[Federal Register Volume 60, Number 157 (Tuesday, August 15, 1995)]
[Notices]
[Pages 42189-42190]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 95-20113]



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NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION
[Docket No. STN 50-530]


Arizona Public Service Company, et al.; Palo Verde Nuclear 
Generating Station, Unit No. 3; Environmental Assessment and Finding of 
no Significant Impact

    The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (the Commission) is 
considering issuance of an exemption from certain requirements of 10 
CFR Part 50, Appendix J, Paragraph III.D.1.(a), Type A Tests, to the 
Arizona Public Service Company, et al. (APS or the licensee), for 
operation of the Palo Verde Nuclear Generating Station (PVNGS), Unit 
No. 3, located in Maricopa County, Arizona.

Environmental Assessment

Identification of the Proposed Action

    The proposed action would allow an exemption from the requirements 
of 10 CFR Part 50, Appendix J, Paragraph III.D.1.(a), on a one-time 
schedular extension which would permit rescheduling the second 
containment integrated leak rate test (ILRT) in the first 10-year 
service period from the fifth refueling outage (3R5) currently 
scheduled for November 1995 to the sixth refueling outage (3R6) planned 
for April 1997.
    The proposed action is in accordance with the licensee's 
application for exemption dated June 21, 1995.

The Need for the Proposed Action

    The current ILRT requirements for PVNGS, Unit 3, as set forth in 
Appendix J, are that, after the pre-operational leak rate test, a set 
of three Type A tests must be performed at approximately equal 
intervals during each 10-year period. Also, the third test of each set 
must be conducted when the plant is shut down for the 10-year plant 
inservice inspection (ISI). The first periodic Type A test was 
performed in May of 1991 during the second refueling outage in Unit 3 
(3R2), 40 months from the date of Unit 3 commercial operation. The 
second periodic test is currently scheduled to be performed in November 
of 1995 during the fifth refueling outage (3R5), corresponding to an 
interval of 54 months. The third Type A test is currently planned to be 
performed during the seventh refueling outage 

[[Page 42190]]
(3R7) which would coincide with the completion of the first 10-year ISI 
interval.
    The licensee has requested a schedular exemption from 10 CFR 50, 
Appendix J, Section III.D.1.(a) in regards to ``approximately equal 
time intervals.'' Specifically, the proposed exemption would allow APS 
to delay the Unit 3 second Type A test until the sixth refueling outage 
(3R6). The Type A test would tentatively be scheduled for April of 
1997, and would increase the interval between the first and second Type 
A test from 54 months to 71 months. The third Type A test is not being 
altered by this exemption request and is scheduled to be performed 
during the seventh refueling outage (3R7) which would coincide with the 
completion of the first 10-year ISI interval. This exemption request 
proposes an increase to the interval between the first and second Type 
A test but does not alter the frequency of testing (three Type A tests 
performed in a ten year period) during the first 10 year ISI interval. 
The visual inspection of the containment is not included in the 
proposed exemption and will be performed as originally planned during 
the fifth refueling outage (3R5).

Environmental Impacts of the Proposed Action

    The Commission has completed its evaluation of the proposed action 
and concludes that the proposed one-time exemption would not increase 
the probability or consequences of accidents previously analyzed and 
the proposed one-time exemption would not affect facility radiation 
levels or facility radiological effluents. The licensee has analyzed 
the results of previous Type A tests performed at the Palo Verde 
Nuclear Generating Station, Unit 3. The licensee has provided an 
acceptable basis for concluding that the proposed one-time extension of 
the Type A test interval would maintain the containment leakage rates 
within 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 on 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 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 not result in any change in current environmental impacts. The 
environmental impacts of the proposed action and the alternative action 
are similar.
    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 occupation radiation exposure. 
Accordingly, the Commission concludes that there are no significant 
radiological environmental impacts associated with the proposed 
exemption.

Alternative Use of Resources

    This action does not involve the use of resources not previously 
considered in the ``Final Environmental Statement Related to the 
Operation of Palo Verde Nuclear Generating Station, Units 1, 2, and 
3,'' dated February 1982.

Agencies and Persons Consulted

    In accordance with its stated policy, on July 17, 1995, the staff 
consulted with the Arizona State official, Mr. William Wright of the 
Arizona Radiation Regulatory Agency, 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 June 21, 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 Phoenix Public Library, 1221 N. Central, Phoenix, 
Arizona 85004.

    Dated at Rockville, Maryland, this 9th day of August 1995.

    For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
Charles R. Thomas,
Project Manager, Project Directorate IV-2, Division of Reactor Projects 
III/IV, Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation.
[FR Doc. 95-20113 Filed 8-14-95; 8:45 am]
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