[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 102 (Thursday, May 28, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 29256-29257]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-14102]
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NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION
[Docket No. 50-341]
Detroit Edison Company; FERMI 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 No. NPF-43, issued to Detroit
Edison Company (the licensee), for operation of the Fermi 2 plant,
located in Monroe County, Michigan.
Environmental Assessment
Identification of the Proposed Action
The proposed action would exempt the licensee, in certain cases,
from the requirements of 10 CFR 70.24(a), which, in part, requires a
monitoring system in each area in which special nuclear material is
handled, used, or stored, that will energize clear audible alarms if
accidental criticality occurs.
The proposed action is in accordance with the licensee's
application for exemption dated April 27, 1998.
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 (e.g., calibration sources or in-
[[Page 29257]]
core instrumentation that is not in use) 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, an
exemption from the requirements of 10 CFR 70.24 in selected cases will
not have a negative impact on 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 Fermi 2 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 will not result in an increase in the
probability or consequences of accidents, affect radiological plant
effluents or offsite dose, or cause any significant occupational
exposures. Therefore, there are no radiological impacts associated with
the proposed exemption.
The proposed exemption will 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 significant
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 Fermi 2 dated August 1981.
Agencies and Persons Consulted
In accordance with its stated policy, on May 7, 1998, the staff
consulted with the Michigan State official, Dennis Hahn, of the
Michigan Department of Environmental Quality, 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
licensee's letter dated April 27, 1998, 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 Monroe County Library System, 3700
South Custer Road, Monroe, Michigan 48161.
Dated at Rockville, Maryland, this 20th day of May 1998.
For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
Andrew J. Kugler,
Project Manager, Project Directorate III-1, Division of Reactor
Projects III/IV, Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation.
[FR Doc. 98-14102 Filed 5-27-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7590-01-P
