[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 4 (Thursday, January 6, 2000)]
[Notices]
[Pages 794-795]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-251]
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NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION
[Docket No. 50-346]
FirstEnergy Nuclear Operating Company, Davis-Besse Nuclear Power
Station, Unit 1; Environmental Assessment and Finding of No Significant
Impact
The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (the Commission) is
considering the issuance of exemptions from the provisions of: (1) 10
CFR 50.44, ``Standards for Combustible Gas Control System in Light-
Water-Cooled Power Reactors,'' which states requirements to control the
hydrogen generated by Zircaloy or ZIRLO fuel cladding after a
postulated loss-of-coolant accident (LOCA); (2) 10 CFR 50.46,
``Acceptance Criteria for Emergency Core Cooling Systems for Light-
Water Nuclear Power Reactors,'' which requires the calculated emergency
core cooling system (ECCS) performance for reactors with Zircaloy or
ZIRLO fuel cladding to meet certain criteria; and (3) Appendix K to 10
CFR Part 50, ``ECCS Evaluation Models,'' which presumes the use of
Zircaloy or ZIRLO fuel cladding when doing calculations for energy
release, cladding oxidation and hydrogen generation after a postulated
LOCA, for Facility Operating License No. NPF-3, issued to the
FirstEnergy Nuclear Operating Company (the licensee), for operation of
the Davis-Besse Nuclear Power Station, Unit 1, located in Ottawa
County, Ohio.
Environmental Assessment
Identification of the Proposed Action
The licensee has requested exemptions from 10 CFR 50.44, 10 CFR
50.46 and 10 CFR 50 Appendix K regarding the proposed use of M5
advanced alloy for fuel assemblies. The proposed action would allow the
licensee to use fuel assemblies with fuel rod cladding that falls
outside of the definition of Zircaloy and ZIRLO in the cited
regulations. These assemblies would be loaded into the Davis-Besse
reactor during the refueling outage in the spring of 2000. The proposed
action is in accordance with the licensee's application for exemption
dated September 15, 1998.
Need for the Proposed Action
10 CFR 50.46(a)(1)(i) and Appendix K to 10 CFR Part 50 require the
demonstration of adequate ECCS performance for light-water reactors
that contain fuel consisting of uranium oxide pellets enclosed in
Zircaloy or ZIRLO tubes. In addition, 10 CFR 50.44(a) addresses
requirements to control hydrogen generated by Zircaloy or ZIRLO fuel
after a postulated LOCA. Each of these three regulations, either
implicitly or explicitly, assume that either Zircaloy or ZIRLO is used
as the fuel rod cladding material. In order to accommodate the high
fuel rod burnups that are required for modern fuel management and core
designs, Framatome Technologies, Inc. developed the M5 advanced fuel
rod cladding and fuel assembly structural material. M5 is an alloy
comprised primarily of zirconium (99 percent) and niobium
(1 percent) that has demonstrated superior corrosion
resistance and reduced irradiation induced growth relative to both
standard and low-tin Zircaloy. However, since the chemical composition
of the M5 advanced alloy differs from the specifications of either
Zircaloy or ZIRLO, use of the M5 advanced alloy falls outside of the
strict interpretation of these regulations. Therefore, approval of
these exemptions is needed to permit the use of the M5 advanced alloy
as a fuel rod cladding material at the Davis-Besse Nuclear Power
Station.
10 CFR 50.12 permits the Nuclear Regulatory Commission to grant
exemptions which are authorized by law, will not present an undue risk
to the health and safety of the public, and are consistent with the
common defense and security, provided that special circumstances are
present. Pursuant to 10 CFR 50.12(a)(2)(ii), the Commission believes
that special circumstances exist since application of the rule in this
case would not achieve the underlying purpose of the rule. The
underlying purpose of 10 CFR 50.46 and Appendix K to 10 CFR Part 50 is
to establish requirements for emergency core cooling systems. The
underlying purpose of 10 CFR 50.44 is to control hydrogen generated by
the metal/water reaction after a postulated LOCA, regardless of fuel
cladding material. The licensee addressed the safety impact of using M5
fuel in its amendment application dated September 8, 1998.
The staff has evaluated this impact and has concluded that use of
the M5 advanced alloy as a fuel rod cladding material remains bounded
by the original design basis for the Davis-Besse facility. Therefore,
since the underlying purposes of 10 CFR 50.44, 10 CFR 50.46, and 10 CFR
50 Appendix K are achieved through the use of the M5 advanced alloy as
a fuel rod cladding material, the special circumstances required by 10
CFR 50.12(a)(2)(ii) for the granting of exemptions are met.
[[Page 795]]
Environmental Impacts of the Proposed Action
With regard to potential radiological impacts to the general
public, the exemptions under consideration involve features located
entirely within the restricted area as defined in 10 CFR Part 20. The
new fuel assemblies meet the same design bases as the fuel that is
currently in the reactor. No safety limits have been changed or
setpoints altered as a result of the use of these new assemblies. The
FSAR analyses are bounding for the new assemblies as well as for the
rest of the core. The advanced zirconium-based alloys Zircaloy and
ZIRLO have been shown through testing to perform satisfactorily under
conditions representative of a reactor environment and the material
properties of M5 are very similar to these alloys.
With regard to the potential environmental impacts associated with
the transportation of the M5 clad fuel assemblies, the advanced
cladding has no impact on previous assessments determined in accordance
with 10 CFR 51.52.
The proposed action will not significantly increase the probability
or consequences of accidents, no changes are being made in the types of
any effluents that may be released off site, and there is no
significant increase in occupational or public radiation exposure.
Therefore, there are no significant radiological environmental impacts
associated with the proposed action.
With regard to potential nonradiological impacts, the proposed
action does not involve any historic sites. It does not affect
nonradiological plant effluents and has no other environmental impact.
Therefore, there are no significant nonradiological environmental
impacts associated with the proposed action.
Accordingly, the NRC concludes that there are no significant
environmental impacts associated with the proposed action.
Alternatives to the Proposed Action
As an alternative to the proposed action, the staff considered
denial of the proposed action (i.e., the ``no-action'' alternative).
Denial of the application would result in no change in current
environmental impacts. The environmental impacts of the proposed action
and the alternative action are similar.
Alternative Use of Resources
This action does not involve the use of any resources not
previously considered in the ``Final Environmental Statement Related to
the Operation of Davis-Besse Nuclear Power Station, Unit 1,'' dated
October 1975.
Agencies and Persons Consulted
In accordance with its stated policy, on December 7, 1999, the
staff consulted with the Ohio State official, Carol O'Claire, of the
Ohio Emergency Management Agency, regarding the environmental impact of
the proposed action. The State official had no comments.
Finding of No Significant Impact
On the basis of the environmental assessment, the Commission
concludes that the proposed action will not have a significant effect
on the quality of the human environment. Accordingly, the Commission
has determined not to prepare an environmental impact statement for the
proposed action.
For further details with respect to the proposed action, see the
licensee's letter dated September 15, 1998, which is available for
public inspection at the Commission's Public Document Room, the Gelman
Building, 2120 L Street, NW., Washington, DC. Publically available
records will be accessible electronically from the ADAMS Public Library
component on the NRC Web site, http://www.nrc.gov (the Electronic
Reading Room).
Dated at Rockville, Maryland, this 30th day of December 1999.
For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
Anthony J. Mendiola,
Chief, Section 2, Project Directorate III, Division of Licensing
Project Management, Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation.
[FR Doc. 00-251 Filed 1-5-00; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7590-01-P
