[Federal Register Volume 60, Number 77 (Friday, April 21, 1995)]
[Notices]
[Pages 19968-19969]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 95-9893]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION
[Docket No. 50-278]
PECO Energy Company Public Service Electric and Gas Company
Delmarva Power and Light Company, Atlantic City Electric Company, Peach
Bottom Atomic Power Station, Unit 3; Environmental Assessment and
Finding of No Significant Impact
The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (the Commission) is
considering issuance of an exemption from the requirements of Sections
III.D.2.(a) and III.D.3 of Appendix J to 10 CFR Part 50, to PECO Energy
Company, Public Service Electric and Gas Company, Delmarva Power and
Light Company, and Atlantic City Electric Company (the licensee), for
the Peach Bottom Atomic Power Station (PBAPS), Unit 3, located at the
licensee's site in York County, Pennsylvania.
Environmental Assessment
Identification of Proposed Action
The proposed action would grant an exemption from 10 CFR Part 50,
Appendix J, Sections III.D.2.(a) and III.D.3. Section III.D.2.(a)
states, in part: ``Type B tests, except tests for air locks, shall be
performed during reactor shutdown for refueling, or other convenient
intervals, but in no case at intervals greater than 2 years.'' Section
III.D.3 states: ``Type C tests shall be performed during each reactor
shutdown for refueling but in no case at intervals greater than 2
years.'' The exemption would allow a one-time 60-day extension of the
2-year requirement. Hence, this exemption would allow the licensee to
perform the testing in Sections III.D.2.(a) and III.D.3 during Unit 3's
Cycle 10 refueling outage scheduled to begin no later than September
30, 1995.
The proposed action is in accordance with the licensee's
application for exemption dated February 22, 1995.
Need for the Proposed Action
PBAPS, Unit 3 is utilizing a new core design which allows the
intervals between reactor shutdowns for refueling to extend beyond the
maximum allowable 2-year interval. Prior to the current operating
cycle, local leak rate tests were performed in conjunction with an
operating cycle of 18 months. Use of extended cycle core designs has
been recognized as a growing trend in the industry as discussed in the
staff's Generic Letter 91-04, ``Changes in Technical Specification
Surveillance Intervals to Accommodate a 24-Month Fuel Cycle,'' dated
April 2, 1991. The staff previously granted the licensee license
amendments to allow PBAPS, Unit 3 to perform selected surveillances on
a 24-month interval (see Amendment 173 dated August 19, 1992, and
Amendment 182 dated August 2, 1993). However, the regulations cited by
the licensee in the exemption request have not been revised to reflect
the use of a 24-month operating cycle. Therefore, the licensee has
requested an exemption in order to avoid a premature shutdown which
would be needed to accomplish the testing and to properly schedule the
testing during the refueling outage.
Environmental Impacts of the Proposed Action
The Commission has completed the evaluation of the proposed
exemption and concludes that this action would not significantly
increase the probability or amount of expected primary containment
leakage; hence, the containment integrity would be maintained.
Based on the information presented in the licensee's application,
the proposed extended test interval would not result in a non-
detectable leakage rate in excess of the value established by 10 CFR
Part 50, Appendix J, or in any changes to the containment structure or
plant systems. Consequently, the probability of accidents would not be
increased, nor would the post-accident radiological releases be greater
than previously determined. Neither would the proposed exemption
otherwise affect radiological plant effluents. Accordingly, the
Commission concludes that this proposed action 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. Therefore, the Commission concludes that
there are no significant non-radiological [[Page 19969]] environmental
impacts associated with the proposed exemption.
Alternatives to the Proposed Action
Since the Commission concluded that there are no measurable
environmental affects that would result from the proposed action, any
alternatives with equal or greater environmental impacts need not be
evaluated.
The principal alternative would be to deny the requested exemption.
This would not reduce environmental impacts of plant operation and
would result in reduced operational flexibility.
Alternate Use of Resources
This proposed action does not involve the use of any resources not
previously considered in the Final Environmental Statements for the
Peach Bottom Atomic Power Station, Units 2 and 3, dated April 1973.
Agencies and Persons Consulted
The staff consulted with the State of Pennsylvania regarding the
environmental impact of the proposed action. The State Official had no
comment.
Finding of No Significant Impact
The Commission has determined not to prepare an environmental
impact statement for the proposed exemption.
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.
For further details with respect to this action, see the
application for exemption dated February 22, 1995, which is available
for public inspection at the Commission's Public Document Room, the
Gelman Building, 2120 L Street, NW., Washington, DC 20555, and at the
local public document room located at Government Publications Section,
State Library of Pennsylvania, (Regional Depository) Education
Building, Walnut Street and Commonwealth Avenue, Box 1601, Harrisburg,
Pennsylvania 17105.
Dated at Rockville, Maryland, this 14th day of April 1994.
For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
John F. Stolz,
Director, Project Directorate, I-2 Division of Reactor Projects--I/II,
Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation.
[FR Doc. 95-9893 Filed 4-20-95; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7590-01-M
