[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 102 (Friday, May 24, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Pages 26225-26226]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-13098]



=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION

[Docket Nos. 50-263, 50-282, 50-306 and 72-10]


Northern States Power Co.; Monticello Nuclear Generating Plant, 
Prairie Island Nuclear Generating Plant, Units 1 and 2, and Prairie 
Island Independent Spent Fuel Storage Installation; Environmental 
Assessment and Finding of No Significant Impact

    The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (the Commission) is 
considering approval of the transfer of, and issuance of amendments to 
Facility Operating Licenses Nos. DPR-22, DPR-42, DPR-60, and SNM-2506 
issued to Northern States Power Company, (the licensee), for operation 
of the Monticello Nuclear Generating Plant, located in Wright County, 
Minnesota, and the Prairie Island Nuclear Generating Plant, Units 1 and 
2, and the Prairie Island Independent Spent Fuel Storage Installation 
(ISFSI) located in Goodhue County, Minnesota.

Environmental Assessment

Identification of the Proposed Actions

    The proposed actions would consent to the transfer of control of 
the operating licenses, and amend them to reflect the transfer of 
control of the licenses for the Monticello Nuclear Generating Plant, 
the Prairie Island Units 1 and 2 Nuclear Generating Plants, and the 
Prairie Island Independent Spent Fuel Storage Installation facility, 
held by Northern States Power Company (NSP). Following a series of 
transactions, NSP

[[Page 26226]]

will become a wholly owned subsidiary of Wisconsin Energy Corporation 
(WEC), the parent company of Wisconsin Electric Power Company (WEPCO). 
WEC will be renamed Primergy Corporation (Primergy) and will own two 
operating utility subsidiaries: (1) Northern States Power Company, 
which will be reincorporated in Wisconsin and merged with a newly 
formed WEC/Primergy subsidiary, and (2) WEPCO, which will be named 
Wisconsin Energy Company. The merged NSP will continue to operate the 
same facilities above in the same locations. The proposed action is in 
accordance with NSP's applications dated October 20, 1995, and December 
6, 1995.

The Need for the Proposed Actions

    The proposed actions are required to approve and reflect the 
transfer of control of the licenses discussed above. The transfer and 
amendments reflecting the transfer of control will have minimal impact 
on the operation of the facilities by NSP. The transfer and amendment 
will not affect the facilities' Technical Specifications or license 
conditions.

Environmental Impacts of the Proposed Actions

    The Commission has completed its evaluation of the proposed 
transfer of control of the licenses and related license amendments and 
concludes that there will be no changes to the Monticello, Prairie 
Island Units 1 and 2, and Prairie Island ISFSI facilities, or to the 
environment as a result of these actions. The transfer of control of 
the licenses and the associated license amendments will not affect the 
qualifications or organizational affiliation of the personnel who 
operate the facilities, as NSP will continue to be responsible for the 
operation of the Monticello and Prairie Island facilities.
    The Commission has evaluated the environmental impact of the 
proposed actions and has determined that the probability or 
consequences of accidents would not be increased by the transfer of 
control and issuance of related amendments, and that post-accident 
radiological releases would not be greater than previously determined. 
Further, the Commission has determined that the transfer of control and 
issuance of related amendments would not affect routine radiological 
plant effluents and would not increase occupational radiological 
exposure. Accordingly, the Commission concludes that there are no 
significant radiological environmental impacts associated with the 
proposed actions.
    With regard to potential nonradiological impacts, the transfer of 
control and related amendments would not affect nonradiological plant 
effluents and would have no other environmental impact. Therefore, the 
Commission concludes that there are no significant nonradiological 
environmental impacts associated with the proposed actions.

Alternative to the Proposed Actions

    Since the Commission has concluded that the environmental effects 
of the proposed actions are not significant, any alternatives with 
equal or greater environmental impact need not be evaluated. The 
principal alternative would be to deny the requested approvals. Denial 
of the applications would result in no change in current environmental 
impacts. The environmental impacts of the proposed actions and the 
alternative action are identical.

Alternative Use of Resources

    These actions do not involve the use of any resources not 
previously considered in the Final Environmental Statements for the 
Monticello Nuclear Generating Plant dated November 22, 1972, the 
Prairie Island Nuclear Generating Plant dated May 1973, and the Prairie 
Island ISFSI dated April 1991.

Agencies and Persons Contacted

    In accordance with its stated policy, the NRC staff consulted with 
the Minnesota State official, Mr. Michael McCarthy of the Department of 
Public Services, on May 6, 1996, regarding the environmental impact of 
the proposed actions. Mr. McCarthy had no comments.

Finding of No Significant Impact

    Based upon the environmental assessment, the Commission concludes 
that the proposed actions 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 actions.
    For further details with respect to the proposed actions, see the 
licensee's submittals dated October 20 and December 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 Minneapolis Public 
Library, Technology and Science Department, 300 Nicollet Mall, 
Minneapolis, Minnesota 55401.

    Dated at Rockville, Md., this 17 day of May 1996.

    For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission,
Mark Reinhart,
Acting Director, Project Directorate III-1, Division of Reactor 
Projects--III/IV, Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation.
[FR Doc. 96-13098 Filed 5-23-96; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7590-01-P