ML20247M804
| ML20247M804 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Fermi  |
| Issue date: | 05/20/1998 |
| From: | Kugler A NRC (Affiliation Not Assigned) |
| To: | |
| Shared Package | |
| ML20247M809 | List: |
| References | |
| NUDOCS 9805260382 | |
| Download: ML20247M804 (4) | |
Text
f 7590-01-P UNITED STATES NUCI FAR REGULATORY COMMISSION l
DETROIT EDISON COMPANY DOCKET NO. 50-341 FERMI 2 ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT AND FINDING OF NO SIGNIFICANT IMPACT The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (the Commission) is considering issuance of I
an exemption from certain requirements of its regulations to Facility Operating License No. NPF-43, issued to Detroit Edison Company (the licensee), for operation of the Fermi 2 plant, located in Monroe County, Michigan.
ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT Identification of the Prooosed Action:
The proposed action would exempt the licensee, in certain cases, from the requirements of 10 CFR 70.24(a), which, in part, requires a monitoring system in each area in which special 1
nuclear material is handled, used, or stored, that will energize clear audible alarms if accidental criticality occurs.
The proposed action is in accordance with the licensee's application for exemption dated April 27,1998.
The Need for the Prooosed Action:
The purpose of 10 CFR 70.24 is to ensure that if a criticality were to occur during the handling of special nuclear material, personnel would be alerted to that fact and would take appropriate action. At a commercial nuclear power plant, the inadvertent criticality with which l
10 CFR 70.24 is concemed could occur during fuel handling operations. The special nuclear 9805260382 980520 F
PDR ADOCK 05000341 P
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..- material that could be assembled into a critical mass at a commercial nuclear power plant is in the form of nucisar fuel; the quantity of oth'er forms of special nuclear material that is stored L
onsite in any given location (e.g., calibration sources or in-core instrumentation that is not in l
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use) is small enough to preclude achieving a critical mass. Because the fuel is not enriched
. beyond 5.0 weight percent uranium-235, and because commercial nuclear plant licensees have l
procedures and features that are designed to prevent inadvertent criticality,'the staff has j
l determined that it is unlikely that an inadvertent criticality could occur due to the handling of l
special nuclear material at a commercial power reactor. Therefore, an exemption from the l
requirements of 10 CFR 70.24 in selected cases will not have a negative impact on the safety.
of personnel during the handling of special nuclear materials at commercial power reactors.
EnvironmentalImoacts of the Prooosed Action:
I The Commission has completed its evaluation of the proposed action and concludes that inadvertent or accidental criticality will be precluded through compliance with the Fermi 2 Technical Specifications, the design of the fuel storage racks providing geometric spacing of fuel assemblies in their storage locations, and administrative controls imposed on fuel handling procedures.
The proposed exemption will not result in an increase in the probability or consequences of accidents, affect radiological plant effluents or offsite dose, or cause any significant occupational exposures. Therefore, there are no radiological impacts associated with the j
proposed exemption.
The proposed exemption will not result in a change in nonradiological effluents and will have no other nonradiological environmental impact.
T Accordingly, the Commission concludes that there are no significant environmental impacts associated with the proposed action.
Attematives to the Prooosed Action:
j Since the Commission has concluded that there is no significant environmental impact i
associated with the proposed action, any alternatives with equal or greater environmental impact need not be evaluated. As an altemative to the proposed exemption, the staff l
l considered denial of the requested exemption. Denial of the request would result in no change in current environmentalimpacts. The environmentalimpacts of the proposed action and the alternative action are similar.
Altemative Use of Resources:
This action does not involve the use of any resources not previously considered in the Final Environmental Statement related to the operation of Fermi 2 dated August 1981.
Aaencies and Persons Consulted:
In accordance with its stated policy, on May 7,1998, the staff consulted with the Michigan State official, Dennis Hahn, of the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality, regarding the environmentalirnpact of the proposed action. The State official had no comments.
EIND!NG OF NO SIGNIFICANT IMPACT Based upon the environmental assessment, the Commission concludes that the proposed action will not have a significant effect on the quality of the human environment.
Accordingly, the Commission has determined not to prepare an environmental impact statement for the proposed action.
For further details with respect to the proposed action, see the licensee's letter dated April 27,1998, which is available for public inspection at the Commission's Public Document
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Room located at the Gelman Building,2120 L Street, NW., Washington, DC, and at the local public document room located at the Monroe County Library System,3700 South Custer Road, Monroe, Michigan 48161.
Dated at Rockville, Maryland, this 20th ay of May 1998.
d FOR THE NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION Andrew J. Kugler, Project Manager Project Directorate ill-1 Division of Reactor Projects lil/IV Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation 4
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