[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 58 (Monday, March 25, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Pages 12112-12113]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-7144]



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NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION
[Docket No. 50-483]


Union Electric Company Callaway Plant, Unit 1; Environmental 
Assessment and Finding of No Significant Impact

    The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (the Commission) is 
considering issuance of an amendment to Facility Operating License No. 
NPF-30 to Union Electric Company (the licensee) for the Callaway Plant, 
Unit 1 located in Callaway County, Missouri.

Environmental Assessment

Identification of the Proposed Action

    By letter dated September 6, 1995, (ULNRC-03264) the licensee 
proposed to change the Technical Specifications (TSs) to allow an 
increase in fuel enrichment (Uranium 235) from 4.45 to 5.0 weight 
percent for fuel with integral fuel burnable absorbers (IFBAs) and from 
3.85 to 4.10 weight percent for fuel without IFBAs. In addition, the 
licensee proposed to change the maximum reference K from 
1.455 to 1.480 for storage of fuel in Region 1 of the spent fuel pool 
and to change the maximum initial enrichment for fuel storage in Region 
2 of the spent fuel pool to 5.0 weight percent.

Need for Proposed Action

    The licensee intends to load fuel into the core during Refuel 8 and 
subsequent refueling outages which does not currently meet the TSs. By 
increasing the fuel enrichment, the licensee will implement the fuel 
strategies developed for the Callaway Plant.

Environmental Impact of the Proposed Action

    The Commission has completed its evaluation of the proposed 
revision to the TSs and concludes that storage and use of Vantage 5 
fuel enriched with U-235 up to 4.10 weight percent for fuel without 
IFBAs and up to 5.0 weight for fuel with IFBAs at the Callaway Plant, 
Unit 1 is acceptable. The safety considerations associated with higher 
enrichments have been evaluated by the NRC staff and the staff has 
concluded that such changes would not adversely affect plant safety. 
The proposed changes have no adverse effect on the probability of any 
accident. As a result, there is no increase in individual or cumulative 
radiation exposure.
    The environmental impacts of transportation resulting from the use 
of higher enrichment and extended irradiation are discussed in the 
staff assessment entitled ``NRC Assessment of the Environmental Effects 
of Transportation Resulting from Extended Fuel Enrichment and 
Irradiation.'' This assessment was published in the Federal Register on 
August 11, 1988 (53 FR 30355) as corrected on August 24, 1988 (53 FR 
32322) in connection with the Shearon Harris Nuclear Power Plant, Unit 
I: Environmental Assessment and Finding of No Significant Impact. As 
indicated therein, the environmental cost contribution of an increase 
in fuel enrichment of up to 5 weight percent U-235 and irradiation 
limits of up to 60 Gigawatt Days per Metric Ton (GWD/MT) are either 
unchanged, or may in fact be reduced from those summarized in Table S-4 
as set forth in 10 CFR 51.52(c). These findings are applicable to the 
proposed amendment for the Callaway Plant, Unit 1. Accordingly, the 
Commission concludes that this proposed action would result in no 
significant radiological environmental impact.
    With regard to potential nonradiological impacts, the proposed 
changes involve systems located within the restricted area as defined 
in 10 CFR Part 20. It does not affect nonradiological plant effluents 
and has no other environmental impact. Therefore, the Commission 
concludes that there are no significant nonradiological environmental 
impacts associated with the proposed amendment.
    The Notice of Consideration of Issuance of Amendment to Facility 
Operating License, Proposed No Significant Hazards Consideration 
Determination, and Opportunity for a Hearing in connection with this 
action was published in the Federal Register on November 8, 1995 (60 FR 
56372).

Alternative to the Proposed Action

    Since the Commission concluded that there are no significant 
environmental effects that would result from the proposed action, any 
alternative with equal or greater environmental impacts need not be 
evaluated.
    The principal alternative would be to deny the requested amendment. 
This would not reduce environmental impacts of plant operation and 
would result in reduced operational flexibility.

Alternative Use of Resources

    This action does not involve the use of any resources not 
previously considered in the Final Environmental Statement for Callaway 
Plant, Unit 1, dated January 1982 (NUREG-0813).

Agencies and Persons Contacted

    In accordance with its stated policy, on March 18, 1996, the staff 
consulted with the Missouri State official, Mr. David A. Shorr, 
Director, 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

[[Page 12113]]
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 this action, see the 
application for license amendment dated September 6, 1995. Copies are 
available for public inspection at the Commission's Public Document 
Room, the Gelman Building, 2120 L Street, NW., Washington, DC 20555, 
and at the local public document room located at the Callaway County 
Public Library, 710 Court Street, Fulton, Missouri 65251.

    Dated at Rockville, Maryland, this 18th day of March 1996.

    For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
Kristine M. Thomas,
Project Manager, Project Directorate IV-2, Division of Reactor Projects 
III/IV, Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation.
[FR Doc. 96-7144 Filed 3-22-96; 8:45 am]
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