[Federal Register Volume 60, Number 184 (Friday, September 22, 1995)]
[Notices]
[Pages 49293-49294]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 95-23539]
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NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION
[Docket Nos. 50-445 AND 50-446]
Texas Utilities Electric Company; 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 to Facility Operating License No. NPF-87 and NPF-89, issued
to the Texas Utilities Electric Company (TU Electric, the licensee),
for operation of the Comanche Peak Steam Electric Station (CPSES),
Units 1 and 2, located in Somervell County, Texas.
[[Page 49294]]
Environmental Assessment
Identification of Proposed Action
The proposed action is in response to the licensee's application
dated September 19, 1994, for exemption from the requirements of 10 CFR
50.71(e)(4) regarding submission of revisions to the Final Safety
Analysis Report (FSAR) and design change reports for facility changes
made under 10 CFR 50.59 for the CPSES. Under the proposed exemption the
licensee would schedule updates to the single, unified FSAR for the two
units that comprise CPSES once per fuel cycle (based on the unit with
the shortest interval between scheduled refueling outages). With the
current fuel cycles, FSAR updates would be submitted every 18 months.
The Need for the Proposed Action
10 CFR 50.71(e)(4) requires licensees to submit updates to their
UFSAR within 6 months after each refueling outage providing that the
interval between successive updates does not exceed 24 months. Since
CPSES, Units 1 and 2 share a common FSAR, the licensee must update the
same document within 6 months after a refueling outage for either unit.
CPSES units have alternating refueling outages, thus linking the
submittal of the update to the completion of one unit's refueling
outage when the other unit is scheduled for a refueling outage within
six to twelve months is an administrative burden which does not enhance
achieving the purpose of the rule. Allowing the exemption would
maintain the CPSES FSAR current within 24 months of the last revision
and would not exceed the 24-month interval for submission of the 10 CFR
50.59 design change report for either unit.
Environmental Impacts of the Proposed Action
The Commission has completed its evaluation of the proposed action
and concludes that the change will not increase the probability or
consequences of 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 does involve 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 has concluded 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 for the
Comanche Peak Steam Electric Station, dated October 1989.
Agencies and Persons Consulted
In accordance with its stated policy, on August 10, 1995, 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
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 September 19, 1994, 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,
702 College, P.O. Box 19497, Arlington, TX 76019.
Dated at Rockville, Maryland, this 12th day of September 1995.
For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
Timothy J. Polich,
Project Manager, Project Directorate IV-1, Division of Reactor Projects
III/IV, Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation.
[FR Doc. 95-23539 Filed 9-21-95; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7590-01-P
