ML20195G485
| ML20195G485 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Sequoyah  |
| Issue date: | 06/15/1988 |
| From: | Black S NRC OFFICE OF SPECIAL PROJECTS |
| To: | |
| Shared Package | |
| ML20195G488 | List: |
| References | |
| NUDOCS 8806280012 | |
| Download: ML20195G485 (4) | |
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.e (7S90013 UNITED STATES NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION TENNESSEE VALLEY AUTHORITY COCKET NO. 50-327 ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT AND FINDING OF NO SIGNIFICANT IMPACT The U. S. Nuclear Regulatory Comission (the Comission) is considering issuance of a one-time only schedular exemption from the Type B and C testing requirements of Appendix J to 10 CFR Part 50 to the Tennessee Valley Authority (the licensee) for the Sequoyah Nuclear Plant, Unit 1, located at the licensee's site in Hamilton County, Tennsssee. The exemption was requested by the licensee by letter dated August 5, 1987 ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT Identification of Proposed Action: This one-time only proposed exemption will pemit the licensee to defer the required Type B and C leakage tests for Unit I until before the unit enters Mode 4 in returning to power from its current outage.
Sections !!I.D.2 and III.D.3 of Appendix J to 10 CFR Part 50, require Types B and C Leakage Test, respectively, at intervals in no case greater than two years. Sequoyah Unit I was shutdown for refueling on August 22, 1985. During refueling from late August 1985 to late November 1985, all Unit 1 Type B and C Tests were perfomed. Since that time, Unit I has remained in cold shutdown (Mode 5). The end of the two year test interval for Type B and C Tests expired in late August to November 1987.
Because the Unit 1 outage extended past August 1987, the licensee in its letter dated August 5,1987 requested tha't the Type B and C Tests be deferred on a one-time basis until before Unit 1 enters Mode 4
2 The Sequoyah Unit 1 Technical Specifications 3.6.1.1 and 3.6.1.2 require that primary containment integrity be maintained only when in Modes 1, 2, 3 and 4 Type B and Type C Tests are required for assuring containment integrity in these modes. Unit I has been in Mode 5 (cold shutdown) since August 1985 and containment integrity has not been required because the reactor has been in the cold shutdown condition.
Prior to entering Mode 4 (Heatup at Power), the licensee will conduct the Type B and C Leakage Tests in order to ensure containment integrity.
The Need for the Proposed Action: The proposed exemption is needed to permit the licensee to operate the plant without being in violation of the Commission's requirements.
Environmental Impact of the Proposed Action: The Comission has completed its evaluation of the proposed exemption to the testing schedular requirements of Appendix J.
The need for such testing is to ensure that containment penetra-tions and isclation valves once closed do not leak following an accident.
However, Sequoyah Unit I has been in cold shutdown since August 1987 when the 2-year test interval expired.
Therefore, containment integrity has not been required for Unit 1 and.he isolation valves have not needed to be and were not Type 8 and C tested.
Prior to entering Mode 4 when containment integrity is required, the valves will be Type B and C tested.
The proposed exemption would accept the fact that the licensee did not conduct Type B and Type C tests by August to November 1987 and has' delayed these tests until prior to entry into Mode 4 in its return to power from this outage when containment integrity is required. Because the plant has remained in Mode 5 since August 1987 and the licensee will conduct the tests prior to
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entry into Mode 4, the proposed exemption does not increase the probability or consequences of accidents, dces not change the types of any effluents that may be released offsite, and does not increase the allowable individual or cumulative cccupational radiation exposure. Accordingly, the Commission concludes that this proposed exemption would result in no significant radiological environmental impact.
With regard to potential non-radiological impacts, the proposed exemption involves systens located within the restricted areas as defined in 10 CFR Part 20.
It does not affect non-radiological plant effluents and has no other environmental impact. Therefore, the Commission concludes that there are no significant non-radiological environmental impacts associated with the proposed exemption.
Therefore, the proposed exemption does not significantly change the conclusions in the "Final Environmental Statement Related to the Operation of Sequoyah Nuclear Plant Units 1 and 2," dated July 1974 Alternative to the Proposed Action:
Because the staff has concluded that there is no significant environmental impact associated with the proposed exemption, alternatives with equal or greater environmental impacts were not evaluated.
Alternative Use of Resources:
This action does not involve the use of resources not previously considered in connection with the "Final Environmental Statement Related to the Operation of Sequoyah Nuclear Plant, Units 1 and 2" dated July 1974 Agencies and Persons consulted:
The NRC staff reviewed the licensee's request i
for the proposed exemption. The NRC staff did not consult other agencies or persons.
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FINDING OF NO SIGNIFICANT IMPACT The Comission has determined not to prepare an environmental impact statement for the proposed exemption.
Based upon the environmental assessment, we conclude that the proposed i
action will not have a significant adverse effect on the quality of the human environment.
For details with respect to this action, see the request for exemption dated August 5, 1987, which is available for public inspection at the Comission's Public Document Room,1717 H Street, N.W., Washington, D. C., and at the Chattanooga-Hamilton County Bicentennial Library, 1001 Broad Street, Chattanooga, Tennessee 37402.
Dated at Rockville, Maryland, this 15ttday of June 1988.
FOR THE NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION h
Suzanne Black, Assistant Director l
for Projects TVA Projects Division Office of Special Projects
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