[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 60 (Tuesday, March 30, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Pages 15184-15185]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-7761]
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NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION
[DOCKET 72-17]
Portland General Electric Company; Issuance of Environmental
Assessment and Finding of No Significant Impact Regarding the Proposed
Exemption From Certain Requirements of 10 CFR Part 72
The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC or the Commission) is
considering issuance of an exemption, pursuant to 10 CFR 72.7, from the
requirements of 10 CFR 72.124(b) to Portland General Electric Company
(PGE). Exemption from10 CFR 72.124(b) would provide relief to PGE from
the requirement to use positive means to verify the continued efficacy
of neutron absorbing materials for spent fuel storage casks stored at
an independent spent fuel storage installation (ISFSI) at the Trojan
Nuclear Plant (Docket Nos. 72-17 and 50-344) in Columbia County,
Oregon. The proposed ISFSI would store spent nuclear fuel from the
Trojan Nuclear Plant.
Environmental Assessment (EA)
Identification of Proposed
By letter dated March 20, 1997, PGE requested an exemption from the
requirement in 10 CFR 72.124(b) which states: ``When practicable the
design of an ISFSI or MRS must be based on favorable geometry,
permanently fixed neutron absorbing materials (poisons), or both. Where
solid neutron absorbing materials are used [as a means for criticality
control], the design shall provide for positive means to verify their
continued efficacy.'' Specifically, PGE is requesting exemption from
the requirement to provide a positive means to verify the continued
efficacy of neutron absorbing materials.
The proposed action before the Commission is whether to grant this
exemption under 10 CFR 72.7 to release PGE from the requirement to use
positive means to verify the continued efficacy of neutron absorbing
materials for spent fuel storage casks stored at an ISFSI in accordance
with 10 CFR 72.124(a).
Need for the Proposed Action
The applicant is preparing to build and operate the Trojan ISFSI as
described in its application and SAR, subject to approval of the
pending licensing application. The exemption to 10 CFR 72.124(b) is
necessary because, while this requirement is appropriate for wet spent
fuel storage systems, it is not appropriate for dry spent fuel storage
systems such as the one PGE plans to use for storage of spent fuel at
the Trojan ISFSI. Periodic verification of neutron poison effectiveness
is neither necessary nor practical for these casks.
Environmental Impacts of the Proposed Action
Section 72.124(b) currently requires that where the design of an
ISFSI uses solid neutron absorbing material as a method of criticality
control, the design of the ISFSI shall provide a positive means to
verify the continued efficacy of the absorbing material. On June 9,
1998, the Commission issued a proposed rule (63 FR 31364) to revise 10
CFR 72.124(b). The Commission proposed that for dry spent fuel storage
systems, the continued efficacy of neutron absorbing material may be
confirmed by a demonstration and analysis before use, showing that
significant degradation of the material cannot occur over the life of
the facility. The Commission stated in the proposed rule that the
potentially corrosive environment under wet storage conditions is not
present in dry storage systems because an inert environment is
maintained. Under these conditions, there is no mechanism to
significantly degrade the neutron absorbing material. Consequently, a
positive means for verifying the continued efficacy of the
[[Page 15185]]
material is not required. A final rule to revise this regulation has
not yet been issued by the Commission.
The review of the applicant's SAR showed that credit was taken for
only 75% of the original neutron absorbing material being present and
that the neutron flux produced by the spent nuclear fuel would deplete
only a small percentage of neutron absorbing material during the
expected life of this facility. The neutron absorbing material (poison)
is in a form that exposure to the ambient atmosphere of the basket
interior will not cause a significant deterioration of the structural
properties of the material over the expected life of the facility.
Alternative to the Proposed Action
Since there is no significant environmental impact associated with
the proposed action, any alternatives with equal or greater
environmental impact are not evaluated. The alternative to the proposed
action would be to deny approval of the 10 CFR 72.124(b) exemption and,
therefore, not allow elimination of the requirement to verify the
continued efficacy of neutron absorbing materials. This alternative
would have the same or greater environmental impacts.
Agencies and Persons Consulted
On March 1, 1999, Adam Bless from the Oregon Office of Energy was
contacted about this 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
granting an exemption from 10 CFR 72.124(b) 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 exemption.
This application was docketed under 10 CFR Part 72, Docket 72-17.
For further details with respect to this action, see the application
for an ISFSI license dated March 26, 1996, and the request for
exemption dated March 20, 1997, which are available for public
inspection at the Commission's Public Document Room, 2120 L Street, NW,
Washington, DC 20555, and the Local Public Document Room at the
Portland State University, Branford Price Millar Library, 934 SW
Harrison, Portland, Oregon 97207.
Dated at Rockville, Maryland, this 24th day of March 1999.
For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
E. William Brach,
Director, Spent Fuel Project Office, Office of Nuclear Material Safety
and Safeguards.
[FR Doc. 99-7761 Filed 3-29-99; 8:45 am]
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