[Federal Register Volume 59, Number 125 (Thursday, June 30, 1994)]
[Unknown Section]
[Page 0]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 94-15935]


[[Page Unknown]]

[Federal Register: June 30, 1994]


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NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION

[Docket No. 72-1004]

 

Vectra Technologies, Inc.; Environmental Assessment and Finding 
of No Significant Impact

    The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC or the Commission) is 
considering issuance of an exemption to VECTRA Technologies, Inc. 
(VECTRA) (formerly Pacific Nuclear Fuel Services, Inc.) located in San 
Jose, California, to fabricate (but not use) a NUHOMS transfer cask. 
The transfer cask is a component of the Standardized NUHOMS System that 
is intended to be used by Toledo Edison Company to store spent fuel at 
its Davis-Besse Nuclear Power Station (DBNPS) (Docket No. 50-346, 
License No. NPF-3) located near Oak Harbor, Ohio. The exemption request 
does not include the principal storage components of the Standardized 
NUHOMS System (i.e., horizontal storage module and dry shielded 
canister).
    The Standardized NUHOMS System is currently the subject of an NRC 
rulemaking which proposes to add the cask to the list of NRC-approved 
storage casks (59 FR 28496, June 2, 1994). A draft NRC Safety 
Evaluation Report (SER), issued May 4, 1994, provides a detailed 
description and technical evaluation of the Standardized NUHOMS System, 
including he transfer cask that is the subject of VECTRA'S exemption 
request.

Environmental Assessment

Identification of Proposed Action

    The requested exemption, proposed by VECTRA letter dated March 4, 
1994, concerns the requirements of 10 CFR 72.234(c), which states that 
``Fabrication of casks under the Certificate of Compliance must not 
start prior to receipt of the Certificate of Compliance for the cask 
model.'' Specifically, VECTRA proposes to fabricate one NUHOMS transfer 
cask prior to the Commission's issuance of a Certificate of Compliance 
for the Standardized NUHOMS System of which the transfer cask is a 
part. Therefore, the proposed action by NRC would grant VECTRA an 
exemption from 10 CFR 72.234(c) for the limited purpose of fabricating 
one transfer cask prior to VECTRA's receipt of a final Certificate of 
Compliance for the Standardized NUHOMS System.

The Need for the Proposed Action

    VECTRA'S request for exemption indicates that the proposed 
exemption is needed to have necessary equipment available in time for 
use by DBNPS in mid-1995, and thus enable DBNPS to maintain complete 
full-core off-load capability in its spent fuel pool following the 
refueling outage scheduled for early 1996. VECTRA's request indicates 
that in order to meet this schedule, VECTRA must begin fabrication of a 
transfer cask promptly. However, the NRC administrative process for 
approval of the Certificate of Compliance, which includes completion of 
the pending rulemaking on the Standardized NUHOMS System, may not be 
completed before December 1994.
    Procurement, fabrication, and construction activities for the 
transfer cask by VECTRA under the proposed exemption would be entirely 
at VECTRA's own risk. In this regard, VECTRA's exemption request states 
that changes to procedures or specifications that result from the 
remaining NRC certification activities can be accommodated into the 
components to be fabricated under the proposed exemption. Favorable NRC 
action on the exemption request shall not be construed as an NRC 
commitment to favorably consider VECTRA'S application for a 
certificate, or to approve VECTRA's proposed design for the 
Standardized NUHOMS System. VECTRA would bear the risk of any 
activities conducted under the proposed exemption, in light of NRC's 
future action on VECTRA's application and proposed design.

Environmental Impacts of the Proposed Action

    The Commission has evaluated the environmental impacts of the 
proposed action, which is limited to fabrication only and would not 
authorize any action with respect to use of the transfer cask for spent 
fuel. As noted, the NRC reviewed the NUHOMS system Final Safety 
Analysis Report (SAR), and on May 4, 1994, issued a Draft SER, and on 
April 28, 1994, issued a Draft Certificate of Compliance for use of the 
Standardized NUHOMS System under a general license. As a result of this 
SAR review, VECTRA has an NRC-approved quality assurance program under 
which this component of the NUHOMS system can be fabricated. VECTRA has 
developed procurement and fabrication specifications under this 
approved QA program, which will be used to control procurement and 
fabrication activities related to construction of the transfer cask. In 
addition, VECTRA's previous fabrication for NUHOMS systems, performed 
under NRC-approved QA programs, include those for Carolina Power & 
Light Company's H.B. Robinson, Duke Power Company's Oconee, and 
Baltimore Gas and Electric Company's Calvert Cliffs independent spent 
fuel storage installations. Environmental impact from the limited 
transfer cask fabrication activities would be similar to the assembly 
of metal components at a large machine shop. The environmental 
assessments for the Proposed Rule (54 FR 19379) and Final Rule (55 FR 
29181), ``Storage of Spent Fuel in NRC-approved Storage Casks at Power 
Reactor Sites,'' considered the environmental impact associated with 
the construction and use of such certified casks and concluded that 
these activities would have no significant impact on the environment. A 
finding of no significant environmental impact was also reached in the 
draft environmental assessment for the pending NRC rulemaking on the 
Standardized NUHOMS System including the transfer cask. Accordingly, 
the Commission concludes that the proposed exemption for VECTRA to 
fabricate (but not use) one transfer cask will have no significant 
radiological or nonradiological environmental impacts.

Alternative to the Proposed Action

    The alternative to the proposed exemption would be to deny the 
requested exemption. Based on the information provided in VECTRA's 
request, this would result potentially in the loss of lead time for 
procurement and fabrication necessary for the availability of the 
transfer cask needed by Toledo Edison Company, and could thereby cause 
disruptions in planned activities for a series of plant outages 
beginning in 1996.

Agencies and Persons Consulted

    The Commission's staff reviewed VECTRA's request and did not 
consult other agencies or persons.

Finding of No Significant Impact

    Based upon the foregoing environmental assessment, the Commission 
concludes that the proposed action would 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 exemption.
    For further details with respect to this action, the request for 
exemption dated March 4, 1994, and other documents are available for 
public inspection at the Commission's Public Document Room the Gelman 
Building, 2120 L Street, NW., Washington, DC 20555, and the Local 
Public Document at the William Carlson Library, Government Documents 
Collection, University of Toledo, 2801 West Bancroft Avenue, Toledo, 
Ohio 43606.

    Dated at Rockville, Maryland, this 24th day of June, 1994.

    For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
E. William Branch,
Deputy Director, Division of Industrial and Medical Nuclear Safety, 
Office of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards.
[FR Doc. 94-15935 Filed 6-29-94; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7590-01-M