[Federal Register Volume 59, Number 152 (Tuesday, August 9, 1994)]
[Unknown Section]
[Page 0]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 94-19392]
[[Page Unknown]]
[Federal Register: August 9, 1994]
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NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION
[Docket No. 50-341; FERMI 2]
Detroit Edison Company; Environmental Assessment and Finding of
No Significant Impact
The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (the Commission) is
considering issuance of an exemption from Facility Operating License
No. NPF-43, issued to Detroit Edison Company, (the licensee), for
operation of the Fermi 2 facility, located in Monroe County, Michigan.
Environmental Assessment
Identification of the Proposed Action
The proposed action would grant an exemption from the requirements
of Appendix E, Section IV.F.3 of 10 CFR part 50 to conduct a partial
participation emergency preparedness exercise in 1994.
The proposed action is in accordance with the licensee's
application for exemption dated April 19, 1994, as supplemented by
letter dated June 23, 1994.
The Need for the Proposed Action
The licensee has stated that its response to the turbine failure
emergency event on December 25, 1993, demonstrated the adequacy of its
emergency plan and its ability to successfully respond to an accident.
Granting of the proposed exemption would allow the licensee to spend
resources which would normally be dedicated to the planning and conduct
of the exercise on repairing the damage to the plant and restarting the
facility. The licensee would still support the State and local
authorities during the conduct of their offsite exercise on September
20, 1994, and would conduct its next onsite exercise in July 1995.
Environmental Impacts of the Proposed Action
The proposed exemption would allow a one-time exemption from the
requirement to conduct an emergency preparedness exercise. The licensee
has demonstrated excellent performance in the area of emergency
preparedness during the last two systematic assessment of licensee's
performance periods. Additionally, the licensee has demonstrated an
ongoing commitment to maintain the high performance level of the
emergency preparedness program by conducting five full-scale drills,
and a medical drill since its last annual partial participation
exercise in July 1993.
During the December 25, 1993, turbine failure accident, the
licensee was required to implement its emergency plan and activate a
portion of its emergency response organization including the technical
support center, operations support center and alternate operations
support center. Additionally, a declaration of Alert was made in
response to the turbine failure which caused a reactor scram, a fire
and severe damage to turbine auxiliary systems. The Augmented
Inspection Team report following the event identified some problems
with event classification, personnel accountability and response of the
fire brigade. In response to these findings, the licensee has performed
additional training, modified procedures and conducted an integrated
onsite drill on June 8, 1994.
The licensee will support the State and local offsite exercise in
September 1994. State and local authorities who are involved with
emergency preparedness, and the Federal Emergency Management Agency,
have indicated their concurrence with the licensee's proposed
exemption. The staff has determined that the granting of this exemption
will not degrade the effectiveness of the licensee's emergency
preparedness program nor will it present an undue risk to public health
and safety. Therefore, post-accident radiological releases are not
expected to exceed previously determined values as a result of the
proposed action. Further, the exemption is not expected to have an
impact on plant radiological effluent releases.
The change will not increase the probability or consequences of any
accidents, no changes are being made in the types of any effluents that
may be released offsite, and there is no significant increase in the
allowable individual or cumulative occupational radiation exposure.
Accordingly, the Commission concludes that there are no significant
radiological environmental impacts associated with the proposed action.
With regard to potential nonradiological impacts, the proposed
action involves features located entirely 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 concluded that there are no significant
environmental effects that would result from the proposed action, any
alternatives with equal or greater environmental impacts need not be
evaluated.
The principal alternative would be to deny the requested exemption.
This would not reduce environmental impacts of plant operation and
would result in the use of resources to conduct the emergency
preparedness exercise which would be utilized for the repair and
restart of the damaged turbine.
Alternative Use of Resources
This action does not involve the use of any resources not
previously considered in the Final Environmental Statement for the
Fermi 2 plant, dated August 1981.
Agencies and Persons Consulted
The staff consulted with the State of Michigan official 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 exemption.
For further details with respect to this proposed action, see the
licensee's request for exemption dated April 19, 1994, as supplemented
on June 23, 1994. These documents are available for public inspection
at the Commission's Public Document Room, 2120 L Street, N.W.,
Washington, DC 20555, and at the local public document room located at
the Monroe County Library System, 3700 South Custer Road, Monroe,
Michigan 48161.
Dated at Rockville, Maryland, this 29th day of July 1994.
For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
Ledyard B. Marsh,
Director, Project Directorate III-I, Division of Reactor Projects--III/
IV, Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation.
[FR Doc. 94-19392 Filed 8-8-94; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7590-01-M
