[Federal Register Volume 60, Number 13 (Friday, January 20, 1995)]
[Notices]
[Pages 4200-4201]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 95-1473]
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NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION
[Docket Nos. STN 50-454, STN 50-455, STN 50-456, and STN 50-457]
Commonwealth Edison Company; Byron Station, Units 1 and 2, and
Braidwood Station, Units 1 and 2 Environmental Assessment and Finding
of No Significant Impact
The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (the Commission) is
considering issuance of amendments to Facility Operating License Nos.
NPF-37 and NPF-66, issued to Commonwealth Edison Company (ComEd, the
licensee) for operation of Byron Station, Unit Nos. 1 and 2, located in
Ogle County, Illinois, and to Facility Operating License Nos. NPF-72
and NPF-77 for operation of Braidwood Station, Unit Nos. 1 and 2,
located in Will County, Illinois.
Environmental Assessment
Identification of Proposed Action
By letter dated November 7, 1994, Commonwealth Edison Company
(ComEd, the licensee) requested changes to the technical specifications
(TS) for Byron Stations, Units 1 and 2, and Braidwood Station, Units 1
and 2, to permit the use of higher enriched fuel and to specify the
spent fuel storage requirements for Regions 1 and 2 of the spent fuel
pools.
The proposed changes would allow for the storage of fuel with
enrichment not to exceed a nominal 5.0 weight [[Page 4201]] percent (w/
o) Uranium 235 (U-235 in the spent fuel storage racks. An enrichment
manufacturing tolerance of 0.05 percent U-235 about the
nominal value was incorporated into the analysis.
The purposed action is in accordance with the licensee's
application for amendment dated November 7, 1994, as supplemented by
letter dated December 16, 1994.
The Need for Proposed Action
The proposed changes are needed so that the licensee can use higher
fuel enrichment to provide the flexibility of extending the fuel
irradiation and to reduce the number of new fuel assemblies required
per reload which will reduce spent fuel storage space requirements.
Environmental Impacts of the Proposed Action
The Commission has completed its evaluation of the proposed
revisions to the TS. The proposed revisions would permit use of fuel
enriched to a nominal 5.0 weight percent U-235. The safety
considerations associated with reactor operation with higher enrichment
and extended irradiation have been evaluated by the NRC staff. The
staff has concluded that such changes would not adversely affect plant
safety. The proposed changes have no adverse effect on the probability
of any accident. The higher enrichment, with fuel burnup to 60,000
megawatt days per metric ton Uranium, may slightly change the mix of
fission products that might be released in the event of a serious
accident, but such small changes would not significantly affect the
consequences of serious accidents. No changes are being made in the
types or amounts of any radiological effluents that may be released
offsite. There is no significant increase in the allowable individual
or cumulative occupational radiation exposure.
The environmental impacts of transportation resulting from the use
of higher enrichment fuel and extended irradiation were published and
discussed in the staff assessment entitled, ``NRC Assessment of the
Environmental Effects of Transportation Resulting from Extended Fuel
Enrichment and Irradiation,'' dated July 7, 1988, and published in the
Federal Register (53 FR 30355) on August 11, 1988, as corrected on
August 24, 1988 (53 FR 32322) in connection with Shearon Harris Nuclear
Power Plant, Unit 1: Environmental Assessment and Finding of No
Significant Impact. As indicated therein, the environmental cost
contribution of the proposed increase in the fuel enrichment and
irradiation limits are either unchanged or may, in fact, be reduced
from those summarized in Table S-4 as set forth in 10 CFR 51.52(c).
These findings are applicable to Byron, Units 1 and 2, and Braidwood,
Units 1 and 2. Accordingly, the Commission concludes that there are no
significant radiological environmental impacts associated with the
proposed amendment.
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 non-radiological plant
effluents and has no other environmental impact. Accordingly, the
Commission concludes that there are no significant non-radiological
environmental impacts associated with the proposed action.
Alternative to the Proposed Action
Since the Commission concluded that there are no significant
environmental effects that would result from the proposed action, any
other alternative would have equal or greater environmental impacts and
need not be evaluated.
As an alternative to the proposed action, the staff considered
denial of the proposed action. Denial of the application would result
in a change in current environmental impacts. The environmental impacts
of the proposed action and the alternative action are similar.
Alternative Use of Resources
This action does not involve the use of any resources not
previously considered in the Final Environmental Statement related to
operation of Byron, Units 1 and 2, and Braidwood, Units 1 and 2.
Agencies and Persons Consulted
In accordance with its stated policy, the staff consulted with the
Illinois State Official regarding the environmental impact of the
proposed action. The State official had no comments.
Finding of No Significant Impact
Based upon the foregoing environmental assessment, we conclude 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
license amendments.
For further details with respect to this action, see the
application for amendments dated November 7, 1994, as supplemented by
letter dated December 16, 1994, which are available for public
inspection at the Commission's Public Document Room, The Gelman
Building, 2120 L Street, NW., Washington, DC, and at the local public
document room for Byron Station, the Byron Public Library, 109 N.
Franklin, P.O. Box 434, Byron, Illinois, and for Braidwood Station, the
Wilmington Township Public Library, 201 S. Kankakee Street, Wilmington,
Illinois.
Dated at Rockville, Maryland, this 13th day of January 1995.
For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
Clyde Y. Shiraki,
Acting Director, Project Directorate III-2, Division of Reactor
Projects--III/IV, Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation.
[FR Doc. 95-1473 Filed 1-19-95; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7590-01-M