[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 43 (Thursday, March 5, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 10957-10958]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-5710]
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NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION
[Docket Nos. 50-254 and 50-265]
Commonwealth Edison Company and Midamerican Energy Company (Quad
Cities Nuclear Power Station, Units 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 to Facility Operating License Nos. DPR-29 and DPR-30,
issued to Commonwealth Edison Company (the licensee), for operation of
the Quad Cities Nuclear Power Station, Units 1 and 2, located in Rock
Island County, Illinois.
Environmental Assessment
Identification of the Proposed Action
The proposed action would exempt the licensee from the requirements
of 10 CFR 70.24, which requires in each area in which special nuclear
material is handled, used, or stored a monitoring system that will
energize clear audible alarms if accidental criticality occurs. The
proposed action would also exempt the licensee from the requirements to
maintain emergency procedures for each area in which this licensed
special nuclear material is handled, used, or stored to ensure that all
personnel withdraw to an area of safety upon the sounding of the alarm,
to familiarize personnel with the evacuation plan, to designate
responsible individuals for determining the cause of the alarm, and to
place radiation survey instruments in accessible locations for use in
such an emergency.
The proposed action is in accordance with the licensees'
application for exemption dated October 27, 1997.
The Need for the Proposed Action
The purpose of 10 CFR 70.24 is to ensure that if a criticality were
to occur during the handling of special nuclear material, personnel
would be alerted to that fact and would take appropriate action. At a
commercial nuclear power plant, the inadvertent criticality with which
10 CFR 70.24 is concerned could occur during fuel handling operations.
The special nuclear material that could be assembled into a critical
mass at a commercial nuclear power plant is in the form of nuclear
fuel; the quantity of other forms of special nuclear material that is
stored onsite in any given location is small enough to preclude
achieving a critical mass. Because the fuel is not enriched beyond 5.0
weight percent uranium-235, and because commercial nuclear plant
licensees have procedures and features that are designed to prevent
inadvertent criticality, the staff has determined that it is unlikely
that an inadvertent criticality could occur due to the handling of
special nuclear material at a commercial power reactor. Therefore, the
requirements of 10 CFR 70.24 are not necessary to ensure the safety of
personnel during the handling of special nuclear materials at
commercial power reactors.
Environmental Impacts of the Proposed Action
The Commission has completed its evaluation of the proposed action
and concludes that inadvertent or accidental criticality will be
precluded through compliance with the Quad Cities Technical
Specifications, the design of the fuel storage racks providing
geometric spacing of fuel assemblies in their storage locations, and
administrative controls imposed on fuel handling procedures.
The proposed exemption would not result in an increase in the
probability or consequences of accidents, affect radiological plant
effluents, or cause any significant occupational exposures. Therefore,
there are no radiological
[[Page 10958]]
impacts associated with the proposed exemption.
The proposed exemption would not result in a change in
nonradiological effluents and will have no other nonradiological
environmental impact.
Accordingly, the Commission concludes that there are no significant
environmental impacts associated with the proposed action.
Alternatives to the Proposed Action
Since the Commission has concluded that there is no measurable
environmental impact associated with the proposed action, any
alternatives with equal or greater environmental impact need not be
evaluated. 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 Statement related to
the operation of Quad Cities dated September 1972.
Agencies and Persons Consulted
In accordance with its stated policy, on January 16, 1990, the
staff consulted with the Illinois State official, Frank Niziolek, of
the Illinois Department of Nuclear Safety, regarding the environmental
impact of the proposed action. The State official had no comments.
Finding of No Significant Impact
Based upon the 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 action.
For further details with respect to the proposed action, see the
licensees' letter dated October 27, 1997, which is available for public
inspection at the Commission's Public Document Room located at the
Gelman Building, 2120 L Street, NW., Washington, DC, and at the local
public document room located at the Dixon Public Library, 221 Hennepin
Avenue, Dixon, Illinois 61021.
Dated at Rockville, Maryland, this 25th day of February 1998.
For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
Robert A. Capra,
Director, Project Directorate III-2, Division of Reactor Projects III/
IV, Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation.
[FR Doc. 98-5710 Filed 3-4-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7590-01-P
