[Federal Register Volume 59, Number 152 (Tuesday, August 9, 1994)]
[Unknown Section]
[Page 0]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 94-19392]


[[Page Unknown]]

[Federal Register: August 9, 1994]


=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION

[Docket No. 50-341; FERMI 2]

 

Detroit Edison Company; Environmental Assessment and Finding of 
No Significant Impact

    The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (the Commission) is 
considering issuance of an exemption from Facility Operating License 
No. NPF-43, issued to Detroit Edison Company, (the licensee), for 
operation of the Fermi 2 facility, located in Monroe County, Michigan.

Environmental Assessment

Identification of the Proposed Action

    The proposed action would grant an exemption from the requirements 
of Appendix E, Section IV.F.3 of 10 CFR part 50 to conduct a partial 
participation emergency preparedness exercise in 1994.
    The proposed action is in accordance with the licensee's 
application for exemption dated April 19, 1994, as supplemented by 
letter dated June 23, 1994.

The Need for the Proposed Action

    The licensee has stated that its response to the turbine failure 
emergency event on December 25, 1993, demonstrated the adequacy of its 
emergency plan and its ability to successfully respond to an accident. 
Granting of the proposed exemption would allow the licensee to spend 
resources which would normally be dedicated to the planning and conduct 
of the exercise on repairing the damage to the plant and restarting the 
facility. The licensee would still support the State and local 
authorities during the conduct of their offsite exercise on September 
20, 1994, and would conduct its next onsite exercise in July 1995.

Environmental Impacts of the Proposed Action

    The proposed exemption would allow a one-time exemption from the 
requirement to conduct an emergency preparedness exercise. The licensee 
has demonstrated excellent performance in the area of emergency 
preparedness during the last two systematic assessment of licensee's 
performance periods. Additionally, the licensee has demonstrated an 
ongoing commitment to maintain the high performance level of the 
emergency preparedness program by conducting five full-scale drills, 
and a medical drill since its last annual partial participation 
exercise in July 1993.
    During the December 25, 1993, turbine failure accident, the 
licensee was required to implement its emergency plan and activate a 
portion of its emergency response organization including the technical 
support center, operations support center and alternate operations 
support center. Additionally, a declaration of Alert was made in 
response to the turbine failure which caused a reactor scram, a fire 
and severe damage to turbine auxiliary systems. The Augmented 
Inspection Team report following the event identified some problems 
with event classification, personnel accountability and response of the 
fire brigade. In response to these findings, the licensee has performed 
additional training, modified procedures and conducted an integrated 
onsite drill on June 8, 1994.
    The licensee will support the State and local offsite exercise in 
September 1994. State and local authorities who are involved with 
emergency preparedness, and the Federal Emergency Management Agency, 
have indicated their concurrence with the licensee's proposed 
exemption. The staff has determined that the granting of this exemption 
will not degrade the effectiveness of the licensee's emergency 
preparedness program nor will it present an undue risk to public health 
and safety. Therefore, post-accident radiological releases are not 
expected to exceed previously determined values as a result of the 
proposed action. Further, the exemption is not expected to have an 
impact on plant radiological effluent releases.
    The change will not increase the probability or consequences of any 
accidents, no changes are being made in the types of any effluents that 
may be released offsite, and there is no significant increase in the 
allowable individual or cumulative occupational radiation exposure. 
Accordingly, the Commission concludes that there are no significant 
radiological environmental impacts associated with the proposed action.
    With regard to potential nonradiological impacts, the proposed 
action involves features located entirely within the restricted area as 
defined in 10 CFR part 20. It does not affect nonradiological plant 
effluents and has no other environmental impact. Accordingly, the 
Commission concludes that there are no significant nonradiological 
environmental impacts associated with the proposed action.

Alternatives to the Proposed Action

    Since the Commission concluded that there are no significant 
environmental effects that would result from the proposed action, any 
alternatives with equal or greater environmental impacts need not be 
evaluated.
    The principal alternative would be to deny the requested exemption. 
This would not reduce environmental impacts of plant operation and 
would result in the use of resources to conduct the emergency 
preparedness exercise which would be utilized for the repair and 
restart of the damaged turbine.

Alternative Use of Resources

    This action does not involve the use of any resources not 
previously considered in the Final Environmental Statement for the 
Fermi 2 plant, dated August 1981.

Agencies and Persons Consulted

    The staff consulted with the State of Michigan official regarding 
the environmental impact of the proposed action. The State official had 
no comments.

Finding of No Significant Impact

    Based upon the environmental assessment, the Commission concludes 
that the proposed action will 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 proposed action, see the 
licensee's request for exemption dated April 19, 1994, as supplemented 
on June 23, 1994. These documents are available for public inspection 
at the Commission's Public Document Room, 2120 L Street, N.W., 
Washington, DC 20555, and at the local public document room located at 
the Monroe County Library System, 3700 South Custer Road, Monroe, 
Michigan 48161.

    Dated at Rockville, Maryland, this 29th day of July 1994.

    For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
Ledyard B. Marsh,
Director, Project Directorate III-I, Division of Reactor Projects--III/
IV, Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation.
[FR Doc. 94-19392 Filed 8-8-94; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7590-01-M