[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 154 (Wednesday, August 11, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Pages 43762-43763]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-20685]
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NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION
[Docket Nos. 50-445 and 50-446]
Texas Utilities Electric Company; Comanche Peak Steam Electric
Station, Units 1 and 2 Environmental Assessment and Finding of No
Significant Impact
The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (the Commission) is
considering issuance of license amendments to Facility Operating
License (FOL) Nos. NPF-87 and NPF-89, issued to Texas Utilities
Electric Company (TU Electric or the licensee), for operation of the
Comanche Peak Steam Electric Station (CPSES), Units 1 and 2, located in
Somervell County, Texas.
Environmental Assessment
Identification of the Proposed Action
The proposed license amendments would allow the licensee to
increase the licensed thermal power level of CPSES, Unit 2, from 3411
to 3445 megawatts thermal (MWt), which represents a 1 percent increase
in allowable thermal power. This facility was authorized for power
production at 3411 MWt with issuance of the FOL on April 6, 1993.
The proposed action is in accordance with the licensee's
application for license amendment dated December 21, 1998, as
supplemented by letters dated April 23 and May 14, 1999. Section V, of
Attachment 2, to the licensee's May 14, 1999, supplement, contains the
licensee's detailed environmental evaluation of the proposed licensing
action.
The Need for the Proposed Action
The proposed action will allow an increase in power generation at
CPSES, Unit 2, to provide additional electrical power for distribution
to the grid. Power uprate has been widely recognized by the industry as
a safe and cost-effective method to increase generating capacity.
Environmental Impacts of the Proposed Action
The Commission has previously evaluated the environmental impact of
operation of CPSES, Units 1 and 2, as described in the ``Final
Environmental Statement Related to the Operation of Comanche Peak Steam
Electric Station, Units 1 and 2,'' NUREG-0775, September 1981. With
regard to consequences of postulated accidents, the licensee has
reanalyzed the design-basis accident doses for the exclusion area
boundary, low population zone, and the control room dose to the
operators and determined that there will be a small increase in these
doses; however, the analysis presented in NUREG-0775 postulates these
doses resulting from releases at 104.5 percent of the currently
licensed power level. Thus, the increase in postulated doses due to
design-basis accidents is bounded by the previous evaluation presented
in NUREG-0775. No increase in the probability of these accidents is
expected to occur.
With regard to normal releases, calculations have been performed
that show the potential impact on the radiological effluents from the
proposed 1 percent increase in power level of CPSES Unit 2. For the 1
percent uprating calculations, the offsite doses from normal effluent
releases remain significantly below the bounding limits of Title 10 of
the Code of Federal Regulations (10 CFR), Part 50, Appendix I. Normal
annual average gaseous release remains limited to a small fraction of
10 CFR Part 20 limits for identified mixtures. Solid and liquid waste
processing systems are expected
[[Page 43763]]
to operate within their design requirements. More frequent operation of
these systems may lead to a slight increase in solid and liquid
production.
The Commission has completed its evaluation of the proposed action
and concludes that the proposed action will not increase the
probability or consequences of accidents, no changes are being made in
the types of any effluents that may be released off site, and there is
no significant increase in occupational or public radiation exposure.
Therefore, there are no significant radiological environmental impacts
associated with the proposed action.
With regard to potential nonradiological impacts, the proposed
action does not involve any historic sites. With regard to thermal
discharges to the Squaw Creek Reservoir, a small increase in the
circulating water discharge temperature is expect due to the proposed 1
percent power uprate. The increase is expected to be approximately .01
degree Fahrenheit, and therefore, insignificant. Existing
administrative controls ensure the conduct of adequate monitoring such
that appropriate actions can be taken to preclude exceeding National
Pollution Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permitted limits. No
additional monitoring requirements or other changes relative to the
NPDES permit are required as a result of the power uprate.
Therefore, as described in the preceding discussions, the 1 percent
uprate of Unit 2 does not have a significant environmental impact on
the Squaw Creek Reservoir.
No other nonradiological impacts are associated with the proposed
action.
Based upon the above, the Commission concludes that the proposed
action does not affect nonradiological plant effluents and has no other
environmental impact. Therefore, there are no significant
nonradiological environmental impacts associated with the proposed
action.
Accordingly, the Commission concludes that there are no significant
environmental impacts associated with the proposed action.
Alternatives to the Proposed Action
As an alternative to the proposed action, the staff considered
denial of the proposed action (i.e., the ``no-action'' alternative).
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
CPSES.
Agencies and Persons Consulted
In accordance with its stated policy, on July 19, 1999, the staff
consulted with the Texas State official, Mr. Authur Tate of the Texas
Department of Health, Bureau of Radiation Control, regarding the
environmental impact of the proposed action. The State official had no
comments.
Finding of No Significant Impact
On the basis of 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 application for license amendment December 21, 1998, as
supplemented by letters dated April 23 and May 14, 1999, 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 University of Texas at
Arlington Library, Government Publications/Maps, 702 College, P.O. Box
19497, Arlington, Texas.
Dated at Rockville, Maryland, this 4th day of August, 1999.
For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
Robert A. Gramm,
Chief, Section 1, Project Directorate IV & Decommissioning, Division of
Licensing Project Management, Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation.
[FR Doc. 99-20685 Filed 8-10-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7590-01-P
