[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 132 (Monday, July 12, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Pages 37572-37574]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-17614]
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NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION
[Docket No. 50-289]
GPU Nuclear, Inc.; Consideration of Issuance of Amendment to
Facility Operating License, Proposed No Significant Hazards
Consideration Determination, and Opportunity for a Hearing
The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (the Commission) is
considering issuance of an amendment to Facility Operating License No.
DPR-50 issued to GPU Nuclear, Inc., (the licensee) for operation of the
Three Mile Island Nuclear Station, Unit 1, (TMI-1) located in Dauphin
County, Pennsylvania.
The proposed amendment would grant authority for the licensee to
possess radioactive materials without unit distinction so that after
the sale and transfer of the TMI-1 license to AmerGen, radioactive
materials may continue to be moved between the TMI-1 and TMI-2 units as
they currently are. After the license transfer, GPU Nuclear will need
to access the waste handling and processing facilities at TMI-1
(currently common facilities) for its normal post defueling monitored
storage (PDMS) activities. Similarly, AmerGen as the TMI-1 licensee and
PDMS contractor, will need to move radioactive apparatus and materials
between units. The amendment would not authorize receipt or possession
of radioactive material or waste from other sites.
Before issuance of the proposed license amendment, the Commission
will have made findings required by the Atomic Energy Act of 1954, as
amended (the Act) and the Commission's regulations.
The Commission has made a proposed determination that the amendment
request involves no significant hazards consideration. Under the
Commission's regulations in 10 CFR 50.92, this means that operation of
the facility in accordance with the proposed amendment would not (1)
involve a significant increase in the probability or consequences of an
accident previously evaluated; or (2) create the possibility of a new
or different kind of accident from any accident previously evaluated;
or (3) involve a significant reduction in a margin of safety. As
required by 10 CFR 50.91(a), the licensee has provided its analysis of
the issue of no significant hazards consideration, which is presented
below:
1. Operation of the facility in accordance with the proposed
amendment would not involve a significant increase in the
probability or the consequences of an accident previously evaluated.
The proposed changes do not affect assumptions contained in plant
safety analyses, the physical design and/or operation of the plant,
nor do they affect Technical Specifications that preserve safety
analysis assumptions. None of the proposed changes involve a
physical modification to the plant, a new mode of operation or a
change to the UFSAR [Updated Final Safety Analysis Report] transient
analyses. No Technical Specification Limiting Condition for
Operation, Action statement or Surveillance Requirement is affected
by any of the proposed changes. Examples of TMI-2 radioactive
materials which are moved or staged in TMI-1, such as liquid or
solid radwaste or contaminated protective clothing, provide
negligible source terms for any potential release. Further, the
proposed changes do not alter the design, function, or operation of
any plant component. Therefore, the proposed amendment does not
affect the
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probability or consequences of any accident previously evaluated.
2. Operation of the facility in accordance with the proposed
amendment would not create the possibility of a new or different
kind of accident from any previously evaluated. The proposed changes
do not affect assumptions contained in plant safety analyses, the
physical design and/or modes of plant operation defined in the plant
operating license, or Technical Specifications that preserve safety
analyses assumptions. The proposed changes do not introduce a new
mode of plant operation or surveillance requirement, nor involve a
physical modification to the plant. The proposed changes do not
alter the design, function, or operation of any plant components.
Therefore, the proposed amendment does not affect the possibility of
a new or different kind of accident from any accident previously
evaluated.
3. Operation of the facility in accordance with the proposed
amendment would not involve a significant reduction in a margin of
safety. None of the proposed changes involve a physical modification
to the plant, a new mode of operation or a change to the UFSAR
transient analyses. No Technical Specification Limiting Condition
for Operation, Action statement, or Surveillance Requirement is
affected. Therefore, the proposed amendment does not reduce the
margin of safety.
The NRC staff has reviewed the licensee's analysis and, based on
this review, it appears that the three standards of 10 CFR 50.92(c) are
satisfied. Therefore, the NRC staff proposes to determine that the
amendment request involves no significant hazards consideration.
The Commission is seeking public comments on this proposed
determination. Any comments received within 30 days after the date of
publication of this notice will be considered in making any final
determination.
Normally, the Commission will not issue the amendment until the
expiration of the 30-day notice period. However, should circumstances
change during the notice period such that failure to act in a timely
way would result, for example, in derating or shutdown of the facility,
the Commission may issue the license amendment before the expiration of
the 30-day notice period, provided that its final determination is that
the amendment involves no significant hazards consideration. The final
determination will consider all public and State comments received.
Should the Commission take this action, it will publish in the Federal
Register a notice of issuance and provide for opportunity for a hearing
after issuance. The Commission expects that the need to take this
action will occur very infrequently.
Written comments may be submitted by mail to the Chief, Rules and
Directives Branch, Division of Administrative Services, Office of
Administration, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Washington, DC
20555-0001, and should cite the publication date and page number of
this Federal Register notice. Written comments may also be delivered to
Room 6D59, Two White Flint North, 11545 Rockville Pike, Rockville,
Maryland, from 7:30 a.m. to 4:15 p.m. Federal workdays. Copies of
written comments received may be examined at the NRC Public Document
Room, the Gelman Building, 2120 L Street, NW., Washington, DC.
The filing of requests for hearing and petitions for leave to
intervene is discussed below.
By August 11, 1999, the licensee may file a request for a hearing
with respect to issuance of the amendment to the subject facility
operating license and any person whose interest may be affected by this
proceeding and who wishes to participate as a party in the proceeding
must file a written request for a hearing and a petition for leave to
intervene. Requests for a hearing and a petition for leave to intervene
shall be filed in accordance with the Commission's ``Rules of Practice
for Domestic Licensing Proceedings'' in 10 CFR Part 2. Interested
persons should consult a current copy of 10 CFR 2.714 which is
available 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 Law/Government Publication Section, State
Library of Pennsylvania, (Regional Depository) Walnut Street and
Commonwealth Avenue, Box 1601, Harrisburg, PA 17105. If a request for a
hearing or petition for leave to intervene is filed by the above date,
the Commission or an Atomic Safety and Licensing Board, designated by
the Commission or by the Chairman of the Atomic Safety and Licensing
Board Panel, will rule on the request and/or petition; and the
Secretary or the designated Atomic Safety and Licensing Board will
issue a notice of hearing or an appropriate order.
As required by 10 CFR 2.714, a petition for leave to intervene
shall set forth with particularity the interest of the petitioner in
the proceeding, and how that interest may be affected by the results of
the proceeding. The petition should specifically explain the reasons
why intervention should be permitted with particular reference to the
following factors: (1) the nature of the petitioner's right under the
Act to be made party to the proceeding; (2) the nature and extent of
the petitioner's property, financial, or other interest in the
proceeding; and (3) the possible effect of any order which may be
entered in the proceeding on the petitioner's interest. The petition
should also identify the specific aspect(s) of the subject matter of
the proceeding as to which petitioner wishes to intervene. Any person
who has filed a petition for leave to intervene or who has been
admitted as a party may amend the petition without requesting leave of
the Board up to 15 days prior to the first prehearing conference
scheduled in the proceeding, but such an amended petition must satisfy
the specificity requirements described above.
Not later than 15 days prior to the first prehearing conference
scheduled in the proceeding, a petitioner shall file a supplement to
the petition to intervene which must include a list of the contentions
which are sought to be litigated in the matter. Each contention must
consist of a specific statement of the issue of law or fact to be
raised or controverted. In addition, the petitioner shall provide a
brief explanation of the bases of the contention and a concise
statement of the alleged facts or expert opinion which support the
contention and on which the petitioner intends to rely in proving the
contention at the hearing. The petitioner must also provide references
to those specific sources and documents of which the petitioner is
aware and on which the petitioner intends to rely to establish those
facts or expert opinion. Petitioner must provide sufficient information
to show that a genuine dispute exists with the applicant on a material
issue of law or fact. Contentions shall be limited to matters within
the scope of the amendment under consideration. The contention must be
one which, if proven, would entitle the petitioner to relief. A
petitioner who fails to file such a supplement which satisfies these
requirements with respect to at least one contention will not be
permitted to participate as a party.
Those permitted to intervene become parties to the proceeding,
subject to any limitations in the order granting leave to intervene,
and have the opportunity to participate fully in the conduct of the
hearing, including the opportunity to present evidence and cross-
examine witnesses.
If a hearing is requested, the Commission will make a final
determination on the issue of no significant hazards consideration. The
final determination will serve to decide when the hearing is held.
If the final determination is that the amendment request involves
no
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significant hazards consideration, the Commission may issue the
amendment and make it immediately effective, notwithstanding the
request for a hearing. Any hearing held would take place after issuance
of the amendment.
If the final determination is that the amendment request involves a
significant hazards consideration, any hearing held would take place
before the issuance of any amendment.
A request for a hearing or a petition for leave to intervene must
be filed with the Secretary of the Commission, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory
Commission, Washington, DC 20555-0001, Attention: Rulemakings and
Adjudications Staff, or may be delivered to the Commission's Public
Document Room, the Gelman Building, 2120 L Street, NW., Washington, DC,
by the above date. A copy of the petition should also be sent to the
Office of the General Counsel, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission,
Washington, DC 20555-0001, and to Ernest L. Blake, Jr., Esquire, Shaw
Pittman, Potts & Trowbridge, 2300 N Street, NW, Washington, DC 20037,
attorney for the licensee.
Nontimely filings of petitions for leave to intervene, amended
petitions, supplemental petitions and/or requests for hearing will not
be entertained absent a determination by the Commission, the presiding
officer or the presiding Atomic Safety and Licensing Board that the
petition and/or request should be granted based upon a balancing of the
factors specified in 10 CFR 2.714(a)(1)(i)-(v) and 2.714(d).
For further details with respect to this action, see the
application for amendment dated June 29, 1999, 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 Law/Government Publication Section, State
Library of Pennsylvania, (Regional Depository) Walnut Street and
Commonwealth Avenue, Box 1601, Harrisburg, PA 17105.
Dated at Rockville, Maryland, this 6th day of July 1999.
For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
Timothy G. Colburn,
Senior Project Manager, Section 1, Project Directorate I, Division of
Licensing Project Management, Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation.
[FR Doc. 99-17614 Filed 7-9-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7590-01-P
