[Federal Register Volume 59, Number 189 (Friday, September 30, 1994)]
[Unknown Section]
[Page 0]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 94-24210]
[[Page Unknown]]
[Federal Register: September 30, 1994]
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NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION
[Docket No. 50-277]
Philadelphia Electric Company, et al.; Peach Bottom Atomic Power
Station Unit 2; Environmental Assessment and Finding of No Significant
Impact
The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (the Commission) is
considering issuance of an exemption to the Philadelphia Electric
Company, et al. (the licensees) for the Peach Bottom Atomic Power
Station (PBAPS), Unit 2, located in York County, Pennsylvania.
Environmental Assessment
Identification of Proposed Action
The proposed action would grant an exemption from 10 CFR Part 50,
Appendix J, Section III.D.1.(a). Section III.D.1.(a) requires a set of
three Type A tests (i.e., Containment Integrated Leak Rate Test
(CILRT)) to be performed at approximately equal intervals during each
10-year service period and specifies that the third test of each set
shall be conducted when the plant is shut down for the performance of
the 10-year inservice inspection (ISI). The request involves a one-time
schedular exemption from the requirements of Section III.D.1.(a) that
would extend the PBAPS, Unit 2 Type A service period and allow the
three Type A tests in the current service period to be performed at
intervals that are not approximately equal. Hence, this one-time
exemption would allow the third, Unit 2, Type A test to be performed
during refueling outage 11, scheduled to begin in September 1996,
approximately 66 months after the last Unit 2 test, thereby coinciding
with the 10-year plant ISI refueling outage.
The proposed action is in accordance with the licensee's
application dated May 13, 1994.
Need for the Proposed Action
The proposed action is required in order to allow the third Type A
test to be performed during the eleventh Unit 2 refueling outage
scheduled to begin in September 1996, concurrent with the 10-year plant
inservice inspections. Without the exemption, the licensee would be
required to perform a Type A test during both refueling outage 10,
scheduled to begin in September 1994 and refueling outage 11.
Performing the Type A test during two consecutive refueling outages
would result in increased personnel radiation exposure and increased
cost to the licensee. With the exemption, the third Type A test would
be performed during the eleventh Unit 2 refueling outage which would
thus align the start of the third 10 CFR Part 50, Appendix J, 10-year
service period with the start of the third 10-year ISI period.
Environmental Impact of the Proposed Action
The Commission has completed the evaluation to the action and
concludes that this action would not significantly increase the
probability or amount of expected primary containment leakage. The
performance history of Type A leak tests at PBAPS, Unit 2, demonstrates
adequate margin to acceptable leak rate limits. No time-based failure
mechanisms were identified that would significantly increase expected
leak rates over the proposed extended interval. The one historical Type
A test failure at PBAPS, Unit 2, in June 1985, was determined to be an
activity-related failure which would not be related to an extended test
interval. Thus radiological release rates will not differ from those
determined previously and would not be expected to result in
undetectable leak rates in excess of the values established by 10 CFR
Part 50, Appendix J.
Consequently, the probability of accidents would not be increased,
nor would the post-accident radiological releases be greater than
previously determined. The proposed action does not otherwise affect
radiological plant effluents or increase occupational radiation
exposures. Accordingly, the Commission concludes that this proposed
action would result in no significant radiological environmental
impact.
With regard to potential non-radiological impacts, the proposed
action does involve features located entirely within the restricted
area as defined in 10 CFR Part 20. It does not affect non-radiological
plant effluents and has no other environmental impact. Accordingly, the
Commission concludes that there are no significant non-radiological
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 to the action would be to deny the
request. Such action would not reduce environmental impacts of plant
operation and would result in increased radiation exposure to plant
personnel.
Alternate Use of Resources
This action does not involve the use of any resources not
previously considered in the Final Environmental Statement for the
Peach Bottom Atomic Power Station, Units 2 and 3, dated April 1973.
Agencies and Persons Consulted
The staff consulted with the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania 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 this proposed action, see the
licensee's letter dated May 13, 1994, which is available for public
inspection at the Commission's Public Document Room, The Gelman
Building, 2120 L Street, NW., Washington, DC 20555, and at the local
public document room located at the Government Publications Section,
State Library of Pennsylvania, (Regional Depository) Education
Building, Walnut Street and Commonwealth Avenue, Box 1601, Harrisburg,
Pennsylvania 17105.
Dated at Rockville, Maryland, this 26th day of September 1994.
For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
Mohan C. Thadani,
Acting Director, Project Directorate I-2, Division of Reactor
Projects--I/II, Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation.
[FR Doc. 94-24210 Filed 9-29-94; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7590-01-M
