ML20203L132
| ML20203L132 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Quad Cities  |
| Issue date: | 02/25/1998 |
| From: | Capra R NRC (Affiliation Not Assigned) |
| To: | |
| Shared Package | |
| ML20203L134 | List: |
| References | |
| NUDOCS 9803050370 | |
| Download: ML20203L132 (4) | |
Text
o 7590-01 P UNITED STATES NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION COMMQNWEALTH EDISON COMPANY 6NQ MIDAMERICAN ENERGY COMPANY DOCKET NOS. 50-254 AND 50-265 QUAD CITIES NUCLEAR POWER STATION. UNITS 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 certain requirements of its regulations to Facility Operating License Nos.
DPR-29 and DPR 30, issued to Commonwealth Edison Company ( the licensee), for operation of the Quad Cities Nuclear Power Station, Units 1 and 2, located in Rock Island County, Illinois.
ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT Identification of the Proposed Action:
The proposed action would exempt the licensee from the requirements of 10 CFR 70.24, which requires in each area in which special nuclear material is handled, used, or stored a monitoring system that will energize clear audible alarms if accidental criticality occurs. The proposed action would also exempt the licensee from the requirements to maintain emergency procedures for each area in which this licensed special nuclear material is handled, used, or stored to ensura that all personnel withdraw to an area of safety upon the sounding of the alarm, to familiarize personnel with the evacuation plan, to designate responsible individuals for determining the cause of the alarm, and to place radiation survey instruments in accessible locations for use in such an emergency.
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2 The proposed action is in accordance with the licensees' application for exemption dated October 27,1997.
The Need for the Proposed Action:
The purpose of 10 CFR 70.24 is to ensure that N a criticality were to occur during the handling of special nuclear material, personnel would be alsried to that fact and would take appropriate action. At a commercial nuclear power plant, the inadvertent criticality with which 10 CFR 70.24 is concemed could occur during fuel handling operations. The special nuclear material that could be assembled into a critical mass at a commercial nuclear power plant is in the form of nuclear fuel; the quantity of other forms of specir.1 nuclear material that is stored onsite in any given location is small enough to preclude achieving a critical mass. Because the fuel is not enriched beyond 5.0 weight percent uranium-235, and because commercial nuclear plant licensees have procedures and features that are designed to prevent inadvertent criticality, the staff has determined that it is unlikey that an inadvertent criticality could occur due to the handling of special nuclear material at a commercial power reactor. Therefore, the requirements r>f 10 CFR 70.24 are not necessary to ensure the safety of personnel during the handling of special nuclear materials at commercial power reactors.
EnvironmentalImosets of the Procosed Action:
The Commission has completed its evaluation of the $wposed action and concludes that inadvertent or accidental criticality will be precluded through compliance with the Quad Cities Technical Specifications, the design of the fuel storage racks providing geometric spacing of fuel assemblies in their storage locations, and administrative controls imposed on fuel handling procedures.
The proposed exemption would not result in an increase in the probability or consequences of accidents, affect radiological plant effluents, or cause any significant i
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Eegi-e: exposures. Therefom, there are no radiologicalimpads associated with the proposed exemption.
The proposed exemption would not result in a change in nonrediological effluents and will have no other nonradiological environmental imped.
Accordingly, the Commission concludes that there are no s6gnificant environmental impads associated with the proposed action.
Ahematives to the Pronosed Act!on:
since the Commission has concluded that there is no measureWe environmentalimpact associated with the proposed action, any altematives with equal or greater environmental impact need not be evaluated. As e altomative to the proposed exemption, the staff considered denial of the requested exemption. Denial of the request would result in no change in current environ nentalimpacts. The environmental impacts of the proposed action and the allemative action are similar.
Altemative Use of Resources:
This action does not involve the use of any resources not previously considered in the -
Final Environmental Statement related to the operation of Quad Cities dated September 1972.
Acencies and Persons Consulted' in socordance with its stated pol"y, on January 16,1990, the staff consulted with the lilinois State official, Frank Niziolek, of the lilinois Departnient of Nuclear Safety, regarding the environmentallmpact of the proposed action. The State official had no comments.
FINDING OF NO SIGNIFICANTIMPACT 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, w:
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4 Accordingly, the Commission has determlood no. o propero an environmental impact statement for the proposed action.
For further details with respect to the proposed action, see the licensees' letter dated October 27,1997, which is available for pubSc inspection at the Commission's Public Document Room located at the Golman Duilding,2120 L Street, NW., Washington, DC, and at the local public document room located at the Dixon Public Library,221 Hennepin Avenue, Dixon, Illinois 61021.
Dated at Rockville, Maryland, this 25 day of February 1998.
FOR THE NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION Y Y* W Robert A. Capra, Director Project Directorate lil 2 Division of Reactor Projects ill/IV Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation
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