ML20011F309

Environ Assessment & Finding of No Significant Impact Re Proposed Exemption from 10CFR50,App J

ML20011F309
Person / Time
Site:	Rancho Seco
Issue date:	02/26/1990
From:	Rood H Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation
To:
Shared Package
ML20011F307	List: ML20011F306 ML20011F309
References
NUDOCS 9003050091
Download: ML20011F309 (3)

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- UNITED STATES NUCLEAR' REGULATORY COMMISSION SACRAMENTO MUNICIPAL UTILITY DISTRICT DOCKET NO. 50-312 ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT AND FINDING OF NO SIGNIFICANT IMPACT The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (the Commission) is considering issuance of an exemption from the requirements of 10 CFR Part 50, Appendix ~J j

to the Sacramento Municipal Utility District (SMUD, the licensee) for the

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' Rancho Seco Nuclear Generating Station located in Sacramento County, L

California.

ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT:

Identification of Proposed Action:

l The-proposed action would grant an exemption from the requirements to perform primary containment leakage testing per 10 CFR Part 50, Appendix J.

By11etter dated October 10, 1989, the licensee requested an exemption from the L

requirements of 10_CFR Part 50, Appendix J.

l-3eNeedfortheProposedAction:

The requirements of 10 CFR Part 50, Appendix J do not allow licensees to discontinue the performance of primary reactor containment leakage testing 1

when containment _ integrity is not required due to plant condition. According to the licensee's Technical Specifications, containment integrity is not required when the reactor vessel is defueled and all the fuel is removed from

'the reactor building and stored in the Spent Fuel Pool.

The licensee ceased power operations at Rancho Seco on June 7, 1989 and completed defueling the reactor vessel on December 8, 1989, with all fuel stored in the Spent Fuel Pool. The request for an exemption from performing primary reactor containment testing per 10 CFR Part 50, Appendix J is based on b

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'the above plant conditions and the licensee's intent to not resume power operations at Rancho Seco.

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Environmental Impact of the Proposed Action:

The proposed exemption does not affect the risk of--facility accidents due to the defueled' condition of the plant. With the reactor vessel defueled and all fuel stored in the Spent Fuel Pool, there are no longer any creditable design basis accidents associated with the reactor building. The post-accident i

radiological releases will not differ from those determined previously, and the L

proposed exemption does not otherwise affect facility radiological effluents, or any significant occupational exposures. With regard to potential non-radiological effluents, the proposed exemption does not affect plant non-radiological effluents and has no other adverse environmental impact.

Therefore, the Comission concludes there are no measurable radiological or non-radiological environmental impacts associated with'the proposed exemption.

Since the Commission has concluded there is no measurable environmental impact associated _with the proposed exemption, any alternative either will have no environmental impact or will have a greater environmental impact. The principal alternative to the exemption would be to require the performance of the containment leakage tests. Such action would not enhance the protection g

of the environment and would result in unnecessary drain of licensee and Comission resources.

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-Alternative Use of Resources:

This action does not involve the use of resources not considered previously in the Final Environmental Statement for the Rancho Seco Nuclear

' Generating Station.

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a Agencies and Persons Consulted:

The NRC staff re' viewed the licensee's request and did not consult other agencies or persons.

f Finding of No Significant Impact:

The Comission tas determined not to prepare an environmental impact i

statement for the proposed exemption. Based upon the environmental assessment, the NRC staff concludes that the proposed action will not have a significant effect on the quality of the human environment.

For details with respect to this action, see the licensee's submittal dated October 20,'1989, which is available for public inspection at_the Comission's Public Document Room, Gelman Building 2129 L Street, N.W.,

Washington, D.C. and at the local public document room for Rancho Seco at the Martin Luther King Regional Library, 7430 24th Street Bypass, Sacramento,

. California 95813.

l FOR THE NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION Harry. Rood, Acting Director Project Directorate V-Division of Reactor Projects - III, IV, Y and Special Projects Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation L

Dated at Rockville, Maryland,

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this 26 day of February,1990

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