ML20035B002
| ML20035B002 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Zion File:ZionSolutions icon.png |
| Issue date: | 03/23/1993 |
| From: | Dyer J Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation |
| To: | |
| Shared Package | |
| ML20035A999 | List: |
| References | |
| NUDOCS 9303300336 | |
| Download: ML20035B002 (4) | |
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l 7590-01 UNITED STATES NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION COMMONWEALTH EDISON COMPANY ZION NUCLEAR POWER STATION. UNIT 1 DOCKET NO. 50-295 ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT AND FINDING OF NO SIGNIFICANT IMPACT i
The U. S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (the Commission) is considering issuance of an exemption from the requirements of Section III.D.I.(a) of Appendix J to 10 CFR Part 50 to Commonwealth Edison Company (the licensee),
for the Zion Nuclear Power Station, Unit 1, located in Lake County, Illinois.
ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT Identification of Proposed Action The proposed action would grant an exemption from Section III.D.I.(a) of Appendix J to 10 CFR Part 50, which requires a set of three Type A tests (Containment Integrated Leakage Rate Test or CILRT) to be performed at approximately equal intervals during each 10-year service period and specifies that the third test of each set shall be conducted when the plant is shut down for the 10-year plant inservice inspections (ISI). The licensee's request is for a one-time exemption that will allow the third Type A test of the current 10-year service period to be performed, independent of the current 10-year service period and the 10-year plant ISI, during a refueling outage in September 1995, approximately 43 months after the last one. Without the exemption the licensee would be required to perform the next Type A test during a refueling outage in October 1993, when the plant is shut down for the 10-year plant ISI, which means the last two Type A tests of the second 10-year service period would be performed 19 months apart.
The exemption is in response to the licensee's application for exemption
' dated January 12, 1993.
9303300336 930323 i
PDR ADDCK 05000295 P
t The Need for the Proposed Action The proposed exemption is needed because the requirements of 10 CFR Part 50, Appendix J, and the licensee's current refueling outage schedule, would require the third CILRT for the second 10-year service period to be i
performed when Unit 1 is shut down for the refueling outage in October 1993 -
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which also is the 10-year plant ISI. This circumstance has arisen partially because NRC staff concerns with the validity of the test results from the second and third Type A tests of the first 10-year service period led the licensee to perform a fourth test for the first 10-year service period on July 7, 1984, approximately eight months into the second 10-year service period. The first test of the second service period was performed in March 1988, 43 months after the last test and 51 months into the service period.
The second test was not performed until 48 months later due to a 29 month fuel i
cycle which resulted from two major forced outages in which the unit was down for a total of 265 days. Without this exemption, the licensee would be required to perform the third CILRT during the October 1993 refueling outege, 19 months after the second Type A test.
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Environmental Impacts of the Proposed Action The Commission's staff has determined that granting the proposed exemption would not significantly increase the probability or amount of expected primary containment leakage and that containment integrity would, thus, be maintained. Although the requirements in Section III.D.I.(a) that three Type A tests be performed in each 10-year se;vice period and that the third test be conducted when the unit is shut down for the 10-year plant ISI would not be met, performing the third Type A test of the second 10-year
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_3-service period approximately 43 months after the last one would meet the intent to perform the tests at approximately equal intervals of about a third of a 10-year service period, to ensure containment integrity. Consequently, the probability of accidents would not be increased, nor would the post-accident radiological releases be greater than previously determined. Neither would the proposed exemption otherwise affect radiological plant effluents.
Therefore, the Commission's staff concludes that there are no significant radiological environmental impacts associated with the proposed exemption.
With regard to potential nonradiological impacts, the proposed exemption involves a change to surveillance and testing requirements.
It does not affect nonradiological plant effluents and has no other environmental impact.
Therefore, the Commission's staff concludes that there are no significant nonradiological environmental impacts associated with the proposed exemption.
Alternative to the Proposed Action Since the Commission concluded that there are no significant environmental impacts associated with the proposed action, any alternatives i
would have either no or greater environmental impact.
The principal alternative would be to deny the requested exeraption. This would not reduce the environmental impacts attributed to the facility and would not meet the intent of the rule to perform CILRT at approximately equal 4
intervals during each 10-year service period.
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l' Alternative Use of Resources This action does not involve the use of any resources not previously considered in connection with the Nuclear Regulatory Commission's Final Environmental Statement, dated December 1972, related to the operation of the Zion Nuclear Power Station, Units 1 and 2.
Agencies and Persons Consulted The NRC staff reviewed the licensee's request and did not consult other agencies or persons.
FINDING OF NO SIGNIFICANT IMPACT i
The Commission has determined not to prepare an environmental impact statement for the proposed exemption. Based upon the foregoing environmental assessment, we conclude that the proposed action will not have a significant effect on the quality of the human environment.
For further details with respect to this action, see the request for i
exemption dated January 12, 1993, which is available for public inspection at the Commission's Public Document Room, 2120 L Street, NW., Washington DC and at the Waukegan Public liorary, 128 North County Street, Waukegan, Illinois 60085.
Dated at Rockville, Maryland, this 23rd day of March 1993.
FOR THE NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION prae.dpr James E. Dyer, Director Project Directorate III-2 Division of Reactor Projects III/IV/V Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation
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