[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 224 (Tuesday, November 19, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Pages 58897-58898]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-29587]


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NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION
[Docket Nos. 50-445 and 50-446]


Texas Utilities Electric Company; Comanche Peak Steam Electric 
Station, Units 1 and 2, Environmental Assessment and Finding of No 
Significant Impact

    The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (the Commission) under 10 
CFR 50.80, is considering approval of an application regarding the 
corporate restructuring of the holding company for Texas Utilities 
Electric Company (TUE, the licensee), holder of Facility Operating 
License Nos. NPF-87 and NPF-89, for the Comanche Peak Steam Electric 
Station (CPSES), Units 1 and 2, located in Somervell County, Texas.

Environmental Assessment

Identification of the Proposed Action

    The proposed action would consent, by issuance of an order, to the 
corporate restructuring of Texas Utilities Company (TUC) to facilitate 
the acquisition of ENSERCH Corporation (ENSERCH), which is a company 
engaged in natural gas and oil exploration and production, natural gas 
pipeline gathering, processing and marketing, and natural gas 
distribution and power generation. TUC's acquisition of ENSERCH will be 
accomplished through the following merger transactions: (1) The 
formation of a new Texas Corporation, TUC Holding Company, and two new 
subsidiaries of TUC Holding Company (i.e., TUC Merger Corporation and 
Enserch Merger Corporation); (2) the merger of TUC Merger Corporation 
with

[[Page 58898]]

and into TUC with TUC being the surviving corporation; and (3) the 
merger of Enserch Merger Corporation with and into ENSERCH with ENSERCH 
being the surviving company. Upon the consummation of these 
transactions, TUC and ENSERCH will both become wholly owned 
subsidiaries of TUC Holding Company, which will change its name to 
Texas Utilities Company. TUE would continue to remain the sole owner 
and operator of CPSES, Units 1 and 2. Upon consummation of the 
restructuring, current stockholders of TUC would become stockholders of 
the new Texas Utilities Company and would hold approximately 94 percent 
of the issued and outstanding shares of common stock of the new Texas 
Utilities Company, while current stockholders of ENSERCH would likewise 
become stockholders of the new Texas Utilities Company and hold the 
remaining 6 percent. The proposed action is in accordance with TUEC's 
application dated September 20, 1996.

The Need for the Proposed Action

    The proposed action is required to facilitate the acquisition of 
ENSERCH by TUC.

Environmental Impacts of the Proposed Action

    The Commission has completed its evaluation of the proposed 
acquisition and concludes that there will be no physical or operational 
changes to Comanche Peak Steam Electric Station. The acquisition will 
not affect the qualifications or organizational affiliation of the 
personnel who operate the facilities, as TUE will continue to be 
responsible for the operation of Comanche Peak Steam Electric Station, 
Units 1 and 2.
    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 acquisition, and that post-
accident radiological releases would not be greater than previously 
determined. Further, the Commission has determined that the acquisition 
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 acquisition 
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 Statement for the 
CPSES, Units 1 and 2, dated October 1989.

Agencies and Persons Contacted

    In accordance with its stated policy, on November 13, 1996, the 
staff consulted with the Texas State official, Mr. Arthur Tate of the 
Texas Department of Health, Bureau of Radiation Control, 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 September 20, 1996, which is available for 
public inspection at the Commission's Public Document Room, the Gelman 
Building, 2120 L Street, N.W., Washington, DC, and at the local public 
document room located at the University of Texas at Arlington Library, 
Government Publications/Maps, 702 College, P. O. Box 19497, Arlington, 
TX 76019.

    Dated at Rockville, Maryland, this 13th day of November 1996.

    For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
William D. Beckner,
Director, Project Directorate IV-1, Division of Reactor Projects--III/
IV, Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation.
[FR Doc. 96-29587 Filed 11-18-96; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7590-01-P