[Federal Register Volume 60, Number 170 (Friday, September 1, 1995)]
[Notices]
[Pages 45747-45748]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 95-21742]



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NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION

[Docket Nos. 50-338 and 50-339]


Virginia Electric and Power Company; North Anna Power Station, 
Units No. 1 and No. 2; Environmental Assessment and Finding of No 
Significant Impact

    The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (the Commission) is 
considering issuance of an amendment to an exemption from the 
requirements of Section III.G.3 of Appendix R to 10 CFR Part 50 issued 
by the Commission on November 6, 1986 to the Virginia Electric and 
Power Company (the licensee) for the North Anna Power Station, Units 
No. 1 and No. 2 located on the licensee's site in Louisa County, 
Virginia.

Environmental Assessment

Identification of the Proposed Action

    The original exemption issued on November 6, 1986, was from the 
technical requirements of Section III.G.3 of Appendix R to 10 CFR Part 
50 to the extent that fire detection and fixed suppression systems are 
not installed throughout the Auxiliary Fuel, and Decontamination 
Building (Fire Area 11). The original Safety Evaluation transmitted 
with the November 6, 1986 exemption, stated that the charging pump 
cubicles have 3-hour fire-rated walls, and that the penetrations in 
these walls are sealed to a rating of 3 hours. By letter dated December 
11, 1992, the licensee requested an addendum to the original exemption 
to account for non-fire-rated penetration seals and 

[[Page 45748]]
unprotected openings located in the south wall of the charging pump 
cubicles. The lack of rated penetration seals was identified in NRC 
inspection report 50-338, 339/92-18 dated October 19, 1992.
    The Commission's technical evaluation of the licensee's proposed 
amendment to the exemption will be published in a report entitled 
``Safety Evaluation Related to An Addendum To Exemption From Certain 
Requirements of Appendix R to 10 CFR Part 50 at North Anna Power 
Station, Units No. 1 and No. 2.'' The evaluation is responsive to the 
licensee's request for an addendum to the exemption dated December 11, 
1992, as supplemented by letter dated August 18, 1994.

The Need for the Proposed Action

    The proposed exemption amendment is needed to clarify which 
penetrations in the south wall separating the charging pump cubicles 
are not sealed to a rating of 3 hours. In addition, documentation is 
required to specify that the lack of fire-rated penetration seals in 
the south wall of the pump cubicles does not present an undue risk to 
the public health and safety. Finally, the proposed amended exemption 
is needed in order to permit the licensee to use alternative fire 
protection configurations that achieve an equivalent level of safety 
compared to that attained by compliance with Section III.G of Appendix 
R.

Environmental Impacts of the Proposed Action

    The proposed amendment to the Exemption would not degrade the level 
of safety attained by compliance with the rule and there would be no 
change in accident doses to the environment. Consequently, the 
probability of fires has not been increased and the post-fire 
radiological releases would not be greater than previously determined; 
nor does the proposed exemption otherwise affect radiological plant 
effluents. Therefore, the Commission concludes that there are no 
significant radiological environmental impacts associated with this 
proposed exemption amendment.
    With regard to potential non-radiological impacts, the proposed 
exemption amendment involves features located entirely within the 
restricted area as defined in 10 CFR Part 20. It does not affect non-
radiological plant effluents and has no other environmental impact. 
Therefore, the Commission concludes that there is no significant non-
radiological environmental impact associated with the proposed 
exemption amendment.

Alternatives to the Proposed Action

    Since we have concluded that the environmental effects of the 
proposed action are not significant, any alternatives with equal or 
greater environmental impacts need not be evaluated.
    The principal alternative would be to deny the requested amendment 
to the exemption. This would not reduce the environmental impacts 
associated with fire protection modifications and compliance with the 
rule would accrue unreasonable costs to the licensee without an 
increase in safety.

Alternative Use of Resources

    This action does not involve the use of any resources not 
previously considered in the Final Environmental Statement (as amended) 
for the North Anna Power Station, Units No. 1 and No. 2.

Agencies and Persons Consulted

    In accordance with its stated policy, on August 3, 1995, the staff 
consulted with the Virginia State official, James Dekrafft, of the 
Virginia Department of Health, regarding the environmental impact of 
the proposed action. The State official had no comments.

Finding of No Significant Impact

    The Commission has determined not to prepare an environmental 
impact statement for the proposed amendment to the exemption.
    Based upon the foregoing environmental assessment, we conclude 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 an addendum to the exemption from 10 CFR 50, Appendix 
R, section III.G. of Appendix R dated December 11, 1992, as 
supplemented by letter dated August 18, 1994, 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 Board of 
Supervisors Office, Louisa, County Courthouse, Louisa Virginia 23093, 
and the Alderman Library, Manuscripts Department, University of 
Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia 22901.

    Dated at Rockville, Maryland, this 24th day of August 1995.

    For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
David C. Trimble,
Acting Director, Project Directorate II-1, Division of Reactor 
Projects--I/II, Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation.
[FR Doc. 95-21742 Filed 8-31-95; 8:45 am]
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