[Federal Register Volume 69, Number 145 (Thursday, July 29, 2004)]
[Notices]
[Pages 45352-45353]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 04-17260]
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NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION
[Docket Nos. 50-498 and 50-499]
South Texas Project Nuclear Operating Company; South Texas
Project Electric Generating Station, Unit Nos. 1 and 2; Environmental
Assessment and Finding of No Significant Impact
The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is considering
issuance of exemptions from title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations
(10 CFR) part 50, section 50.44, section 50.46, and Appendix K, for
Facility Operating License Nos. NPF-76 and NPF-80, issued to South
Texas Project Nuclear Operating Company (the licensee), for operation
of South Texas Project Electric Generating Station (STPEGS), Units 1
and 2, located in Matagorda County, Texas. Therefore, as required by 10
CFR 51.21, the NRC is issuing this environmental assessment and finding
of no significant impact.
Environmental Assessment
Identification of the Proposed Action
The proposed action would exempt STPEGS, Units 1 and 2, from the
requirements of 10 CFR part 50, section 50.44, section 50.46 and
Appendix K, to allow the use of up to eight Lead Test Assemblies (LTAs)
fabricated with Optimized ZIRLOTM, a cladding material that
contains a nominally lower tin content than previously approved
cladding materials.
The proposed action is in accordance with the licensee's
application dated May 27, 2004.
The Need for the Proposed Action
As the nuclear industry pursues longer operating cycles with
increased fuel discharge burnups and more aggressive fuel management,
the corrosion performance specifications for the nuclear fuel cladding
become more demanding. Industry data indicates that corrosion
resistance improves for cladding with a lower tin content. The optimum
tin level provides a reduced corrosion rate while maintaining the
benefits of mechanical strengthening and resistance to accelerated
corrosion from abnormal chemistry conditions. In addition, fuel rod
internal pressures (resulting from the increased fuel duty, use of
integral fuel burnable absorbers, and corrosion/temperature feedback
effects) have become more limiting with respect to fuel rod design
criteria. By reducing the associated corrosion buildup, and thus,
minimizing temperature feedback effects, additional margin to fuel rod
internal pressure design criteria is obtained.
As part of a program to address these issues, the Westinghouse
Electric Company has developed an LTA program, in cooperation with the
licensee, that includes a fuel cladding with a tin content lower than
the currently licensed range for ZIRLOTM. The NRC's
regulations in 10 CFR part 50, section 50.44, section 50.46, and
Appendix K, make no provision for use of fuel rods clad in a material
other than Zircalloy or ZIRLOTM. The licensee has requested
the use of up to eight LTAs with a tin composition that is less than
that specified in the licensing basis for ZIRLOTM, as
defined in Westinghouse design specifications. Therefore, use of the
LTAs calls for exemptions from 10 CFR part 50, section 50.44, section
50.46, and Appendix K.
Environmental Impacts of the Proposed Action
The NRC staff has completed its safety evaluation of the proposed
action and concludes that the proposed exemptions would not increase
the probability or consequences of accidents previously analyzed, and
would not affect facility radiation levels or facility radiological
effluents that may be released offsite.
[[Page 45353]]
There is no significant increase in occupational or public radiation
exposure. Therefore, there are no significant radiological
environmental impacts associated with the proposed action. The details
of the staff's safety evaluation will be provided in the exemption that
will be issued as part of the letter to the licensee approving the
exemption to the regulation.
With regard to potential non-radiological impacts, the proposed
action does not have a potential to affect any historic sites. It does
not affect non-radiological plant effluents and has no other
environmental impact. Therefore, there are no significant non-
radiological environmental impacts associated with the proposed action.
Accordingly, the NRC staff concludes that there are no significant
environmental impacts associated with the proposed action.
Environmental Impacts of the Alternatives to the Proposed Action
As an alternative to the proposed action, the NRC 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
The action does not involve the use of any different resources than
those previously considered in the ``Final Environmental Statement
related to the Operation of South Texas Project Units 1 and 2,'' NUREG-
1171, dated August 1986.
Agencies and Persons Consulted
On June 23, 2004, the staff consulted with the Texas State
official, Mr. William Silva, Bureau of Radiation Control of the Texas
Department of Health, 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 NRC concludes
that the proposed action will not have a significant effect on the
quality of the human environment. Accordingly, the NRC 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 May 27, 2004. Documents may be examined, and/or
copied for a fee, at the NRC's Public Document Room (PDR), located at
One White Flint North, Public File Area O1 F21, 11555 Rockville Pike
(first floor), Rockville, Maryland. Publicly available records will be
accessible electronically from the Agencywide Documents Access and
Management System (ADAMS) Public Electronic Reading Room on the
internet at the NRC Web site, http://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/adams.html.
Persons who do not have access to ADAMS, or who encounter problems in
accessing the documents located in ADAMS, should contact the NRC's PDR
Reference staff by telephone at 1-800-397-4209 or (301) 415-4737, or by
e-mail to [email protected].
Dated in Rockville, Maryland, this 19th day of July, 2004.
For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
Robert A. Gramm,
Chief, Section 1, Project Directorate IV, Division of Licensing Project
Management, Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation.
[FR Doc. 04-17260 Filed 7-28-04; 8:45 am]
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