[Federal Register Volume 60, Number 166 (Monday, August 28, 1995)]
[Notices]
[Pages 44514-44515]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 95-21269]



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NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION
[Docket No. 50-424]


Georgia Power Company, et al.; Vogtle Electric Generating Plant, 
Unit 1 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 its 
regulations to Facility Operating License No. NPF-68, issued to Georgia 
Power Company, et al. (the licensee) for operation of the Vogtle 
Electric Generating Plant (Vogtle), Unit 1, located at the licensee's 
site in Burke County, Georgia.

Environmental Assessment

Identification of Proposed Action

    This Environmental Assessment has been prepared to address 
potential environmental issues related to the licensee's application 
dated May 12, 1995, as supplemented by letter dated July 6, 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 extension of approximately 18 months would permit rescheduling 
the third containment integrated leak rate test (ILRT) from the March 
1996 refueling outage to the September 1997 refueling outage. The 
requirement of 10 CFR Part 50, Appendix J, Section IV.A, to perform a 
Type A test following any major modification to the primary containment 
boundary will be maintained. No such modifications have been made to 
the containment since the last Type A test in 1993, nor are any planned 
during the March 1996 refueling outage.

The Need for the Proposed Action

    The proposed action is needed to permit the licensee to defer the 
Type A ILRT from the spring 1996 refueling outage to the September 1997 
refueling outage, thereby saving the cost of performing the test and 
eliminating the test from the 1996 outage.

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 
would not affect facility radiation levels or facility radiological 
effluents. In accordance with Section III.D.1.(b) of Appendix J to 10 
CFR Part 50, the licensee will continue to be required to conduct the 
Type B and C local leak rate tests, which historically have been shown 
to be the principal means of detecting containment leakage paths with 
the Type A tests confirming the Type B and C test results. In addition, 
even though the licensee would be exempt from the requirement to 
perform the Type A integrated leak rate test, they have committed to 
performing a general containment inspection as specified in 10 CFR Part 
50, Appendix J, Section V.A if the requested exemption is granted. The 
NRC staff considers that these inspections, though limited in scope, 
provide an important added level of confidence in the continued 
integrity of the containment boundary. 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 involves 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 exemption, any 
alternatives with equal or greater environmental impact need not be 
evaluated. The principal alternative to this action would be to deny 
the request for exemption. Such action would not reduce the 
environmental impacts of plant operations.

Alternative Use of Resources

    This action did not involve the use of any resources not previously 
considered in the Final Environmental Statement related to the 
operation of the Vogtle Electric Generating Plant. 

[[Page 44515]]


Agencies and Persons Consulted

    In accordance with its stated policy, on July 5, 1995, the staff 
consulted with the Georgia State official, Mr. James Hardeman of the 
Environmental Protection Division, Georgia Department of Natural 
Resources, 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 
letters dated May 12, 1995, and July 6, 1995, 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 located at the Burke County Library, 412 Fourth Street, 
Waynesboro, Georgia.

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

    For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
Herbert N. Berkow,
Director, Project Directorate II-2, Division of Reactor Projects--I/II, 
Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation.
[FR Doc. 95-21269 Filed 8-25-95; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7590-01-P