ML20136G108
| ML20136G108 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Byron, Braidwood  |
| Issue date: | 03/13/1997 |
| From: | Capra R NRC (Affiliation Not Assigned) |
| To: | |
| Shared Package | |
| ML20136G112 | List: |
| References | |
| NUDOCS 9703170202 | |
| Download: ML20136G108 (4) | |
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UNITED STATES NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION COMMONWEALTH EDISON COMPANY DOCKET NOS. STN 50-454. STN 50-455. STN 50-456 AND 50-457 BYRON STATION. UNITS 1 AND 2 BRAIDWOOD STATION. UNITS 1 AND 2 ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT AND FINDING 0F NO SIGNIFICANT IMPA[I The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (the Commission) is considering issuance of an amendment to Facility Operating License Nos. NPF-37, NPF-66, NPF-72 and NPF-77, issued to Commonwealth Edison Company (Comed, the licensee), for operation of Byron Station, Units 1 and 2, located in Ogle County, Illinois and Braidwood Station, Units 1 and 2, located in Will County, Illinois.
ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT Identification of the Prooosed Action:
The proposed action would revise the technical specifications (TS) to take credit for soluble boron in the spent fuel pool in maintaining an acceptable margin of subcriticality.
The proposed change would remain in effect until December 31, 1997, at which time the licensee is expected to implement long-term corrective actions.
The Need for the Proposed Action:
The proposed action is required in order for the licensee to be in compliance with its TS. Heretofore, the compliance with the requirement to maintain criticality (k,,,) in the spent fuel pool to less than 0.95 with unborated water was accomplished through the use of Boraflex, a neutron absorber. However, recent tests have indicated that the Boraflex is showing 9703170202 970313 PDR ADOCK 05000454 P
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degradation induced by gama radiation. Maintaining boron concentration of f
L 2000 parts per million in the spent fuel pool is more than sufficient to ensure that the k,,, is maintained below 0.95.
Environmental Innacts of the Proposed Action:
i The Commission has completed its evaluation of the proposed action an concludes that the licensee's proposal to take credit for soluble boron in the spent fuel pool water to maintain k,,, less than or equal to 0.95 is j
acceptable.
The change will not increase the probability or consequences of 4
accidents, no changes are being made in the types of any effluents that may be released offsite, and there is no significant increase in the allowable individual or cumulative occupational radiation exposure. Accordingly, the Commission concludes that there are no significant radiological environmental impacts associated with the proposed action.
With regard to potential nonradiological impacts, the proposed action involves features located entirely within the restricted area as defined in 10 CFR Part 20.
It does not affect nonradiological plant effluents and has no other environmental impact. Accordingly, the Commission concludes that there are no significant nonradiological environmental impacts associated with the proposed action.
Alternatives to the Proposed Action:
Since the Commission has concluded there is no measurable environmental impact associated with the proposed action, any alternatives with equal or greater environmental impact need not be evaluated. As an alternative to the proposed action, the staff considered denial of the proposed action.
Denial
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L of the application would result in no change in current environmental impacts, j
3 The environmental impacts of the proposed action and the alternative action j
are similar.
l Alternative Use of Resources:
This action does not involve the use of any resources not previously considered in the Final Environmental Statement for the Byron Station, l
i Units 1 and 2, and Braidwood Station, Units 1 and 2.
Aaencies and Persons Consulted:
In accordance with its stated policy, on February 11, 1997, the staff consulted with Frank Niziolek of the Illinois Department of Nuclear Safety, regarding the environmental impact of the proposed action.
The State official had no comments.
FINDING 0F N0 SIGNIFICANT IMPACT Based upon the 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 determined not to prepare an environmental impact statement for the proposed action.
For further details with respect to the proposed action, see the licensee's letter dated November 5,1996, which is available for public inspection at the Commission's Public Document Room, The Gelman Building, 2120 L Street, NW., Washington, DC, and at the local public document rooms located at:
for Byron, the Byron Public Library District,109 N. Franklin, P. O. Box 434, Byron, Illinois 61010; for Braidwood, the Wilmington Public Library, 201 S. Kankakee Street, Wilmington, Illinois 60481.
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Dated at Rockville, Maryland, this 13th day of March 1997.
FOR THE NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION WO G hp Robert A. Capra, Director
^i Project Directorate III-2 Division of Reactor Projects - III/IV Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation i
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