[Federal Register Volume 59, Number 215 (Tuesday, November 8, 1994)]
[Unknown Section]
[Page 0]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 94-27612]
[[Page Unknown]]
[Federal Register: November 8, 1994]
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NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION
[Docket No. 50-390]
Tennessee Valley Authority Watts Bar Nuclear Plant, Unit 1;
Environmental Assessment and Finding of No Significant Impact
The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (the Commission) is
considering issuance of an extension of the latest construction
completion date specified in Construction Permit No. CPPR-91 issued to
Tennessee Valley Authority (permittee) for Watts Bar Nuclear Plant
(WBN), Unit 1. The facility is located at the permittee's site on the
west bank of the Tennessee River approximately 50 miles northeast of
Chattanooga, Tennessee.
Environmental Assessment
Identification of Proposed Action
The proposed action would extend the latest construction completion
date of Construction Permit No. CPPR-91 from December 31, 1994, to
December 31, 1995. The proposed action is in response to the
permittee's request dated September 19, 1994.
The Need for the Proposed Action
The proposed action is needed because the construction and
modification of the facility is not yet fully completed. Following
completion of hot functional testing, the permittee conducted an
extensive review of the remaining scope of work required to complete
the unit. The resulting detailed completion plan indicates fuel load
for the unit will occur in the spring of 1995. The requested extension
period includes contingency in case any adjustments to the schedule are
needed.
The delays associated with the above efforts to ensure that WBN
meets regulatory requirements and licensing commitments make it
necessary for the permittee to request an extension of the expiration
date for Construction Permit No. CPPR-91 until December 31, 1995.
Environmental Impacts of the Proposed Action
The environmental impacts associated with the construction of the
facility have been previously discussed and evaluated in the staff's
Final Environmental Statement (FES) issued on November 9, 1972 for the
construction permit stage which covered construction of both units. The
FES issued in December 1978 for the operating license stage addressed
the environmental impacts of construction activities not addressed
previously. The activities included: (1) construction of the new
transmission route for the Watts Bar--Volunteer 500 kV line, (2)
construction of the settling pond for siltation control for
construction runoff at a different location from that originally
proposed in the Final Environmental Statement--Construction Permit
(FES-CP), (3) the relocation of the blowdown diffuser from the
originally proposed site indicated in the FES-CP. The staff addressed
the terrestrial and aquatic environmental impacts in the Final
Environmental Statement--Operating license (FES-OL) and concluded that
the assessment presented in the FES-CP remains valid. The staff is
currently reviewing updated environmental information and plans to
issue findings in a supplement to the FES-OL in early 1995. The
construction of Unit 1 is essentially 100 percent complete; therefore,
most of the construction impacts discussed in the FES have already
occurred.
Since this action would only extend the period of construction, it
does not involve impacts different from those described and analyzed in
the original environmental impact statement. The proposed extension
will not allow any work to be performed that is not already allowed by
the existing construction permit. The extension will merely grant the
permittee more time to complete construction and modification in
accordance with the previously approved construction permit. The
activities related to the various corrective activities will result in
additional workforce, being primarily engineering and technical
personnel rather than construction personnel. At the present time, this
workforce is basically dedicated to the completion of Unit 1. This
previously increased workforce is declining as the corrective
activities are completed and the unit approaches fuel loading. A large
percentage of the additional workforce is contractors and consultants
who do not live in the area and use only temporary quarters. While the
current workforce level has caused a temporary, increased demand for
services in the community and increased traffic on local roads, there
are no major impacts due to the arrival of workers' families and
demands for services necessary to support permanent residents (for
example, housing and schools).
Based on the foregoing, the NRC staff has concluded that the
proposed action would have no significant environmental impact. Since
this action would only extend the period of construction activities
described in the FES, it does not involve any different impacts or a
significant change to those impacts described and analyzed in the
original environmental impact statement. Consequently, an environmental
impact statement addressing the proposed action is not required.
Alternatives Considered
A possible alternative to the proposed action would be to deny the
request. Under this alternative, the permittee would not be able to
complete construction of the facility. This would result in denial of
the benefit of power production. This option would not eliminate the
environmental impacts of construction already incurred.
If construction were halted and not completed, site redress
activities would restore some small areas to their natural states. This
would be a slight environmental benefit, but much outweighed by the
economic losses from denial of use of a facility that is nearly
completed. Therefore, this alternative is rejected.
Alternative Use of Resources
This action does not involve the use of resources not previously
considered in the FES for Watts Bar.
Agencies and Persons Consulted
The NRC staff reviewed the permittee's request and applicable
documents referenced therein that support this extension. The NRC did
not consult other agencies or persons.
Finding of No Significant Impact
The Commission has determined not to prepare an environmental
impact statement for this action. Based upon the environmental
assessment, the staff concludes that this action will not have a
significant effect on the quality of the human environment.
For details with respect to this action, see the request for
extension dated September 19, 1994, which is available for public
inspection at the Commission Public Document Room, 2120 L Street NW.,
Washington, D.C. and at the Local Public Document Room, Chattanooga-
Hamilton County Library, 1001 Broad Street, Chattanooga, Tennessee
37402.
Dated at Rockville, Maryland this 31st day of October 1994.
For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
Frederick J. Hebdon,
Director, Project Directorate II-4, Division of Reactor Projects I/II,
Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation.
[FR Doc. 94-27612 Filed 11-7-94; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7590-01-M
