[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 58 (Thursday, March 26, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Page 14739]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-7962]


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NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION

[Docket No. 50-483]


Union Electric Company; Callaway Plant, Unit 1: 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 No. NPF-30, issued to Union 
Electric Company (the licensee), for operation of the Callaway Plant, 
Unit 1, located in Callaway County, Missouri.

Environmental Assessment

Identification of the Proposed Action

    The proposed action would exempt Union Electric Company from the 
requirements of 10 CFR 50.60, which requires all power reactors to meet 
the fracture toughness and material surveillance program requirements 
for the reactor coolant pressure boundary set forth in Appendices G and 
H to 10 CFR Part 50. The proposed exemption would allow Union Electric 
to apply American Society for Mechanical Engineers (ASME) Code Case N-
514 for determining Callaway's cold overpressurization mitigation 
system (COMS) pressure setpoint.
    The proposed action is in accordance with the licensee's 
application for exemption dated August 22, 1997.

The Need for the Proposed Action

    The proposed exemption is needed to support an amendment to the 
Callaway Technical Specifications which will revise the heatup, 
cooldown and COMS curves. The use of ASME Code Case N-514 would allow 
an increased operating band for system makeup and pressure control.

Environmental Impacts of the Proposed Action

    The Commission has completed its evaluation of the proposed action 
and concludes that application of Code Case N-514 represents a special 
circumstance in accordance with 10 CFR 50.12(a)(2)(ii) on specific 
exemptions, such that the specific requirements of 10 CFR 50.60 and 
Appendix G are ``* * * not necessary to achieve the underlying purpose 
of the rule,'' which in this case is to protect the reactor vessel from 
brittle failure.
    The 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 the proposed action.
    With regard to potential nonradiological impacts, the proposed 
action 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 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 
Callaway Plant dated March 1975.

Agencies and Persons Consulted

    In accordance with its stated policy, on March 19, 1998, the staff 
consulted with the Missouri State Official, Mr. Tom Lange of the 
Missouri Department of Natural Resources, 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 August 22, 1997, which is available for public 
inspection at the Commission's Public Document Room, The German 
Building, 2120 L Street, NW., Washington, DC, and at the local public 
document room located at the University of Missouri-Columbia, Elmer 
Ellis Library, Columbia, Missouri 65201-5149.

    Dated at Rockville, Maryland, this 20th day of March 1998.

    For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
Barry C. Westreich,
Project Manager, Project Directorate IV-2, Division of Reactor Projects 
III/IV, Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation.
[FR Doc. 98-7962 Filed 3-25-98; 8:45 am]
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