[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 118 (Friday, June 19, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 33735-33736]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-16378]
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NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION
[Docket Nos. 50-277 and 50-278]
PECO Energy Co. (Peach Bottom Atomic Power Station, Units 2 and
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 10 CFR
70.24 for Facility Operating License Nos. DPR-44 and DPR-56, issued to
PECO Energy Company ( the licensee), for
[[Page 33736]]
operation of the Peach Bottom Atomic Power Station, Units 2 and 3,
located in York County, Pennsylvania.
Environmental Assessment
Identification of Proposed Action
The proposed action would exempt the licensee from the requirements
of 10 CFR 70.24(a), which require in each area in which special nuclear
material is handled, used, or stored a monitoring system that will
energize clear audible alarms if accidental criticality occurs. The
proposed action would also exempt the licensee from the requirements to
maintain emergency procedures for each area in which this licensed
special nuclear material is handled, used, or stored to ensure that all
personnel withdraw to an area of safety upon the sounding of the alarm,
to familiarize personnel with the evacuation plan, and to designate
responsible individuals for determining the cause of the alarm, and to
place radiation survey instruments in accessible locations for use in
such an emergency.
The proposed action is in accordance with the licensee's
application for exemption dated March 18,1998.
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 on site 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 design features that 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. The requirements of 10
CFR 70.24(a), therefore, are not necessary to ensure the safety of
personnel during the handling of special nuclear materials at
commercial power reactors. However, an exemption to 10 CFR 70.24(a) is
needed to permit a deviation from these requirements.
Environmental Impacts of the Proposed Action
The Commission has completed its evaluation of the proposed action
and concludes that the proposed action involves features located
entirely within the restricted area as defined in 10 CFR part 20.
The proposed action will not result in an increase in the
probability or consequences of accidents or result in a change in
occupational or public dose. Therefore, there are no radiological
impacts associated with the proposed action.
The proposed action will not result in a change in nonradiological
plant effluents and will have no other nonradiological environmental
impact.
Accordingly, the Commission concludes that there are no
environmental impacts associated with this action.
Alternatives to the Proposed Action
Since the Commission has concluded that 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 Peach Bottom Atomic Power Station, Units 2 and 3,''
April 1973.
Agencies and Persons Consulted
In accordance with its stated policy, on May 6, 1998, the staff
consulted with the Pennsylvania State official, Mr. David Ney, of the
State of Pennsylvania, Bureau of Radiation 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 March 18, 1998, 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 Government Publications Section, State
Library of Pennsylvania (Regional Depository) Education Building,
Walnut Street and Commonwealth Avenue, Box 1601, Harrisburg, PA.
Dated at Rockville, MD, this 15th day of June 1998.
For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
Mohan C. Thadani,
Senior Project Manager, Project Directorate I-2, Division of Reactor
Projects--I/II, Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation.
[FR Doc. 98-16378 Filed 6-18-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7590-01-P
