ML17265A435
| ML17265A435 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Ginna, Nine Mile Point  |
| Issue date: | 10/16/1998 |
| From: | Bajwa S NRC (Affiliation Not Assigned) |
| To: | |
| Shared Package | |
| ML17265A436 | List: |
| References | |
| NUDOCS 9810260089 | |
| Download: ML17265A435 (8) | |
Text
UNITED STATES NUCLEAR REGULATORYCOMMISSION ROCHESTER GAS AND ELECTRIC CORPORATION NIAGARAMOHAWKPOWER CORPORATION NINE MILE POINT NUCLEAR STATION UNIT2 R. E. GINNANUCLEAR POWER PLANT ENVIRONMENTALASSESSMENT AND FINDING OF NO SIGNIFICANTIMPACT DOCKET NOS. 50-410 AND 50-244 The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (the Commission) is considering the issuance of an Order approving, under 10 CFR 50.80, an application regarding a transfer of control of the operating license for R. E. Ginna Nuclear Power Plant (Ginna) and the operating license for the Nine Mile Point Nuclear Station, Unit No. 2 (NMP2) to the extent held by Rochester Gas and Electric Corporation (RG8 E or Applicant). The transfer would be to a holding company, not yet named, to be created over Applicant in accordance with the "Amended and Restated Settlement Agreement" before the Public Service Commission of the State of New York dated October 23, 1997 (Case 96-E-0989) (see Exhibit A in the application dated July 30, 1998). Applicant is licensed by the Commission to own and possess a 14-percent interest in NMP2, located in the town of Scriba, Oswego County, New York, and to wholly own, maintain and operate the R. E.
Ginna Nuclear Power Plant located in Wayne County, New York.
ENVIRONMENTALASSESSMENT Identification of the Pro osed Action:
The proposed action would consent to the transfer of control of the licenses to the extent effected by Applicant becoming a subsidiary of the newly formed holding company in connection 98i0260089 98iOi6 PDR ADOCK 05000244 P
with a proposed plan of restructuring.
Under the restructuring plan, the outstanding shares of Applicant's common stock are to be exchanged on a share-for-share basis for common stock of the holding company, such that the holding company willown all of the outstanding common stock of Applicarit. The holding company, and not RGRE, would be the owner of any unregulated non-utility subsidiaries.
Applicant willcontinue to be an "electric utility"as defined in 10 CFR 50.2 engaged in the transmission, distribution, and generation of electricity.
Applicant would retain its U
ownership interest in NMP2 and Ginna, continue to operate Ginna, and continue to be a licensee of NMP2 and Ginna.
No direct transfer of the operating licenses or ownership interests in the stations willresult from the proposed restructuring.
The transaction would not involve any change to either the management organization or technical personnel of Niagara Mohawk Power Corporation (NMPC), which is responsible for operating and maintaining NMP2 and is not involved in the restructuring of Applicant, and would not involve any change in the nuclear management or technical qualification of RG8E. Also, the transaction would have no effect upon the financing of the RG8 E nuclear plants. The proposed action is in accordance with Applicant's
'pplication dated July 30, 1998, as supplemented August 18, 1998, and September 14, 1998.
The Need for the Pro osed Action:
The proposed action is required to enable Applicant to restructure as described above.
Environmental Im acts of the Pro osed Action:
The Commission has completed its evaluation of the proposed corporate restructuring and concludes that it is an administrative action having no effect upon the operation of either plant. There will be no physical changes to NMP2 or Ginna. The corporate restructuring willnot affect the qualifications or organizational affiliation of the personnel who operate and maintain NMP2 and Ginna, as NMPC willcontinue to be responsible for the maintenance and operation of NMP2 and is not involved in the restructuring of RG&E, and RG8E willcontinue to be responsible for the maintenance and operation of Ginna.
The proposed action willnot 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 occupational or offsite 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 restructuring would not affect nonradiological plant effluents and would have no other nonradiological environmental impact Accordingly, the Commission concludes that there are no significant environmental impacts associated with the proposed action.
Alternatives to the Pro osed Action:
Since the Commission has concluded there are no significant environmental impacts that would result from 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 Statements Related to the Operation of Nine Mile Point Nuclear Station, Unit No. 2, (NUREG-1085) dated May 1985, and in the Final Environmental Statements Related to the Operations of the R. E. Ginna Nuclear Power Plant, dated December 1973.
A encies and Persons Contacted:
In accordance with its stated policy, on August 31, 1998, the staff consulted with the New York State official, Mr. Jack Spath, regarding the environmental impact of the proposed action.
The State official had no comments.
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4 FINDING OF NO SIGNIFICANTIMPACT Based upon the environmental assessment, the Commission concludes that the proposed action willnot 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 Applicants's application dated July 30, 1998, as supplemented August 18, 1998, and September 14, 1998, 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 Reference and Documents Department, Penfield Library, State University of New York, Oswego, New York 13126, and the Rochester Public Library, 115 South Avenue, Rochester, New York 14610.
Dated at Rockville, Maryland, this1648ay of 0c<obei 1998.
FOR THE NUCLEAR REGULATORYCOMMISSION S. Singh Bajwa, Director Project Directorate I-1 Division of Reactor Projects - I/II Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation
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