ML20137V134
| ML20137V134 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | 07002948 |
| Issue date: | 11/04/1985 |
| From: | Crow W NRC OFFICE OF NUCLEAR MATERIAL SAFETY & SAFEGUARDS (NMSS) |
| To: | |
| Shared Package | |
| ML18041A122 | List: |
| References | |
| NUDOCS 8512090474 | |
| Download: ML20137V134 (5) | |
Text
,
'. " mt;.
- g. w .,e %.
A7 3
7590-01 U.S. NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION FINDING OF NO SIGNIFICANT IMPACT ISSUANCE OF SPECIAL NUCLEAR MATERIAL LICENSE NO. SNM-1895 NIAGARA H0HA* POER CORPORATION, ET. AL; OSEGO COUNTY, NEW YORK DOCKET NO. 70-2948 The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Comission (the Comission) is considering the amendment of Special Nuclear Material License No. SNM-1895 to permit the receipt, possession, inspection, and storage of unirradiated nuclear fuel asses 11es at the Nine Mile Point Nuclear Station in Oswego County, New York.
The unirradiated fuel asseslies will be for eventual use in the Nine Mile Point Nuclear Station (NW), Unit 2, once its operating license is issued.
ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT Identification of Proposed Action The proposed action would authorize the applicants to receive, possess, inspect, and store special nuclear naterials in the form of unirradiated fuel asse211es.
The Need for the Proposed Action The proposed license will allow the applicants to receive and store fresh fuel prior to issuar of the Part 50 operating license in order to inspect the fuel and to finalize fuel preparation needed to load the fuel. into the reactor vessel .
Actual core loading, however, will not be authorized by the proposed license.
8512090474 85,i127 PDR ADOCK 07002948 C "
Omca) .................. ..................... .................... ..................... ..................... .. ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,.., ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
SURNA DATEh .................. .................... ..................... ..................... ..................... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . , , .
NRC mRM m HO/ Sol NRCM O240 OFFICIAL RECORD COPY
- u.s. opo 19e3-4o0-247 1
- . _ . , -- - ,, . m. m _m .mm , _ - . _ _ _ _ _ ,_ _ , _ _ _ ,, _m _ ,.4
ff W W 9 X"??
EEP
-. W Environmental Impacts of the Proposed Action A. Nuclear Criticality and Radiation Safety Once at Mine Nile Point, Unit 2, the new fuel may be temporarily stored in shipping containers prior to placement in the designated storage locations:
the saw foal storane vault and the spent fuel storage pool. Previous analysis of a shipping container array stacked three high and of infinite extent in the horizontal plane, with no separation between containers, and independent of the degree of water moderation and/or reflection has been detemined to be critically safe. This analysis envelops the proposed NFP, Unit 2, shipping container array and thus assures nuclear criticality safety for such an array.
Upon removal of the fuel assemblies from the shipping containers, they are
~ inspected and surveyed for any external contamination. Assuming no contam-ination is found, the assemblies are transferred to their designated storage location. Criticality safety in storage locations is assured by the use of engineered safeguards and administrative controls. This is accomplished by use of neutron poisons in the spent fuel pool and by eliminating sources of water moderation in the new fuel storage vault.
Therefore, nuclear criticality safety of the storage racks is assured.
Since the fresh fuel assemblies are sealed sources, the principal exposure pathway is via external radiation. For low-enriched uranium fuel (< 4 percent U-235 enrichment), the exposure level to an individual standing 1 foot from the surface of the fuel would be less than 25 percent of the maximun
" ' " > ................p.eemissihie..exp.usur.e..spftc.i.f.1A 1..J.n. ,LO,,Q,F,R,, j!,9 3,,,,I n ,,a d,d,1,t,1,0,0 f. . .t.h. .e. . .e. p,p.l. .i.c. . ants
................h'M"t'6hWf ttud'to"e3 tab 1'istfing a"prograer for maintaintng tenera1 puMi< - . . . ~ . . . . - ~ ~ . . .
""C' ""8" '""C" *- OFFICIAL RECORD COPY
- u.s. apo 2, 3_4oo.2 7 .
. ~.~ . - . .. ._ _ . _ ,, _ _ _ g
j v. :5CT .W
&py*
s
%ilp$fdg-di # % ?W, cg exposure as low as reasonably achievable. Therefore, the staff has concluded that the applicants' requested operations can be carried out with adequate radiation protection of the public and environnent.
Only a small amount, if any, of radioactive waste (e.g. , swear papers and/or contaminated package materials) is expected to be generated as a result of fuel handling and storage operations. Any waste that is produced will be properly stored onsite until it can be shipped to a licensed '
disposal facility.
B. Transportation In the event the applicants cost return the fuel to the fuel fabricator, all packaging and transport of fuel will be in accordance with 10 CFR Part
- 71. No significant external radiation hazards are associated with the unirradiated fuel because the radiation level from the clad fuel pellets is low and because the shipping packages nust neet the external radiation standards in 10 CFR Part 20. Therefore, shipment of unirradiated fuel by the applicants is expected to have an insignificant inpact upon the envi ronrent.
C. Accident Analysis In the unlikely event that an assembly (either within or outside its shipping container) is dropped during transfer, the fuel cladding is not expected to rupture. Even if the fuel rod cladding were breached and the pellets were released, an insignificant environnental inpact would result.
The fuel pellets are conposed of a ceramic UO 2 that has been pelletized l
"'C ' > .................. ..................... ................ .. .
DATEk .................. ..................... ..................... .................... ..................... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
N%WIM 318 HO/803 NRCM O240 OFFICIAL RECORD COPY-.
- u.s. m a 34*-247 '
w . - , - . - . - - - - - - - n.n &
zwm w; ary Ra. ::ns, A&W QpJ and sintered to a very high density. In this form, release of U0 p aerosol is unlikely except under conditions of deliberate grinding.
Additionally, U02 is soluble only in an acid solution so dissolution and release to the environnent are extrenely unlikely.
D. Conclusion The environmental inacts associated with the handling and storage of new fuel at NHP, Unit 2, are expected to be insignificant. Essentially no effluents, liquid or airborne, will be released, and acceptable controls will be iglemented to prevent a radiological accident. Therefore, the staff concludes that there will be no significant inpacts associated with the proposed action.
Alternative to the Proposed Action The principal alternative would be to deny the requested license. Assuming the operating license will eventually be issued, denial of the storage only license would merely postpone new fuel receipt at NMP, Unit 2. Although denial of the Special Nuclear Materials License for NMP, Unit 2, is an alternative available to the Comission, it would be considered only if significant issues of public health and safety could not be resolved to the satisfaction of regulatory authorities involved.
Alternative Use of Resources This action does not involve the use of resources not previously considered in connection with the Comission's Final Environmental Statement (NUREG-1085) dated May 1985, related to this facility.
"'Ch .................. ..................... .................... .. .................. ..................... ..................... ....................
- ^N .................. ..................... ..................... ..................... ..................... ..................... ....................
DATEk .................. .................... ..................... ..................... ..................... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
NRC FOIM 3181101001 NRCM O240 CFFICIAL RECORD COPY fu.s.m m sn.247
, , , _ , . . . . - . ~ . _
. . _, _ ,_ _ x
f
~
l 1
- . P W .. .M yM s . ~, & W LD Q.QjW y G'C7 Agencies and Persons Consulted The Comission's staff reviewed the applicants' request of June 12, 1985, and its acended request dated Septent>er 27, 1985, and did not consult other agencies or persons.
Finding of No Significant Inpact The Comission's Division of Fuel Cycle and Material Safety h; s prepared an Environrental Assessment related to the issuance of Special Nuclear Materials License Ho. SNM-1895. On the basis of this assessment, the Comission has concluded that the environnental icpact created by the proposed licensing action would not be significant and does not warrant the preparation of an Environrental Ippact Statenent. Accordingly, it has been determined that a Finding of Ho Significant Irpact is appropriate. The Environnental Assessrent and the above docurents are available for public inspection and copying at the Connission's Public Docurent Room,1717 H Street, NW., kshington, DC.
Copies of the Environtental Assessment may be obtained thy calling (301)427-4510 or by writing to the Uranium Fuel Licensing Branch, Division of Fuel Cycle and Material Safety, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Comission, kshington, DC, 20555.
Dated at Silver Spring, Maryland this 4th day of November 1985.
FOR THE NUCLEAR REGULATORY COINISSION Original Signed By1 W. T. Crow W. T. Crow, Acting Chief Uranium Fuel Licensing Branch Division of Fuel Cycle and Material Safety, NMSS c"'a > . .../.Cy,(
,,,,,,FCUP
,, ,, ,,,FC,UFf , ,F,C,U F, , , ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, ,
= = > M!#.9.rn.(.k.hgg,,
.... . . .N,K,e t,z ,1,a,c h, , , ,,,,, y(br,p, e,.,,,,,,,,,,,,,,Gypy,$,,,,,
U ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
""> ." ?.!.4.l85 .H. 01.!85... . 6.!.8.!85 ... ...I!.!..'l..l85 NIC FORM 318110.'80 C'eekt9 OFFICIAL RECORD COPY t u.s.m ma-m-an
. . .. ,.- -