[Federal Register Volume 60, Number 126 (Friday, June 30, 1995)] [Notices] [Pages 34305-34306] From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov] [FR Doc No: 95-16110] ======================================================================= ----------------------------------------------------------------------- NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION [Docket No. 50-295] Commonwealth Edison Company; Zion Nuclear Power Station, Unit 1; Environmental Assessment and Findings of No Significant Impact The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (the Commission) is considering issuance of an exemption to Facility Operating License No. DPR-39, issued to Commonwealth Edison Company (the licensee), for operation of Zion Nuclear Power Station, Unit No. 1, located in Lake County, Illinois. Environmental Assessment Identification of the Proposed Action This Environmental Assessment has been prepared to address potential environmental issues related to the licensee's application dated May 12, 1995. The proposed action would exempt the licensee from the requirements of 10 CFR Part 50, Appendix J, Paragraph III.D.1.(a), to the extent that a one-time schedular extension would permit rescheduling of the next Type A test for Zion Nuclear Power Station, Unit 1, to the refueling outage currently scheduled to start in March 1997. Appendix J is undergoing revisions and if the revised Appendix J requirements are approved and issued prior to the March 1997 refueling outage, the next Unit 1 Type A test will be performed in accordance with the revised requirements. The Need for the Proposed Action The current containment integrated leakage rate testing requirements, pursuant to 10 CFR Part 50, Appendix J, Section III.D.1.(a), are that after the preoperational leak rate test, a set of three Type A tests must be performed at approximately equal intervals during each 10-year inservice inspection period. Furthermore, the third test of each set must be conducted when the plant is shut down for the 10-year inservice inspection. The most recent Type A test was conducted in March 1992, approximately 40 months ago. On March 31, 1993, Zion, Unit 1, was granted an exemption from the requirement of 10 CFR Part 50, Appendix J, that the third Type A test for the second 10 year inservice inspection interval be conducted while shutdown for the 10 year inservice inspections. That one-time exemption effectively decoupled the Type A testing frequency from the 10 year inservice inspection interval and allowed the next Type A test to be scheduled independent of the end of the second 10 year interval. As a result of that exemption, Zion Unit 1 was to perform its next Type A test during the September 1995 refueling outage (RFO). The exemption is needed to allow a longer interval between the Zion, Unit 1, Type A tests, which will result in a considerable cost-savings to the licensee. Environmental Impacts of the Proposed Action The proposed one-time exemption would not increase the probability or consequences of accidents previously analyzed that affect facility radiation levels or facility radiological effluents. The licensee has analyzed the results of previous Type A tests performed at Zion Nuclear Power Station, Unit 1, and has provided an acceptable basis for concluding that, with the proposed one-time extension of the Type A test interval, the containment leakage rates will still be maintained within [[Page 34306]] acceptable limits. Accordingly, the Commission has concluded that the one-time extension does not result in a significant increase in the amounts of any effluents that may be released nor does it result in a significant increase in individual or cumulative occupational radiation exposure. Therefore, there are no significant radiological environmental impacts associated with the proposed exemption. With regard to potential nonradiological impacts, the proposed exemption only involves Type A testing of the containment. 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 exemption. Alternatives to the Proposed Action Since the Commission has concluded there is no measurable environmental impact associated with the proposed exemption, any alternatives with equal or greater environmental impact need not be evaluated. As an alternative to the proposed action, the staff considered denial of the proposed action. 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 This action does not involve the use of resources not previously considered in connection with the Nuclear Regulatory Commission's Final Environmental Statement dated December 1972, related to the operation of the Zion Nuclear Power Station, Unit 1. Agencies and Persons Consulted In accordance with its stated policy, on June 7, 1995, the NRC staff consulted with the Illinois State Official, Mr. Frank Niziolek; Head, Reactor Safety Section, Division of Engineering; Illinois Department of Nuclear Safety; 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 exemption. For further details with respect to this action, see the licensee's letter dated May 12, 1995, which is available for public inspection at the Commission's Public Document Room, The Gelman Building, 2120 L Street, NW., Washington, DC, and at the local public document room located at the Waukegan Public Library, 128 N. County Street, Waukegan, Illinois 60085. Dated at Rockville, Maryland, this 26th day of June 1995. For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission. Clyde Y. Shiraki, Senior Project Manager, Project Directorate III-2, Division of Reactor Projects--III/IV, Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation. [FR Doc. 95-16110 Filed 6-29-95; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 7590-01-M