[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 215 (Friday, November 6, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 60027-60029]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-29787]
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NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION
[Dockets 72-1008 and 72-1014]
Holtec International; Issuance of Environmental Assessment and
Finding of No Significant Impact Regarding the Request for Exemption
From Certain Regulatory Requirements
By letter dated August 3, 1998, as supplemented on September 4,
1998, Holtec International (Holtec or applicant) requested an
exemption, pursuant to 10 CFR 72.7, from the requirements of 10 CFR
72.234(c). Holtec, located in Marlton, New Jersey, is seeking Nuclear
Regulatory Commission (NRC or the Commission) approval to procure
materials for four MPC-68 canisters, four HI-STAR 100 overpacks, four
HI-STORM 100 overpacks and one HI-TRAC transfer cask (for use with the
HI-STORM 100 system) prior to receipt of Certificates of Compliance
(CoCs) for either the HI-STAR or the HI-STORM cask systems.
[[Page 60028]]
In addition, Holtec seeks an exemption to authorize fabrication of four
MPC-68 canisters and four HI-STAR 100 overpacks. Together, the MPC-68
canisters and the overpacks are one configuration of the HI-STAR 100
cask system. The casks are intended for use under the general license
provisions of Subpart K of 10 CFR Part 72 by Southern Nuclear Operating
Company (Southern Nuclear) at the Hatch Nuclear Station (Hatch) in
southern Georgia.
Separately, the staff is considering issuance of an exemption from
the requirements of 10 CFR 72.124(b) which states, in part, that:
``Where solid neutron absorbing materials are used, the design shall
provide for positive means to verify their continued efficacy.''
Specifically, the staff is considering granting an exemption from the
requirement to verify continued efficacy of neutron absorbing
materials.
Environmental Assessment (EA)
Identification of Proposed Action
By letter dated October 23, 1995, as supplemented, and pursuant to
10 CFR Part 72, Holtec submitted an application to NRC for a CoC for
the HI-STAR 100 cask system. Separately, on the same date, Holtec
submitted an application for a CoC for the HI-STORM cask system which
includes the HI-TRAC transfer cask. These applications are currently
under consideration by the NRC staff. The applicant is seeking
Commission approval to procure materials for four MPC-68 canisters,
four HI-STAR 100 overpacks, four HI-STORM 100 overpacks, and one HI-
TRAC transfer cask prior to the Commission's issuance of CoCs for
either the HI-STAR or the HI-STORM cask systems. In addition, Holtec
seeks an exemption to authorize fabrication of four MPC-68 canisters
and four HI-STAR 100 overpacks. Together, the MPC-68 canisters and the
overpacks are one configuration of the HI-STAR 100 cask system. The
casks are intended for use under the general license provisions of
Subpart K of 10 CFR Part 72 by Southern Nuclear at Hatch in southern
Georgia. The applicant requests an exemption from the requirements of
10 CFR 72.234(c), which state that ``Fabrication of casks under the
Certificate of Compliance must not start prior to receipt of the
Certificate of Compliance for the cask model.''
As stated above, the staff is also considering issuance of an
exemption from the requirements of 10 CFR 72.124(b) which states, in
part, that: ``Where solid neutron absorbing materials are used, the
design shall provide for positive means to verify their continued
efficacy.'' Specifically, the staff is considering granting an
exemption from the requirement to verify continued efficacy of neutron
absorbing materials.
The proposed action before the Commission is whether to approve
procurement of the materials and whether to grant these exemptions
pursuant to 10 CFR 72.7.
Need for the Proposed Action
Holtec requested the exemption to 10 CFR 72.234(c) to ensure the
availability of storage casks so that Southern Nuclear can maintain
full core off-load capability at Hatch. Hatch Unit 1 will lose full
core off-load capability in August 2000. Hatch has proposed an initial
cask loading in September 2000. To support training and dry runs prior
to the initial loading, Southern Nuclear requests the delivery of the
first cask by February 2000. Holtec states that to meet this schedule,
purchase of cask components must begin promptly and fabrication must
begin by November 1998.
The HI-STAR 100 and HI-STORM applications, dated October 23, 1995,
are under consideration by the Commission. It is anticipated that, if
approved, the HI-STAR 100 CoC may be issued in late 1999 and the HI-
STORM 100 by Summer of 2000. Southern Nuclear's preferred storage cask
for Hatch is the HI-STORM, but Southern Nuclear is willing to use the
HI-STAR 100, if the HI-STORM is not available when needed. Therefore,
in recognition of the schedular differences in the certification
process for the two cask systems, Holtec is requesting approval for
procurement of materials for the interchangeable MPC-68 as well as for
the HI-STAR, HI-STORM, and HI-TRAC. In its request, however, Holtec
confirms that its current plans are only to fabricate four HI-STAR
units. The proposed procurement and fabrication exemption will not
authorize use of any Holtec cask to store spent fuel. That will occur
only when, and if, a CoC is issued. NRC approval of the procurement and
granting of the fabrication exemption request should not be construed
as an NRC commitment to favorably consider any Holtec application for a
CoC. Holtec will bear the risk of all activities conducted under the
exemption, including the risk that the four casks Holtec plans to
construct may not be usable because they may not meet specifications or
conditions placed in a CoC that NRC may ultimately approve.
The exemption to 10 CFR 72.124(b) is necessary to ensure that the
certification process for the HI-STAR, HI-STORM, and HI-TRAC casks
takes into account previous staff conclusions that fixed neutron
poisons in the similar storage casks will remain effective over the 20-
year period of the license. Periodic verification of neutron poison
effectiveness is not possible for these Holtec casks and, consistent
with the staff's conclusion described above, is not necessary.
Environmental Impacts of the Proposed Action
Regarding the procurement approval and fabrication exemption, the
Environmental Assessment for the final rule, ``Storage of Spent Nuclear
Fuel in NRC-Approved Storage Casks at Nuclear Power Reactor Sites'' (55
FR 29181 (1990)), considered the potential environmental impacts of
casks which are used to store spent fuel under a CoC and concluded that
there would be no significant environmental impacts. The proposed
action now under consideration would not permit use of the casks, but
only procurement and fabrication. There are no radiological
environmental impacts from procurement or fabrication since cask
material procurement and cask fabrication do not involve radioactive
materials. The major non-radiological environmental impacts involve use
of natural resources due to cask fabrication. Each MPC-68 canister
weighs approximately 44 tons and is made of steel. Each HI-STAR 100
overpack weighs approximately 77 tons and is fabricated mainly from
steel. Each HI-STORM overpack weighs approximately 100 tons and is
constructed of metal and concrete. The HI-TRAC transfer cask weighs
approximately 125 tons and is made of structural steel and lead. The
amount of materials required to fabricate these casks is expected to
have very little impact on the associated industry. Fabrication of the
metal components would be at a metal fabrication facility, not at the
reactor site. While fabrication of the concrete overpacks is not
contemplated at this time, it should be noted that concrete overpacks
would be partially fabricated at the same fabrication facility, with
only the concrete pours being done at the reactor. Fabrication of these
casks is insignificant compared to the amount of metal and concrete
fabrication performed annually in the United States. If the casks are
not usable, the casks could be disposed of or recycled. The amount of
material disposed of is insignificant compared to the amount of steel
and concrete that is disposed of annually in the United States. Based
upon this information, the fabrication of
[[Page 60029]]
these casks will have no significant impact on the environment since no
radioactive materials are involved, and the amount of natural resources
used is minimal.
Regarding the second exemption, in NRC's September 30, 1998, draft
safety evaluation of the HI-STAR 100 cask Topical Safety Analysis
Report, the NRC staff concluded that fixed neutron poisons in the HI-
STAR 100 cask will remain effective for the 20-year storage period. The
staff concluded that the criticality design for the HI-STAR 100 cask is
based on favorable geometry and fixed neutron poisons. An appraisal of
the fixed neutron poisons has shown that they will remain effective for
the 20-year storage period. In addition, the staff concluded that there
is no credible way to lose the fixed neutron poisons; therefore, there
is no need to provide a positive means to verify their continued
efficacy as required by 10 CFR 72.124(b).
Consistent with the staff conclusions in the safety evaluation, the
applicant did not propose any verification of the continued efficacy of
the HI-STAR 100 cask's neutron absorber.
Alternative to the Proposed Action
Since there is no significant environmental impact associated with
the proposed actions, any alternatives with equal or greater
environmental impact are not evaluated. The alternative to the proposed
actions would be: (a) to deny approval of the exemption and, therefore,
not allow cask fabrication until a CoC is issued and (b) to deny
approval of the exemption and, therefore, not allow elimination of the
requirement to verify the continued efficacy of neutron absorbing
materials. These alternatives would have the same, or greater,
environmental impacts.
Given that there are no significant differences in environmental
impacts between the proposed action and the alternatives considered and
that the applicant has a legitimate need to procure materials and
fabricate the casks prior to certification and is willing to assume the
risk that any fabricated casks may not be approved or may require
modification, the Commission concludes that the preferred alternative
is to approve the procurement request and grant the exemption from the
prohibition on fabrication prior to receipt of a CoC. Similarly, the
Commission concludes that since there is no significant difference in
the environmental impacts between the proposed action and the
alternatives for the elimination of the requirement to verify the
continued efficacy of neutron absorbing materials, the Commission
concludes that the preferred alternative is to grant that exemption.
Agencies and Persons Consulted
An official from the State of Georgia Department of Environmental
Protection was contacted about the EA for the proposed action and had
no concerns.
Finding of No Significant Impact
The environmental impacts of the proposed action have been reviewed
in accordance with the requirements set forth in 10 CFR Part 51. Based
upon the foregoing EA, the Commission finds that the proposed action of
(1) approving procurement of materials for four MPC-68 canisters, four
HI-STAR 100 overpacks, four HI-STORM 100 overpacks, and one HI-TRAC
transfer cask, and granting an exemption from 10 CFR 72.234(c) so that
Holtec may fabricate four MPC-68 canisters and four HI-STAR 100
overpacks prior to issuance of a CoC will not significantly impact the
quality of the human environment and, (2) granting an exemption from 10
CFR 72.124(b) so that Holtec need not verify the continued efficacy of
the neutron absorbing material in storage casks will not significantly
impact the quality of the human environment. Accordingly, the
Commission has determined not to prepare an environmental impact
statement for the proposed exemptions.
The request for the exemption to 10 CFR 234(c) was filed on August
3, 1998, and supplemented on September 4, 1998. For further details
with respect to this action, see the applications for CoC for the HI-
STAR 100 and HI-STORM 100 cask systems, both dated October 23, 1995. On
September 30, 1998, a preliminary Safety Evaluation Report and a
proposed CoC for the HI-STAR 100 cask system were issued by the NRC
staff to initiate the rulemaking process. These documents are available
for public inspection at the Commission's Public Document Room, 2120 L
Street, NW, Washington, DC 20555.
Dated at Rockville, Maryland, this 28th day of October 1998.
For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
William F. Kane,
Director, Spent Fuel Project Office, Office of Nuclear Material Safety
and Safeguards.
[FR Doc. 98-29787 Filed 11-5-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7590-01-P
