ML19317F201
| ML19317F201 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Oconee  |
| Issue date: | 03/27/1972 |
| From: | Rogers L US ATOMIC ENERGY COMMISSION (AEC) |
| To: | Holmberg W ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY |
| References | |
| NUDOCS 8001080915 | |
| Download: ML19317F201 (5) | |
Text
DISTRIBUTIt 4 Dock 2t File (ENVIRON)
DR Reading File fMy 2 71972 REP Reading File REP Files D. lislier, ADEP R. Wolfgang, REP Docket No _50 269 50-270 A. Schwencer, DRL and 3 -287 F. Karas, DRL H. Shapar, OGC J. Felton, DR AEC PDR Hr. William O. Holzaberg Local PDR ATTN Mr. Jack Anderson Office of Federal Activities Environmental Protection Agency Waterside Mall, Room 3632 ENVIRON, <
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Fourth & H Streets, S.W.
Washington, D.C.
20460
Dear Mr. Holmberg:
I am pleased to provide you with one copy of the final environmental statan.ent, prepared by the Commission's Regulatory Staff, on environ-taental considerations under the hational Environmental Policy Act of 1969 relating to the application submitted by the Duke Power Company for the Oconee Nuclear Station, Unit No. 1.
Althouch the licensing action at this time is for Oconce Ibclear Station, Unit 1, the Final Environmental Statement has been vritten considering the combined effects of operation of Units 1, 2, and 3.
This statement includes a discussion of the concents of various Federal, State, and local agencies and private organizations and individuals concerning the environmental effects associated with the facility.
forwarded to the Office of the Federal Register for filing andA notic publication.
Sincerely, LESTER noctits Lecter Rogers, Director Division of Radiological and Environmental Protection EncloAure:
Final Environmental Statement for the Oconee Duclear St-Mon, Unit No. 1, 2, and 3 m icr >
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SUMMARY
AND CONCLUSIONS 1.
This is the Final Detailed Environmental Statement by the U. S.
Atomic Energy Commission, Division of Radiological and Environ-mental Protection, related to the proposed issuance of an operat-ing license to the Duke Power Company for the operation of Unit 1 at the Oconee Nuclear Station in the State of Sorth Carolina, county of Oconee, near the city of Seneca. This statement will also serve for future consideration of operating licenses for Units 2 and 3.
2.
The Oconee Nuclear Station will have three units, each with a pressurized water reactor having an electrical output of about 922 megawatts (of hich 36 megawatts will be used within the plant) and a vaste heat generation of about 1650 megawatts.
Al-i though the present action is concerned with the proposed issuance of a license - to operate one unit, this S tatement considers the environmental impact of the simultaneous operation of all three units.. Du: Oconee Station is integrated into the applicant's Keowee-Toxaway Project in an arrangement that provides water for condenser cooling as well as hydroelectric power (140 megawatts total) for peaking purposes. The Project at present consists of Lake Keowee (impounded by the Keowce Dam) and its completed hydro-electric station, the Oconce Nuclear Station with one unit com-pleted and two units in an advanced stage of construction, and Lake Jocassee with its 610-megawatt pumped-storage facility (which is also under construction).
3.
The environmental impact, including adverse and beneficial envi-ronmental effects, of the Oconee Nuclear Station is as follows:
Reassignment of use of about 2000 acres of land for the Station and its exclusion area and withdrawal of some marginal a'gricultural production; Flooding of 26,000 acres of wooded and farm land to form Lake Keovee and Lake Jocassee, and conversion of much of the remainder of the applicant's land acquired for the Project (157,000 acres total) to forestry and wildlife management programs; Removal of about 340 residences and relocation of almost 900 residents from the land used by the Project; 1.
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Withdrawal of a maximum of.4733 cubic feet per second
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(three units of the Station) of water from near the bottom of Lake Keowee, elevation of the temperature of the water (in which aquatic biota may be entrained) by about 18'F in passage through the condenser-cooling sys-tems, and discharge of the water nearer the lake surface at 95 to 100*F during the late summer months; Reduction of the oxygen concentration in the surface
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waters near the plant discharge during periods of the year when the plant is withdrawing oxygen-deficient water from the hypolimnion and discharging it to the surface; Conversion of 7,800 acres of farm land and forest to transmission line right-of-way; Diocharges of small quantities of chemicals (that are not expected to produce discernible effects) into the head-waters of the Hartwell Reservoir via the tailrace of the Keowce hydroelectric station; Discharges of small quantities of radioactive gaseous and liquid wastes to the environment; Creation of a very low probability risk of accidental radiation exposure to nearby residents; Addition of electrical euergy generating capacity needed
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to support the economic growth of the area served by the applicant's power network; Creation of an area thaf may become attractive for residences; Creation of a recreational lake area, including a visitors' center and associated tourist amenities; and Stimulation of the local economy through taxes, direct employment, tourism.
- 4..The following alternatives were considered:
Purchase of power from outside sources; Location of the Station at other sites; 9
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Adoption of once-through cooling using the flowing stream at this site; Use of fossil fuel with once-through cooling and pumped-
-storage hydroelectric peaking; Use_of fossil fuel'with evaporative cooling towers and gas-turbine peaking; Use of fossil fuel with evaporative cooling towers and pumped-storage hydroelectric peaking at a separate location; Use of nuclear fuel with evaporative cooling towers and gas-turbine peaking; I
Use of nuclear fuel with evaporative cooling towers and j
pumped storage hydroelectric peaking.
5.
The following Federal, State and local agencies submitted comments on the Draft Detailed Environmental Statement issued December 13, 1971:
Council on Historic Preservation Department of Transportation Department of Commerce Health, Education and Welfare Department of the Army, Corps of Engineers Federal Power Commission Department.of the Interior Department of Agriculture Department of Housing and Urban Development Environmental Protection Agency Office of the Governor of South Carolina State Water Resources Commission, South Carolina State Commission of Forestry, South Carolina Department of Parks, Recreation and Tourism, South Carolina Pollution Control Authority, South Carolina Wildlife Resources Department, South Carolina Appalachian Council of Covernments, South Carolina The texts of all ccaments received are appended tc this Final Environmental Statement.
Identification of where the Draft State-ment was revised in response to the comments is tabulated in an appendix.
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The conclusion is that the benefits to be derived from opera-tion of the Oconee Nuclear Station outweigh the adverse ef fects identified in this Statement. On the basis of the evaluation and analysis. set forth in this Final Statement, and af ter weigh-ing the environmental, economic, technical and other benefits against environmental costs and considering available alterna-tives, it is concluded that from the standpoint of environmental effects the action called for is the issaance of a license to operate Unit 1 of the Oconee Nuclear S*.ation providing the appli-cant takes the following additional action:
(1) Accumulate information required to establish baselines for the evaluation of thermal, chemical and radiological ef fects of station operation on terrestrial biota and aquatic biota in Lakes Keowee, Hartwell and Jocassee.
(2) Develop and implement a comprehensive monitoring program that will permit surveillance during plant operation of thermal, chemical, and radiological effects on terrestrial biota and on aquatic biota in Lakes Keowee, Hartwell, and Jocassee.
(3) Monitor concentrations of chemical discharges into Hartwell Reservoir.
(4) Monitor the temperature of the condenser cooling discharges into Lake Keowee.
The date that-this Final Environmental Statement is being r.mde 7.
available to the public, to the Council on Environmental Quality, and to the other agencies noted in Item 5 above is March 24, 1972.
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