[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 101 (Tuesday, May 27, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Pages 28739-28740]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-13781]
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NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION
[Docket Nos. STN 50-528, STN-529, and STN-530]
Arizona Public Service Company; Palo Verde Nuclear Generating
Station, Unit Nos. 1, 2, and 3 Environmental Assessment and Finding of
No Significant Impact
The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (the Commission) is
considering issuance of an exemption from certain requirements of its
regulations for Facility Operating License Nos. NPF-41, NPF-51, and
NPF-74, issued to Arizona Public Service Company (the licensee), for
operation of the Palo Verde Nuclear Generating Station Unit Nos. 1, 2,
and 3, located in Maricopa County, Arizona.
Environmental Assessment
Identification of Proposed Action
The proposed action would exempt Arizona Public Service Company
from the requirements of 10 CFR 70.24, which requires a monitoring
system that will energize clear audible alarms if accidental
criticality occurs in each area in which special nuclear material is
handled, used, or stored. The proposed action would also exempt the
licensee from the requirements to maintain emergency procedures for
each area in which this licensed special nuclear material is handled,
used, or stored to ensure that all personnel withdraw to an area of
safety upon the sounding of the alarm, to familiarize personnel with
the evacuation plan, and to designate responsible individuals for
determining the cause of the alarm, and to place radiation survey
instruments in accessible locations for use in such an emergency.
The proposed action is in accordance with the licensee's
application for exemption dated March 28, 1997.
The Need for the Proposed Action
Power reactor license applicants are evaluated for the safe
handling, use, and storage of special nuclear material. The proposed
exemption from criticality accident requirements is based on the
original design for radiation monitoring at Palo Verde Nuclear
Generating Station, Unit Nos. 1, 2, and 3 (PVNGS) as discussed in the
NUREG-0857, ``Safety Evaluation Report Related to the Operation of Palo
Verde Nuclear Generating Station, Units 1, 2, and 3.'' The exemption
was granted with the original Part 70 license, for the PVNGS units, but
it expired with the issuance of the Part 50 licenses when the exemption
was inadvertently not included in those licenses. Therefore, the
exemption is needed to clearly define the design of the plant as
evaluated and approved for licensing.
Environmental Impacts of the Proposed Action
The Commission has completed its evaluation of the proposed action
and concludes that there is no significant environmental impact if the
exemption is granted. Inadvertent or accidental criticality will be
precluded through compliance with the Palo Verde Technical
Specifications, the design of
[[Page 28740]]
the fuel storage racks providing geometric spacing of fuel assemblies
in their storage locations, and administrative controls imposed on fuel
handling procedures. Technical Specifications requirements specify
reactivity limits for the fuel storage racks and minimum spacing
between the fuel assemblies in the storage racks.
Appendix A of 10 CFR Part 50,--General Design Criteria for Nuclear
Power Plants, Criterion 62, requires the criticality in the fuel
storage and handling system shall be prevented by physical systems or
processes, preferably by use of geometrically-safe configurations. This
is met at PVNGS, as identified in the Technical Specifications and the
Updated Final Safety Analysis Report (UFSAR). PVNGS Technical
Specifications Section 5.3.1.3, states that the new fuel storage racks
are designed and shall be maintained with Keff less than or equal to
0.95, if fully flooded with unborated water, and less than or equal to
0.98, if moderated by aqueous foam, and a nominal 17-inch center to
center distance between fuel assemblies placed in the storage racks.
UFSAR Section 9.1.1.1, New Fuel Storage Design Bases, states that
accidental criticality shall be prevented for the most reactive
arrangement of new fuel stored, with optimum moderation, by assuring
that Keff is less than 0.98, under normal and accident conditions.
UFSAR Section 9.1.1.3, Safety Evaluation, states that the new fuel rack
design and location ensures that the design bases of Section 9.1.1.1
are met.
The proposed exemption would not result in any significant
radiological impacts. The proposed exemption would not affect
radiological plant effluent nor cause any significant occupational
exposures since the Technical Specifications, design controls
(including geometric spacing of fuel assembly storage spaces) and
administrative controls preclude inadvertent criticality. The amount of
radioactive waste would not be changed by the proposed exemption.
The proposed exemption does not result in any significant non-
radiological environmental impacts. The proposed exemption involves
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 has concluded that 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 exemption, the staff
considered denial of the requested exemption. Denial of the request
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 Related to
the Operation of Palo Verde Nuclear Generating Station, Units 1, 2, and
3,'' dated February 1982, (NUREG-0841).
Agencies and Persons Consulted
In accordance with its stated policy, on April 3, 1997, the staff
consulted with the Arizona State official, Mr. William Wright of the
Arizona Radiation Regulatory Agency, 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 letter dated March 28, 1997, which is available for public
inspection at the Commission's Public Document Room, which is located
at The Gelman Building, 2120 L Street, NW., Washington, D.C., and at
the local public document room located at the Phoenix Public Library,
1221 N. Central Avenue, Phoenix, Arizona 85004.
Dated at Rockville, Maryland, this 16th day of May 1997.
For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
James Clifford,
Senior Project Manager, Project Directorate IV-2, Division of Reactor
Projects III/IV, Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation.
[FR Doc. 97-13781 Filed 5-23-97; 8:45 am]
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