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Federal Register / Vol. 86, No. 23 / Friday, February 5, 2021 / Notices Preservation Act NHPA, and its implementing regulations 36 CFR part 800. The PEIS will be prepared consistent with the 2020 CEQ
regulations for implementing NEPA at 40 CFR parts 15001508 85 FR 43304
43376, Jul. 16, 2020.

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TVA Power System TVA is a corporate agency and instrumentality of the United States created by and existing pursuant to the TVA Act of 1933 16 U.S.C. part 831, to, among other things, foster the social and economic welfare of the people of the Tennessee Valley region and promote the proper use and conservation of the Valleys natural resources. TVA generates and distributes electricity for business customers and local power distributors, serving more than 10 million people in parts of seven southeastern states. TVA
is fully self-financed without Federal appropriations and funds operations through electricity sales and power system bond financing. In addition to operating and investing its revenues in its electric system, TVA provides flood control, navigation and land management for the Tennessee River system, and assists local power companies and state and local governments with economic development and job creation.
Dependable electrical capacity on the TVA power system is about 33,000
MWe. TVAs current generating assets include one pumped-storage facility, one diesel generator site, three nuclear plants, five coal plants, nine combustion turbine plants, eight combined cycle plants, 14 solar energy sites, 29
hydroelectric dams, and several small renewable generating facilities. A
portion of delivered power is obtained through long-term power purchase agreements. About 13 percent of TVAs annual generation is from hydro; 14
percent is from coal; 27 percent is from natural gas; 41 percent is from nuclear;
and the remainder is from wind, solar, and energy efficiency programs. TVA
transmits electricity from these facilities over almost 16,000 miles of transmission lines. Like other utility systems, TVA has power interchange agreements with utilities surrounding the Tennessee Valley region, and buys and sells power on an economic basis almost daily.
Background The CRN Site is in Oak Ridge, Roane County, Tennessee, on 935 acres of TVA-managed land on the Clinch River arm of the Watts Bar Reservoir. The site is located adjacent to the U.S.
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Ridge Reservation, a roughly 33,500 acre reservation with defense, research, and environmental cleanup missions.
In May 2016, TVA submitted an application to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission NRC for an Early Site Permit ESP at the CRN Site for two or more new nuclear power units demonstrating Small Modular Reactors SMR technology with a total combined nuclear generating capacity not to exceed 800 MWe. SMRs provide the benefits of nuclear power in situations where large units, generally considered units with approximate electrical output exceeding 1000 MWe, are not appropriate or practical because of various constraints i.e. local transmission system, limited physical space or water availability, constraints on the availability of capital for construction and operation, proximity to population centers, etc.. A NRC ESP
provides early resolution of site safety and environmental issues, which in turn provides predictability and stability in any subsequent NRC licensing process.
The NRC prepared and released a Final EIS in April 2019 to assess the environmental aspects of their action, to decide whether or not to issue an ESP
to TVA for the CRN Site. Following the NRC ESP Final EIS determination, the NRC issued the ESP to TVA in December 2019. The ESP provides NRC
approval of the CRN site for considering new nuclear power units demonstrating SMR technology; the ESP does not authorize TVA to construct or operate a nuclear facility. TVA must apply for and receive additional licenses from the NRC prior to initiating construction or operation of advanced nuclear reactors at the CRN Site.
Project Purpose and Need In June 2019, TVA released the Final 2019 Integrated Resource Plan IRP and the associated IRP Final EIS. The IRP
identified the various resources that TVA intends to pursue to meet the energy needs of the Valley over the 20year planning period in accordance with TVAs mission. The 2019 IRP
recommends that TVA continue to evaluate emerging nuclear technologies, including SMRs, as part of technology innovation efforts aimed at developing future electricity generation capabilities.
TVAs purpose and need for the CRN
Advanced Nuclear Reactor Technology Park is two-fold. First is to evaluate and demonstrate the feasibility of deploying advanced nuclear reactors to support TVAs mission of providing safe, clean, reliable, and low-cost energy to the Tennessee Valley. Second is to evaluate emerging nuclear technologies as part of
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technology innovation efforts aimed at developing future generation capacities.
TVA will consider the potential environmental effects associated with the proposed construction, operation, and decommissioning of one or more advanced nuclear reactors, with a cumulative electrical output not to exceed 800 MWe at the CRN Site. In addition to producing energy, advanced reactors could support a low carbon future, including demonstration of technologies such as microgrids, grid resiliency, waste heat energy storage for grid support, and the production of isotopes of hydrogen and other elements.
Preliminary Proposed Action and Alternatives The PEIS will address a range of alternatives for construction, operation, and decommissioning of an advanced nuclear reactor technology park at the CRN Site. Action alternatives include construction of light water reactor LWR alternatives and/or non-LWR
alternatives at the CRN Site. There are two areas within the 935-acre CRN Site that are best suitable for development;
these are designated as Area 1 and Area 2. Therefore, TVA plans to evaluate four discrete alternatives AD for these proposed actions including the NoAction Alternative A and an advanced nuclear reactor technology park at Area 1 B; at Area 2 C; at Area 1 and Area 2 D. Two additional alternatives E and F were considered but eliminated.
Anticipated Environmental Impacts The PEIS will include a detailed evaluation of all environmental, social, and economic impacts associated with implementation of the proposed action.
Resource areas to be addressed in the PEIS include, but are not limited to: Air quality; aquatics; botany; climate change; cultural resources; emergency planning; floodplains; geology and groundwater; hydrothermal; land use;
navigation; noise and vibration;
radiological safety; soil erosion and surface water; socioeconomics and environmental justice; threatened and endangered species; transportation;
visual; waste; water use; wetlands; and wildlife. Measures to avoid, minimize, and mitigate adverse effects will be identified and evaluated in the PEIS.
Anticipated Permits and Other Authorizations TVA anticipates consulting on the required authorities including, but not limited to: The Endangered Species Act;
Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act;
Rare Species Protection and Conservation Act; National Historic
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