ML20205A525
| ML20205A525 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | 07003014 |
| Issue date: | 04/04/1985 |
| From: | Crow W, Kodali K NRC OFFICE OF NUCLEAR MATERIAL SAFETY & SAFEGUARDS (NMSS) |
| To: | |
| Shared Package | |
| ML20205A485 | List: |
| References | |
| NUDOCS 8504250538 | |
| Download: ML20205A525 (3) | |
Text
- _ ______________
. Q.
M 4 1985 DOCKET NO.: 70-3014 APPLICANT: Northeast Nuclear Energy Company (NU)
Connecticut Light & Power Company )
Western Massachusetts Electric Company New England Power Company United Illuminating Company Public Service Company of N2w Hampshire Central Vermont Public Service Corporation Montaup Electric Company City of Burlington, Vermont, Electric Light Department Chicopee Municipal Lighting Plant Massachusetts Municipal Wholesale Electric Company Vermont Electric Generation and Transmission Cooperative, Inc.
Central Maine Power Company Village of Lyndonville Electric Department.
Connecticut Municipal Electric Energy Cooperative Fitchburg Gas and Electric Light Cdo.pany' FACILITY: Millstone Nuclear Power Station (MNPP), Unit No. 3
SUBJECT:
ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT - LICENSE APPLICATION TO RECEIVE NEW FUEL i Background
- ~
By letter dated January 28, 1985 and its supplement dated March 20, 1985, Northeast Nuclear Energy Company (NU), acting on its own behalf and as agent l
for the above utilities applied for an NRC license to permit the receipt, possession, inspection, and storage of special nuclear material in the form of unitradiated nuclear fuel assemblies. In addition, NU as part of the license application, seeks authorization to receive, possess, inspect, and store Cf-252 l neutron sources, U-235 flux mapping detectors, an Am-Be boronometer source,
( U-235 post-accident monitoring detectors, and Np-237 irradiation surveillance l capsules. The materials are for eventual use in MNPP, Unit 3. In accordance l with 10 CFR 51.21, the NRC has prepared this assessment of the environmental l impacts that may be caused by issuance of the requested license. Because of the form and small amount (gram quantities) of nuclear materials contained in j the neutron sources, various detectors, boronometer source, and surveillance capsules, storage of these materials will pose no threat to the environment.
Therefore, the discussion below will be limited to assessing the potential for environmental impacts resulting from the storage of new fuel assemblies at MNPP, Unit 3.
The Proposed Action The proposed action is issuance of a license pursuant to 10 CFR 70 that will authorize NU to receive, possess, inspect, and store 203 fresh fuel assemblies 8504250538 850416 PDR ADOCK 07003014 C PDR
. . ~ ., - N ,
2 APR 4 1985 at MNPP, Unit 3. The license has been requested by April 15, 1985, and would be effective until it can be superseded by NU's operating license under 10 CFR
- 50. The fuel assemblies contain uranium dioxide (UO 2 ) pellets that have a maximum uranium-235 enrichment of 3.45 percent by weight and are encapsulated in zircaloy tubing. Issuance of the license would result in the receipt, possession, inspection, and storage of the unirradiated fuel assemblies at MNPP, Unit 3. The transport of new fuel to MNPP, Unit 3, will be the responsi-bility of the fuel fabricator. However, the proposed license would authorize the applicant to transport, or deliver to a carrier for transport, the assemblies in approved packages if this should become necessary (e.g. , to return defective fuel to the manufacturer).
Need for the Proposed Action The applicant proposes to receive and store fresh fuel prior to issuance of the Part 50 operating license in order to inspect the assemblies and to finalize fuel preparation (e.g., add necessary hardware) needed to load the fuel into the reactor core vessel. Early completion of this fuel handling will help avoid delays in the MNPP, Unit 3, startup once its operating license is issued.
Alternatives to the Proposed Action and their Environmental Impacts Alternatives to the proposed action include complete denial of NU's application.
Assuming the operating license will eventually be issued, denial of the storage only license now would merely postpone new fuel receipt at MNPP, Unit 3. Such action, as well as any other alternative that can be imagined, would not present an environmental advantage because, as discussed below, no environmental impacts are expected to result from the proposed action.
Environmental Impacts of the Proposed Action A Final Environmental Statement (NUREG-1064) associated with the full-scale operation of MNPP, Unit 3, has already been issued by the NRC. Based on the evaluation in this statement, the environmental impacts of plant operation subject to proposed conditions for environmental protection are expected to be small. New fuel receipt and storage is only a small part of MNPP, Unit 3's, overall operation that will eventually include handling of irradiated fuel which is significantly more hazardous. Accordingly, the environmental impact from handling unirradiated fuel is expected to be very minor.
Once at MNPP, Unit 3, the new fuel will be received at the Fuel Building. In the Fuel Building, the shipping containers will be surveyed for external con-tamination and inspected for damage. Assuming no external contamination is detected, the fuel is then removed from the container, surveyed, inspected, and transported to a storage location in the spent fuel racks located in the spent fuel pool. The design of these racks, combined with plant procedures, will ensure acceptable protection of the fuel assemblies from excessive physical damage either under normal or abnormal conditions. The presence of engineered-l safety features and administrative controls minimize the likelihood of an accident situation occurring during fuel handling activities. Only a small amount, if any, of radioactive waste may be generated during this handling (e.g., smear papers or contaminated package material) and any waste that is produced will be properly stored onsite until it can be shipped to a licensed disposal facility.
r !
- e. .,
3 APR 4 1985 In the event the applicant must return assemblies to the fuel fabricator, all packaging and transport of fuel will be in.accordance with 10 CFR 71. The. !
package will meet NRC approval requirements for normal conditions of transport '
and hypothetical accident conditions. No significant external radiation hazards are associated with the unirradiated assemblies because the radiation level from the clad fuel pellets is low and because the shipping packages must meet the external. radiation standards in 10 CFR 71. Therefore, any shipment of unirradiated fuel by the applicant is expected to have an insignificant environ-mental impact.
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 environmental impact would result. The fuel pellets are composed of a ceramic UO2 that have been pelletized and sintered to a very high density. In this form, release of UO2 aerosol is highly unlikely except under conditions of deliberate grinding. Additionally, UO2 is soluble only in acid solution so dissolution and release to the environment are extremely unlikely.
All fuel handling activities will be in accordance with approved procedures to assure nuclear criticality and radiation safety. Safety will be further' assured by the presence of redundant engineering safeguards. Therefore, the proposed fuel handling and storage activities are critically safe (see the Safety Evaluation Report supporting this license) and no environmental impacts from an accidental criticality are expected.
Conclusion Based upon the information presented above, the environmental impacts associated with new fuel storage at MNPP, Unit 3, are expected to be insignificant. _ Essentially no effluents, liquid or airborne, will be released and acceptable controls will be implemented to prevent a radiological accident. Therefore, in accordance with 10 CFR 51.31, a Finding of No Significant Impact is considered appropriate for this action.
Ongmal signed by:
Kahwe Kodali Kishore K. Kodali Uranium Process Licensing Section Uranium Fuel Licensing Branch Division of Fuel Cycle and Material Safety, NMSS Origital signed byi_. _
Approved by: w. T. crow W. T. Crow, Section Leader OFC: FCUP : :
g ..:FCUP g ___:_FCUP :FCUFf M_gp _ :FCUF
_ _ .g _ _ ____y NAME: KKodali/as: SWyngarden: NKetzlach: VL 'harpe: WTCrow : :
DATE:4/3 /85 :4/d /85 :4////85 :4/0@85 :4/d/85 : :
DFFICIAL RECORD COPY
. . - . - - --