[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 42 (Wednesday, March 4, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 10654-10655]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-5529]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION
[Docket Nos. 50-275 and 50-323]
Pacific Gas and Electric Co,; Diablo Canyon Nuclear Power Plant,
Unit Nos. 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 certain requirements of its
regulations for Facility Operating Licenses Nos. DPR-80 and DPR-82,
issued to Pacific Gas and Electric Company (the licensee), for
operation of the Diablo Canyon Nuclear Power Plant (DCNPP), Unit Nos. 1
and 2, located in San Luis Obispo County, California.
Environmental Assessment
Identification of Proposed Action
The proposed action is in response to the licensee's application
dated December 8, 1997, for exemption from the requirements of 10 CFR
50.71(e)(4) regarding submission of revisions to the Final Safety
Analysis Report (FSAR) and design change reports for the facility
changes made under 10 CFR 50.59 for DCNPP. Under the proposed
exemption, the licensee would schedule updates to the single, unified
FSAR for DCNPP based on the refueling cycle of Unit 2.
The Need for the Proposed Action
Section 50.71(e)(4) requires licensees to submit updates to their
FSAR within 6 months after each refueling outage providing that the
interval between successive updates does not exceed 24 months. Since
Units 1 and 2 of DCNPP share a common FSAR, the licensee must update
the same document within 6 months after a refueling outage for either
unit. Allowing the exemption would maintain the FSAR current within 24
months of the last revision and still would not exceed a 24-month
interval for submission of the 10 CFR 50.59 design change report for
either unit.
Environmental Impacts of the Proposed Action
No changes are being made in the types or amounts of any
radiological effluent that may be released off site. There is no
significant increase in the allowable individual or cumulative
occupational radiation exposure. The Commission concludes that granting
the proposed exemption would result in no significant radiological
environmental impact.
With regard to potential non-radiological impacts, the proposed
exemption does not affect non-radiological plant effluents and has no
other environmental impact. The Commission concludes that there are no
significant non-radiological impacts associated with the proposed
exemption.
Alternatives to the Proposed Action
As an alternative to the proposed exemption, the staff considered
denial of the requested exemption. Denial of the request would result
in no change in current environmental impacts. The environmental
impacts of the proposed action and the alternative action are similar.
Alternative Use of Resources
This action does not involve the use of any resources not
previously considered in the Final Environmental Statements related to
the operation of the Diablo Canyon Nuclear Power Plant, Unit Nos. 1 and
2 dated May 1973.
Agencies and Persons Consulted
In accordance with its stated policy, on February 26, 1998, the
staff consulted with the California State official, Mr. Steve Hsu of
the Radiologic Health Branch of the State Department of Health
Services, regarding the environmental impact of the proposed action.
The State official had no comments.
Finding of No Significant Impact
Based upon 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
proposed exemption.
For further details with respect to the proposed action, see the
licensee's letter dated December 8, 1997, which is available for public
inspection at the Commission's Public Document Room, which is located
at The Gelman Building, 2120 L Street, NW., Washington, D.C., and at
the local public document room located at the California Polytechnic
State University, Robert E. Kennedy Library, Government Documents and
Maps Department, San Luis Obispo, California 93407.
[[Page 10655]]
Dated at Rockville, Md. this 26th day of February 1998.
For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
Steven D. Bloom,
Project Manager Project Directorate IV-2, Division of Reactor
Projects--III/IV, Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation.
[FR Doc. 98-5529 Filed 3-3-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7590-01-P
