ML20210E097
| ML20210E097 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | 07003016 |
| Issue date: | 09/23/1986 |
| From: | Crow W NRC OFFICE OF NUCLEAR MATERIAL SAFETY & SAFEGUARDS (NMSS) |
| To: | |
| Shared Package | |
| ML20210E021 | List: |
| References | |
| NUDOCS 8702100228 | |
| Download: ML20210E097 (6) | |
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7590-01 U.S. NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION FINDING OF NO SIGNIFICANT IMPACT ISSUANCE OF SPECIAL NUCLEAR MATERIALS LICENSE NO. SNM-1972 HOUSTON LIGHTING AND POWER COMPANY, ET AL.
MATAGORDA COUNTY, TEXAS DOCKET NO. 70-3016 The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (the Commission) is considering the issuance of Special Nuclear Materials License No. SNM- 1972 to Houston Lighting and Power Company, City Public Service Board of San Antonio, Texas, Central Power and Light Company, Corpus Christi, Texas, and the City of Austin, Texas, (the applicants) for the South Texas Project Electric Generating Station (STPEGS),
Unit 1, located in Matagorda County, Texas.
Environmental Assessment i
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Identification of' Proposed Action: The proposed action would authorize the applicants to receive, possess, inspect, and store special nuclear materials in l the form of unirradiated fuel assemblies. The discussion below will be limited l to assessing the potential for environmental impacts resulting from the handling and the storage of new fuel at STPEGS, Unit 1.
The Need for the Proposed Action: The proposed license will allow the applicants to receive and store fresh fuel prior to issuance of the Part 50 870210o228 86
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operating license in order to inspect the fuel and finalize fuel preparation needed to load the fuel into the reactor vessel. Actual core loading, Iowever, will not be authorized by the proposed license.
Environmental Impacts of the Proposed Action A. Nuclear Criticality and Radiation Safety Once at STPEGS, Unit 1, the new fuel may be temporarily stored in their shipping containers in the new fuel inspection lay-down area and the new fuel handling area prior to placement in their designated storage loca-tions: the new fuel storage pit and the spent fuel pool located in the Fuel Handling Building. The shipping container array to be utilized at STPEGS, Unit 1, has been analyzed under all degrees of water moderation and/or reflection and found to be critically safe.
Upon removal of the fuel assemblies from the shipping containers, they are inspected and surveyed for any external contamination. Assuming no con-tamination is'found, the assemblies are transferred to their designated storage location. Criticality safety of the storage locations (new fuel i
i and spent fuel racks) is maintained by limiting the interaction between adjacent fuel assemblies. This is accomplished in the new fuel storage pit such that fuel assemblies will be stored in three 2 X 11 modules, with 1
a center-to-center spacing of 21 inches, providing a minimum of 12 inches between adjacent fuel assemblies. Fuel assemblies stored in the spent fuel pool will be placed in modules providing a minimum of 14 inch center-to-center spacing between adjacent fuel assemblies. The staff has
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3 determined that such storage arrangements are critically safe under all degrees of water moderation and/or reflection. Therefore, nuclear criticality safety of the storage racks is assured.
Since the fresh fuel assemblies are sealed sources, the principal exposure pathway to an individual 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 maximum permissible exposure specified in 10 CFR 20. In addition, the applicants are committed to establishing a program for maintaining general public exposure as low as reasonably achievable. Therefore, the staff has concluded that the applicants' requested operations can be carried out with adequate radiation protection o.f the public and environment.
Only a small amount, if any-l of radioactive waste (e.g. , smear papers and/or contaminated packaged material) is expected to be generated as a i
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 j disposal facility.
B. Transp~ortation l
In the event the applicants must return the fuel to the fuel fabricator, all packaging and transport of fuel will be in accordance with 10 CFR 71.
No significant external radiation hazards are associated with the unirradi-i I
ated fuel, because the radiation level from the clad fuel pellets is low
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and the shipping packages must meet the external radiation standards in 10 CFR Part 71. Therefore, shipment of unirradiated fuel by the applicants is expected to have an insignificant impact upon the environment.
C. Accident Analysis In the unlikely event that an assembly (either within or outside its shipping container) is dropped during transfer, fuel cladding is not expected to ruptrre. 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 UO 2 that has been pelletized and sintered to a very high density. In this form, release of UO2 aerosol is unlikely except under conditions of deliberate grinding. Additionally, U02is soluble only in acid solution so dissolution and release to the environment are extremely unlikely. -
l D. Conclusion The environmental impacts associated with the handling and storage of new fuel at STPEGS, Unit 1, 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, the staff concludes that there will be no significant impacts associated with the proposed action.
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5 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 STPEGS, Unit 1. Although denial of the Special Nuclear Materials License for STPEGS, Unit 1, is an alternative available to the Commission, 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 Commission's Final Environmental Statement (NUREG-1171) dated August 1986 related to this facility.
Agencies and Persons Contacted: The Commission's staff reviewed the applicants' request of June 14, 1985, and did not consult other agencies or persons.
Finding of No Significant Impact: The Commission has prepared an Environmental Assessment related to the issuance of Special Nuclear Materials License No.
SNM-1972. On the basis of this assessment, the Commission has concluded that environmental impacts created by the proposed licensing action would not be significant and does not warrant the preparation of an Environmental Impact l Assessment. Accordingly, it has been determined that a Finding of No Significant l
Impact is appropriate.
The Environmental Assessment and the above documents related to this proposed action are available for public inspection and copying at the Commission's
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6 Public Document Room, 1717 H Street, NW., Washington, DC. Copies of the Environmental Assessment may be obtained by calling (301) 427-4510 or by writing to the Uranium Fuel Licensing Branch, Division of Fuel Cycle and Material Safety, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Washington, DC 20555.
l Dated at Silver Spring, Maryland this 23rd day of September 1986. ,
i FOR THE NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION f0/cl W. T. Crow, Acting Chief i Uranium Fuel Licensing Branch '
Division of Fuel Cycle and Material Safety, NMSS 0
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