ML20247F609
| ML20247F609 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Mcguire, McGuire, 07201021  |
| Issue date: | 05/06/1998 |
| From: | Shankman S NRC OFFICE OF NUCLEAR MATERIAL SAFETY & SAFEGUARDS (NMSS) |
| To: | |
| Shared Package | |
| ML20247F612 | List: |
| References | |
| NUDOCS 9805190453 | |
| Download: ML20247F609 (5) | |
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7590-01 U S. NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION DOCKET 72-1021 TRANSNUCLEAR. INC.
ISSUANCE OF ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT AND FINDING OF NO SIGNIFICANTIMPACT REGARDING THE REQUEST FOR EXEMPTION FROM 10 CFR 72.234(C)
By letter dated March 11,1998, Transnuclear, Inc. (TN or applicant) requested an exemption, pursuant to 10 CFR 72.7, from the requirements of 10 CFR 72.234(c). TN, located in Hawthome, New '/ork, is seeking Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC or the Commission) approval to fabricate five TN-32 dry spent fuel storage casks prior to receipt of a Certificate of Compliance (COC). The casks are intended for use under the general license provisions of Subpart K of 10 CFR Part 72 by Duke Power Company (Duke) at the McGuire Nuclear Station (McGuire) located in Comelius, North Carolina. The TN-32 dry spent fuel storage cask is currently used at Surry Power Station under a site-specific license.
ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT (EA)
Identification of Proposed Action: The applicant is seeking Commission approval to fabricate five TN-32 casks prior to the Commission's issuance of a COC. The applicant requests an exemption from the requirements of 10 CFR 72.234(c), which state that
" Fabrication of casks under the Certificate of Compliance must not start prior to receipt of the Certificate of Compliarice for the cask model." The proposed action before the Commission is whether to grant this exemption under 10 CFR 72.7.
Need for the Proposed Action: TN requested the exemption to ensure the availability of storage casks so that Du'w can maintain full core off-load capability at McGuire. McGuire Unit 2 will lose full core off-load capability in August 2000. McGuire has proposed an initial cask leading in September 2000. To support training and dry runs prior to the initial loading, Duke requests the delivery of the first cask by January 2000. TN states that to meet this schedule, purchase of cask components must begin promptly and fabrication must begin by September 1998.
9805190453 900506 PDR ADOCK 0 9
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j The TN-32 COC application, dated September 24,1997, is under consideration by the l
Commission. It is anticipated, if approved, the TN-32 COC may be issued in late 1999.
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The proposed fabrication exemption will not authorize use of the casks to store spent fuel. That will occur only when, and if, a COC is issued. NRC approval of the fabrication exemption request should not be construed as an NRC commitment to favorably consider TN's application for a COC. TN will bear the risk of all activities conducted under the exemption, l
including the risk that the five casks TN plans to construct may not be usable because they may
' not meet specifications or conditions placed in a COC that NRC may ultimately approve.
Environmental lmoacts of the Proposed Action: The Environmental Assessment for the final rule, " Storage of Spent Nuclear Fuel in NRC-Approved Storage Casks at Nuclear Power Reactor Sites", (55 FR 29181 (1990) ) considered the potential environmental impacts of casks l
which are usef *mtore spent fuel under a COC and concluded that there would be no significant environmental impacts. The proposed action now under consideration would not j
permit use of the casks, but only fabrication. There are no radiological environmental impacts l
from fabrication since cask fabrication does not involve radiological or radioactive materials.
The major non-radiological environmental impacts involve use of naturai resources due to cask fabrication. Each TN-32 storage cask weighs approximately 100 tons and is fabricated mainly from steel and plastic. The estimated 500 tons of steel required for five casks is expected to have very little impact on the steel industry. Additionally, the estimated 5 tons of plastic required for five casks is insignificant compared to the millions of tons of plastic produced annually.
Cask fabrication would be at a metal fabrication facility, not at the reactor site. Fabrication of five casks is insignificant compared to the amount of metal fabrication performed annually in the United States. If the casks are not usable, the casks could be disposed of or recycled. The amount of material disposed of is insignificant compared to the amount of steel and plastic that is disposed of annually in the United States. Based upon this information, the fabrication of five casks will have no significant impact on the environment since no radioactive materials are involved, and the amount of natural resources used is minimal.
Altemative to the Proposed Action: Since there is no significant environmental impact associated with the proposed action, any attematives with equal or greater environmental irnpact are not evaluated. The altemative to the proposed action would be to deny approval of the exemption and, therefore, not allow cask fabrication until a COC is issued. However, the environmental impacts of the proposed action and the altemative action would be the same.
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i Given that there are no significant differences in environmental impacts between the proposed action and the altamative considered and that the applicant has a legitimate need to fabricate the casks prior to certification and is willing to assume the risk that the fabricated casks may not be certified or may require modification, the Commission concludes that the preferred attemative is to grant the exemption.
Aaencies and Persons Consulted: The North Carolina Division of Radiation Protection was consulted about the EA for the proposed action and had no concoms.
References used in preparation of the EA:
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NRC, Environmental Assessment Regarding Final Rule, " Storage of Spent Fuel l
in NRC-Approved Storage Casks at Power Reactor Sites," 55 FR 29181.
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NRC,10 CFR Part 51, Environmental Protection Regulations for Domestic Licensing and Related Regulatory Functions.
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FINDING OF NO SIGNIFICANT IMPACT 1
l The environmental impacts of the proposed action have been reviewed in accordance with the requirements set forth in 10 CFR Part 51. Based upon the foregoing EA, the Commission finds that the proposed action of granting an exemption from 10 CFR 72.234(c) so that TN may fabricate five TN-32 casks prior to issuance of a COC will not significantly impact the quality of the human environment. Accordingly, the Commission has determined not to prepare an environmental impact statement for the proposed exemption.
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This application was docketed under 10 CFR Part 72, Docket 72-1021. ' For further l
details with respect to this action, see the application dated March 11,1998, which is available for public inspection at the Commission's Public Document Room,2120 L Street, NW, Washington, DC 20555, and the Local Public Document Room at the J. Murrey Atkins Library, University of North Carolina at Charlotte, UNCC Station, Charlotte, NC 28223.
Dated at Rockville, Maryland, this 6th day of May 1998.
FOR THE NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION ORIGINAL SIGNED BY /s/
Susan F. Shankman Acting Deputy Director Spent Fuel Project Office Office of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards OFC
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McGuire Nuclear Station 72-1621 (50-369,-370) cc:
Mr. Paul R. Newton Ms. Karen E. Long Legal Department (PBOSE)
Assistant Attorney General Duke Energy Corporation North Carolina Department of j
422 South Church Street Justice Charlotte, NC 28242 P. O. Box 62g Raleigh,NC 27602 County Manager of Mecklenburg County L. A. Keller 720 East Fourth Street Manager-Nuclear Regulatory Charlotte,NC 28202 Licensing Duke Energy Corporation i -
Michael T. Cash 526 South Church Street Regulatory Compliance Manager Charlotte,NC 28242 Duke Energy Corporation McGuire Nuclear Site Regional Administrator, Region 11 l
12700 Hagers Ferry Road U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Huntersville,NC 28078 Atlanta Federal Center 61 Forsyth Street, S.W., Suite 23T85 J. Michael McGarry,111, Esquire Atlanta, GA 30303 Winston and Strawn 1400 L Street, NW.
Elaine Wathen, Lead REP Planner Washington,DC 20005 Division of Emergency Management 116 West Jones Street Senior Resident inspector Raleigh, NC 27603-1335 c/o U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Mr. Richard M. Fry, Director 12700 Hagers Ferry Road Division of Radiation Protection Huntersville, NC 28078 North Carolina Department of Environment, Health and Natural Mr. Peter R. Harden, IV Resources l
Account Sales Manager 3825 Barrett Drive Westinghouse Electric Corporation Raleigh, NC 27609-7721 Power Systems Field Sales P. O. Box 7288 Mr. T. Richard Puryear Charlotte, NC 28241 Owners Group (NCEMC)
Duke Energy Corporation Dr. John M. Barry 4800 Concord Road Mecklenberg County York, SC 29745 Department of Environmental Protection 700 N.Tryon Street Charlotte,NC 28202 l
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