[Federal Register Volume 59, Number 209 (Monday, October 31, 1994)]
[Unknown Section]
[Page 0]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 94-26884]
[[Page Unknown]]
[Federal Register: October 31, 1994]
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NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION
[Docket No. 50-286]
Power Authority of the State of New York; Environmental
Assessment and Finding of No Significant Impact
The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (the Commission) is
considering issuance of an exemption from certain requirements of 10
CFR Part 50, Appendix J, Paragraph III.D.3, Type C Tests, to the Power
Authority of the State of New York (the licensee) for the Indian Point
Nuclear Generating Unit No. 3 (IP3), located in Westchester County, New
York.
Environmental Assessment
Identification of Proposed Action
The licensee would be exempt from the requirement of 10 CFR Part
50, Appendix J, Paragraph III.D.3, to the extent that a one-time
schedular extension would be allowed for performing Type C local leak
rate tests (LLRTs) on Residual Heat Removal (RHR) containment isolation
valves AC-732, AC-741, AC-MOV-743, AC-MOV-744, and AC-MOV-1870. These
LLRTs are currently required to be performed at intervals no greater
than 30 months. The one-time schedular exemption would allow Type C
LLRTs of the above listed valves to be deferred until the 9/10
refueling outage, which is currently scheduled for the spring of 1996.
By letter dated September 29, 1994, the licensee applied for a
Technical Specifications (TSs) amendment and requested an Exemption
from the Code of Federal Regulations requirements to allow Type C LLRTs
to be deferred for the above listed RHR system valves until the 9/10
refueling outage.
The Need for the Proposed Action
The licensee commenced operating on 24-month fuel cycles, instead
of the previous 18-month fuel cycles, starting with fuel cycle 9. Fuel
cycle 9 started in August 1992. The requirements of 10 CFR Part 50,
Appendix J, Paragraph III.D.3, indicate that Type C LLRTs must be
performed during each reactor shutdown for refueling at intervals no
greater than 2 years (24 months). On January 12, 1993, the NRC staff
issued an exemption to the licensee that allowed Type C LLRTs to be
performed at intervals up to 30 months, thus, permitting operation on a
24-month fuel cycle.
Approximately 6 months after startup from the 8/9 refueling outage,
IP3 began an extended unplanned non-refueling outage. Startup from the
outage is currently expected for early 1995. After startup from the
current outage, the plant will run until its next scheduled refueling
outage (RFO 9/10) which is scheduled to begin in spring of 1996. In
November and December of 1994 the RHR containment isolated valves AC-
732, AC-741, AC-MOV-743, AC-MOV-744, and AC-MOV-1870 are due for their
Type C LLRTs. Currently, the interval for Type C testing of these
valves is 30 months. These LLRTs are normally performed during a
refueling outage when the reactor is defueled and the RHR system is not
providing a source of cooling water. The current outage is a non-
refueling outage, therefore, the reactor is not defueled and RHR system
is providing core cooling water. The licensee's procedure and the
system design require the RHR system to be out-of-service in order to
perform the LLRTs. If the RHR system is taken out-of-service to perform
the LLRTs the reactor would not have a reliable source of cooling water
to remove decay heat. Therefore, the licensee is requesting a one-time
schedular exemption to allow Type C LLRTs of the above listed valves to
be deferred until the 9/10 refueling outage, which is currently
scheduled for the spring of 1996.
Environmental Impacts of the Proposed Action
The proposed one-time exemption does not increase the probability
or consequences of accidents previously analyzed and the proposed one-
time exemption does not affect facility radiation levels or facility
radiological effluents. The licensee has analyzed the results of
previous LLRTs performed at IP3, and has provided the methodology used
in extrapolating the previous LLRT data to the proposed one time
increase in the surveillance interval. The licensee has provided a
sound basis for concluding that the containment leakage rate would be
maintained within acceptable limits with the one time extension of the
LLRT interval to the refueling outage 9/10. Therefore, the Commission
concludes that there are no significant radiological environmental
impacts associated with the proposed exemption.
With regard to potential nonradiological impacts, the proposed
exemption only involves LLRTs on containment penetrations and isolation
valves. They do not affect nonradiological plant effluents and have no
other environmental impact. Therefore, the Commission concludes that
there are no significant nonradiological environmental impacts
associated with the proposed exemption.
Alternatives to the Proposed Action
Since the Commission has concluded that there are no significant
environmental effects that would result from the proposed exemption,
any alternatives with equal or greater environmental impacts need not
be evaluated. The principal alternative would be to deny the licensee's
request for exemption. Such action would not reduce the environmental
impacts of plant operations.
Alternative Use of Resources
This action does not involve the use of resources not previously
considered in the ``Final Environmental Statement Related to the
Operation of Indian Point Nuclear Generating Plant Unit No. 3,'' dated
February 1975.
Agencies and Persons Consulted
The NRC staff consulted with the New York State official regarding
the environmental impact of the proposed action. The State official had
no comments.
Finding of No Significant Impact
Based on the foregoing 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
exemption under consideration.
For further details with respect to this action, see the licensee's
application for exemption dated September 29, 1994. This document is
available for public inspection at the Commission's Public Document
Room, 2120 L Street, NW., Washington, DC 20555 and at the White Plains
Public Library, 100 Martine Avenue, White Plains, New York 10610.
Dated at Rockville, Maryland, this 21st day of October 1994.
For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
Ledyard B. Marsh,
Director, Project Directorate I-1, Division of Reactor Projects--I/II,
Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation.
[FR Doc. 94-26884 Filed 10-28-94; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7590-01-M
