[Federal Register Volume 60, Number 77 (Friday, April 21, 1995)]
[Notices]
[Pages 19968-19969]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 95-9893]



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NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION
[Docket No. 50-278]


PECO Energy Company Public Service Electric and Gas Company 
Delmarva Power and Light Company, Atlantic City Electric Company, Peach 
Bottom Atomic Power Station, Unit 3; Environmental Assessment and 
Finding of No Significant Impact

    The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (the Commission) is 
considering issuance of an exemption from the requirements of Sections 
III.D.2.(a) and III.D.3 of Appendix J to 10 CFR Part 50, to PECO Energy 
Company, Public Service Electric and Gas Company, Delmarva Power and 
Light Company, and Atlantic City Electric Company (the licensee), for 
the Peach Bottom Atomic Power Station (PBAPS), Unit 3, located at the 
licensee's site in York County, Pennsylvania.

Environmental Assessment

Identification of Proposed Action

    The proposed action would grant an exemption from 10 CFR Part 50, 
Appendix J, Sections III.D.2.(a) and III.D.3. Section III.D.2.(a) 
states, in part: ``Type B tests, except tests for air locks, shall be 
performed during reactor shutdown for refueling, or other convenient 
intervals, but in no case at intervals greater than 2 years.'' Section 
III.D.3 states: ``Type C tests shall be performed during each reactor 
shutdown for refueling but in no case at intervals greater than 2 
years.'' The exemption would allow a one-time 60-day extension of the 
2-year requirement. Hence, this exemption would allow the licensee to 
perform the testing in Sections III.D.2.(a) and III.D.3 during Unit 3's 
Cycle 10 refueling outage scheduled to begin no later than September 
30, 1995.
    The proposed action is in accordance with the licensee's 
application for exemption dated February 22, 1995.

Need for the Proposed Action

    PBAPS, Unit 3 is utilizing a new core design which allows the 
intervals between reactor shutdowns for refueling to extend beyond the 
maximum allowable 2-year interval. Prior to the current operating 
cycle, local leak rate tests were performed in conjunction with an 
operating cycle of 18 months. Use of extended cycle core designs has 
been recognized as a growing trend in the industry as discussed in the 
staff's Generic Letter 91-04, ``Changes in Technical Specification 
Surveillance Intervals to Accommodate a 24-Month Fuel Cycle,'' dated 
April 2, 1991. The staff previously granted the licensee license 
amendments to allow PBAPS, Unit 3 to perform selected surveillances on 
a 24-month interval (see Amendment 173 dated August 19, 1992, and 
Amendment 182 dated August 2, 1993). However, the regulations cited by 
the licensee in the exemption request have not been revised to reflect 
the use of a 24-month operating cycle. Therefore, the licensee has 
requested an exemption in order to avoid a premature shutdown which 
would be needed to accomplish the testing and to properly schedule the 
testing during the refueling outage.

Environmental Impacts of the Proposed Action

    The Commission has completed the evaluation of the proposed 
exemption and concludes that this action would not significantly 
increase the probability or amount of expected primary containment 
leakage; hence, the containment integrity would be maintained.
    Based on the information presented in the licensee's application, 
the proposed extended test interval would not result in a non-
detectable leakage rate in excess of the value established by 10 CFR 
Part 50, Appendix J, or in any changes to the containment structure or 
plant systems. Consequently, the probability of accidents would not be 
increased, nor would the post-accident radiological releases be greater 
than previously determined. Neither would the proposed exemption 
otherwise affect radiological plant effluents. Accordingly, the 
Commission concludes that this proposed action would result in no 
significant radiological environmental impact.
    With regard to potential non-radiological impacts, the proposed 
exemption does not affect non-radiological plant effluents and has no 
other environmental impact. Therefore, the Commission concludes that 
there are no significant non-radiological [[Page 19969]] environmental 
impacts associated with the proposed exemption.

Alternatives to the Proposed Action

    Since the Commission concluded that there are no measurable 
environmental affects 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 reduced operational flexibility.

Alternate Use of Resources

    This proposed action does not involve the use of any resources not 
previously considered in the Final Environmental Statements for the 
Peach Bottom Atomic Power Station, Units 2 and 3, dated April 1973.

Agencies and Persons Consulted

    The staff consulted with the State of Pennsylvania regarding the 
environmental impact of the proposed action. The State Official had no 
comment.

Finding of No Significant Impact

    The Commission has determined not to prepare an environmental 
impact statement for the proposed exemption.
    Based upon the foregoing environmental assessment, the Commission 
concludes that the proposed action will not have a significant effect 
on the quality of the human environment.
    For further details with respect to this action, see the 
application for exemption dated February 22, 1995, which is available 
for public inspection at the Commission's Public Document Room, the 
Gelman Building, 2120 L Street, NW., Washington, DC 20555, and at the 
local public document room located at Government Publications Section, 
State Library of Pennsylvania, (Regional Depository) Education 
Building, Walnut Street and Commonwealth Avenue, Box 1601, Harrisburg, 
Pennsylvania 17105.

    Dated at Rockville, Maryland, this 14th day of April 1994.

    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. 95-9893 Filed 4-20-95; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7590-01-M