[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 184 (Friday, September 20, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Pages 49501-49502]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-24137]
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NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION
[Docket Nos. 50-272 and 50-311]
Public Service Electric and Gas Company; PECO Energy Company;
Delmarva Power and Light Company; Atlantic City Electric Company; Salem
Nuclear Generating Station, Units 1 and 2; Environmental Assessment and
Finding of No Significant Impact
The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (the Commission) is
considering issuance of an exemption from the requirement of 10 CFR
55.31(a)(5) to Public Service Electric and Gas Company, et al. (PSE&G,
the licensee), for operation of the Salem Nuclear Generating Station,
Units 1 and 2, located in Salem County, New Jersey.
Environmental Assessment
Identification of the Proposed Action
The proposed action would grant an exemption from the requirement
of 10 CFR 55.31(a)(5) which requires each licensed operator applicant
to perform at least five significant control manipulations which affect
reactivity or power level on the facility for which the license is
sought.
The licensee has requested the NRC accept the performance of the
required control manipulations by each licensed operator applicant on
its certified, plant-referenced simulator.
The proposed action is in accordance with the licensee's
application for an exemption dated May 10, 1996, as supplemented by
letters dated June 20, 1996, and July 9, 1996.
The Need for the Proposed Action
The proposed action would allow issuance of six senior operator
licenses to the applicants with previous licensed senior operator
experience prior to their performance of the required control
manipulations. Performance of the control manipulations on the Salem
facility has not been possible since both Units 1 and 2 have been
shutdown for approximately one year for extensive upgrades of both
equipment and personnel. In lieu of performing the control
manipulations on its facility, the licensee requests acceptance of
satisfactory performance of simulated control manipulations on its
certified, plant-referenced simulator since all six of the applicants
have significant and
[[Page 49502]]
extensive commercial nuclear power plant experience. The licensee
further committed to the performance of the required control
manipulations by each of the six applicants on the Salem Nuclear
Generating Station, Unit 2, prior to or at the time the unit achieves
100 percent power following the current plant outage. The requested
relief would constitute a one-time exemption from the requirements of
10 CFR 55.31(a)(5).
In support of its request for exemption, the licensee stated that
the six senior operator applicants have significant commercial nuclear
power plant experience--from 5 to 22 years--and have received
additional training on the Salem certified, plant-referenced simulator,
including the performance of simulated control manipulations beyond the
number required by 10 CFR 55.31(a)(5). The licensee stated that the six
senior operator applicants conducted control manipulations at other
pressurized water reactors. These six applicants have also performed
licensed senior operator duties within approximately the last 2 years.
Finally, the licensee asserts that the six applicants have the specific
leadership characteristics, determined through a rigorous screening and
interview process, considered vital for reliable shift performance. The
licensee further stated that failure to grant the exemption would not
serve an underlying purpose of the rule in that the safety of nuclear
power plant operations would not be improved.
The licensee concludes that the proposed alternate qualifications
and training will suffice due to the previously demonstrated
capabilities of the senior operator applicants, and it is in the public
interest to grant the exemption since inclusion of these individuals on
the operations staff will facilitate an increased level of safety as
part of the Salem Restart Action Plan.
Environmental Impacts of the Proposed Action
The Commission has completed its evaluation of the proposed action
and concludes that the underlying purpose of 10 CFR 55.31(a)(5), to
ensure that applicants for operator and senior operator licenses have
some minimum level of actual on-the-job training and experience
manipulating the controls in the power plant control room prior to
license issuance will be met for the six senior operator license
applicants by the additional plant-specific simulator training. The six
previously licensed applicants possess recent significant licensed
operating experience at other pressurized water reactors and have
successfully conducted actual control manipulations. They have
demonstrated that they possess the required levels of practical skills
and abilities needed to safely operate the plant. Based on their
considerable licensed operating experience and the additional training
provided on the certified, plant-referenced simulator, the lack of
manipulations at the actual controls of the Salem facility is not
considered significant. Furthermore, the six applicants will complete
the manipulations prior to or at the time that Unit 2 achieves 100%
power following the current outage. Therefore, the NRC staff has
concluded that the licensee's proposed use of simulated control
manipulations for these six senior operator applicants, combined with
their prior experience, meets the intent of the requirement to have
actual experience manipulating the controls in the power plant control
room prior to licensing. Meeting the requirement for the completion of
the control manipulations on the actual plant for these six senior
operator applicants would significantly delay issuance of senior
operator licenses for these operators, with a resultant adverse effect
on the facility licensee's operating crew experience level without a
net benefit to safety, and would otherwise have a detrimental effect on
the public interest. This one-time exemption will allow additional
experienced licensed senior operator support during the upcoming Salem
Unit 2 restart, which will provide a safety enhancement during plant
startup operations and testing.
The proposed action 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
the proposed action.
With regard to potential non-radiological impacts, the proposed
action involves 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 action.
Alternatives to the Proposed Action
Since the Commission has concluded there is no measurable
environmental impact associated with the proposed action, 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 any resources not
previously considered in the Final Environmental Statement for the
Salem Nuclear Generating Station, Units 1 and 2, dated April 1973.
Agencies and Persons Consulted
In accordance with its stated policy, on July 8, 1996, the staff
consulted with the New Jersey State official, Dennis Zannoni of the
Department of Environmental Protection 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 the proposed action, see the
licensee's application for an exemption dated May 10, 1996, as
supplemented by letters dated June 20, 1996, and July 9, 1996, which
are 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 Salem Free Public
Library, 112 West Broadway, Salem, NJ 08079.
Dated at Rockville, Maryland, this 26th day of July 1996.
For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
John F. Stolz,
Director, Project Directorate I-2 Division of Reactor Projects--I/II
Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation.
[FR Doc. 96-24137 Filed 9-19-96; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7590-01-P