[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 118 (Tuesday, June 18, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Pages 30923-30924]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-15399]
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[[Page 30924]]
NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION
[Docket Nos. 50-133, 50-275, AND 50-323]
Diablo Canyon Power Plant, Units 1 and 2 and Humboldt Bay Power
Plant Unit 3 Pacific Gas and Electric Company; Environmental Assessment
and Finding of No Significant Impact
The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (the Commission) is
considering approval under 10 CFR 50.80(a) of the transfer of control
of the licenses that would be effected by the corporate restructuring
of Pacific Gas and Electric Company (the licensee), holder of Facility
Operating Licenses Nos. DPR-80, DPR-82, and DPR-7, issued for operation
of the Diablo Canyon Nuclear Power Plant (DCPP), Units 1 and 2, located
in San Luis Obispo County, California, and the Humboldt Bay Power Plant
(HBPP), Unit 3, located in Humboldt County, California.
Environmental Assessment
Identification of the Proposed Action
The proposed action would consent to the transfer of control of the
licenses that would result from the restructuring of Pacific Gas and
Electric (PG&E) by establishment of a holding company under the
temporary name ``PG&E Parent Co., Inc.'' PG&E would become a wholly
owned subsidiary and would continue to be the licensee of Diablo Canyon
Nuclear Power Plant, Units 1 and 2, and Humboldt Bay Power Plant Unit
3. The proposed action is in accordance with PG&E's application dated
November 1, 1995.
The Need for the Proposed Action
The proposed action is required to enable PG&E to restructure as
described above. PG&E has submitted that restructuring will enable it
to better prepare to implement changes resulting from electric industry
restructuring, and will enhance the insulation of PG&E's California
utility business, including the DCPP and HBPP units, from any business
risks associated with non-utility enterprises.
Environmental Impacts of the Proposed Action
The Commission has completed its evaluation of the proposed
corporate restructuring and concludes that there will be no physical or
operational changes to Diablo Canyon and Humboldt Bay. The corporate
restructuring will not affect the qualifications or organizational
affiliation of the personnel who operate the facilities, as PG&E will
continue to be responsible for the operation of the Diablo Canyon
Nuclear Power Plant, Units 1 and 2 and Humboldt Bay Power Plant Unit 3.
The Commission has evaluated the environmental impact of the
proposed action and has determined that the probability or consequences
of accidents would not be increased by the restructuring, and that
post-accident radiological releases would not be greater than
previously determined. Further, the Commission has determined that the
corporate restructuring 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 action.
With regard to potential nonradiological impacts, the restructuring
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 action.
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 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 identical.
Alternative Use of Resources
This action does not involve the use of any resources not
previously considered in the Final Environmental Statements for the
Diablo Canyon Power Plant, dated May 1973, and the Humboldt Bay Power
Plant, dated April 1987.
Agencies and Persons Contacted
In accordance with its stated policy, on May 17, 1996, the staff
consulted with the California State official, Mr. Steve Hsu of the
Radiologic Health Branch of the State Department of Health Services,
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 November 1, 1995, which is 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 rooms located at the Humboldt County Library, 1313 3rd Street,
Eureka, California 95501, and at the California Polytechnic State
University, Robert E. Kennedy Library, Government Documents and Maps
Department, San Luis Obispo, California 93407.
Dated at Rockville, Maryland, this 11th day of June 1996.
For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
Steven D. Bloom,
Project Manager, Project Directorate IV-2, Division of Reactor Projects
III/IV, Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation.
[FR Doc. 96-15399 Filed 6-17-96; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7590-01-P