[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 87 (Tuesday, May 6, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Pages 24669-24670]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-11868]


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NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION

[50-388]


Pennsylvania Power and Light Company; Susquehanna Steam Electric 
Station, Unit 2; Environmental Assessment and Finding of No Significant 
Impact

    The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (the Commission) is 
considering issuance of an amendment to Facility Operating License No. 
NPF-22, issued to Pennsylvania Power and Light Company (the licensee), 
for operation of the Susquehanna Steam Electric Station, located in 
Luzerne County, PA.

Environmental Assessment

Identification of the Proposed Action

    The proposed action would change the Technical Specifications for 
the unit to permit the use of ATRIUM-10 fuel in the reactor. The 
changes include core flow dependent minimum critical power ratio (MCPR) 
Safety Limits in Sections 2.1.2 and 3.4.1.1.2, addition of Siemens 
Power Corporation (SPC) methodology topical report references in 
Section 6.9.3.2, changes in Section 5.3.1 to reflect new fuel design 
features, changes in definitions in Section 1 to reflect the new fuel 
design, and changes to the Bases to correspond to the above changes as 
appropriate.
    The proposed action is in accordance with the licensee's 
application for amendment dated December 18, 1996, as supplemented by 
letters dated February 26, 1997, March 12 and 27, April 3, 9, 16, 18, 
and 24, 1997.

The Need for the Proposed Action

    The proposed action will enable the licensee to complete its 
maintenance and refueling outage on this unit and begin a new fuel 
cycle which will include a portion of the core consisting of the new 
ATRIUM-10 nuclear fuel.

Environmental Impacts of the Proposed Action

    The Commission has completed its evaluation of the proposed action 
and concludes that it is acceptable. The safety considerations 
associated with the use of the ATRIUM-10 fuel in the Susquehanna Steam 
Electric Station, Unit 2, have been evaluated by the NRC staff and the 
staff has concluded that this change in the reactor fuel design would 
not adversely affect plant safety. The proposed change to the fuel 
design has no adverse effect on the probability of any accident 
previously analyzed. The increase in fuel enrichment from 4.0% versus 
4.5% for an increased fuel cycle of 24 months results in an increase in 
the projected maximum burnup rate or discharge exposure from the 
current 45 to 48 MWd/kgU. This increased burnup may slightly change the 
mix of fission products that might be released in the event of a 
serious accident, but such changes would not significantly affect the 
consequences of serious accidents. Routine radiological effluents are 
not affected. As a result, there is no increase in individual or 
cumulative radiation exposure.
    The environmental impacts of transportation resulting from the use 
of higher enrichment and extended irradiation are discussed in the 
staff assessment entitled, ``NRC Assessment of the Environmental 
Effects of Transportation Resulting from Extended Fuel Enrichment and 
Irradiation.'' This assessment was published in the Federal Register on 
August 11, 1988 (53 FR 30355), as corrected on August 24, 1988 (53 FR 
32322), in connection with the Shearon Harris Nuclear Power Plant, Unit 
1: Environmental Assessment and Finding of No Significant Impact. As 
indicated therein, the environmental cost contribution of an increase 
in fuel enrichment of up to 5 weight percent U-235 and irradiation 
limits of up to 60 Gigawatt Days per Metric Ton (GWd/MT) are either 
unchanged, or may in fact be reduced from those summarized in Table S-4 
as set forth in 10 CFR 51.52(c). These findings are applicable to the 
proposed increase in the allowable exposure of SPC ATRIUM-10 fuel for 
Susquehanna, Unit 2. Accordingly, the Commission concludes that this 
proposed action would result in no significant radiological 
environmental impact.
    With regard to potential nonradiological impacts, the proposed 
change will in no way affect environs located outside the restricted 
area as defined in 10 CFR Part 20. It does not affect nonradiological 
plant effluents and has no other environmental impact. Therefore, the 
Commission concludes that there are no significant nonradiological 
environmental impacts associated with the proposed change in the fuel 
exposure limit and the use of the new fuel design.

[[Page 24670]]

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 
Susquehanna Steam Electric Station, Unit 2.

Agencies and Persons Consulted

    In accordance with its stated policy, on May 1, 1997, NRC staff 
consulted with the Pennsylvania State official, R. Maiers of the 
Pennsylvania 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 letter dated December 18, 1996, as supplemented by letters 
dated February 26, 1997, March 12 and 27, April 3, 9, 16, 18, and 24, 
1997, 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 
Osterhout Free Library, Reference Department, 71 South Franklin Street, 
Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania 18701.

    Dated at Rockville, Maryland, this 2nd day of May 1997.

    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. 97-11868 Filed 5-5-97; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7590-01-P