[Federal Register Volume 59, Number 100 (Wednesday, May 25, 1994)]
[Unknown Section]
[Page 0]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 94-12727]


[[Page Unknown]]

[Federal Register: May 25, 1994]


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41[Docket Nos. 50-498 and 50-499]


NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION
 

Houston Lighting & Power Co.; City Public Service Board of San 
Antonio Central Power and Light Co.; City of Austin, TX South Texas 
Project, Unit Nos. 1 and 2 Environmental Assessment and Finding of no 
Significant Impact

    The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (the Commission) is 
considering issuance of amendments to Facility Operating License Nos. 
NPF-76 and NPF-80, issued to Houston Lighting & Power Company (the 
licensee) for the South Texas Project, Units 1 and 2, located in 
Matagorda County, Texas.

Environmental Assessment

Identification of Proposed Action

    By letter dated May 27, 1993, the licensee proposed to upgrade the 
fuel used in the South Texas Project to Westinghouse's VANTAGE 5 Hybrid 
(V5H) design and implement numerous safety analysis and operational 
margin improvements into the South Texas Project Technical 
Specifications and Updated Final Safety Analysis Report. The proposed 
changes include an increase in the maximum nominal enrichment for fuel 
assemblies from 4.5 weight percent (w/o) uranium-235 to 5.0 w/0.

The Need for the Proposed Action

    The licensee upgraded to a higher enrichment fuel type to improve 
fuel economy and reduce the cobalt source term.

Environmental Impacts of the Proposed Action

    The Commission has completed its evaluation of the proposed 
revision to the technical specifications and concludes that storage of 
new and spent fuel assemblies enriched with U-235 up to 5.0 w/0 at the 
South Texas Project, Units 1 and 2 is acceptable. The safety 
considerations associated has concluded that such changes would not 
adversely affect plant safety. The proposed changes have no adverse 
affect on the probability of any accident. There will be no changes to 
authorized power. As a result, there is no increase in individual or 
cumulative radiation exposure. The fuel burnup will increase to 60,000 
MWD/MTU. The radiological consequences of accidents have been 
reanalyzed to reflect this increase and were determined not to be 
significantly changed.
    The environmental impacts for transportation resulting from the use 
of higher enrichment and extended irradiation are discussed in the 
staff assessment entitled ``NRC Assessment of the Environmental Effects 
of Transportation Resulting from Extended Fuel Enrichment and 
Irradiation''. This assessment was published in the Federal Register on 
August 11, 1988 (53 FR 30355) as corrected on August 24, 1988 (53 FR 
32322) in connection with the Shearon Harris Nuclear Power Plant, Unit 
1: Environmental Assessment and Finding of No Significant Impact. As 
indicated therein, the environmental cost contribution of an increase 
in fuel enrichment of up to 5 weight percent U-235 are either 
unchanged, or may in fact be reduced from those summarized in Table S-4 
as set forth in 10 CFR 51.52(c). These findings are applicable to South 
Texas Project, Units 1 and 2. Accordingly, the Commission concludes 
that this proposed action would result in no significant radiological 
environmental impact.

Alternative to the Proposed Action

    Because the Commission's staff has concluded that there are no 
significant environmental impacts associated with the proposed action, 
any alternatives would have either no significantly different 
environmental impact or greater environmental impact. The principal 
alternative would be to deny the requested amendments. This would not 
reduce the environmental impacts as a result of plant operations.

Alternative Use of Resources

    This action does not involve the use of any resources not 
previously considered in the Final Environmental Statement for the 
South Texas Project, Units 1 and 2, and dated August 1986 (NUREG-1171).

Agencies and Persons Contacted

    The NRC staff reviewed the licensee's request and did not consult 
with other agencies or persons.
Finding of no Significant Impact
    The Commission has determined not to prepare an environmental 
impact statement for the proposed license amendments.
    Based upon the foregoing environmental assessment, we conclude that 
the proposed action will not have a significant effect on the quality 
of the human environment.
    For further details with respect to this action, see the 
application for license amendments dated May 27, 1993 which is 
available for public inspection at the Commission's Public Document 
Room, The Gelman Building, Lower Level, 2120 L Street, NW., Washington, 
DC 20555, and at Wharton County Junior College, J.M. Hodges Learning 
Center, 911 Boling Highway, Wharton, Texas 77488.

    Dated at Rockville, Maryland, this 19th day of May 1994.

    For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
James E. Lyons,
Acting Director, Project Directorate IV-2, Division of Reactor Projects 
III/IV, Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation.
[FR Doc. 94-12727 Filed 5-24-94; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7590-01-M