[Federal Register Volume 59, Number 153 (Wednesday, August 10, 1994)] [Unknown Section] [Page 0] From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov] [FR Doc No: 94-19493] [[Page Unknown]] [Federal Register: August 10, 1994] ======================================================================= ----------------------------------------------------------------------- NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION Docket No. 50-213 Connecticut Yankee Atomic Power Co. (Haddam Neck Plant); Environmental Assessment and Finding of No Significant Impact The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (the Commission) is considering issuance of an amendment to Facility Operating License No. DPR-61, issued to Connecticut Yankee Atomic Power Company (CYAPCO, the licensee), for operation of the Haddam Neck Plant, located in Middlesex County, Connecticut. Environmental Assessment Identification of the Proposed Action The proposed amendment will revise the Haddam Neck Technical Specifications (TS) to allow an increased limit for fuel enrichment. The change will allow the storage of fuel with an enrichment not to exceed a nominal 5.0 weight percent (w/o) U-235 in the Haddam Neck Plant new and spent fuel storage racks. The proposed action is in accordance with the licensee's amendment request dated January 6, 1994, as supplemented March 16, 1994. The Need for the Proposed Action The current new and spent fuel storage rack maximum nominal enrichment is 3.9 w/o U-235 for Zircaloy clad fuel and 4.0 w/o U-235 for stainless steel clad fuel. The licensee has changed fuel vendors and has ordered higher enriched fuel (5.0 w/o U-235) for the upcoming outage scheduled to start in January 1995. The TS change is necessary for the storage of the new and eventually used fuel in the new and spent fuel storage racks. The licensee is planning to go to a longer cycle, which requires the use of the higher enriched fuel. Environmental Impacts of the Proposed Action The Commission has completed its evaluation of the proposed revision to the TS. The staff has concluded that the analysis methods used are acceptable and capable of predicting the reactivity of the Haddam Neck Plant storage racks with a high degree of confidence. The licensee has analyzed the new fuel storage racks for three different configurations as required by the NRC and determined that the staff criteria are met. Storage of fuel assemblies with nominal enrichments greater than 4.60 w/o U-235 were evaluated by means of reactivity equivalencing. This concept is predicated on the reactivity decrease associated with the addition of integral fuel burnable absorbers (IFBA), which the staff has found acceptable in previous fuel storage applications. Fuel in the spent fuel racks was analyzed using alternating rows of fresh and burned (irradiated) fuel assemblies. For nominal storage cell design, uncertainties due to tolerances in fuel enrichment and density, fuel pellet dishing, storage cell I.D. and pitch, stainless steel thickness, and B4C panel width were accounted for as well as eccentric fuel positioning. To enable the storage of burned fuel assemblies initially enriched to greater than 3.2 w/o U- 235, the concept of burnup credit reactivity equivalencing was used. This analysis is predicated upon the reactivity decrease associated with fuel depletion and has been previously accepted by the staff for spent fuel storage analysis. The maximum Keff of the alternating rows storage configuration was 0.9485 when combined with all known uncertainties and meets the staff criteria of Keff less than 0.95. The TS 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 this proposed TS amendment. With regard to potential nonradiological impacts, the proposed amendment 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 amendment. The environmental impacts of transportation resulting from the use of more highly enriched fuel and extended burnup rates have been discussed in the generic staff assessment entitled ``NRC Assessment of the Environmental Effects of Transportation Resulting from Extended Fuel Enrichment and Irradiation,'' dated July 7, 1988, and published in the Federal Register on August 11, 1988 (53 FR 30355) as corrected on August 24 1988 (53 FR 32322). As indicted therein, the environmental cost contribution of the proposed increase in fuel enrichment and irradiation limits 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). Therefore, the staff concludes that there are no significant radiological or nonradiological environmental impacts associated with the proposed amendment. Alternatives to the Proposed Action Since the Commission has concluded there is no measurable environmental impact associated with the proposed amendment, any alternatives with equal or greater environmental impact need not be evaluated. The principal alternative to the amendment would be to deny the amendment request. Such action would not enhance the protection of the environment and would result in unjustified cost to the licensee. Alternative Use of Resources This action does not involve the use of resources not considered previously in the Final Environmental Statement for the Haddam Neck Plant. Agencies and Persons Consulted The NRC staff consulted with the Connecticut State official 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 amendment. For further details with respect to this proposed action, see the licensee's letter dated January 6, 1994, as supplemented March 16, 1994, which are 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 Russell Library, 123 Broad Street, Middletown, Connecticut 06547. Dated at Rockville, Maryland, this 3rd day of August, 1994. For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission. Alexander W. Dromerick, Acting Director, Project Directorate I-4, Division of Reactor Projects--I/II, Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation. [FR Doc. 94-19493 Filed 8-9-94; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 7590-01-M