[Federal Register Volume 60, Number 104 (Wednesday, May 31, 1995)]
[Notices]
[Page 28431]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 95-13206]
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NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION
[Docket No. 50-499]
Houston Lighting & Power Company City Public Service Board of San
Antonio Central Power and Light Company City of Austin, Texas; South
Texas Project, Unit 2 Environmental Assessment And Finding of No
Significant Impact
The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (the Commission) is
considering issuance of an exemption from Facility Operating License
No. NPF-80, issued to Houston Lighting & Power Company (HL&P) acting on
behalf of itself and for the City Public Service Board of San Antonio
(CPS), Central Power and Light Company (CPL), and City of Austin, Texas
(COA) (the licensees), for operation of the South Texas Project, Unit
2, located in Matagorda County, Texas.
Environmental Assessment
Identification of the Proposed Acting
The proposed action would grant an exemption from a requirement of
Section III.D.1.(a) of appendix J to 10 CFR part 50, which requires a
set of three type A tests (Containment Integrated Leak Rate Test or
CILRT) be performed, at approximately equal intervals during each 10-
year service period. This licensee request for an exemption would delay
the next scheduled containment integrated leak rate test for one
outrage, from the fourth refueling outage to the fifth refueling
outage.
The proposed action is in accordance with the licensee's
application for exemption dated March 16, 1995.
The Need for the Proposed Action
The proposed action is needed because the licensee's current
schedule would require the second CILRT to be performed during the
fourth refueling outage (Fall 1995). Minimal safety benefit would be
realized by performing the scheduled CILRT, since the majority of
primary containment leakage has previously been identified through the
biennial performance of the Local Leak Rate Test (LLRT). Without this
exemption, the licensee would not be allowed to reduce a regulatory
burden that has minimal impact on safety.
Environmental Impacts of the Proposed Action
The Commission has completed its evaluation of the proposed action
and concludes that the exemption would not significantly increase the
probability or amount of expected containment leakage, and that
containment integrity would thus be maintained.
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 does involve 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.
Alternatives 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 Statement related to
the operation of South Texas Project, Units 1 and 2,'' dated August
1986.
Agencies and Persons Consulted
In accordance with its stated policy, on April 25, 1995, the staff
consulted with the Texas State official, Arthur C. Tate of the Bureau
of Radiation Control, Texas 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 the proposed action, see the
licensee's letter dated March 16, 1995, which is 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 Wharton County Junior College, J.M. Hodges
Learning Center, 911 Boling Highway, Wharton, TX 77488.
Dated at Rockville, Maryland, this 23rd day of May 1995.
For The Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
George Kalman,
Project Manager, Project Directorate IV-1, Division of Reactor
Projects--III/IV, Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation.
[FR Doc. 95-13206 Filed 5-30-95; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7590-01-M
