ML20203B950
| ML20203B950 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | 07003008 |
| Issue date: | 10/28/1985 |
| From: | Crow W NRC OFFICE OF NUCLEAR MATERIAL SAFETY & SAFEGUARDS (NMSS) |
| To: | |
| Shared Package | |
| ML20203B934 | List: |
| References | |
| NUDOCS 8604180303 | |
| Download: ML20203B950 (6) | |
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7590-01 U. S. NUCLEAR REG 113A10RY COMMISSION FINDING OF NO SIGNIFICANT IMPACT ISSUANCE OF SPECIAL NUCLEAR MATERIALS LICENSE NO. SNM-1954 DUQUESNE LIGHT COMPANY, ET. AL; BEAVER COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA DOCKET NO. 70-3008
- The U. S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (the Commission)'is considering
.the issuance of Special Nuclear Materials License No. SNM-1954 to Duquesne Light Company, Ohio Edison Company, Cleveland Electric Illuminating Company, and Toledo Edison Company (the applicants) for the Beaver Valley Power Station (BVPS), Unit 2, located in Beaver County, Pennsylvania.
l ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT Identification of Proposed Action The proposed action would authorize the applicants to receive, possess, inspect, and store special nuclear materials in the form of unirradiated fuel assemblies. In addition, the license would also authorize the applicants to receive, possess, inrpect, and use various detectors, neutron startup sources, and calibration and check sources. Because the detectors, neutron sources, and calibration and check sources contain only small amounts (gram quantities) of nuclear material, storage and use of these materials will pose no threat to 860418o303 860409 PDR ADOCK 0700300s C pm LI - . - . _ _____ - - _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
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s 2-the environment. Therefore, the discussion below will be limited to assessing the' potential en'vironmental impacts resulting from the handling and storage of -
new fuel at BVPS, Unit 2.
The Need for the Proposed Action
- The proposed license will allow-the applicants to receive and store fresh fuel prior to issuance of the Part 50 operating license in order to inspect the fuel and to finalize fuel preparation needed to load the fuel into the reactor-vessel. Actual core loading, however, will not be authorized by the proposed license.
Environmental Impacts of the Proposed Action A. Nuclear Criticality and Radiation Safety Once at BVPS, Unit 2, the new fuel may be temporarily stored in their shippirg containers prior to placement in the designated storage locations: the new fuel storage racks and spent fuel storage racks.
The shipping container array to be used at BVPS, Unit 2, has been previously analyzed for all degrees of water moderation and/or reflection and found to be critically safe.
Upon removal of the fuel assemblies.from the shipping containers, they are inspected and surveyed for external contamination. Assuming no contamination is found, the assemblies are transferred to their storage.
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-3 locations. Criticality safety in the storage locations is maintained by.
limiting interaction between adjacent fuel assemblies. This is accomplished in the new fuel storage racks such that the design of the racks preclude the inadvertent placement of a fuel assembly no closer than the required minimum edge-to edge distance between fuel. assemblies.
.Subcriticality in the spent fuel storage racks is maintained by sheets of neutron poison securely fastened to all four sides of each storage' location.
Since the fresh fuel assemblies are sealed sources, the principal exposure pathway to an individual is via external radiation. For low-enriched uranium fuel (<4*4 U-235 enrichment), the exposure level to an individual standing 1 foot from the surface of the fuel would be less than 25 percent of the maximum permissible exposure specified in 10 In addition, the applicants are committed to establishing a
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CFR 20.
program for maintaining general public exposure as low as reasonably achievable. Therefore, the staff has concluded that the applicants' requested operations can be carried out with adequate radiation protection of the public and environment.
Only a small amount, if any, of radioactive waste (e.g., smear papers and/or contaminated package material) is expected to be generated as a result of fuel handling and storage operations. Any waste that is produced will be properly stored onsite until it can be shipped to a licensed disposal facility.
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4 B. Transportation In the event the applicants must return the fuel to the fuel ~ fabricator, all packaging and transport of fuel will be in accordance with 10 CFR 71.
No significant external radiation hazards are associated with the unirradiated-fuel because the' radiation level from the clad fuel pellets is low and because the shipping packages must meet the external radiation standards in 10 CFR 71. Therefore, shipment of unirradiated fuel by the applicants is expected to have an insignificant impact upon the environment.
C. Accident Analysis In the unlikely event that an assembly (either within or outside its
' shipping container) is dropped during transfer, the fuel cladding is not
.. expected to rupture. Even if the fuel rod cladding were breached and the pellets were released, an insignificant environmental impact would result.
The fuel pellets are composed of a ceramic UO that has been pelletized and sintered to a very high density. In this form, release of UO aerosol is unlikely except under conditions of deliberate grinding. Additionally, UO is soluble only in acid solution so dissolution and release to the environment are extremely unlikely.
D. Conclusion i
The environmental impacts associated with the handling and storage of new fuel at BVPS, Unit 2, are expected to be insignificant. Essentially no
5 l- effluents, liquid or airborne, will be released and acceptable controls will be implemented to prevent a radiological accident. Therefore,'the staff concludes that there will be no significant impacts associated with the proposed action.
Alternatives to the Proposed Action The principal alternative would be to deny the requested license. Assuming i
the operating license will eventually be issued, denial of the storage only license would merely postpone new fLei receipt at BVPS, Unit 2. Although denial of the Special Nuclear Materials License for BVPS, Unit 2, is an alternative available to the Commission, it would only be considered if significant-issues of public health and safety could not be resolved to the
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. Alternative Use of Resources This action does not involve the use of resources not previously considered in connection with the Commission's Final Environmental Statement (NUREG-1094) dated September 1985 related to this facility.
Agencies and Persons Consulted The Commission's staff reviewed the applicants' request of September 28, 1984, its revision dated September 13, 1985, and its supplement dated October 9, 1985, and did not consult other agencies or persons.
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Finding of No Significant Impact The Commission has prepared an Environmental Assessment.related to the issuance'of Special Nuclear Materials License No. SNM-1954. On-the basis of this assessment, the Commission has concluded that the environmental impacts created by the proposed licensing action would not be significant and does not warrant the preparation of an Environmental Impact Statement. Accordingly, it i
has been determined that a Finding of No Significant Impact is appropriate. '
The Environmental Assessment and the above documents related to this proposed action are available for public inspection and copying at the Commission's Public Document Room, 1717 H Street, NW., Washington, DC. Copies of the Environmental Assessment may be obtained by calling (301) 427-4510 or by writing to the Uranium Fuel Licensing Branch, Division of Fuel Cycle and Material Safety, U. S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Washington, D. C. 20555.
Dated at Silver Spring, Maryland this 28th day of October'1985.
FOR THE NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION OriginR.1 Signed bir,2 R.1.cm, .
W. T. Crow, Acting Chief l Uranium Fuel Licensing Branch L
Division of Fuel Cycle and Material Safety, NMSS OFC: FCUP :FCU :FCUF :FCUF : :
_________g_______._____________..______
!- NAME:KKodal :NKetz ach:VL e :WTCrow : : :
DATE:10/.93/85 :10A3/85 :10/fh'85 :10//685 : : :
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