ML20149G384
| ML20149G384 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Vogtle  |
| Issue date: | 10/13/1994 |
| From: | Berkow H Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation |
| To: | |
| Shared Package | |
| ML20149G388 | List: |
| References | |
| NUDOCS 9410210015 | |
| Download: ML20149G384 (5) | |
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UNITED STATES NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION GEORGIA POWER COMPANY OGLETHORPE POWER CORPORATION MUNICIPAL ELECTRIC AUTHORITY OF GEORGIA DOCKET NOS. 50-424 AND 50-425 V0GTLE ELECTRIC GENERATING PLANT. UNIT 1 AND 2 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 50, Appendix E, Section IV.F.2, regarding annual exercise of the emergency. plan to Georgia Power Company (GPC or the licensee), for the Vogtle Electric Generating Station, Units 1 and 2, located in Dalton, Georgia.
ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT Identification of the Procosed Action:
The proposed exemption would allow a one-time schedular exemption from the requirements of 10 CFR Part 50, Appendix E, Section IV.F.2 which states that each licensee at each site shall annually exercise its emergency plan.
By letter dated July 21, 1994, the licensee requested a schedular exemption from the requirement for the Vogtle Power Station, based upon a request from the State of Georgia and local governments, to delay the exercise from July 27, 1994, to January 11, 1995, because of the flood disaster. in Georgia.
The licensee had planned to conduct a full-participation exercise involving the States of Georgia and South Carolina and local response organizations on July 27, 1994.
The licensee requested that an exemption be 9410210015 941013 PDR ADOCK 05000424 P
. granted because the State nf Georgia requested to delay the 1994 annual exercise from July 27, 1994, to January 11, 1995. The request to move the I
exercise date was originated by the Georgia Emergency Management Agency (GEMA) because they would be nnable to participate on July 27 as GEMA personnel were required to respond to a federally-declared flood disaster in South Georgia.
This proposed delay will prevent Vogtle from meeting the annual requirement to exercise the Vogtle emergency plan as specified in Appendix E to 10 CFR 50, l
and therefore, GPC requested a schedular exemption.
The previous emergency preparedness exercise at Vogtle was successfully conducted on August 4, 1993, and no violations, deviations or exercise l
weaknesses were identified. Offsite participation was limited to receiving
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Emergency Notification messages. A joint plume and ingestion exposure' pathway exercise involving the States of Georgia and South Carolina and the four local l
governmental agencies was conducted on May 19, 1992.
The licensee had scheduled, planned and coordinated the 1994 exercise with participating Federal, State, and local agencies for mid-July. The scope and objectives, and the final scenario documentation for the July 1994 exercise were submitted to the NRC on April 14, 1994, and May 17, 1994, respectively, which is within the time frames established for their submittal in support of a July 1994 exercise.
The schedule for future exercises will not be af fected by this exemption. GPC has stated it will conduct the previously scheduled 1995 exercise the week of July 19, 1995, as planned. The licensee states that concurrence for the proposed date of January 11, 1995, has been received from FEMA, NRC Region II, and the affected State and local agencies. FEMA confirmed its support for the revised exercise date on September 1,1994.
Based upon a review of the licensee's request for an exemption from the requirement to conduct an exercise of the Vogtle emergency plan in 1994, the NRC staff finds that the underlying purpose of the regulation will not be l
adversely affected by the rescheduling of the July 27, 1994, exercise to January 11, 1995. The effective response capability demonstrated by the licensee during the 1993 emergency preparedness exercise, the activities in preparation for the 1994 exercise, including a table top exercise with the j
l States and counties and the readiness of the licensee's emergency preparedness l
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program as reflected in its SALP rating and the most recent inspection report,
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provide assurance that the resources and personnel necessary for proper emergency response are in place to respond to a nuclear emergency at the Vogtle site. Thus, an exercise in 1994 is not necessary to achieve the l
underlying purpose of the rule, and the requested exemption from the requirement in 10 CFR Part 50, Appendix E, Section IV.F, to defer the performance of an exercise of the Vogtle emergency plan until January 11, 1995, will not adversely affect the overall state of emergency preparedness at the Vogtle site.
The Need for the Prooosed Action:
The proposed exemption is needed because the Georgia Emergency Management Agency (GEMA) was required to respond to a federally-declared flood disaster in South Georgia at the time of the scheduled annual emergency exercise.
Environmental Imoacts of the Procosed Action:
The NRC staff evaluation of the proposed exemption from 10 CFR 50, Appendix E, Section IV. F.2, indicates that the granting of the proposed exemption will not involve any measurable environmental impacts sinco the
. exevtion deals with the exercise of the licensee's emergency plan. Plant cc7, Hen 4 tion and operations are not changed. Therefore, the Commission conc h6.s that there are no significant radiological or nonradiologicai-environnerAal impacts associated with the proposed exemption.
Alternatiu s to the Proposed Action:
Since the Commission has concluded there is no measurable environmental impact associated with the proposed exemption, any alternatives with equal or i
grea!er environmental impact need not be evaluated. The principal alternative l
to the action would be to deny the request. Such action would not enhance the c
pr'etection of the environment and would result in a diversion of plant tesources fma addressing important health and safety issues.
Alternative Use of Resources:
This exemption from the scheduled exercise on July 27, 1994, does not reduce the use of resources since the schedule for future exercises will not be affected by this exemption. The licensee has stated it will conduct the previously schedited 1995 exercise the week of July 19, 1995, as planned.
l Thus, the requested exemption would provide only temporary relief from the requirement to conduct an annual exercise.
3 Aaencies and Persons Consulted:
The NRC staff consulted with the Georgia State official regarding the environmental impact of the proposed action. The State official had no comments.
FINDING OF NO 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 l
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. l an environmental impact statement for the proposed action.
For further details with respect to the proposed exemption, see the licensee's letter dated July 21, 1994, which is available for public inspection at the Commission's Public Document Room, The Gelman Building, 2120 '
L Street, NW., Washington, DC 20555, and at the local public document room located at the Burke County. Library, 412 Fourth Street,,Waynesboro, Georgia 30830.
Dated at Rockville, Maryland, this 13th day of October 1994.
FOR THE NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION H rbert N. Berkow, Director Project Directorate II-3
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Division of Reactor Projects - I/II Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation l
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