ML20038A791
| ML20038A791 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Summer  |
| Issue date: | 09/30/1981 |
| From: | Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation |
| To: | |
| Shared Package | |
| ML20038A784 | List: |
| References | |
| NUDOCS 8111160450 | |
| Download: ML20038A791 (3) | |
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y ENVIRONMENTAL IUPACT APPRAISAL BY THE DIVISION OF LICENSING SUPPORTING EXTENSION OF CONSTRUCTION PERMIT CPPR VIRGIL C. SUMMER NUCLEAR STATION I
DOCKET NO. 50-395 ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT APPRAISAL Description of Proposed Action By letter dated November 26, 1981 the permittees, South Carolina Electric
& Gas Company (SCE&G) and South Carolina Public Service Authority (SCPSA),
filed a request with the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) to extend the compi.etion date specified in Construction Permit No. CPPR-94 for the Virgil C. Suaner Nuclear Station (Sunuer). The action proposed is the issoaoce of an order providing for an extension of the latest completion date of tne construction permit from December 31, 1980 to June 30, IN2.
The Staff's Final Environmental Statement (FES) relating to the Virgil C.
Sumaer Nuclear Station wnich was published in flay 1981 determined a demon-strated need for the facility to ensure the reliability of the permittees' system in '1982 (particularly SCPSA) and to maintain acceptable regional reserve levels in case other. units under construction are delayed. The original completion date as given in Construction Permit CPPR-94 for completion of construction of the_ project was January 1,1978.
The permittees now plan tn have the proposed unit in commercial operation
- by June 30, 1982. The' permittees attribute the present delay to construction factors outside the permittees' control, including design modifications ~ due to regulatory review. The revised completion date reflects a reasonable period for allowance of uncertainties in time estimation for completion of the project.
Environmental Impact of the Proposed Action A.
Need for the Station
.The.permittees are now scheduled to complete construction and begin operation of. the facility by June 30, 1982. The staff in the Final Environmental Statement published in MAy 1981.has reassessed the need for the Virgil C. Sunner Nuclear.
Station with. respect to its ~ planned operation in 1982.'
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. As stated in Section 7.4 of the Final Environmental Statement, the staff concludes that timely operation of the nuclear unit will result in production cost savings through the reduction in consumption of the more expensive coal and oil fuel resources. The staff concludes that it is prudent for the utilities to operate the Virgil C. Summer Nuclear Station to ensure the reliability of their systems in 1982 (particulary SCPSA) and to maintain acceptable regional reserve levels in case other units under construction are delayed.
High state-wide population and economic growth in recent years, combined with an increasing proportion of energy use in the fom of electricity, will result in a growth rate of electricity demand in South Carolina greater than tnat observed on the national scale. The staff finds that the Virgil C. Sumaer Nuclear Station will be useful in meeting the increased demand for electric energy.
B.
Social and Economic Impacts The Final Environmental Statement for the Virgil C. Sumer Nuclear Station issued in May 1981 includes an assessment of potential environmental, economic and community impacts due to site preparation ano plant construction.
The only environmental impacts possibly resulting from the requested extension would be those due to transposing the impacts in time or extending the total time the regional community is subjected to temporary construction impacts.
7e staff concludes that environmental impacts associated with construction of the plant and described in the Final Environmental Statemenc 1.e., housing, school facilities, and transportation are not affected by the proposed extension.
The remote location of tne construction site results in the commuting of essentially the entire work force from larger towns in the region, such as Columbia and Greenville.
The utility is disposed to maintain a reasonable continuity of work force which will have little or no economic impact on the local community or the larger nearby cities in terms of overall employment dnd aggregate tax revenues and expenses. llinor and temporary effects due to direct construction activities will be extended over the delayed construction period, however, no ill effects would be expected of significance.
Summary, Conclusion and Basis for Negative Declaration The HRC staff has reviewed the total environmental effects which may result from the requested extension by the permittees of the latest completion date of the existing construction permit for the. Virgil C.
Sumer Nuclear Station.
The permittees, because of design modificatiuns and regulatory review beyond its control, has requested extension 'of the Construction Permit "C4
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, from December 31, 1980 to June 30, 1982. The staff in conducting its assessment has concentrated principally upon possible i apacts due to need for the station and socio-economic considerations as these factors are judged to be or the most relevance and importance in assessing any effect of plant delay.
On the basis of the NRC staff evaluation, it is concluded that tnere will be no environmental impact attributable to the proposed action other than that already predicteo and described in the Coaaission's Final Environraental Statenent issued in May 1981 and the Board's Initial Decision of March 19, 1973. Having made this conclusion, the Comission has furtner concluded that no environmental impact statement for the proposed action need be prepared, dnd that a negative declaration to this effect is appropriate. The subject change to the construction permit is judgeo not to be a major Federal action significantly affecting the quality of the human environment.
Dated:
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