ML20072Q466
| ML20072Q466 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Browns Ferry  |
| Issue date: | 12/19/1990 |
| From: | Hebdon F Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation |
| To: | |
| Shared Package | |
| ML20072Q470 | List: |
| References | |
| NUDOCS 9012240018 | |
| Download: ML20072Q466 (4) | |
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7590-01 UNITED STATES NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION TENNESSEE VALLEY AUTHORITY DOCKET NO. 50-259. 50-260. 50-296 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 55.45(b)(2)(iii)and (iv) to Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA, the licensee), for the Browns Ferry Nuclear (BFN) Plant, Units 1, 2, and 3 located in timestone County, Alabama.
,FNVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT
_ldentification of proposed Action A revision to 10 CFR part 55, " Operators' Licenses," became-effective on May 26,1987, which established requirements for the administration of operating tests on nuclear power plant simulators. These regulations. in conjunction with 10CFR50.54(1-1), require facility licensees to use simulation facilities when administering operating tests for initial licensing and requalification. These regulations further require that a certified or NRC-approved simulation facility must be used to administer operating tests after May 26, 1991. By letter dated July 12,1990, TVA requested a temporary exemption from the schedule requirements for certification of a plant-referenced simulator. TVA intends to significantly improve its simulator by upgrading major hardware and software components of _the simulator complex. As-such, TVA has requested additional time (i.e. until the-end of 1991) before completing final certification of the simulator.
l The proposed action is in accordance with 10 CFR 50.12 and 55.11. " Specific Exemptions", and is based upon the infonnation provided to the NRC in the licensee's request dated July 13, 1990.
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The Need for the Proposed Action The proposed exemption is needed to avoid the unnecessary regulatory exercise of certifying the existing simulator, with its host of exceptions, rather than waiting nine months and certifying the newly upgraded simulator.
Environmental Impacts of the Proposed Action The proposed action will have no incremental impact on the environment because the exemption only delays final certification of the simulator until upgrades are completed. The exemption will merely defer the required administrative burden of reporting that certification is complete for a nominal period of time to allow the licensee an opportunity to more fully comply with the spirit of the rule.
In the mean time, operators will continue to be trained and examined on the existing simulator as they have since 1976.
Final certification of the new simulator, and compliance with 10 CFR 55.45, shall be accomplished by December 31, 1991.
Alternative to the Proposed Action Since the Commission has concluded that the environmental effects of the proposed action are not significant,-any alternative with equal or greater environmental impacts need not be evaluated..
The principal alternative would be to deny-the-requested exemption.
This would not reduce the enviro wental impacts attributed to this facility-and would still result in operators being trained and examined on the current i
facility.
Alternative Use of Resources-l This action does not involve the use of any resources not previously considered in the Final Environmental Statement related to operation of the BFN facility.
Agencies and Persons Consulted The Commission's staff reviewed the licensee's request and did not consult other agencies or persons.
FINDING OF NO SIGNIFICANT IMPACT The Commission has determined not to prepare an environmental impact statement for che 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 exemption dated July 13, 1990 which is available for public inspection at the Commission's Public Document Room, 2120 L Street, N.W., Washington, D.C.
and at the Local Public Document Room located in the Athens Public Library, South Street, Athens, Alabama 35611.
Dated at Rockville, Maryland, this 19th day of December 1990.
FOR THE NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION 0%&S
}hb-Frederick J. He don, Director Project Directorate, II-4 Division of Reactor Projects - 1/11 Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation
Distribution a' Docket file NRC PDR Local PDR S. Yarge G. Lainas F. Hebdon S. Black B. Wilson P. Kello99 RII C. Patterson RI!
M. Krebs T. Ross D. Moran B. Mozafari OGC E. Jordan ACRS(10)
GPA/PA BFN Rdg. File cc: Plant Service list l
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