[Federal Register Volume 59, Number 100 (Wednesday, May 25, 1994)]
[Unknown Section]
[Page 0]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 94-12727]
[[Page Unknown]]
[Federal Register: May 25, 1994]
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41[Docket Nos. 50-498 and 50-499]
NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION
Houston Lighting & Power Co.; City Public Service Board of San
Antonio Central Power and Light Co.; City of Austin, TX South Texas
Project, 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 amendments to Facility Operating License Nos.
NPF-76 and NPF-80, issued to Houston Lighting & Power Company (the
licensee) for the South Texas Project, Units 1 and 2, located in
Matagorda County, Texas.
Environmental Assessment
Identification of Proposed Action
By letter dated May 27, 1993, the licensee proposed to upgrade the
fuel used in the South Texas Project to Westinghouse's VANTAGE 5 Hybrid
(V5H) design and implement numerous safety analysis and operational
margin improvements into the South Texas Project Technical
Specifications and Updated Final Safety Analysis Report. The proposed
changes include an increase in the maximum nominal enrichment for fuel
assemblies from 4.5 weight percent (w/o) uranium-235 to 5.0 w/0.
The Need for the Proposed Action
The licensee upgraded to a higher enrichment fuel type to improve
fuel economy and reduce the cobalt source term.
Environmental Impacts of the Proposed Action
The Commission has completed its evaluation of the proposed
revision to the technical specifications and concludes that storage of
new and spent fuel assemblies enriched with U-235 up to 5.0 w/0 at the
South Texas Project, Units 1 and 2 is acceptable. The safety
considerations associated has concluded that such changes would not
adversely affect plant safety. The proposed changes have no adverse
affect on the probability of any accident. There will be no changes to
authorized power. As a result, there is no increase in individual or
cumulative radiation exposure. The fuel burnup will increase to 60,000
MWD/MTU. The radiological consequences of accidents have been
reanalyzed to reflect this increase and were determined not to be
significantly changed.
The environmental impacts for transportation resulting from the use
of higher enrichment and extended irradiation are discussed in the
staff assessment entitled ``NRC Assessment of the Environmental Effects
of Transportation Resulting from Extended Fuel Enrichment and
Irradiation''. This assessment was published in the Federal Register on
August 11, 1988 (53 FR 30355) as corrected on August 24, 1988 (53 FR
32322) in connection with the Shearon Harris Nuclear Power Plant, Unit
1: Environmental Assessment and Finding of No Significant Impact. As
indicated therein, the environmental cost contribution of an increase
in fuel enrichment of up to 5 weight percent U-235 are either
unchanged, or may in fact be reduced from those summarized in Table S-4
as set forth in 10 CFR 51.52(c). These findings are applicable to South
Texas Project, Units 1 and 2. Accordingly, the Commission concludes
that this proposed action would result in no significant radiological
environmental impact.
Alternative to the Proposed Action
Because the Commission's staff has concluded that there are no
significant environmental impacts associated with the proposed action,
any alternatives would have either no significantly different
environmental impact or greater environmental impact. The principal
alternative would be to deny the requested amendments. This would not
reduce the environmental impacts as a result of plant operations.
Alternative Use of Resources
This action does not involve the use of any resources not
previously considered in the Final Environmental Statement for the
South Texas Project, Units 1 and 2, and dated August 1986 (NUREG-1171).
Agencies and Persons Contacted
The NRC staff reviewed the licensee's request and did not consult
with other agencies or persons.
Finding of no Significant Impact
The Commission has determined not to prepare an environmental
impact statement for the proposed license amendments.
Based upon the foregoing environmental assessment, we conclude 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 license amendments dated May 27, 1993 which is
available for public inspection at the Commission's Public Document
Room, The Gelman Building, Lower Level, 2120 L Street, NW., Washington,
DC 20555, and at Wharton County Junior College, J.M. Hodges Learning
Center, 911 Boling Highway, Wharton, Texas 77488.
Dated at Rockville, Maryland, this 19th day of May 1994.
For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
James E. Lyons,
Acting Director, Project Directorate IV-2, Division of Reactor Projects
III/IV, Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation.
[FR Doc. 94-12727 Filed 5-24-94; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7590-01-M
