ML19345C886
| ML19345C886 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Crystal River  |
| Issue date: | 11/17/1980 |
| From: | Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation |
| To: | |
| Shared Package | |
| ML19345C883 | List: |
| References | |
| NUDOCS 8012080544 | |
| Download: ML19345C886 (9) | |
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UNITED STATES 8
NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION s
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WASHINGTON, D, C. 20555
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ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT APPRAISAL BY THE OFFICE OF NUCLEAR REACTOR REGULATIO SUPP9RTING AMENDMENT NO.36 TO FACILITY OPEPATING LICENSE N0. DPR-72 FLORIDA POWER CORPORATION, ET AL.
I CR(STAL RIVER UNIT NO. 3
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NUCLEAR GENERATING PLANT r
i DOCKET NO. 50-302 1.0 Introduction 4i By application dated March 17, 1978, as supplemented January 9 1978, March 3 and 22,1978, Augus t 30, 1978, January 18,1979, March 16,1979, June 29, 1979, September 5, 1979, October 1 and 10,1979, and December 5, 1979, the Florida Power Corpora?. ion (FPC) proposed to increase the total spent fuel storage capacity at Cr/stal River Unit No. 3 Nuclear Generating Plant, (CR-3).
The environmental impact of the existing CR-3 fuel storage pool was consi-dered in the CR-3 Final Environmental Statement (FES issued May 1973. The purpose of this appraisal is to evaluate any additional environmental effects of this proposed increase in storage capacity. The CR-3 spent fuel storage system is described in our concurrently issued Safety Evaluation.
2.0 Generic Environmental Impact Statement A Final Generic Environmental Impact Statement (FGEIS) on Handling and Storage of Spent Light Water Power Reactor Fuel (NUREG-0575, Volumes 1-3) was issued by NRC in August 1979. The NRC staff evaluated and analyzed alternatives for handling and storage of spent light water power reactor fuel with emphasis on long-range policy.
Consistent with the long-range policy, the storage of spent fuel addressed in the FGEIS is considered to be interim storage to be used until the issue of permanent disposal is resolved and implemented.
One spent fuel storage alternative considered in detail in the FGEIS is the expansion by licensees of onsite fuel storage capacity by modification of exist-By the date of issuance of the FGEIS (August ing ) spent fuel pools (SFPs). applications for SFP capacity expansions had 1979, 40 finding in each case that the environmental impact of the proposed increased storage was negligible.
However, since there are variations in storage pool designs and limitations caused by the spent fuel already stored in some of the pools, the FGEIS recomended that licensing reviews be done on a case-by-case basis to resolve plant-specific concerns. This appraisal accomplishes that recommendation.
In addition to the alternative of increasing the storage capacity of the existing SFPs, oth;r spent fuel storage alternatives are discussed in detail in the FGEIS. The finding of the FGEIS is that' the environmental impact-costs of interim storage are essentially negligible, regardless of where such spent fuel 8012080 $Y
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Lis stored. A comparison of the impact-costs of the various alternatives s
l reflect the i dvantage of continued generation of nuclear power versus its replacement ty coal fired power generation.
In the bounding case consid-ered in the F iEIS, where spent fuel generation is terminated, the cost of l
replacing nuc. ear stations before the end of their normal lifetime makes this alternative uneconomical.
3.0 Need for Increased Storage Capacity CR-3 is an 825 We nuclear power plant. Two fuel storage pool mre provided.
Currently there are 240 storage spaces in the SFPs for CR-3.
CR-3 has 177 assemblies in its core.
i The proposed increase would be accomplished by replacing the existing spent fuel storage reeks with new, more compact, neutron absorbing racks. The pro-This modift-posed rack design is discussed in the concurrently issued SER.
cation would extend spent fuel storage capacility through:2002 compared to 1983 A more immediate concern is that of maintaining with the existing capacity.
sufficient room in the SFP to off-load a full core (177 fuel assemblies) should this be necessary for inspection or repair of reactor internal equipment or piping. While this capability is not necessary to protect the health and safety of the public, it is desirable to reduce occupational exposures. With the present SFP capacity for CR-3, FPC does not now have full core dischrga capa-bility.
3 Currently, spent fuel is not being reprocessed on a commercial basis in the United States. The Nuclear Fuel Services (NFS) plant at West Valley, New York, was shutdown in 1972 for alternations and expansion; on September 22, 1976,'NFS informed the Comission that they were withdrawing from the nuclear fuel repro-cesting business. The Allied General Nuclear Services (AGNS) proposed plant in Barnwell, South Carolina, is not licensed to operate.
The General Electric Company's (GE) Morris Operation (MO) in Morris, Illinois is in a' decommissioned conditon. Although no plants are licensed for reprocessing fuel, the storage pool at Morris, Illinois, and the storage pool at West Valley New York (on land owned by the State of New York and leased to NFS through 198 l
are licensed to store spent fuel. The storage pool at West Valley is not full but NFS is presently not accept:Ing any additional spent fuel for storage, even from those power generating facilities that had contractural arrangements with NFS. GE is also not accepting any additional spent fuel for storage at the M0.
Construction of the AGNS receiving and storage station has been completed. AGNS has. applied for, but has not been granted, a license to receive and store irra-diated fuel assemblies in the storage pool at Barnwell prior to a decision on the licensing action relating to the separation facility.
4.0 Radioactive Wastes l
CR-3 contains waste treatment-systems designed to collect and process the The gaseous, liquid and solid waste that might contain radioactive material.There waste treatment. systems are evaluated In the CR-3 FES dated May 1973.
will be no change in the waste treatment systems; described in Section 3.4.2 of j
the FES beca0se of the proposed modification.
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. 5.0 SFP Cleanup System The SFP cleanup system consists of two cartridge filters and an ion exchanger and the required piping, valves and instrumentation. This system is in parallel to the two SFP cooling loops in the SFP cooling system.
Each of the two SFP pumps draws water from the SFPs, circulates it through a heat exchanger and the SFP cleanup system and returns it to the SFPs. The cleanup system may be bypassed manually if required.
Because we expect only a small increase in radioactivity released to the pool water as a result of the proposed modification as dis-cussed in Section 6.2, we conclude that the SFP purification system will keep concentrations of radioactivity 1.i the pool water to lev-els which have existed prior to the modification.
6.0 Environmental Impacts of the Proposed Action 6.1 Nonradiological The environmental impact of CR-3 as designed, was considered in the FES.
Increasing the number of assemblies stored in the existing fuel pools will not cause any new environmental impacts. The amount of waste heat emitted by CR-3 will increase slightly (less than one percent), resulting in no measurable increase in impact upon the environment.
6.2 Radiological Introduction The potential offsite radiological environmental impacts asso-ciated with the expansion of the spent fuel storage capacity were evaluated and detemined to be environmentally insignifi-cant as addressed below.
The additional spent fuel which would be stored due to the expansion is the oldest fuel which has not been shipped from the plant. This fuel should have decayed about three years.
During the storage of the spent fuel under water, both vola-tile and nonvolatile radioactive nuclides may be released to the water from the surface of the assemblies or from defects in the fuel cladding. Most of the material released from the surface of the assemblies consists of activated corrosion prod-ucts such as Co-58, Co-60, Fe-59 and Mn-54 which are not vola-tile. The radionuclides that might be released to the water through defects in the cladding, such as Cs-134, Cs-137, Sr-89 and Sr-90, are also predominately nonvolatile. The primary impact of such nonvolatile radioactive nuclides is their contri-bution to radiation levels to which workers in and near the SFPs would be exposed. The volatile fission product nuclides of most concern that might be released through defects in the fuel clad-ding are the noble gases (xenon and krypton), tritium and the iodine isotopes.
Experience indicates that there is little radionuclide leakage-from spent fuel stored in pools after the fuel has cooled for
_4 several months. The predominance of radionuclides in the SFP water appear to be radionuclides that were present in the reactor coolant system prior operations)g (which becomes mixed with water in the SFPs during refuelingo to refuelin fer from the reactor core to the SFPs.
Daring and after refueling, the SFP cleanup system reduces the radioactivity concentrations considerably.
It is theorized that most failed fuel contains small, pinhole-like perforations in the fuel cladding at the reactor operating condition of approximately 800 F.
A few weeks after refueling, the spent fuel cools in the SFPs so that fuel clad temperature is relatively cool, approximtely 180 F.
This substantial temperature reduction should reduce the rate of release of fission products from the fuel pellets and decrease the gas pressure in the gap between pellets and clad, thereby tending to retain the fission products within the gap.
In additiong most of the gaseous fission products have short half-lives and decay to insignificant levels within a few months. Based on the operational reports submitted by the licensees or discussions with the operators, there has not been any significant leakage of fission products fmm spent light water reactor fuel storad in the MO (formerly Midwest Recovery Plant), or at NFS storage pool at West Valley, New York.
Spent fuel has been stored in these two pools which, while it was in a reactor, was detennined to have significant leakage and was therefore removed from the core. After storage in the onsite SFP, this fuel was later shipped to either M0 or NFS for extended storage.
Although the fuel exhibited significant leakage at reactor operating conditions, there was no significant leakage from this fuel in the offsite storage facility.
6.2.1 Radioactive Material Released to Atmospheree With respect to gaseous releases, the only significant noble gas isotope attributable to storing additional assemblies for a longer period of tine would be Krypton-85. As discussed pre-viously, experience has demonstrated that after spent fuel has decayed 4 to 6 months, there is no significant release of fis-sion products from defected fuel. However, we have conserva-tively estimated that less than an additional 40 curies per year of Krypton-85 may be released from the SFPs for CR-3 when the modified pools are completely filled.
This increase would resul:t in an additional total body done of less than 0.0001 mrem / year to an individual at the site boundary. This dose is insignificant when compared to the approximately 100 mrem / year that an individual re-ceives from natural background radiation. The additional total body dose to the estimated population within a 50-mile radius of the plant is less than 0.0001 man-rem / year. This is small compared to the fluctuations in the annual dose this population would re-ceive from natural background radiation. This exposure represents an increase of less than 0.5% of the' exposure from the plant evalu-ated in the '.S in Tables 5.10 and 5.11.
Thus, we conclude that the propc-modification will not have any significant impact on exposurt.."f si te.
s Assuming that the spent fuel will be stored onsite for several years, Ioaine-131 releases from spent fuel assemblies to the i
SFP water will not be significantly increased because of the expansion of the fuel storage capacity since the Iodine-131 inventory in the fuel will decay to negligible levels between 1
refuelings.
i Storing additional spent fuel assemblies is not expected to increase the bulk water temperature during normal refuelings above the 120 F l
used in the design analysis in the FSAR.
Therefore, it is not expected l
that there will be any significant change in the annual release of tritium or iodine as a result of the proposed modification i
from that previously evaluated in the FES.
Most airborne releases from the plant result from leakage of reactor coolant which contains tritium and iodirs in higher con-centrations than the SFPs.
Therefore, even if there were a slightly higher evaporation rate from the SFPs, the increase in tritium and iodine released from the plant as a result of the increase in stored spent fuel would be small com-pared N the amount normally released from the plant and that which was previously evaluated in the FES. If levels of radio-iodine become too high, the air can be diverted to charcoal fil-ters for the removal of radiciodine before its release to the l
environment. The plant radiological effluent Technical Specifi-cations, which are not being changed by this action, restrict the total gaseous releases of raoioactivity from the plant including the SFPs.
6.2.2 Solid Radioactive Wastes The concentration of radionuclides _in the pools is controlled by the filter and ion exchanger and by decay of short-lived iso-topes. The activity is hi.gh curing refueling operations while i
reactor coolant water is introduced into the pools and dacreases l
as the pool water is processea through the filter and ion ex-changer. The increase of radioactivity, if ~ any, should be minor because the additional spent fuel to be stored is relatively cool, thermally, and radionuclides in the fuel will have de-cayed significantly.
While we believe that there should not be an increase in solid radwaste due to the modification, as a conservative estimate, we have assumed that the amount of solid radwaste may be increased by 42 cubic feet of resin a year from the demineralizer (two ad-ditional resin bed / year). Because CR-3 has been in -
comercial operation only since 1977, we do not believe the record w
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of solid waste shipped from the plant may be representative. The an-nual average amount of solid waste shipped from a single pressurized water reactor between 1974 and 1976 was about 10,000 cubic feet per year.
If the storage of additional spent fuel does increase the amount of solid waste from the SFP purification system by aDout 42 cubic feet per year, the increase in total waste volume shipped would be less than 0.5% and would not have any significant environmental impact.
The present spent fuel racks to be removed from the SFPs are contamina-ted and will either be disposed of as low level waste or sent to a ven-dor to be salvaged.
FPC has stated that less than 6,300 cubic feet of :clid radwaste will be removed from the 5 fps because of the pro-posed modification. This is if the racks are not cut into small pieces.
Therefore, the total waste shipped from the plant would be increased by less by less 1.6% per year when averaged over the lifetime of the plant.
This additional low level waste will not have any significant environ-mental impact. The plant radiological effluent Technical Specifications, which are not being changed Dy this action, restrict the total liquid releases of adioactivity from the plant.
6.2.3 Radioactivity Released to Recdivino' Waters There should not be a significant increase in the liquid release of ra-dionuclides from the plant as a result of the proposed modification.
lhe amount of radioactivity on the SFP filter and demineralizer might slightly increase due to the additional spent fuel in the pools, but this increase of radioactivity should not be released in liquid efflu-ents from the plant. The plant radiological effluent Technical Specifications, which are not being changed by this action, re-strict the total liquid releases of radioactivity from the plant.
The cartridge filter removes insoluble radioactive matter from the SFP water. This is periodically removed to the waste disposal area in a shielded cask and placed '.n a shipping container. The insoluble matter will be retainsa on the filter or remain in the SFP water.
The demineralizer resins are periodically flushed with water to the spent resin storage tank. The water used to transfer the spent resin is decanted from the tank and returned to the ligt.id radwaste system for processing. The soluble radioactivity will be retained on the resins. If any activity should be transferred from the spent resin to this flush water, it would be removed by the liquid radwaste system.
l.eakage from the ' SFPs is collected in the Auxiliary Building Sump.
This water is transferred to the liquid radwaste system and Ts pro-cessed by the system before any water is discharged from the plant.
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. Visual observations can be made to determine if there are leaks in the SFP liner. Monitoring equipment will alarm in the control room if the pool water level falls below a predetermined level. To date, no water leakage from the SFPs has been observed.
1 6.2.4 Occupational Radiation Exposures We have reviewed FPC's olans for the removal and disposal of the low density racks and the installation of the high density racks with respect to occupational radiation exposure. The occupational ex-posure for the entire operation is estimated by FPC to be about 8.5 man-rem. We consider this to be a reasonable estimate be-cause it is based on realistic dose rates and occupancy factors for individuals performing a specific job during pool modificttion.
This operation is expected to be a small fraction of the total annual man-rem burden from occupational exposure.
We have estimated the increment in onsite occupational dose result-ing from the proposed increase in stored fuel assemblies on the basis of information supplied by FPC for dose rates in the SFP area from radionuclide concentrations in the SFP water and from the spent fuel assemblies. The spent fuel assemblies themselves will contribute a negligible amount to dose rates in the pool area be-cause of the depth of water shielding the fuel. Consequently, the oc-cupational radiation exposure resulting from the additional spent fuel in the pools represents a negligible burden. Based on present and pro-jected operations in the SFP area, we estimate that the proposed modification should add less than one percent to the total annual occupational radiation exposure burden at this facility. Thus, we conclude that storing additional fuel in the SFPs will not result in any significant increase in doses received by occupational workers.
6.2.5 Impacts of Other Pool Modifications As discussed above, the additional environmental impacts in the vi-cinity of CR-3 resulting from the proposed modification are a very small fraction (less than 1%) of the impacts evaluated in the CR-3 FES.
These additicaal impacts are too small to be considered anything but local in character.
4 Based on the above, we conclude that an SFP modification at any other facility should not significantly contribute to the environmental im-pact of the CR-3 and that the CR-3 SFP modification should not contribute significantly to the environmental impact of any other facility.
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< 1 7.0 Environmental Impact of Postulated Accidents j
Although the new high density racks will accommodate a larger in-ventory of spent fuel, we have determined that the installation and use of the racks will not change the radiological consequences of a postulated fuel handling accident in the SFP area from those values reported in the CR-3 FES dated dated May 1973.
Additionally, the NRC staff has under way a generic review of load handling operations in the vicinity of SFPs to determine the likelihood of a heavy load impacting fuel in the pool and, the radiological conse-quences of such an event.
FPC is required to prohibit loads greater than 2,750 pounds (the nominal weight of a fuel assembly and handling tool) to be transported over spent fuel in the SFPs, except during the removal of old racks and placement of new racks in the pools.
During this activity the fuel will be in the alternate pool which will be covered with missile shields. We have, therefore, concluded that the likelihood of any load handling accident is sufficiently small that the proposed modification is acceptable and no additional restrictions on load handling operations in the vicinity of the SFPs are necessary while our review is under way.
l 8.0 Radiological ' Impact on Environment As discussed in Section 5, expansion of the storage capacity of ~
the SFPs will not create an.y significant additional radiclogical ef-fects. The additional total body cose that might De received by an individual or the estimated population'within a 50-mile radius is less than 0.0001 mrem /yr and 0.0001 man-rem /yr, respectively. These exposures are small compared to the fluctuations in the annual dose this population receives from background radiation. The population exposure represents an increase of less than 0.5% of the exposures from the plant evaluatec in the FES. The occupational radiation ex-posure of workers during removal of the-present storage racks and in-stallation of the new racks is estimated Dy FPC to be about 8.5 man-rem. This is a small fraction of the total man-rem burden from occupational exposure at the plant. Operation of the plant with additional spent fuel in the SFPs is not exrected to increase the oc-cupational radiation exposure by more than one percent of the present i
total annual occupational exposure at this facility.
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9.0 Basis and Conclusion for Not Preparing an Environmental __
Impact Statement On the basis of the foregoing analysis, it is concluded that there will be no significant environmental impact attributable to the proposed action other than has already been predicted and described in the Com-mission's FES for CR-3.
Having made this conclusion, the Commission has further concluded that no environmental impact statemer.t for the proposed action need be prepared and that a negative declaration to this effect is appropriate.
Dated: November 17, 1980 F
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