[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 136 (Monday, July 15, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Pages 36914-36916]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-17939]
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NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION
[Docket Nos. 50-321 and 50-366]
Georgia Power Company, et al.; Edwin I. Hatch Nuclear Plant,
Units 1 and 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 for Facility Operating License Nos. DPR-57 and NPF-5,
issued to Georgia Power Company, et al. (the licensee), for operation
of the Edwin I. Hatch (Hatch) Nuclear Plants, Units 1 and 2, located in
Appling County, Georgia.
Environmental Assessment
Identification of Proposed Action
The proposed action would exempt the licensee from the requirements
of 10 CFR 70.24, which requires, in each area in which special nuclear
material is handled, used, or stored, a monitoring system that will
energize clearly audible alarms if accidental criticality occurs. The
proposed action would also exempt the licensee from the requirements of
10 CFR 70.24(a)(3) 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 and to conduct drills and designate
responsible individuals for such emergency procedures.
The proposed action is in accordance with the licensee's
application for exemption dated June 4, 1996.
The Need for the Proposed Action
Power reactor license applications are evaluated for the safe
handling, use, and storage of special nuclear materials. The proposed
exemption from criticality accident requirements is based on the
original design for radiation monitoring at Hatch. Exemptions from the
requirements of 10 CFR 70.24(a) ``Criticality Accident Requirements''
were granted in the Special Nuclear Material (SNM) licenses for each
unit as part of the 10 CFR Part 70 license. However, with the issuance
of the Part 50 license this exemption expired because it was
inadvertently omitted in that license. Therefore, the exemption is
needed to clearly define the design of the plant as evaluated and
approved for licensing.
Environmental Impacts of the Proposed Action
The NRC staff has completed its evaluation of the proposed action
and concludes that there is no significant
[[Page 36915]]
environmental impact if the exemption is granted. Inadvertent or
accidental criticality will be precluded through compliance with the
Hatch Technical Specifications, the geometric spacing of fuel
assemblies in the new fuel storage facility and spent fuel storage
pool, and administrative controls imposed on fuel handling procedures.
Inadvertent or accidental criticality of SNM while in use in the
reactor vessel is precluded through compliance with the Hatch Technical
Specifications, including reactivity requirements (e.g., shutdown
margins, limits on control rod movement), instrumentation requirements
(e.g., reactor power and radiation monitors), and controls on refueling
operations (e.g., control rod interlocks and source range monitor
requirements). In addition, the operators' continuous attention
directed toward instruments monitoring behavior of the nuclear fuel in
the reactor assures that the facility is operated in such a manner as
to preclude inadvertent criticality. Finally, since access to the fuel
in the reactor vessel is not physically possible while in use and is
procedurally controlled during refueling, there are no concerns
associated with loss or diversion of the fuel.
SNM as a nuclear fuel is stored in one of two locations--the spent
fuel pool or the new fuel vault. The spent fuel pool is used to store
irradiated fuel under water after its removal from the reactor. The
pool is designed to store fuel in a geometric array that precludes
criticality. In addition, existing Technical Specification limits on
keff are maintained less than or equal to 0.95, even in the event
of a fuel handling accident.
The new fuel vault is used to receive and store new fuel in a dry
condition upon arrival on site and prior to loading in the reactor. The
new fuel vault is designed to store new fuel in a geometric array that
precludes criticality. In addition, existing safety evaluations
demonstrate that an effective multiplication factor is maintained less
than or equal to 0.95 when the new fuel racks are fully loaded and dry
or flooded with unborated water, or in the event of a fuel handling
accident.
New fuel is shipped in a plastic wrap. When the fuel is removed
from its transportation cask, the wrap is removed and the fuel is
placed in the fuel inspection stand. Following inspection, the new fuel
can either be placed in the new fuel storage vault or in the spent fuel
pool (typically placed in the spent fuel pool). In no case is the
plastic wrap reinserted on the fuel. Removal of the wrap requires it to
be slit down the length of the new fuel assembly, thereby making its
reuse highly unlikely. Therefore, there is no concern that the plastic
wrap used as part of the new fuel package will be capable of holding
water from flooding from overhead sources. Additionally, as discussed
above, the new fuel storage racks were analyzed for a postulated
flooded condition, and the results show that keff is maintained
less than or equal to 0.95.
Both irradiated and unirradiated fuel is moved to and from the
reactor vessel and the spent fuel pool to accommodate refueling
operations. Also, unirradiated fuel can be moved to and from the new
fuel vault. In addition, fuel movements into the facility and within
the reactor vessel and the spent fuel pool occur. In all cases, fuel
movements are procedurally controlled and designed to preclude
conditions involving criticality concerns. Moreover, previous accident
analyses demonstrate that a fuel handling accident (i.e., a dropped
fuel element) will not create conditions that exceed design
specifications. In addition, the Technical Specifications and Technical
Requirements Manuals specifically address refueling operations and
limit the handling of fuel to ensure against an accidental criticality
and preclude certain movements over the spent fuel pool and the reactor
vessel.
In summary, exemptions from the requirements of 10 CFR Part 70,
Section 70.24 approved by the NRC in connection with the SNM licenses
for Hatch Units 1 and 2 were based upon NRC's finding that the inherent
features associated with the storage and inspection of unirradiated
fuel established good cause for granting the exemption and that
granting such an exemption at this time will not endanger public life
or property or the common defense and security and is otherwise in the
public interest. The training provided to all personnel involved in
fuel handling operations, the administrative controls, the Technical
Specifications requirements, and the design of the fuel storage racks
preclude inadvertent or accidental criticality. Since the facilities,
storage, and inspection and procedures currently in place are
consistent with those in place at the time the exemptions were granted
in connection with the SNM licenses, an exemption from 10 CFR 70.24 is
appropriate.
The proposed exemption will not affect radiological plant effluents
nor cause any significant occupational exposures. Only a small amount,
if any, of radioactive waste is generated during the receipt and
handling of new fuel (e.g., smear papers or contaminated packaging
material). The amount of waste would not be changed by the exemption.
With regard to potential nonradiological impacts, the proposed
exemption involves systems located 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 that there is no measurable
environmental impact associated with the proposed action, any
alternatives with equal or greater environmental impact need not be
evaluated. The principal alternative would be to deny the requested
exemption. 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
an operating license for the Edwin I. Hatch Nuclear Plant, Unit 1, and
of a construction permit for Unit 2, dated October 1972, and the Final
Environmental Statement related to the operation of Edwin I. Hatch
Nuclear Plant, Unit 2, dated March 1978.
Agencies and Persons Consulted
In accordance with its stated policy, on June 24, 1996, the staff
consulted with the Georgia State official, Mr. James L. Setser, of the
Georgia Department of Natural Resources, 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 June 4, 1996, 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
[[Page 36916]]
Appling County Public Library, 301 City Hall Drive, Baxley, Georgia.
Dated at Rockville, Maryland, this 9th day of July 1996.
For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
Kahtan N. Jabbour,
Senior Project Manager, Project Directorate II-2, Division of Reactor
Projects--I/II, Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation.
[FR Doc. 96-17939 Filed 7-12-96; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7590-01-P
