ML20133Q436
| ML20133Q436 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | 07002997 |
| Issue date: | 12/28/1984 |
| From: | Crow W, Wyngarden S NRC OFFICE OF NUCLEAR MATERIAL SAFETY & SAFEGUARDS (NMSS) |
| To: | |
| Shared Package | |
| ML20133Q414 | List: |
| References | |
| NUDOCS 8511010544 | |
| Download: ML20133Q436 (3) | |
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DOCKET NO: 70-2997 LICENSEE: Carolina Power and Light Company (CP&L)
FACILITY: Shearon Harris Nuclear Power Plant (SHNPP)
Raleigh, North Carolina
SUBJECT:
ENVIRONFENTAL ASSESSMENT - LICENSE APPLICATION TO RECEIVE NEW FUEL Background _
By letter dated April 12, 1984 and supplement dated September 17, 1984, CP&L applied for an NRC license to permit the receipt, possession, and storage of special nuclear material contained in unirradiated nuclear fuel assesmblies, fission charbers for core power distribution mapping, and sealed sources for irradiation surveillance capsules. The materials are for eventual use in the SHNPP, Unit 1. In accordance with 10 CFR 51.21, the NRC has prepared this assessment of environmental irpacts that may be caused by issuing the requested license. Because of the form and small amount (gram quantities) of nuclear material contained in the incore fission chambers and surveillance capsules, storage of these materials will pose no threat to the environment. There fore, the discussion below only assesses the environmental impacts potentially resulting f rom the storage of new fuel assemblies at SHNPP.
The Proposed Action The proposed action is issuance of a license pursuant to 10 CFR 70 that will authorize CP/.L to receive, possess, and store 157 fresh fuel assemblies at the SHNPP. The license has been requested by January 1,1985 and would be effective until it can be superseded by SHNPP's operating license under 10 CFR
- 50. The fuel assenblies contain uranium dioxide (007 ) pellets that have a uranium-235 enrichment of less than 4 percent by weight and are encapsulated in zircaloy tubing. Issuance of the license would result in receipt, possession, inspection, and storage of the unirradiated fLel assemblies at SHNPP. The license would also authorize packaging of the assemblies for the delivery to a carrier if this becomes necessary; however, the transport of new fuel to SHNPP will be the responsibility of the fuel fabricator and is not a part of the proposed action.
Naed for the Proposed Action SHNPP proposes to receive and store fresh fuel prior to issuance of the operating license in order to inspect the assemblies and to finalize fuel preparation
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(e.g., add necessary hardware) needed to load the fuel into the reactor core vessel. Actual core loading however, will not he authoritet by the proposed license. Early completion of this fuel handlina stage will help avoid delays in SHhPP's startup once its operating license is issued.
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_ernativas to the Proposed Action and Their Environmental Int. acts Alternatives to the proposed action include complete denial of Cn4L's appli-cation. Assuming SHNPP's operating license will eventually he issued, denial of the storaga only license now would nerely postpone new fuel receipt at the SHNPP. Such action, as well as any other alteraative that can be imagined, would not present an environmental advantage because, as discussed below, no environmental impacts are expected to result from the proposed action.
Environmental _ Impacts of t_he Proposed Action The NaC has already prepared a Final Fnvironnental Statarent associatad with the full-scale operation of the SHNPP (NHREG-0972). Based on the evaluation in th13 stateaent, the environmental impacts of plant operation subject to proposed conditions for environmental protection are expected to he small.
Now fuel receipt and storaga is only a small part o' SHNPP's nyerall operation that will eventually include haMlino of irradiated fuel which is significantly more hazardous. Accordingly, the environmental impact from handling unirradiated fuel is expected to be very ninor.
Once at the SNNPP, new fuel will be received at the Fual Handling Pullding which, under the reactor operating license, will be used to store spent foal in addition to new fuel . Tharefore, this building has been designed to provide accepta51e protection against fire and natural phonneena. Except for small amounts of waste that may be gerorated during new fuel inspections (e.q.. smear papers), nn radioactive westes will result from the transfer of fuel from the carrier to the Fuel Handling Puildieq. fhe small amount of waste that may be produced will be prnparly packaged aM stored until it is shipped to a licensed disposal facility.
In the unlikely event that an assambly is droppad during transfer, the fuel cladding is not expected to rupture. Even if the fuel rod cladding were breached, all handling of tha assemblies will take place insida the fuel Handling Puilding and any released ratorial will he contained indoors. The fuel pollets are composed of a ceramic 700 thit has been pellettred and sintered to a very '
high density. In this form the generation of U0 aarosol is unlikely except under conditions of deliberate grinding. Additio$ ally U0 is soluble only in strong acid solution so dissolution and ralease to the $nvironment is extremely unlikely.
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All fuel handling activities will be in accordance with approved procedures.
Criticality in the New Fuel Storage Pool is precluded by the storage rack design which limits interaction between assemblies. This is accomplished by the presence of neutron absorbing material and by maintaining a minimum separation between assemblies. Further, in the absence of any neutron modera-tion it is impossible to inake an infinite number of these fuel assemblies critical regardless of their spacing. Therefore, even with conservative assumptions,. calculations show the proposed fuel handling and storage activi-ties to be critically safe and no environmental impacts from an accidental criticality are expected.
Conclusion Based upon the information presented above, the environmental impacts associated with new fuel storage at the SHNPP are expected to be insignificant. Essentially no effluents will be released and acceptable controls will be implemented to prevent a criticality accident. Therefore, in accordance with 10 CFR 51.31, a Finding of No Significant Impact is considered appropriate for this action.
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Stephen D. Wyngarden Urantun Process Licensing Section Uranium fuel Licensing Bra,1ch Division of Fuel Cycle and Material Safety, NHSS
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Origirni signcd byi Approved by: n. T. Crow W. T. Crow, Section Leader cAIM' i f r(e e w. Wik $6td c"'= n.cv.e.54W.... ...Itua.2@.. ...rc u e...... ... .49..$........ ..................... ....................
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