[Federal Register Volume 60, Number 126 (Friday, June 30, 1995)]
[Notices]
[Pages 34305-34306]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 95-16110]



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NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION

[Docket No. 50-295]


Commonwealth Edison Company; Zion Nuclear Power Station, Unit 1; 
Environmental Assessment and Findings of No Significant Impact

    The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (the Commission) is 
considering issuance of an exemption to Facility Operating License No. 
DPR-39, issued to Commonwealth Edison Company (the licensee), for 
operation of Zion Nuclear Power Station, Unit No. 1, located in Lake 
County, Illinois.

Environmental Assessment

Identification of the Proposed Action

    This Environmental Assessment has been prepared to address 
potential environmental issues related to the licensee's application 
dated May 12, 1995. The proposed action would exempt the licensee from 
the requirements of 10 CFR Part 50, Appendix J, Paragraph III.D.1.(a), 
to the extent that a one-time schedular extension would permit 
rescheduling of the next Type A test for Zion Nuclear Power Station, 
Unit 1, to the refueling outage currently scheduled to start in March 
1997. Appendix J is undergoing revisions and if the revised Appendix J 
requirements are approved and issued prior to the March 1997 refueling 
outage, the next Unit 1 Type A test will be performed in accordance 
with the revised requirements.

The Need for the Proposed Action

    The current containment integrated leakage rate testing 
requirements, pursuant to 10 CFR Part 50, Appendix J, Section 
III.D.1.(a), are that after the preoperational leak rate test, a set of 
three Type A tests must be performed at approximately equal intervals 
during each 10-year inservice inspection period. Furthermore, the third 
test of each set must be conducted when the plant is shut down for the 
10-year inservice inspection. The most recent Type A test was conducted 
in March 1992, approximately 40 months ago. On March 31, 1993, Zion, 
Unit 1, was granted an exemption from the requirement of 10 CFR Part 
50, Appendix J, that the third Type A test for the second 10 year 
inservice inspection interval be conducted while shutdown for the 10 
year inservice inspections. That one-time exemption effectively 
decoupled the Type A testing frequency from the 10 year inservice 
inspection interval and allowed the next Type A test to be scheduled 
independent of the end of the second 10 year interval. As a result of 
that exemption, Zion Unit 1 was to perform its next Type A test during 
the September 1995 refueling outage (RFO). The exemption is needed to 
allow a longer interval between the Zion, Unit 1, Type A tests, which 
will result in a considerable cost-savings to the licensee.

Environmental Impacts of the Proposed Action

    The proposed one-time exemption would not increase the probability 
or consequences of accidents previously analyzed that affect facility 
radiation levels or facility radiological effluents. The licensee has 
analyzed the results of previous Type A tests performed at Zion Nuclear 
Power Station, Unit 1, and has provided an acceptable basis for 
concluding that, with the proposed one-time extension of the Type A 
test interval, the containment leakage rates will still be maintained 
within 

[[Page 34306]]
acceptable limits. Accordingly, the Commission has concluded that the 
one-time extension does not result in a significant increase in the 
amounts of any effluents that may be released nor does it result in a 
significant increase in individual or cumulative occupational radiation 
exposure. Therefore, there are no significant radiological 
environmental impacts associated with the proposed exemption.
    With regard to potential nonradiological impacts, the proposed 
exemption only involves Type A testing of the containment. 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 exemption.

Alternatives to the Proposed Action

    Since the Commission has concluded there is no measurable 
environmental impact associated with the proposed exemption, 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.

Alternative Use of Resources

    This action does not involve the use of resources not previously 
considered in connection with the Nuclear Regulatory Commission's Final 
Environmental Statement dated December 1972, related to the operation 
of the Zion Nuclear Power Station, Unit 1.

Agencies and Persons Consulted

    In accordance with its stated policy, on June 7, 1995, the NRC 
staff consulted with the Illinois State Official, Mr. Frank Niziolek; 
Head, Reactor Safety Section, Division of Engineering; Illinois 
Department of Nuclear Safety; 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 action, see the licensee's 
letter dated May 12, 1995, which is 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 
located at the Waukegan Public Library, 128 N. County Street, Waukegan, 
Illinois 60085.

    Dated at Rockville, Maryland, this 26th day of June 1995.

    For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
Clyde Y. Shiraki,
Senior Project Manager, Project Directorate III-2, Division of Reactor 
Projects--III/IV, Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation.
[FR Doc. 95-16110 Filed 6-29-95; 8:45 am]
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