[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 78 (Monday, April 22, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Page 17736]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-9854]



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NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION
[Docket No. 50-344]


Portland General Electric Company, Trojan Nuclear Plant; Order 
Approving the Decommissioning Plan and Authorizing Decommissioning of 
Facility

I

    The Portland General Electric Company (PGE or the licensee) is the 
holder of Facility Operating License No. NPF-1 issued by the U.S. 
Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC or the Commission) pursuant to 10 
CFR Part 50 on November 21, 1975, for the operation of the Trojan 
Nuclear Plant (TNP or the facility). The facility is located on the 
west bank of the Columbia River in Columbia County, Oregon. The license 
was amended to a possession-only license on May 5, 1993, removing the 
authority of the licensee to operate TNP.

II

    The plant operated until November 9, 1992, when a leak in the ``B'' 
steam generator was detected and forced a shutdown of the plant. The 
licensee notified the NRC of the decision to permanently cease power 
operations on January 27, 1993. The fuel was transferred to the spent 
fuel pool, and on March 24, 1993, the NRC staff issued a Confirmatory 
Order to confirm a PGE commitment not to place fuel back into the 
reactor building without written approval by the NRC. The operating 
license was amended to a possession-only license on May 5, 1993. TNP is 
permanently defueled and cannot be operated nor can fuel be placed in 
the reactor under the terms of the license. The licensee submitted the 
decommissioning plan and a supplement to the environmental report for 
TNP on January 26, 1995.
    On March 8, 1995, in accord with 10 CFR 50.82(e), a Notice of 
Receipt of the Decommissioning Plan and the Supplement to the 
Environmental Report and an Opportunity for Public Comment were 
published in the Federal Register (60 FR 12788). Because of public 
interest in the decommissioning process, the Federal Register notice 
announced a local public meeting to provide the public an opportunity 
to comment on the plan. The meeting was held on March 29, 1995, at St. 
Helens, Oregon, and was transcribed.
    By a letter of December 18, 1995, the staff informed the licensee 
that the decommissioning plan was acceptable. The staff documented its 
review of the licensee's decommissioning plan and supplement to the 
environmental report in a safety evaluation report and environmental 
assessment related to the licensee's request to authorize facility 
decommissioning. Public comments received at the meeting on March 29, 
1995, in St. Helens, Oregon, were addressed in an appendix to the 
safety evaluation report.
    On December 22, 1995, by a notice in the Federal Register (60 FR 
66569) the Commission announced that the Commission was considering 
issuance of an Order approving the Trojan Decommissioning Plan. The 
notice also offered an opportunity for a hearing on the licensee's 
decommissioning plan. The licensee and members of the public were 
afforded 30 days from the date that the notice appeared in the Federal 
Register to submit a request for hearing and a petition for leave to 
intervene. No request for a hearing has been filed.
    On January 22, 1996, the Oregon Department of Energy (ODOE) issued 
the results of its review of the PGE decommissioning plan for Trojan. 
The ODOE also offered a 30 day window of opportunity for members of the 
public to request a hearing under the State of Oregon statutes. On 
February 13, 1996, the NRC staff and the ODOE held a joint public 
meeting near the plant site in the town of Rainier, Oregon. The results 
of the review by both the NRC staff and the ODOE staff of the 
licensee's decommissioning plan and the supplement to the environmental 
report were presented. There were no comments by members of the public. 
The time period in which a member of the public or the licensee could 
request a contested case hearing in the State venue on the proposed 
decommissioning expired without a request. On March 7, 1996, the Energy 
Facility Siting Council of the ODOE voted to approve the proposed rule 
that allows the licensee to proceed with decommissioning.

III

    The NRC has reviewed the PGE decommissioning plan with respect to 
the provisions of the Commission's rules and regulations and has found 
that decommissioning as described in the TNP Decommissioning Plan will 
be performed in accordance with the regulations of 10 CFR 50.82 and 10 
CFR Chapter I and will not be inimical to the common defense and 
security or to the health and safety of the public.

IV

    Pursuant to 10 CFR 51.21, 51.30, and 51.35, the Commission prepared 
an environmental assessment, which was issued on December 18, 1995. The 
Commission published on December 22, 1995, in the Federal Register (60 
FR 66568) a notice of issuance of the Environmental Assessment and 
Final Finding of No Significant Impact. On the basis of the 
environmental assessment, the Commission has determined that the 
proposed action will not result in any significant environmental impact 
and that an environmental impact statement need not be prepared.

V

    Accordingly, pursuant to Sections 103, 161b, 161i, and 161o, of the 
Atomic Energy Act of 1954, as amended, 42 U.S.C. Secs. 2133, 2201(b), 
2201(i), 2201(o), and 10 CFR 50.82, the PGE Decommissioning Plan is 
approved and decommissioning of TNP is authorized in accordance with 
the plan.
    For further details with respect to this action, see: (1) The 
application for authorization to decommission the facility of January 
26, 1995, as supplemented November 13, 1995; (2) the Environmental 
Assessment by the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Related to the 
Request to Authorize Facility Decommissioning, December 1995; and (3) 
the Safety Evaluation Report by the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission 
Related to the Request to Authorize Facility Decommissioning, December 
1995. These documents 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 for the 
TNP at the Branford Price Millar Library, Portland State University, 
Portland, Oregon 97207.

    Dated at Rockville, Maryland, this 15th day of April 1996.

    For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
William T. Russell,
Director, Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation.
[FR Doc. 96-9854 Filed 4-19-96; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7590-01-P