[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 184 (Friday, September 20, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Pages 49501-49502]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-24137]


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NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION
[Docket Nos. 50-272 and 50-311]


Public Service Electric and Gas Company; PECO Energy Company; 
Delmarva Power and Light Company; Atlantic City Electric Company; Salem 
Nuclear Generating Station, Units 1 and 2; Environmental Assessment and 
Finding of No Significant Impact

    The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (the Commission) is 
considering issuance of an exemption from the requirement of 10 CFR 
55.31(a)(5) to Public Service Electric and Gas Company, et al. (PSE&G, 
the licensee), for operation of the Salem Nuclear Generating Station, 
Units 1 and 2, located in Salem County, New Jersey.

Environmental Assessment

Identification of the Proposed Action

    The proposed action would grant an exemption from the requirement 
of 10 CFR 55.31(a)(5) which requires each licensed operator applicant 
to perform at least five significant control manipulations which affect 
reactivity or power level on the facility for which the license is 
sought.
    The licensee has requested the NRC accept the performance of the 
required control manipulations by each licensed operator applicant on 
its certified, plant-referenced simulator.
    The proposed action is in accordance with the licensee's 
application for an exemption dated May 10, 1996, as supplemented by 
letters dated June 20, 1996, and July 9, 1996.

The Need for the Proposed Action

    The proposed action would allow issuance of six senior operator 
licenses to the applicants with previous licensed senior operator 
experience prior to their performance of the required control 
manipulations. Performance of the control manipulations on the Salem 
facility has not been possible since both Units 1 and 2 have been 
shutdown for approximately one year for extensive upgrades of both 
equipment and personnel. In lieu of performing the control 
manipulations on its facility, the licensee requests acceptance of 
satisfactory performance of simulated control manipulations on its 
certified, plant-referenced simulator since all six of the applicants 
have significant and

[[Page 49502]]

extensive commercial nuclear power plant experience. The licensee 
further committed to the performance of the required control 
manipulations by each of the six applicants on the Salem Nuclear 
Generating Station, Unit 2, prior to or at the time the unit achieves 
100 percent power following the current plant outage. The requested 
relief would constitute a one-time exemption from the requirements of 
10 CFR 55.31(a)(5).
    In support of its request for exemption, the licensee stated that 
the six senior operator applicants have significant commercial nuclear 
power plant experience--from 5 to 22 years--and have received 
additional training on the Salem certified, plant-referenced simulator, 
including the performance of simulated control manipulations beyond the 
number required by 10 CFR 55.31(a)(5). The licensee stated that the six 
senior operator applicants conducted control manipulations at other 
pressurized water reactors. These six applicants have also performed 
licensed senior operator duties within approximately the last 2 years. 
Finally, the licensee asserts that the six applicants have the specific 
leadership characteristics, determined through a rigorous screening and 
interview process, considered vital for reliable shift performance. The 
licensee further stated that failure to grant the exemption would not 
serve an underlying purpose of the rule in that the safety of nuclear 
power plant operations would not be improved.
    The licensee concludes that the proposed alternate qualifications 
and training will suffice due to the previously demonstrated 
capabilities of the senior operator applicants, and it is in the public 
interest to grant the exemption since inclusion of these individuals on 
the operations staff will facilitate an increased level of safety as 
part of the Salem Restart Action Plan.

Environmental Impacts of the Proposed Action

    The Commission has completed its evaluation of the proposed action 
and concludes that the underlying purpose of 10 CFR 55.31(a)(5), to 
ensure that applicants for operator and senior operator licenses have 
some minimum level of actual on-the-job training and experience 
manipulating the controls in the power plant control room prior to 
license issuance will be met for the six senior operator license 
applicants by the additional plant-specific simulator training. The six 
previously licensed applicants possess recent significant licensed 
operating experience at other pressurized water reactors and have 
successfully conducted actual control manipulations. They have 
demonstrated that they possess the required levels of practical skills 
and abilities needed to safely operate the plant. Based on their 
considerable licensed operating experience and the additional training 
provided on the certified, plant-referenced simulator, the lack of 
manipulations at the actual controls of the Salem facility is not 
considered significant. Furthermore, the six applicants will complete 
the manipulations prior to or at the time that Unit 2 achieves 100% 
power following the current outage. Therefore, the NRC staff has 
concluded that the licensee's proposed use of simulated control 
manipulations for these six senior operator applicants, combined with 
their prior experience, meets the intent of the requirement to have 
actual experience manipulating the controls in the power plant control 
room prior to licensing. Meeting the requirement for the completion of 
the control manipulations on the actual plant for these six senior 
operator applicants would significantly delay issuance of senior 
operator licenses for these operators, with a resultant adverse effect 
on the facility licensee's operating crew experience level without a 
net benefit to safety, and would otherwise have a detrimental effect on 
the public interest. This one-time exemption will allow additional 
experienced licensed senior operator support during the upcoming Salem 
Unit 2 restart, which will provide a safety enhancement during plant 
startup operations and testing.
    The proposed action 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 non-radiological impacts, the proposed 
action involves 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 
Salem Nuclear Generating Station, Units 1 and 2, dated April 1973.

Agencies and Persons Consulted

    In accordance with its stated policy, on July 8, 1996, the staff 
consulted with the New Jersey State official, Dennis Zannoni of the 
Department of Environmental Protection 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 application for an exemption dated May 10, 1996, as 
supplemented by letters dated June 20, 1996, and July 9, 1996, 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 Salem Free Public 
Library, 112 West Broadway, Salem, NJ 08079.

    Dated at Rockville, Maryland, this 26th day of July 1996.

    For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
John F. Stolz,
Director, Project Directorate I-2 Division of Reactor Projects--I/II 
Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation.
[FR Doc. 96-24137 Filed 9-19-96; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7590-01-P