[Federal Register Volume 60, Number 38 (Monday, February 27, 1995)]
[Notices]
[Page 10617]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 95-4731]



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


Public Service Electric and Gas Co.; 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. 
DPR-70 and DPR-75, issued to Public Service Electric and Gas Company, 
et al. (PSE&G or the licensee) for operation of Salem Nuclear 
Generating Station (SNGS), Units 1 and 2, located in Salem County, New 
Jersey.

Environmental Assessment

Identification of the Proposed Action

    By letter dated April 16, 1993 (NLR-N83042), PSE&G requested a 
license amendment to reflect changes to the Updated Final Safety 
Analysis Report (USFAR) for Salem, Units 1 and 2. The proposed UFSAR 
change would add an exception to a general statement in the containment 
isolation system description. The general statement is that automatic 
containment isolation valves that receive signals to close, fail closed 
on loss of air or power. The proposed exception would apply to the 
outboard isolation valves for the control air system. These four valves 
(11, 12, 21, and 22CA330, collectively identified as CA-330) fail 
closed on loss of air but fail as-is upon loss of the vital 125 VDC 
power supply to their solenoid control valves.

Need for Proposed Action

    The revision of the licensing basis is needed to exempt the CA-330 
valves from the general statement in the USFAR that automatic 
containment isolation valves that receive signals to close, fail closed 
on loss of air or power. The staff has examined the design of the 
isolation system for the control air header piping penetration. With 
the exception of the failure position for valve CA-330 on loss of its 
125 VDC power supply, the design meets all applicable criteria. Failure 
of the 125 VDC power supply results in a slight degradation in 
containment isolation reliability. Upon failure of the 125 VDC power 
supply, the valve will remain in the ``as is'' position. Since the 
valve is normally open, this means that the valve will stay open and 
will not close on an isolation signal or loss of air header pressure. 
For all other single failures, the valve will automatically close upon 
either loss of air or an isolation signal.

Environmental Impacts of the Proposed Action

    The staff has evaluated the conditions for the ``as-is'' failure 
and finds that the reduction in safety margin due to this condition is 
acceptably small. First of all, there is a check valve in series with 
the air-operated valve so that containment integrity is maintained at 
all times. Secondly, the probability of loss of air pressure is quite 
low since the normal air supply is backed up with a safety grade supply 
which is activated automatically upon sensing low air pressure. With an 
operable air supply, the penetration is not a containment leak path 
since the air pressure is greater than the peak calculated containment 
pressure.
    The change will not increase the probability or consequences of 
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 does involve 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 has concluded there is no measurable 
environmental impact associated with the proposed action, any 
alternatives with equal or greater environmental impact 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 no change in current environmental impacts. The 
environmental impacts of the proposed action and the alternative action 
are similar.

Alternate Use of Resources

    This action does not involve the use of any resources not 
previously considered in the Final Environmental Statement for the 
Salem Nuclear Generating Station, Units 1 and 2, dated April 1973.

Agencies and Person Contacted

    In accordance with its stated policy, the staff consulted with the 
New Jersey State 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 action.
    For further details with respect to the proposed action, see the 
application for license amendments dated April 16, 1993, which is 
available for public inspection at the Commission's Public Document 
Room, the Gelman Building, 2120 L Street, NW., Washington, DC, and the 
local public document room located at the Salem Free Public Library, 
112 West Broadway, Salem, NJ 08079.

    Dated at Rockville, Maryland, this 21st day of February 1995.

    For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
John F. Stolz,
Director, Project Directorate I-2, Division of Reactor Projects--I/II, 
Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation.
[FR Doc. 95-4731 Filed 2-24-95; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7590-01-M