[Federal Register Volume 59, Number 201 (Wednesday, October 19, 1994)]
[Unknown Section]
[Page 0]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 94-25855]
[[Page Unknown]]
[Federal Register: October 19, 1994]
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NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION
[Docket Nos. 50-424 and 50-425]
Georgia Power Company, Oglethorpe Power Corporation, Municipal
Electric Authority of Georgia, Vogtle Electric Generating Plant, Unit 1
and 2; Environmental Assessment and Finding of No Significant Impact
The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (the Commission) is
considering issuance of an exemption from the requirements of 10 CFR
50, Appendix E, Section IV.F.2, regarding annual exercise of the
emergency plan to Georgia Power Company (GPC or the licensee), for the
Vogtle Electric Generating Station, Units 1 and 2, located in Dalton,
Georgia.
Environmental Assessment
Identification of the Proposed Action
The proposed exemption would allow a one-time schedular exemption
from the requirements of 10 CFR Part 50, Appendix E, Section IV.F.2
which states that each licensee at each site shall annually exercise
its emergency plan. By letter dated July 21, 1994, the licensee
requested a schedular exemption from the requirement for the Vogtle
Power Station, based upon a request from the State of Georgia and local
governments, to delay the exercise from July 27, 1994, to January 11,
1995, because of the flood disaster in Georgia.
The licensee had planned to conduct a full-participation exercise
involving the States of Georgia and South Carolina and local response
organizations on July 27, 1994. The licensee requested that an
exemption be granted because the State of Georgia requested to delay
the 1994 annual exercise from July 27, 1994, to January 11, 1995. The
request to move the exercise date was originated by the Georgia
Emergency Management Agency (GEMA) because they would be unable to
participate on July 27 as GEMA personnel were required to respond to a
federally-declared flood disaster in South Georgia. This proposed delay
will prevent Vogtle from meeting the annual requirement to exercise the
Vogtle emergency plan as specified in Appendix E to 10 CFR 50, and
therefore, GPC requested a schedular exemption.
The previous emergency preparedness exercise at Vogtle was
successfully conducted on August 4, 1993, and no violations, deviations
or exercise weaknesses were identified. Offsite participation was
limited to receiving Emergency Notification messages. A joint plume and
ingestion exposure pathway exercise involving the States of Georgia and
South Carolina and the four local governmental agencies was conducted
on May 19, 1992.
The licensee had scheduled, planned and coordinated the 1994
exercise with participating Federal, State, and local agencies for mid-
July. The scope and objectives, and the final scenario documentation
for the July 1994 exercise were submitted to the NRC on April 14, 1994,
and May 17, 1994, respectively, which is within the time frames
established for their submittal in support of a July 1994 exercise.
The schedule for future exercise will not be affected by this
exemption. GPC has stated it will conduct the previously scheduled 1995
exercise the week of July 19, 1995, as planned. The licensee states
that concurrence for the proposed date of January 11, 1995, has been
received from FEMA, NRC Region II, and the affected State and local
agencies. FEMA confirmed its support for the revised exercise date on
September 1, 1994.
Based upon a review of the licensee's request for an exemption from
the requirement to conduct an exercise of the Vogtle emergency plan in
1994, the NRC staff finds that the underlying purpose of the regulation
will not be adversely affected by the rescheduling of the July 27,
1994, exercise to January 11, 1995. The effective response capability
demonstrated by the licensee during the 1993 emergency preparedness
exercise, the activities in preparation for the 1994 exercise,
including a table top exercise with the States and counties and the
readiness of the licensee's emergency preparedness program as reflected
in its SALP rating and the most recent inspection report, provide
assurance that the resources and personnel necessary for proper
emergency response are in place to respond to a nuclear emergency at
the Vogtle site. Thus, an exercise in 1994 is not necessary to achieve
the underlying purpose of the rule, and the requested exemption from
the requirement in 10 CFR Part 50, Appendix E, Section IV.F, to defer
the performance of an exercise of the Vogtle emergency plan until
January 11, 1995, will not adversely affect the overall state of
emergency preparedness at the Vogtle site.
The Need for the Proposed Action
The proposed exemption is needed because the Georgia Emergency
management Agency (GEMA) was required to respond to a federally-
declared flood disaster in South Georgia at the time of the scheduled
annual emergency exercise.
Environmental Impacts of the Proposed Action
The NRC staff evaluation of the proposed exemption from 10 CFR 50,
Appendix E, Section IV. F.2, indicates that the granting of the
proposed exemption will not involve any measurable environmental
impacts since the exemption deals with the exercise of the licensee's
emergency plan. Plant configuration and operations are not changed.
Therefore, the Commission concludes that there are no significant
radiological or nonradiological environmental impacts associated with
the proposed exemption.
Alternatives to the Proposed Action
Since the Commission has concluded there is no measurable
environmental impact associated with the proposed exemption, any
alternatives with equal or greater environmental impact need not be
evaluated. The principal alternative to the action would be to deny the
request. Such action would not enhance the protection of the
environment and would result in diversion of plant resources from
addressing important health and safety issues.
Alternative Use of Resources
This exemption from the scheduled exercise on July 27, 1994, does
not reduce the use of resources since the schedule for future exercises
will not be affected by this exemption. The licensee has stated it will
conduct the previously scheduled 1995 exercise the week of July 19,
1995, as planned. Thus, the requested exemption would provide only
temporary relief from the requirement to conduct an annual exercise.
Agencies and Persons Consulted
The NRC staff consulted with the Georgia State official regarding
the environmental impact of the proposed action. The State official had
no comments.
Finding of No Significant Impact
Based upon 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 exemption, see the
licensee's letter dated July 21, 1994, which is available for public
inspection at the Commission's Public Document Room, The Gelman
Building, 2120 L Street, NW., Washington, DC 20555, and at the local
public document room located at the Burke County Library, 412 Fourth
Street, Waynesboro, Georgia 30830.
Dated at Rockville, this 13th day of October 1994.
Herbert N. Berkow,
Director, Project Directorate II-3, Division of Reactor Projects--I/II,
Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation.
[FR Doc. 94-25855 Filed 10-18-94; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7590-01-M
