[Federal Register Volume 59, Number 84 (Tuesday, May 3, 1994)]
[Unknown Section]
[Page 0]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 94-10528]


[[Page Unknown]]

[Federal Register: May 3, 1994]


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NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION
[Docket Nos. 50-272 and 50-311]

 

Public Service Electric and Gas Co.; Issuance of Environmental 
Assessment Finding of No Significant Impact

    The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (the Commission) is 
considering issuance of amendments to Facility Operating Licenses No. 
DPR-70 and DPR-75, issued to Public Service Electric and Gas Company 
(the licensee), for the operation of Salem Nuclear Generating Station, 
Units 1 and 2.

Identification of Proposed Action

    The amendments would consist of changes to the Technical 
Specifications (TS) that would authorize an increase to the storage 
capacity of the spent fuel pools (SFP) from 1170 fuel assemblies to 
1632 fuel assemblies at each Salem unit.
    The amendments to the TS are responsive to the licensee's 
application dated April 28, 1993, as supplemented by letters of August 
12, 1993, November 7, 1993, February 2, 1994, and April 7, 1994. The 
NRC staff has prepared an Environmental Assessment of the proposed 
action, ``Environmental Assessment by the Office of Nuclear Reactor 
Regulation Relating to the Expansion of the Spent Fuel Pools, Public 
Service Electric and Gas Company, Facility Operating License No. DPR-70 
and DPR-75, Salem Nuclear Generating Station, Units 1 and 2, Docket 
Nos. 50-272 and 50-311,'' dated April 25, 1994.

Summary of Environmental Assessment

    The ``Final Generic Environmental Impact Statement (FGEIS) on 
Handling and Storage of Spent Light Water Power Reactor Fuel'' (NUREG-
0575), concluded that the environmental impact of interim storage of 
spent fuel was negligible and the cost of the various alternatives 
reflects the advantage of continued generation of nuclear with the 
accompanying spent fuel storage. Because of the differences in SFP 
designs, the FGEIS recommended licensing SFP expansion on a case-by-
case basis.
    For Salem Units 1 and 2, the SFP modification will not create any 
significant additional radiological effects or measurable 
nonradiological environmental impacts.
    In the event of a fuel handling accident, the whole body dose and 
thyroid dose that might be received by an individual at the site 
boundary is well within regulatory requirements. It is not expected 
that an increase in the occupational radiation dose will result from 
the operation of the expanded spent fuel pools. For the modification of 
the pools, the occupational exposure is estimated to be less than 4% of 
the total annual occupational exposure at the facility. To assure as 
low as reasonably achievable (ALARA) goals are met, during the SFP 
expansion activities, work, personnel traffic and movement of equipment 
will be monitored and controlled. Therefore, the staff concludes that 
the exposure to workers is ALARA and is acceptable.
    The only nonradiological impact affected by the expansion of the 
spent fuel pools is the waste heat rejected. The increase in total 
plant waste heat is insignificant (less than 0.05% of the total plant 
heat loss to the environment). There is no significant environmental 
impact attributed to the waste heat from the plant because of the 
expansion of the spent fuel pools.

Finding of No Significant Impact

    The staff has reviewed this proposed facility modification relative 
to the requirements set forth in 10 CFR part 51. Based on this 
assessment, the staff concludes that there are no significant 
radiological or nonradiological impacts associated with the proposed 
action and that the issuance of the proposed amendments to the licenses 
will have no significant impact on the quality of the human 
environment. Therefore, the Commission has determined, pursuant to 10 
CFR 51.31, not to prepare an environmental impact statement for the 
proposed amendments.
    For further details with respect to this action, see (1) the 
application for amendments to the Technical Specifications dated April 
28, 1993, as supplemented by letters of August 12, 1993, November 17, 
1993, February 2, 1994, and April 7, 1994, (2) the FGEIS on Handling 
and Storage of Spent Light Water Power Reactor Fuel (NUREG-0575), (3) 
the Final Environmental Statement for Salem Nuclear Generating Station, 
Units 1 and 2, issued April 1973, and (4) the Environmental Assessment 
dated April 25, 1994. These documents are available for public 
inspection at the Commission's Public Document Room, the Gelman 
Building, 2120 L Street, NW., Washington, DC 20555, and at the local 
public document room located in the Salem Free Public Library, 112 West 
Broadway, Salem, New Jersey 08079.

    Dated at Rockville, Maryland, this 25th day of April 1994.

    For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
Charles L. Miller,
Director, Project Directorate I-2, Division of Reactor Projects--I/II, 
Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation.
[FR Doc. 94-10528 Filed 5-2-94; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7590-01-M