[Federal Register Volume 60, Number 76 (Thursday, April 20, 1995)]
[Notices]
[Pages 19791-19792]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 95-9762]
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NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION
[Docket No. 50-416]
Entergy Operations, Inc.; 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 No. NPF-29, issued to Entergy
Operations, Inc. (the licensee), for operation of the Grand Gulf
Nuclear Station, Unit 1 (GGNS), located in Claiborne County,
Mississippi.
Environmental Assessment
Identification of Proposed Action
The proposed action is in accordance with the licensee's
application dated August 13, 1993, as supplemented by letters dated
April 15, May 11, June 24, and July 20, 1994, pursuant to 10 CFR
50.12(a), which would exempt Entergy Operations Inc. from Sections
III.D.1(a), III.D.2, III.D.2(b)(i), III.D.2.(b)(iii) and III.D.3 of 10
CFR Part 50, Appendix J, to permit the selection of containment leakage
rate testing intervals for components on the basis of performance.
The Need for the Proposed Action
The proposed action is needed to permit the licensee to defer a
portion of the Type B and C tests from the April 1995 and September
1996 refueling outages to the April 1998 refueling outage, thereby
reducing the occupational radiation exposure received by the plant
staff, saving the cost of performing the test, and eliminating the test
period from the critical path time of the outage.
Without this exemption, the licensee would incur additional
personnel radiation exposure during system reconfigurations, and
instrumentation setup and restoration.
Environmental Impacts of the Proposed Action
The Commission has completed its evaluation of the proposed action
and concludes that the proposed exemption would not increase the
probability or consequences of accidents previously analyzed and the
proposed exemption would not affect facility radiation levels or
facility radiological effluents. The licensee, as a condition of the
proposed exemption, will perform the visual containment inspection
although it is only required by Appendix J to be conducted in
conjunction with Type A tests. The NRC staff considers that these
inspections, though limited in scope, provide an important added level
of confidence in the continued integrity of the containment boundary.
The change will not increase the probability or consequences of
accidents, no changes are being made in the types of any effluents that
may be released offsite, and there is no significant increase in the
allowable individual or cumulative occupational radiation exposure.
Accordingly, the Commission concludes that there are no significant
radiological environmental impacts associated with the proposed action.
With regard to potential nonradiological impacts, the proposed
action involves features located entirely within the restricted area as
defined in 10 CFR Part 20. It does not affect nonradiological plant
effluents and has no other environmental impact. Accordingly, the
Commission concludes that there are no significant nonradiological
environmental impacts associated with the proposed action.
Alternative to the Proposed Action
Since the Commission has concluded 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 action, the staff
considered denial of the proposed action. Denial of the application
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
operation of Grand Gulf Nuclear Station, Unit 1.
Agencies and Persons Consulted
In accordance with its stated policy, on March 30, 1995 the staff
consulted with the Mississippi State official, Mr. Eddie Fuente of the
Mississippi State Department of Health, 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 this action, see the request
for exemption dated August 13, 1993, as supplemented by letters dated
April 15, May 11, June 24, and July 20, 1994, which are available for
public inspection at the Commission's Public Document Room, The Gelman
Building, 2120 L Street, NW., Washington, DC, and at the local public
document room located at the Judge George W. Armstrong Library, 220 S.
Commerce Street, Natchez, Mississippi 39120.
Dated at Rockville, Maryland this 6th day of April 1995.
[[Page 19792]] For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
Paul W. O'Connor,
Senior Project Manager, Project Directorate IV-1, Division of Reactor
Projects III/IV, Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation.
[FR Doc. 95-9762 Filed 4-19-95; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7590-01-M
