ML18039A638

Environ Assessment & Fonsi Re Licensee 980220 Request for Exemption from 10CFR50.71(e)(4) Requirement to Submit Revs to UFSAR within 6 Months After Each Refueling Outage

ML18039A638
Person / Time
Site:	Browns Ferry
Issue date:	12/10/1998
From:	Hebdon F NRC (Affiliation Not Assigned)
To:
Shared Package
ML18039A639	List: ML18039A638
References
NUDOCS 9812170154
Download: ML18039A638 (6)

Text

UNITED STATES NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION TENNESSEE VALLEYAUTHORITY DOCKET NOS. 50-259 50-260 AND 50-296 7590-01-P BROWNS FERRY NUCLEAR PLANT UNITS 1 2 AND 3 ENVIRONMENTALASSESSMENT AND FINDING OF NO SIGNIFICANTIMPACT INTRODUCTION The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC, or the Commission) is considering issuance of an amendment to Facility Operating License Nos. DPR-33, DPR-52 and DPR-68 issued to the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVAor the licensee) for operation of the Browns Ferry Nuclear Plant (BFN) Units 1, 2 and 3, located in Limestone County, Alabama.

ENVIRONMENTALASSESSMENT Identification of the Pro osed Action:

The proposed action is in response to the licensee's application dated February 20, 1998, for exemption from the requirements of 10 CFR 50.71(e)(4) regarding submission of revisions to the Updated Final Safety Analysis Report (UFSAR) and design-change reports for facilitychanges made under 10 CFR 50.59 for the BFN units. Under the proposed exemption, the licensee would schedule updates to the single, unified FSAR for the three BFN units within 6 months following Unit 2 refueling outages.

The Need for the Pro osed Action:

10 CFR 50.71 (e)(4) requires licensees to submit updates to their UFSAR within6, months after each refueling outage provided that the interval between successive updates does not exceed 24 months.

Since the BFN Units 1, 2, and 3 share a common UFSAR, the licensee must update the same document within 6 months after a refueling outage for each of the three units. Allowingthe exemption would maintain the UFSAR current within 24 months of the last

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Environmental Im acts of the Pro osed Action:

No changes are being made in the types or amounts of any radiological effluent that may be released off site. There is no significant increase in the allowable individual or cumulative occupational radiation exposure.

The Commission concludes that granting the proposed exemption would result in no significant radiological environmental impact.

With regard to potential non-radiological impacts, the proposed exemption does not affect non-radiological plant effluents and has no other environmental impact. The Commission concludes that there are no significant non-radiological impacts associated with the proposed exemption.

Alternative to the Pro osed Action:

As an alternative to the proposed action, the staff considered denial of the proposed action (no alternative action). Denial of the exemption would result in no change in current environmental impacts. The environmental impacts of the proposed exemption and this alternative are similar.

Alternative Use of Resources:

This action does not involve the use of any resources not previously considered in the Final Environmental Statement dated September 1, 1972 for BFN Units 1, 2 and 3.

A encies and Persons Consulted:

In accordance with its stated policy, on November 20, 1998, the NRC staff consulted with the Alabama State official, Mr. KirkWhatley of the State Office of Radiation Control, regarding the environmental impact of the proposed action. The State official had no comments.

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.

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Accordingly, the Commission has determined not to prepare an environmental impact statement for the proposed action.

For further details with respect to this action, see the application for exemption dated February 20, 1998, 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 Athens Public Library, 405 E. South Street, Athens, Alabama.

Dated at Rockville, Maryland, this10pday of December 1998.

For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission 8

Frederick J. Hebdo Director, Project Directorate II-3 Division of Reactor Projects-I/II Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation

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