[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 251 (Wednesday, December 31, 2008)]
[Notices]
[Pages 80441-80442]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-31162]
[[Page 80441]]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION
[Docket No. 50-285]
Omaha Public Power District; Fort Calhoun Station, Unit No. 1;
Environmental Assessment and Finding of No Significant Impact
The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is considering
issuance of an exemption from the requirements of Section III.G.1.b of
Appendix R to Title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations (10 CFR) Part
50, for Facility Operating License No. DPR-40, issued to Omaha Public
Power District (OPPD, the licensee), for operation of the Fort Calhoun
Station, Unit No. 1, located in Washington County, Nebraska. 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 provide an exemption from the provisions
of 10 CFR Part 50, Appendix R, Section III.G.1.b, for the 72-hour
requirement to provide repair procedures and materials for cold
shutdown capability for redundant cold shutdown components.
The proposed action is in accordance with the licensee's
application dated February 4, 2008 (Agencywide Documents Access and
Management System (ADAMS) Accession No. ML080360106), as supplemented
by letter dated October 13, 2008 (ADAMS No. ML082980018).
The Need for the Proposed Action
The proposed action is needed to provide notification and
clarification of the exemption granted by the NRC by letter dated July
3, 1985 (ADAMS Legacy Library Accession No. 850724390), in which the
NRC granted an exemption from the technical requirements of Section
III.G.2 of Appendix R to 10 CFR Part 50, for Fire Area 31 (intake
structure building) and for the pull box area of the auxiliary
building. The NRC safety evaluation report (SER) dated July 3, 1985,
incorrectly referenced Section III.G.2 and subsequently provided
exemption from 10 CFR Part 50, Section III.G. Specifically, the
original SER and exemption should have referenced 10 CFR 50, Appendix
R, Section III.G.1.b. In addition, cables in the duct bank and manhole
vaults numbers 5 and 31 that are routed between the pull boxes and
intake structure were not discussed in the OPPD exemption request dated
August 30, 1983 (ADAMS Legacy Library Accession No. 830909011).
Therefore, OPPD needs exemption from 10 CFR Part 50, Appendix R,
III.G.1.b, for the cables in the duct bank and manhole vaults numbers 5
and 31 that are routed between the pull boxes and the intake structure
building.
Environmental Impacts of the Proposed Action
The NRC has completed its safety evaluation of the proposed action
and concludes that the consequences of postulated accidents are not
increased, because there is no credible fire hazard in the area of the
cable duct bank or manhole, which would disable all the raw water pumps
and prevent the cold shutdown capability. Furthermore, if all raw water
pumps are lost, due to any condition, the abnormal operating procedure
directs the operator to trip the reactor and enter emergency procedures
based on observed plant conditions. Therefore, there is no undue risk,
since neither the probability nor the consequences have been increased,
to public health and safety.
On the basis of its review and evaluation of the information
provided in the licensee's exemption request and response to NRC staff
request for additional information questions, the NRC staff concludes
that OPPD's request for exemption from the technical requirements of
Section III.G.1.b of Appendix R to 10 CFR Part 50 has provided a
thorough description of the proposed change and adequate safety
assessment which address the issue.
The details of the NRC 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.
The proposed action will not significantly increase the probability
or consequences of accidents. No changes are being made in the types of
effluents that may be released offsite. There is no significant
increase in the amount of any effluent released offsite. 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 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 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 for
the Fort Calhoun Station dated August 1972.
Agencies and Persons Consulted
In accordance with its stated policy, on November 26, 2008, the NRC
staff consulted with the Nebraska State official, Julia Schmitt, of the
Department of Health and Human Services Regulation and Licensure,
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 February 4, 2008, as supplemented by letter
dated October 13, 2008. 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 PDR
Reference staff by telephone at 1-800-397-4209 or 301-415-4737, or send
an e-mail to [email protected].
Dated at Rockville, Maryland, this 23rd day of December 2008.
[[Page 80442]]
For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
Carl F. Lyon,
Project Manager, Plant Licensing Branch IV, Division of Operating
Reactor Licensing, Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation.
[FR Doc. E8-31162 Filed 12-30-08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7590-01-P