Tennessee Valley Authority
Single Nuclear Unit at the Bellefonte Site
Jackson County, Alabama
In November 2009, TVA issued a draft supplemental environmental impact statement (draft SEIS) to update existing information about the potential environmental impacts associated with its proposal to operate a single nuclear generating unit at the Bellefonte (BLN) Nuclear Plant site in Hollywood, Alabama. TVA proposes to complete or construct, and operate a single 1,100 to 1,200 megawatt (MW) nuclear generating unit. Currently, there are two partially constructed Babcock and Wilcox-designed nuclear units at the Bellefonte site. An environmental statement was prepared for those units in 1974.
The potential environmental effects anticipated under the following three alternatives were evaluated in the draft SEIS:
- Taking no action
- Completing and operating one of the existing, unfinished units
- Constructing and operating one new Westinghouse AP1000 nuclear unit
Either of the two action alternatives being considered would use licensing processes that are already underway. The potential effects of refurbishing, reenergizing, and upgrading several existing 161-kilovolt (kV) and 500-kV transmission lines and switchyards needed for single-unit operation were also evaluated in the draft SEIS.
TVA has identified the need for additional base load generation in the 2018 to 2020 time frame. Completion or construction of one additional nuclear unit capable of generating 1,100 to 1,200 megawatts (MW) of power within this time frame would help address the need for additional base load generation in the TVA power service area and help meet TVA’s goal to have at least 50 percent of its generation portfolio comprised of low or zero carbon-emitting sources by the year 2020. Both action alternatives evaluated in the draft SEIS involve beneficial use of existing assets at the Bellefonte site.
Background
The Bellefonte site is located in northeast Alabama on 1,600 acres adjacent to Guntersville Reservoir at Tennessee River Mile 392, near the town of Hollywood and the city of Scottsboro (see location map). Construction permits for two 1,200 MW pressurized water reactors (Units 1 and 2) were issued in 1974. TVA halted construction in 1988 in response to decreased power demand. The plant was maintained in deferred status until 2005 when TVA canceled Units 1 and 2 to facilitate consideration of other uses of the site. In 2007, as part of the NuStart Energy Development Consortium’s effort to demonstrate the feasibility of processing a combined license application (COLA), TVA submitted a COLA to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) for the siting of two AP1000 advanced pressurized water reactors (Units 3 and 4). However, the TVA Board has made no decision on whether to construct and operate Units 3 and 4.
In August 2008, in response to changes in power generation economics since 2005 and concerns about the availability of components for the AP1000, TVA requested reinstatement of the construction permits for Units 1 and 2 to give TVA the opportunity to evaluate the engineering and economic feasibility of completing those units. TVA is currently working to return the plant to deferred status. In order to preserve the feasibility of the alternatives in the draft SEIS and options for future base load generation needs, TVA continues to pursue a combined license for Units 3 and 4.
No decision to build any new generating capacity at the Bellefonte site has been made at this time. TVA has prepared the draft SEIS to update the original 1974 environmental statement for Bellefonte Nuclear Plant Units 1 and 2 and to evaluate the new alternative of a constructing and operating a single AP1000 unit.
In June 2009, TVA began work on an Integrated Resource Plan (IRP), a comprehensive study of alternatives for meeting future electrical energy needs of the Tennessee Valley over the next 20 years. This effort will replace Energy Vision 2020, an IRP completed in 1995 that included an analysis of completing one or two nuclear units at the Bellefonte site. Information about the new IRP is available here. Bringing a nuclear plant online requires a long lead time. Completing the SEIS for Bellefonte while simultaneously developing the new IRP will help ensure that a new generating unit could be built in time to meet the projected demand for base load energy.
Public Involvement
TVA accepted comments on the draft SEIS from November 13 through December 28, 2009. All comments received will be addressed in the final SEIS, which will be posted on this site. The final SEIS is scheduled to be completed in spring 2010.
Documents
The documents below may be accessed by clicking on the underlined link. PDF files require Adobe Acrobat Reader. Paper or CD ROM copies may be requested from the contacts listed below.
Draft Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement
The draft SEIS in its entirety may be downloaded by clicking on the link below. The draft SEIS has also been divided into sections for faster downloading.
Complete Draft Supplemental
Environmental Impact Statement (PDF, 19 mb)
Complete text of the DSEIS.
Summary and Table
of Contents (PDF, 282 kb)
Abstract; summary of the issues, alternatives
considered, environmental effects; table of contents; and table of acronyms
and abbreviations.
Chapter 1: Purpose of
and Need for Action (PDF, 576 kb)
Decision to be made; background; need for power; NEPA process description;
scoping and issues to be addressed; other pertinent environmental reviews
and tiering; and permits, licenses, and approvals.
Chapter 2: Alternatives
Including the Proposed Action (PDF, 1.72 mb)
Alternatives considered, comparison of alternatives, impacts summary,
and mitigation.
Chapter 3: Nuclear Generation
Alternatives on the Bellefonte Site – Affected
Environment and Environmental Consequences (PDF, 5 mb)
Detailed description of the affected human and natural environment and
a discussion of the environmental consequences to the affected resources
under the proposed alternatives.
Chapter 4: Transmission
Upgrades – Affected Environment and Environmental
Consequences (PDF, 640 kb)
Detailed description of the affected human and natural environment and
the environmental consequences associated with proposed transmission
upgrades to support the operation of a nuclear plant.
Chapter 5: Other Effects (PDF,
211 kb)
Unavoidable adverse environmental impacts, relationship between short-term
uses and long-term productivity of the human environment, irreversible
and irretrievable commitments of resources, energy resources and conservation
potential.
Chapters
6, 7, and 8: Supporting Information (PDF, 202 kb)
List of preparers, list of agencies to whom copies are sent, and literature
cited.
Glossary and Index (PDF, 228 kb)
Appendix A (PDF,
169 mb)
CORMIX Modeling Results
Appendix B (PDF,
11.2 mb)
Wetlands Field Delineation and Habitat Assessment Forms
Appendix C (PDF,
149 kb)
Vital Signs Reservoir Fish Assemblage Index (RFAI) Scores
Appendix D (PDF,
165 kb)
Power System Operations Environmental Protection Procedures Right-of-Way
Vegetation Management Guidelines
Appendix E (PDF,
167 kb)
Tennessee Valley Authority Environmental Quality Protection Specifications
for Transmission Line Construction
Appendix F (PDF,
228 kb)
State-Listed Animal and Plant Species Present in Areas Affected by Transmission
Line Work
Appendix G (PDF,
192 kb)
Sensitive Area Review Process
Appendix H (PDF,
166 kb)
Tennessee Valley Authority Transmission Construction Guidelines Near
Streams
Key Related Documents
Final Environmental Statement, Bellefonte Nuclear Plant Units 1 And 2
TVA – May 1974
Final
Environmental Statement Related to Construction of Bellefonte Nuclear
Plant Units 1 and 2, Tennessee Valley Authority, Docket Nos. 50-438
and 50-439
Atomic Energy Commission (AEC) – June 1974
Bellefonte Nuclear Plant Units 1 & 2, Final Safety Analysis Report,
Rev 30
TVA – 1991
Sections of this document are available on request from TVA (see contact information below).
Energy
Vision 2020: Integrated Resource Plan and Final Programmatic Environmental
Impact Statement, and Record of Decision.
TVA – December 1995
Final Environmental Impact Statement for the Bellefonte Conversion Project.
TVA – October 1997
Final Environmental Impact Statement for the Production of Tritium in
a Commercial Light Water Reactor
Department of Energy (DOE) – March 1999
DOE limits access to this environmental impact statement. To request a copy, please contact Denise Freeman by e-mail at denise.freeman@hq.doe.gov or by leaving a message on DOE's toll-free information line at 1-800-472-2756.
Reservoir
Operations Study Final Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement and
Record of Decision
TVA – May 2004
Final
Environmental Assessment Bellefonte Nuclear Plant Redress, Jackson County,
Alabama
TVA – January 2006
Activities
at Bellefonte Nuclear Plant Related to Future Site Use, Jackson County
Alabama.
TVA – October 2008
Additionally, the following documents are currently available on NRC’s Web site:
Bellefonte Nuclear Plant Units 3 & 4, Combined License Application, Part 3, Environmental Report, Rev 1
TVA – October 2008Bellefonte Nuclear Plant Units 3 & 4, Combined License Application, Part 2, Final Safety Analysis Report, Rev 1
TVA – January 2009
Contacts
To obtain a copy of the draft SEIS, contact:
Ruth M. Horton
NEPA Project Manager
Tennessee Valley Authority
400 West Summit Hill Dr., WT 11D
Knoxville, TN 37902
Phone: 865-632-3719
E-mail: BLNP@tva.gov
Printed copies of the entire Draft SEIS are available for viewing at most public libraries and courthouses in the area.
For general information on the project, contact:
Andrea L. Sterdis
Nuclear Project Manager
Tennessee Valley Authority
1101 Market St., LP 5A
Chattanooga, TN 37402
Phone: 423-751-7119
E-mail: alsterdis@tva.gov
For more information, call 800-882-5264, or e-mail tvainfo@tva.gov.
In the subject line, type “Bellefonte.” Please include your
U.S. Postal Service mailing address.