20.1302(b)(2)(i), a C/ECL sum of less than 1.0 
indicates that the annual average effluent release is within the limits 
of 10 CFR 20.1301. Tables 4.11-3 through 4.11-5 of the

[[Page 13760]]

license amendment request show TVA's calculated C/ECL sums for liquid 
effluent releases from an assumed core load of 2,496 TPBARs. Table 
4.11-3 indicates that extended effluent releases, without processing 
the liquid radioactive waste streams through the mobile demineralizer 
or allowing for sufficient dilution of the radioactive waste streams, 
would not meet the regulatory requirements of 10 CFR 20.1301. The 
calculated C/ECL for a single Watts Bar unit in this scenario is 5.28, 
which is greater than the maximum allowable C/ECL of 1.0. The operation 
of both Watts Bar, Units 1 and 2 in this scenario would yield a C/ECL 
of 10.6.
    Table 4.11-4 of the license amendment request demonstrates that 
TVA's calculated C/ECL sum for liquid effluent releases for a single 
Watts Bar unit processed through the mobile demineralizer would be 
0.471. The operation of both Watts Bar, Units 1 and 2 in this scenario 
would yield a C/ECL of 0.942. Table 4.11-5 demonstrates that TVA's 
calculated C/ECL for liquid effluents not processed through the mobile 
demineralizer, but sufficiently diluted before release, for a single 
Watts Bar unit would be 0.476. The operation of both Watts Bar, Units 1 
and 2 in this scenario would yield a C/ECL of 0.952. Therefore, the 
licensee demonstrated that the C/ECL ratios are less than 1.0 
indicating that liquid effluent releases from an assumed core load of 
2,496 TPBARs would be within the limits of 10 CFR part 20.
    To determine whether the liquid effluent releases would be 
consistent with the ALARA dose objectives set forth in appendix I to 10 
CFR part 50, TVA calculated bounding public doses from the applicable 
plant effluent dose pathways with the tritium release attributable to 
TPBAR permeability. These doses were based on an assumed core load of 
2,496 TPBARs and the methods and assumptions in the current Watts Bar 
ODCM. TVA calculated that the whole-body dose to a Maximally Exposed 
Individual from liquid effluents from a single Watts Bar unit would be 
0.39 mrem (0.0039 mSv), which is much less than the whole-body dose 
objective in appendix I to 10 CFR part 50 of 3.00 mrem (0.03 mSv). TVA 
also calculated that the organ dose (liver) to the Maximally Exposed 
Individual from liquid effluents from a single Watts Bar unit would be 
0.50 mrem (0.0050 mSv), which is much less than the organ dose 
objective in appendix I to 10 CFR part 50 of 10 mrem (0.10 mSv).
    Based on this information, TVA's analyses demonstrate that by 
processing liquid radioactive waste streams through the demineralizer 
or allowing for proper dilution of the liquid radioactive waste 
streams, the current LRWS can maintain the liquid effluents within the 
Effluent Concentration Limits listed in 10 CFR part 20, appendix B, 
such that Watts Bar, Units 1 and 2, can be operated with the proposed 
maximum core loading of 2,496 TPBARs. Specifically, doses from liquid 
effluents would meet the requirements regarding members of the public 
in 10 CFR 20.1301, as well as maintain the public ALARA dose objectives 
set forth in appendix I to 10 CFR part 50. Therefore, there would be no 
significant radiological effect on the quality of the human environment 
from liquid effluents.

Solid Radioactive Wastes

    Solid radioactive wastes generated by nuclear power plant 
operations at Watts Bar, Units 1 and 2, are processed, packaged, and 
stored onsite until they are shipped offsite for further processing or 
permanent disposal, or both. The storage areas have restricted access 
and shielding to reduce radiation rates to plant workers. Solid 
radioactive wastes are packaged and transported in compliance with the 
NRC's regulations in 10 CFR parts 20, 61, ``Licensing Requirements for 
Land Disposal of Radioactive Waste,'' and 71, ``Packaging and 
Transportation of Radioactive Material,'' and the U.S. Department of 
Transportation's regulations in 49 CFR parts 170 through 179.
    The implementation of the proposed action of allowing an increase 
in the number of TPBARs irradiated from 1,792 to 2,496 per reactor core 
would increase the activity and volume of solid radioactive waste due 
to the irradiation of the TPBAR base plates and thimble plugs, which 
remain after TPBAR consolidation activities. As explained in a previous 
license amendment request, for the consolidation process, nuclear plant 
operators remove the irradiated TPBAR assemblies from the spent fuel 
assemblies, disassemble all the irradiated TPBARs for consolidation, 
and place them into consolidation canisters. The operators return the 
loaded consolidation canisters to the spent fuel racks, where they 
remain until removed from the site (ADAMS Accession No. ML17354B282). 
Offsite shipment and ultimate disposal would be conducted in accordance 
with agreements between TVA and the DOE. The disposal volume of the 
TPBAR base plates and thimble plugs is estimated to be 64 cubic feet 
(2.7 cubic meters) per year. This additional volume represents a slight 
increase in the Watts Bar, Units 1 and 2, annual estimated solid waste 
generation from approximately 32,854 cubic feet (930 cubic meters) per 
year to 32,918 cubic feet (933 cubic meters) per year. This projected 
increase in volume can be handled by the existing equipment and plant 
procedures that control radioactive solid waste handling without 
modification. The licensee estimated the TPBAR cycle scope of work to 
evaluate the doses that are expected to workers during the TPBAR 
consolidation process. The TPBAR cycle scope, estimated at 1,200 
person-hours per cycle, includes pre-cycle preparation activities, 
post-cycle removal and handling activities, TPBAR consolidation and 
shipping activities, and the processing, packaging, and shipping of 
irradiated components. This work will occur in an estimated 0.33 mrem/
hour radiation field. Therefore, while there would be an increase in 
solid radioactive waste associated with the implementation of the 
proposed action, the existing equipment and plant procedures that 
control radioactive solid waste handling would continue to be used to 
maintain doses to members of the public and plant workers within 
applicable dose limits. Therefore, based on this information, there 
would be no significant radiological effect on the quality of the human 
environment from solid radioactive waste management.

Spent Fuel Generation, Storage, and Handling

    The number of spent fuel bundles would increase by approximately 
four to eight per cycle with the implementation of the proposed action. 
For Watts Bar, Units 1 and 2, spent fuel is currently stored in spent 
fuel pools on site and in an independent spent fuel storage 
installation. There would be adequate spent fuel storage available on 
site; therefore, based on this information, there would be no 
significant radiological effect on the quality of the human environment 
from spent fuel generation, storage, and handling.

Occupational Radiation Doses

    At Watts Bar, Units 1 and 2, TVA maintains a radiation protection 
program to monitor radiation levels throughout the nuclear power plant 
to establish appropriate work controls, training, temporary shielding, 
and protective equipment requirements so that worker doses remain 
within the dose limits of 10 CFR part 20, subpart C, ``Occupational 
Dose Limits.'' The implementation of the proposed action would affect 
the quantities of radioactive material generated during plant 
operations since some tritium permeates through the TPBAR cladding

[[Page 13761]]

and is released into the RCS, as previously described.
    Separate from the environmental review for this EA, the NRC is 
reviewing the technical and safety analyses provided in TVA's license 
amendment request to ensure that the licensee continues to meet NRC 
regulatory requirements for occupational dose. The results of this 
safety review will be documented in a safety evaluation that will be 
made publicly available following the issuance of the EA. If the NRC's 
safety review determines that the irradiation of 2,496 TPBARs, per 
cycle, in Watts Bar, Units 1 and 2, complies with the NRC's regulations 
for occupational dose, then the proposed license amendments would not 
have a significant radiological effect on workers.

Design-Basis Accidents

    Design-basis accidents are evaluated to ensure that Watts Bar, 
Units 1 and 2, can withstand the spectrum of postulated accidents 
without undue hazard to public health and safety and ensure the 
protection of the environment.
    TVA's technical and safety analyses must meet the NRC's regulatory 
requirements for safe operation. The results of the NRC's safety review 
will be made publicly available following the issuance of the EA. If 
this safety review determines that the irradiation of 2,496 TPBARs, per 
cycle, in the Watts Bar, Units 1 and 2, cores comply with the NRC's 
regulations, and there is reasonable assurance that public health and 
safety will not be endangered, then the proposed license amendments 
would not have a significant radiological effect on the quality of the 
human environment from design-basis accidents.

Radiological Impacts Summary

    Based on the radiological evaluations presented in this EA, except 
for the impacts associated with occupational radiation doses and 
design-basis accidents which are being reviewed separately, the 
implementation of the proposed action would not have a significant 
radiological effect on the quality of the human environment. If the 
NRC's safety review determines that 2,496 TPBARs, per cycle, can be 
safely irradiated in Watts Bar, Units 1 and 2, and there is reasonable 
assurance that public health and safety will not be endangered, then 
implementing the proposed license amendments would not have a 
significant radiological effect on workers and the quality of the human 
environment.

Environmental Impacts of the Alternatives to the Proposed Action

    As an alternative to the proposed action, the NRC considered denial 
of the proposed action (i.e., the ``no-action'' alternative). Denial of 
the license amendment request would mean that TVA would be allowed to 
continue irradiating the current allowable number of TPBARs (i.e., 
1,792) for Watts Bar, Units 1 and 2. The environmental impacts of 
irradiating 1,792 TPBARs were previously considered and were determined 
to not have any significant radiological or non-radiological effect on 
the quality of the human environment. Therefore, the NRC concludes that 
denial of the license amendment request (i.e., the ``no-action'' 
alternative) would result in no change in current environmental effe 
cts, and would be not significant. The impacts of the ``no-action'' 
alternative would be similar to the impacts of the proposed action.

Alternative Use of Resources

    There are no unresolved conflicts concerning alternative uses of 
available resources under the proposed action.

Agencies and Persons Consulted

    On November 7, 2023, the NRC staff consulted with the State of 
Tennessee, regarding the environmental impact of the proposed action. 
The state official had no comments on the EA and FONSI.

III. Finding of No Significant Impact

    TVA requests that the NRC approve amendments that would revise the 
Watts Bar, Units 1 and 2, TS 4.2.1 and TS 5.9.6 to increase the maximum 
number of TPBARs and to add supporting methodologies. The proposed 
amendments would also revise the Watts Bar Dual-Unit Updated Final 
Safety Analysis Report to modify the source term for design basis 
accident analyses to allow the core fission product inventory to be 
calculated using an updated version of the ORIGEN computer code. Based 
on the review of available information, the NRC determined that the 
proposed action would not have any significant radiological or non-
radiological environmental impacts. Also, the impacts of the ``no-
action'' alternative would be similar to the impacts of the proposed 
action. The NRC also considered the information provided in the 
licensee's application and related TVA environmental documents.
    This FONSI and related environmental documents are available for 
public inspection online in the ADAMS Public Documents collection at 
https://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/adams.html. Persons who do not have 
access to ADAMS or who encounter problems in accessing the documents 
located in ADAMS should contact the NRC's PDR reference staff by 
telephone at 1-800-397-4209 or 301-415-4737, or by email to 
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#de8e9a8cf08cbbadb1abacbdbb9eb0acbdf0b9b1a8"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="49190d1b671b2c3a263c3b2a2c09273b2a672e263f">[email protected]</span></a>.

IV. Availability of Documents

    The documents identified in the following table are available to 
interested persons through ADAMS, as indicated.

------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                            ADAMS accession No./Federal
          Document description                   Register citation
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Application to Revise Watts Bar Nuclear   ML23079A270
 Plant Units 1 and 2 Technical
 Specifications to Change the Number of
 Tritium Producing Burnable Absorber
 Rods (WBN-TS-21-02) and Proposed
 Revision to Reactor Vessel Surveillance
 Capsule Removal Schedule for Units 1
 and 2, dated March 20, 2023.
Watts Bar Nuclear Plant, Unit 1--         ML16159A057
 Issuance of Amendment Regarding Revised
 Technical Specification 4.2.1 ``Fuel
 Assemblies'' to Increase the Maximum
 Number of Tritium Producing Burnable
 Absorber Rods (CAC No. MF6050), dated
 July 29, 2016.
Watts Bar Nuclear Plant, Units 1 and 2--  ML18347B330
 Issuance of Amendment Regarding
 Revision to Watts Bar Nuclear Plant,
 Unit 2, Technical Specification 4.2.1,
 ``Fuel Assemblies,'' and Watts Bar
 Nuclear Plant, Units 1 and 2, Technical
 Specifications Related to Fuel Storage
 (EPID L-2017-LLA-0427), dated May 22,
 2019.
Watts Bar Nuclear Plant, Unit 1,          ML16138A045
 Environmental Assessment and Finding of  81 FR 43656
 No Significant Impact Federal Register
 notice related to License Amendment
 Request to Revise Technical
 Specification 4.2.1, ``Fuel
 Assemblies,'' dated June 23, 2016.
Watts Bar Nuclear Plant, Units 1 and 2,   ML18332A013
 Environmental Assessment and Finding of  84 FR 3259
 No Significant Impact Federal Register
 notice related to License Amendment
 Request to Revise Technical
 Specification 4.2.1, ``Fuel
 Assemblies,'' dated February 6, 2019.

[[Page 13762]]

 
Watts Bar Nuclear Power Plant, Units 1    ML23117A100
 and 2, 2022 Annual Radioactive Effluent
 Release Report, dated April 27, 2023.
Application to Revise Watts Bar Unit 2    ML17354B282
 Technical Specification 4.2.1, ``Fuel
 Assemblies,'' and Watts Bar Units 1 and
 2 Technical Specifications Related to
 Fuel Storage (WBN-TS-17-028), dated
 December 20, 2017.
------------------------------------------------------------------------


    Dated: February 16, 2024.

    For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
Kimberly J. Green,
Senior Project Manager, Licensing Projects Branch II-2, Division of 
Operating Reactor Licensing, Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation.
[FR Doc. 2024-03665 Filed 2-22-24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7590-01-P


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