[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 87 (Tuesday, May 6, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Pages 24669-24670]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-11868]
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NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION
[50-388]
Pennsylvania Power and Light Company; Susquehanna Steam Electric
Station, Unit 2; Environmental Assessment and Finding of No Significant
Impact
The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (the Commission) is
considering issuance of an amendment to Facility Operating License No.
NPF-22, issued to Pennsylvania Power and Light Company (the licensee),
for operation of the Susquehanna Steam Electric Station, located in
Luzerne County, PA.
Environmental Assessment
Identification of the Proposed Action
The proposed action would change the Technical Specifications for
the unit to permit the use of ATRIUM-10 fuel in the reactor. The
changes include core flow dependent minimum critical power ratio (MCPR)
Safety Limits in Sections 2.1.2 and 3.4.1.1.2, addition of Siemens
Power Corporation (SPC) methodology topical report references in
Section 6.9.3.2, changes in Section 5.3.1 to reflect new fuel design
features, changes in definitions in Section 1 to reflect the new fuel
design, and changes to the Bases to correspond to the above changes as
appropriate.
The proposed action is in accordance with the licensee's
application for amendment dated December 18, 1996, as supplemented by
letters dated February 26, 1997, March 12 and 27, April 3, 9, 16, 18,
and 24, 1997.
The Need for the Proposed Action
The proposed action will enable the licensee to complete its
maintenance and refueling outage on this unit and begin a new fuel
cycle which will include a portion of the core consisting of the new
ATRIUM-10 nuclear fuel.
Environmental Impacts of the Proposed Action
The Commission has completed its evaluation of the proposed action
and concludes that it is acceptable. The safety considerations
associated with the use of the ATRIUM-10 fuel in the Susquehanna Steam
Electric Station, Unit 2, have been evaluated by the NRC staff and the
staff has concluded that this change in the reactor fuel design would
not adversely affect plant safety. The proposed change to the fuel
design has no adverse effect on the probability of any accident
previously analyzed. The increase in fuel enrichment from 4.0% versus
4.5% for an increased fuel cycle of 24 months results in an increase in
the projected maximum burnup rate or discharge exposure from the
current 45 to 48 MWd/kgU. This increased burnup may slightly change the
mix of fission products that might be released in the event of a
serious accident, but such changes would not significantly affect the
consequences of serious accidents. Routine radiological effluents are
not affected. As a result, there is no increase in individual or
cumulative radiation exposure.
The environmental impacts of 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 and irradiation
limits of up to 60 Gigawatt Days per Metric Ton (GWd/MT) 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 the
proposed increase in the allowable exposure of SPC ATRIUM-10 fuel for
Susquehanna, Unit 2. Accordingly, the Commission concludes that this
proposed action would result in no significant radiological
environmental impact.
With regard to potential nonradiological impacts, the proposed
change will in no way affect environs located outside the restricted
area as defined in 10 CFR Part 20. It does not affect nonradiological
plant effluents and has no other environmental impact. Therefore, the
Commission concludes that there are no significant nonradiological
environmental impacts associated with the proposed change in the fuel
exposure limit and the use of the new fuel design.
[[Page 24670]]
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 for the
Susquehanna Steam Electric Station, Unit 2.
Agencies and Persons Consulted
In accordance with its stated policy, on May 1, 1997, NRC staff
consulted with the Pennsylvania State official, R. Maiers of the
Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection, 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 December 18, 1996, as supplemented by letters
dated February 26, 1997, March 12 and 27, April 3, 9, 16, 18, and 24,
1997, 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
Osterhout Free Library, Reference Department, 71 South Franklin Street,
Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania 18701.
Dated at Rockville, Maryland, this 2nd day of May 1997.
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. 97-11868 Filed 5-5-97; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7590-01-P
