[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