[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 197 (Wednesday, October 9, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Pages 52959-52960]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-25903]


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NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION
[Docket Nos. 50-317 and 50-318]


Baltimore Gas and Electric Company: Calvert Cliffs Nuclear Power 
Plant, Unit Nos. 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 certain requirements of its 
regulations for Facility Operating License Nos. DPR-53 and DPR-69, 
issued to Baltimore Gas and Electric Company (the licensee), for 
operation of the Calvert Cliffs Nuclear Power Plant, Unit Nos. 1 and 2, 
located in Calvert County, Maryland.

Environmental Assessment

Identification of Proposed Action

    The proposed action would exempt the licensee from the requirements 
of 10 CFR 70.24, which requires a monitoring system that will energize 
clearly audible alarms if accidental criticality occurs in each area in 
which special nuclear material is handled, used, or stored. The 
proposed action would also exempt the licensee from the requirements of 
10 CFR 70.24(a)(3) to maintain emergency procedures for each area in 
which this licensed special nuclear material is handled, used, or 
stored to ensure that all personnel withdraw to an area of safety upon 
the sounding of the alarm and to conduct drills and designate 
responsible individuals for such emergency procedures.
    The proposed action is in accordance with the licensee's 
application for exemption dated August 19, 1996.

The Need for the Proposed Action

    Power reactor license applicants are evaluated for the safe 
handling, use, and storage of special nuclear materials. The proposed 
exemption from criticality accident requirements is based on the 
original design for radiation monitoring at Calvert Cliffs. Exemptions 
from the requirements of 10 CFR 70.24(a) ``Criticality Accident 
Requirements'' were granted in the Special Nuclear Material (SNM) 
licenses for each unit as part of the 10 CFR Part 70 license. However, 
with the issuance of the Part 50 license this exemption expired because 
it was inadvertently omitted in that license. Therefore, the exemption 
is needed to clearly define the design of the plant as evaluated and 
approved for licensing.

Environmental Impacts of the Proposed Action

    The NRC staff has completed its evaluation of the proposed action 
and

[[Page 52960]]

concludes that there is no significant environmental impact if the 
exemption is granted. Inadvertent or accidental criticality will be 
precluded through compliance with the Calvert Cliffs Technical 
Specifications, the geometric spacing of fuel assemblies in the new 
fuel storage facility and spent fuel storage pool, and administrative 
controls imposed on fuel handling procedures.
    Inadvertent or accidental criticality in the reactor vessel is 
prevented through compliance with the facility Technical 
Specifications, including reactivity requirements (e.g., shutdown 
margin limits and control rod movement limits), instrumentation 
requirements (e.g., power and radiation monitors), and control on 
refueling operations (e.g., refueling boron concentration and source 
range monitor requirements). In addition, the operators' attention is 
directed toward instruments monitoring behavior of the nuclear fuel in 
the reactor, assuring that the facility is operated in a manner that 
precludes inadvertent criticality.
    Special nuclear material, as nuclear fuel, is stored in the spent 
fuel pool, the new fuel storage racks, and the Independent Spent Fuel 
Storage Installation. The spent fuel pool is used to store irradiated 
fuel under water after its discharge from the reactor, and new fuel 
prior to loading into the reactor. The Independent Spent Fuel Storage 
Installation utilizes dry canisters to store spent fuel. Dry fuel 
storage facilities are specifically excluded from criticality 
monitoring in accordance with 10 CFR 72.124(c).
    The spent fuel pool is designed to store the fuel in a geometric 
array using a solid neutron absorber that precludes criticality. The 
effective neutron multiplication factor, Keff is maintained less 
than or equal to 0.95 by the solid neutron absorber. Although soluble 
boron is maintained in the spent fuel pool, no credit is taken for it 
in determining Keff.
    The new fuel storage racks may be used to receive and store new 
fuel in a dry condition upon arrival on site and prior to loading in 
the reactor or spent fuel pool. The maximum enrichment of 5.0 wt% U-235 
for the new fuel assemblies results in a maximum effective 
multiplication factor of 0.89 at a water density of 1.0 gm/cc (full 
flood), and a multiplication factor of less than 0.89 for aqueous foam.
    Nuclear fuel is moved between the new fuel storage racks, the 
reactor vessel, the refueling pool, and the spent fuel pool to 
accommodate refueling operations. In addition, fuel is moved into the 
facility and within the reactor vessel, or within the spent fuel pool. 
In all cases, fuel movements are procedurally controlled and designed 
to preclude conditions involving criticality concerns. In addition, the 
Technical Specifications also preclude certain movements over the spent 
fuel pool to prevent an inadvertent criticality. Previous accident 
analyses have demonstrated that a fuel handling accident (i.e., a 
dropped fuel assembly) will not create conditions which could result in 
inadvertent criticality. Additionally, the Emergency Response Plan 
contains provisions for coping with unusual events such as a dropped 
fuel assembly.
    In summary, exemptions from the requirements of 10 CFR Part 70, 
Section 70.24 approved by the NRC in connection with the SNM licenses 
for Calvert Cliffs Unit Nos. 1 and 2 were based upon NRC's finding that 
the inherent features associated with the storage and inspection of 
unirradiated fuel established good cause for granting the exemption and 
that granting such a exemption at this time will not endanger public 
life or property or the common defense and security and is otherwise in 
the public interest. The training provided to all personnel involved in 
fuel handling operations, the administrative controls, the Technical 
Specifications on new and spent fuel handling and storage, and the 
design of the new and spent fuel storage racks in place preclude 
inadvertent or accidental criticality. Since the facilities, storage, 
and inspection and procedures currently in place are consistent with 
those in place at the time the exemptions were granted in connection 
with the SNM licenses, an exemption from 10 CFR 70.24 is appropriate.
    The proposed exemption will not affect radiological plant effuents 
nor cause any significant occupational exposures. Only a small amount, 
if any, of radioactive waste is generated during the receipt and 
handling of new fuel (e.g., smear papers or contaminated packaging 
material). The amount of waste would not be changed by the exemption.
    With regard to potential nonradiological impacts, the proposed 
exemption involves 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. 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 that there is no measurable 
environmental impact associated with the proposed action, any 
alternatives with equal or greater environmental impact need not be 
evaluated. The principal alternative would be to deny the requested 
exemption. 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 related to 
the operation of Calvert Cliffs Nuclear Power Plant, Unit Nos. 1 and 2, 
dated April 1973.

Agencies and Persons Consulted

    In accordance with its stated policy, on September 18, 1996, the 
staff consulted with the Maryland State Official, Mr. Richard I. McLean 
of the Maryland 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 
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 August 19, 1996, 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 room located at the Calvert County Library, Prince Frederick, 
Maryland 20678.

    Dated at Rockville, Maryland, this 3rd day of October 1996.

    For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
Alexander W. Dromerick,
Senior Project Manager, Project Directorate I-1, Division of Reactor 
Projects-I/II, Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation.
[FR Doc. 96-25903 Filed 10-8-96; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7590-01-P