[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] ======================================================================= ----------------------------------------------------------------------- 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