[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 88 (Wednesday, May 7, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Pages 24980-24981]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-11832]


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NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION

[Docket Nos. 50-387 and 50-388]


Pennsylvania Power & Light Company, Allegheny Electric 
Cooperative, Inc. (Susquehanna Steam Electric 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 to Facility Operating License Nos. 
NPF-14 and NPF-22, issued to Pennsylvania Power & Light Company (the 
licensee), for operation of the Susquehanna Steam Electric Station, 
Units 1 and 2, located in Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, from the 
requirements of 10 CFR 50.71(e)(4).

Environmental Assessment

Identification of the Proposed Action

    The proposed action would allow exemption from the requirements of 
10 CFR 50.71(e)(4) regarding the submission of revisions to the Final 
Safety Analysis Report (FSAR) and safety evaluation summary reports for 
facility changes made under 10 CFR 50.59 for Susquehanna Steam Electric 
Station (SSES). Specifically, the exemption requests that Pennsylvania 
Power & Light Company be allowed to schedule updates to both units of 
the SSES FSAR and submit safety evaluation summary reports based upon 
the refueling cycle frequency for Unit 2. The proposed action is in 
accordance with the licensee's application for exemption dated 
September 6, 1996.

The Need for the Proposed Action

    It is required in 10 CFR 50.71 (e)(4) that licensees are to submit 
the updates

[[Page 24981]]

to their FSAR within 6 months after each refueling outage provided that 
the interval between successive updates does not exceed 24 months. 
Since SSES Units 1 and 2 share a common FSAR, the licensee must update 
the same document within 6 months after a refueling outage for either 
unit. The proposed action would maintain the SSES FSAR current within 
24 months of the last revision and would not exceed the 24-month 
interval for submission of the 10 CFR 50.59 design change report for 
either unit.

Environmental Impacts of the Proposed Action

    The Commission has completed its evaluation of the proposed action 
and concludes that the change 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 nonradiological impacts, the proposed 
action does involve 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 
Susquehanna Steam Electric Station, dated June 1981.

Agencies and Persons Consulted

    In accordance with its stated policy, on March 24, 1997, the staff 
consulted with the Pennsylvania State official, Mr. David Ney of the 
Bureau of Radiation Protection, Pennsylvania Department of 
Environmental 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 
proposed action.
    For further details with respect to the proposed action, see the 
licensee's letter dated September 6, 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 Osterhout Free Library, Reference 
Department, 71 South Franklin Street, Wilkes-Barre, PA 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. 97-11832 Filed 5-6-97; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7590-01-P