[Federal Register Volume 60, Number 184 (Friday, September 22, 1995)]
[Notices]
[Pages 49293-49294]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 95-23539]



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NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION
[Docket Nos. 50-445 AND 50-446]


Texas Utilities Electric Company; 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-87 and NPF-89, issued 
to the Texas Utilities Electric Company (TU Electric, the licensee), 
for operation of the Comanche Peak Steam Electric Station (CPSES), 
Units 1 and 2, located in Somervell County, Texas. 

[[Page 49294]]


Environmental Assessment

Identification of Proposed Action

    The proposed action is in response to the licensee's application 
dated September 19, 1994, for exemption from the requirements of 10 CFR 
50.71(e)(4) regarding submission of revisions to the Final Safety 
Analysis Report (FSAR) and design change reports for facility changes 
made under 10 CFR 50.59 for the CPSES. Under the proposed exemption the 
licensee would schedule updates to the single, unified FSAR for the two 
units that comprise CPSES once per fuel cycle (based on the unit with 
the shortest interval between scheduled refueling outages). With the 
current fuel cycles, FSAR updates would be submitted every 18 months.

The Need for the Proposed Action

    10 CFR 50.71(e)(4) requires licensees to submit updates to their 
UFSAR within 6 months after each refueling outage providing that the 
interval between successive updates does not exceed 24 months. Since 
CPSES, Units 1 and 2 share a common FSAR, the licensee must update the 
same document within 6 months after a refueling outage for either unit. 
CPSES units have alternating refueling outages, thus linking the 
submittal of the update to the completion of one unit's refueling 
outage when the other unit is scheduled for a refueling outage within 
six to twelve months is an administrative burden which does not enhance 
achieving the purpose of the rule. Allowing the exemption would 
maintain the CPSES FSAR current within 24 months of the last revision 
and would not exceed the 24-month interval for submission of the 10 CFR 
50.59 design change report for either unit.

Environmental Impacts of the Proposed Action

    The Commission has completed its evaluation of the proposed action 
and concludes that 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 does involve 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 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 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 any resources not 
previously considered in the Final Environmental Statement for the 
Comanche Peak Steam Electric Station, dated October 1989.

Agencies and Persons Consulted

    In accordance with its stated policy, on August 10, 1995, the staff 
consulted with the Texas State official, Mr. Authur Tate of the Texas 
Department of Health, Bureau of Radiation Control, 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 action.
    For further details with respect to the proposed action, see the 
licensee's letter dated September 19, 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 local public 
document room located at the University of Texas at Arlington Library, 
702 College, P.O. Box 19497, Arlington, TX 76019.

    Dated at Rockville, Maryland, this 12th day of September 1995.

    For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
Timothy J. Polich,
Project Manager, Project Directorate IV-1, Division of Reactor Projects 
III/IV, Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation.
[FR Doc. 95-23539 Filed 9-21-95; 8:45 am]
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