ML20080C102
| ML20080C102 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Dresden, Quad Cities  |
| Issue date: | 12/05/1994 |
| From: | Capra R Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation |
| To: | |
| Shared Package | |
| ML20080C106 | List: |
| References | |
| NUDOCS 9412070284 | |
| Download: ML20080C102 (4) | |
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7590-01 1*
UNITED STATES NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION COMMONWEALTH EDIS0N COMPANY DOCKET NOS. 50-237, 50-249. 50-254. AND 50-265 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, to facility Operating License Nos. DPR-19, DPR-25, DPR-29 and OPR-30, issued to Commonwealth Edison Company (Comed, the licensee) for the Dresden Nuclear Power Station, Units 2 and 3, located in Grundy County, Illinois, and the Quad Cities Nuclear Power Station, Units 1 and 2, located in Rock Island County, Illinois.
ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT Identification of Procosed Action The proposed action would grant an exemption from certain requirements of Appendix J to 10 CFR Part 50 in response to the licensee's request of October 4, 1994. More specifically, for each two-ply bellows that has been identified to leak through both plies, the exemption being proposed will relax the requirement to perform a Type A test every refuel outage as specified in an Exemption to the Apppendix J requirements dated February 6, 1992.
The proposed revised exemption will allow the option of:
- 1) conducting a Type B test of the leaking bellows prior to the return to service during the present outage, or 2) conducting a Type A test to be followed up, at the next subsequent outage, with replacement of the bellows or conducting a Type B test of the leaking bellows to demonstrate license limits are met.
9412070284 941205 PDR ADOCK 05000237 P
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1he Need for the Proposed Actipn 4
The proposed action is needed to relax an unnecessary requirement to perform a Type A test each refuel outage in which a two-ply bellows has been identified as leaking through both plies. The licensee has developed i
alternative Type B testing methods to assure a valid Type B test could be performed on these non-Type B testable bellows. The requirement to Type A test and to replace all bellows that leak through both plies could result in significant costs being incurred unnecessarily with no safety benefit in return.
Environmental Imnacts of the Proposed Action The proposed exemption revision substitutes an alternative testing and replacement program for tha Type A testing requirements of the original exemption. The alternative testing program would allow, upon completion of 1
the two-ply bellows special testing program, the following to be accom'lished p
for those two-ply bellows that were found to leak through both plies:
(1) performance of a Type B test to ensure license limits are met prior to return to service, or (2) performance of a Type A test before the return to service followed by replacement of the bellows or performance of a Type B test to ensure license limits are met before the return to service from a subsequent refuel outage. Thus, this revised exemption will not change the types, or allow an increase in the amounts, of effluents that may be released offsite and will not result in an increase in individual or cumulative occupational radiation exposure. With regard to potential non-radiological environmental impacts, the proposed revised exemption does not affect non-radiological plant effluents and has no other environmental impact. Therefore, the Commission
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concludes that there are no significant radiological or non-radiological environmental impacts associated with the proposed exem) tion.
Alternative Use of Resources This action does not involve the use of any resor,rces not previously i
considered in the Final Environmental Statement (cons truction permit and t
operating license) for Dresden Nuclear Power Station, Units 2 and 3, dated November 1973, and for Quad Cities Nuclear Power Station, Units 1 and 2, dated September 1972.
Alternatives to the Proposed Action Since the Commission concluded that there are no significant environmental impacts associated with the proposed exemption, any alternatives with equal or greater environmental impact need not be evaluated.
The principal alternative to the exemption would be to require rigid compliance with the requirements of the original Exemption requiring a Type A test every refuel outage and in the subsequent refuel outage replace bellows that had a leak, however small, on both plies. Such action would not enhance the f
protection of the environment and would result in unwarranted licensee j
expenditures of engineering and construction resources, as well as associated capital costs.
Aaencies and persons Consulted
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The staff consulted with the Illinois State official regarding the environmental impact of the proposed action. The State official had no 4
comments.
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FINDING 0F NO SIGNIFICANT IMPACT Based upon the forgoing environmental assessment, the Commission concludes that the proposed action will not'have a significant effect on the quality of the human environment. Accordingly, the Commission has detormined not to prepare an environmental impact statement for the propo.-i exemption.
For further details with respect to this action, see the licensee's i
letter of October 4, 1994..This document is available for public inspection at the Commission's Public Document Room, the Gelman Building, 2120 L Street, NW., Washington, D.C.,- and-at the local public document room located at the Morris Public Library, 604 Liberty Street, Morris, Illinois 60450, and at the Dixon Public Library, 221 Hennepin Avenue, Dixon, Illinois 61021.
Dated at Rockville, Maryland, this 5th day of December 5, 1994.
FOR THE NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION Y N 0-Robert A. Capra, Director Project Directorate III-2 Division of Reactor Projects III/IV Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation v
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