ML20246E377
| ML20246E377 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | South Texas  |
| Issue date: | 05/01/1989 |
| From: | Calvo J Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation |
| To: | |
| Shared Package | |
| ML20246E381 | List: |
| References | |
| NUDOCS 8905110245 | |
| Download: ML20246E377 (4) | |
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7590-01 UNITED STATES. NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION HOUSTON. LIGHTING & POWER COMPANY,.ET.AL.
SOUTH TEXAS PROJECT, UNIT 1 DOCKET NO. 50-498 ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT AND FINDING OF N0.SIGNIFICANT INPACT The U. S. Nuclear Regulatory Comission (the Comission) is considering the issuance of an amendment to Facility Operating License No. NPF-76, issued to Houston Lighting & Power Company, et al., (the licensee) for the South Texas Project, Unit 1, located at the licensee's site in Matagorda County, Texas.
ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT Identification.of Proposed. Action:
The proposed amendment would revise provisions in the Final Safety Analysis Report (FSAR) and modify the logic of the Engineered Safety Feature Actuation System (ESFAS) such that failure of radiation monitors located in three areas of the plant would annunciate in the control room instead of actuating Engineered Safety Features (ESF).
The proposed action is in accordance with the licensee's application for amendment dated February 24, 1988.
The.Need for.The. Proposed. Action:
The proposed change will reduce the number of unnecessary ESF actuations.
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' q Environmental Impacts of the proposed Action:
The proposed change would modify the ESFAS logic such that radiation monitor failures will annunciate in the control room rather than cause an ESF actuation. Currently, ESF actuation will occur automatically upon either failure of a radiation monitor or a high radiation signal in either of two redundant monitors. The consequences of an accident could increase only if the accident is postulated to occur while one radiation monitor is out of service and the other fails simultaneously.
In that situation, the ESF would not be actuated on a high radiation condition. However, the Technical Specifications require imediate action (within I hour) if the appropriate number of monitors are not operable. Consequently, there is no significant hazard associated with the change. Moreover, the slightly increased consequences of such an accident would not affect offsite releases. Therefore, the proposed changes only very slightly increase the consequences of accidents, no changes are being made in the types of any effluents that may be released offsite, and there is no significant increase in the allowable individual or cumulative occupational radiation exposure. Accordingly, the Comission concludes that this proposed I
action would result in no significant radiological environmental impact.
With regard to potential non-radiological impacts, the proposed change involves systems located within the restricted area as defined in 10 CFR part 20.
It does not affect non-radiological plant effluents and has no other environmental impact. Therefore, the Comission concludes that there are no significant non-radiological environmental impacts associated with the proposed amendment.
l The Notice of Consideration of Issuance of Amendment and Opportunity for l
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Hearing in connection with this action was published in the FEDERAL REGISTER l
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on September 12,1988(53FR35244). No request for hearing or petition for leave to intervene was filed following this notice.
Alternatives.to the Proposed. Action:
Since the Commission concluded that there are no significant environmental effects that would result from the proposed action, any alternative with equal or greater environmental impacts need not be evaluated.
The principal alternative would be to deny the requested amendment. This would not reduce environmental impacts of plant operation and would result in reduced operational flexibility.
Alternative Use-of-Resources:
This action does not involve the use of any resources not previously considered in the Final Environmental Statement (NUREG-171) for the South Texas Project, Units 1 and 2.
Agencies.and persons Consulted:
The NRC staff reviewed the licensee's request and did not consult other agencies or persons.
FINDING.0F.NO.SIGNIFICANT.INPACT The Commission has determined not to prepare an environmental impact statement for the proposed license amendment.
Based upon the foregoing environmental assessment, we conclude that the proposed action will not have a significant effect on the quality of the human environment.
For information concerning this action, see the application of amendment dated February 24, 1988, which is available for public inspection at the Commission's Public Document Room, 2120 L Street, N.W., Washington, D.C., and
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at the Wharton County Junior College, J. M. Hodges Learning Center, 911 Boling Highway, Wharton, Texas 77488 and Austin Public Library, 810 Guadalupe Street, Austin, Texas 78701.
Dated at Rockville, Me.ryland this 1st day of May 1989.
FOR THE NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION
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ose A. Calvo, Director Project Directorate - IV Division of Reactor Projects - III, IV, V.and Special Projects Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation
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