ML20246B129

Notice of Issuance of Environ Assessment & Finding of No Significant Impact Allowing Util to possess-but-not-operate Permanently Shutdown Facility

ML20246B129
Person / Time
Site:	Fermi
Issue date:	04/20/1989
From:	Chris Miller Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation
To:
Shared Package
ML20246B071	List: ML20246B067 ML20246B111 ML20246B129 ML20246B151 ML20246B289
References
NUDOCS 8905080411
Download: ML20246B129 (2)

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7590 1 UNITED STATES NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION )

DETROIT EDISON COMPANY DOCKET NO. 50-16 j NOTICE OF ISSUANCE OF ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT AND FINDING OF NO SIGNIFICANT IMPACT The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (the Commission) is considering the issuance of an amendment to Possession-Only License No. DPR-9 which currently allows Detroit Edison Company (the licensee) to possess-but-not-operate the permanently shut down Enrico Fermi Atomic Power Plant, Unit No. 1 (Fermi 1). ]

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-The amendment would renew Possession-Only License No. DPR-9 to extend the I expiration date of the license from June 30, 1985 to March 20, 2025.  ;

Description of Proposed Action  !

Fermi 1 has been shut down since September 22, 1972 and all fuel has been i removed f rom the site. The licensee intends to retain Fermi 1 in a safe storage (SAFSTOR) status until after the Fermi 2 license expires on March 20, 2025, at which time the residual radioactivity will be removed from Unit 1 to levels acceptable for release of the facility to unrestricted access.

Environmental Impacts Fermi 1 is now maintained in a shutdown status in accordance with the Technical Specifications and ALARA requirements of 10 CFR Pcrt 20. The residual radioactivity (477 curies) at Fermi 1 will decay significantly in the 40-year period of the proposed license renewal. There is very little potential for a release of radioactivity to the environment or a significant radiation i exposure of workers because more than 95 percent of the residual radioactivity remains as activated metal coroonents that are sealed within the reactor vessel which is in turn surrounded by a metal containment building.

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The 40-year delay in removal of residual radioactivity will reduce potential exposure rates to workers that would dismantle Fermi i by a factor of about 100. In addition, the 40-year delay will result in a smaller volume of radioactive waste to be disposed of at the time of decontamination as compared to immediate decontamination. The smaller volume of radioactive waste will result in the use of a smaller area at a waste burial facility.

Finding of No Significant Impact The staff has' reviewed the proposed renewal of the Fermi 1 facility license relative to the requirements set forth in 10 CFR Part 51. Based upon the envi-ronmental assessment, the staff concluded that there are no significant environ-mental impacts associated with the proposed action and that the proposed license amendment will not have a significant effect on the quality of the human environ-ment. Therefore, the Commission had determined, pursuant to 10 CFR 51.31, not to prepare an environmental impact statement for the proposed amendment.

For further details with respect to this action, see (1) the application for amendment dated May 17, 1985 as supplemented by letters dated July 23, 1986, September 15, 1986, September 25, 1987, September 15, 1988 and December 22, 1988 and42)'theEnvironmentalAssessment. These documents are available for public inspection at the Commission's Public Document Room, 2120 L Street, N.W.

Washington, D.C., 20555, and at the Monroe County Library System, 3700 South Custer Road, Monroe, Michigan 48161.

Dated at Rockville, Maryland this 20 th day of April 1939.

FOR THE NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION M Y MW Charles L. Miller, Director Standardization and Non-Power Reactor Project Directorate Division of Reactor Projects - III, IV, V and Special Projects Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation