[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 138 (Friday, July 18, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Pages 38590-38591]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-18993]


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NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION

[Docket No. 50-244]


Rochester Gas and Electric Corporation; R.E. Ginna Nuclear Power 
Plant; 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 No. DRP-18 issued to 
Rochester Gas and Electric Corporation (the licensee), for operation of 
the R.E. Ginna Nuclear Power Plant located in Wayne County, New York.

Environmental Assessment

Identification of Proposed Action

    The proposed action would exempt Rochester Gas and Electric 
Corporation from the requirements of 10 CFR 70.24, which requires a 
monitoring system that will energize clear 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 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, to familiarize personnel with 
the evacuation plan, and to designate responsible individuals for 
determining the cause of the alarm, and to place radiation survey 
instruments in accessible locations for use in such an emergency.
    The proposed action is in accordance with the licensee's 
application for exemption dated June 5, 1997.

The Need for the Proposed Action

    The purpose of 10 CFR 70.24 is to ensure that if a criticality were 
to occur during the handling of special nuclear material, personnel 
would be alerted to that fact and would take appropriate action. At a 
commercial nuclear power plant the inadvertent criticality with which 
10 CFR 70.24 is concerned could occur during fuel handling operations. 
The special nuclear material that could be assembled into a critical 
mass at a commercial nuclear power plant is in the form of nuclear 
fuel; the quantity of other forms of special nuclear material that is 
stored on site is small enough to preclude achieving a critical mass. 
Because the fuel is not enriched beyond 5.0 weight percent Uranium-235 
and because commercial nuclear plant licensees have procedures and 
design features that prevent inadvertent criticality, the staff has 
determined that an inadvertent criticality would not likely occur due 
to the handling of special nuclear material at a commercial power 
reactor. The requirements of 10 CFR 70.24, therefore, are not necessary 
to ensure the safety of personnel during the handling of special 
nuclear materials at commercial power reactors.

Environmental Impacts of the Proposed Action

    The Commission has completed its evaluation of the proposed action 
and concludes that there is no significant environmental impact if the 
exemption is granted. Inadvertent or accidental criticality will be 
precluded through compliance with the R.E. Ginna Nuclear Plant 
Technical Specifications, the design of the fuel storage racks 
providing geometric spacing of fuel assemblies in their storage 
locations, and administrative controls imposed on fuel handling 
procedures. Technical Specifications requirements specify reactivity 
limits for the fuel storage racks and minimum spacing between the fuel 
assemblies in the storage racks.
    Appendix A of 10 CFR Part 50, ``General Design Criteria for Nuclear 
Power Plants,'' Criterion 62, requires the criticality in the fuel 
storage and handling system shall be prevented by physical systems or 
processes, preferably by use of geometrically-safe configurations. This 
is met at Ginna, as identified in the Technical Specifications and the 
Updated Final Safety Analysis Report (UFSAR). Ginna Technical 
Specifications Section 4.3, Fuel Storage, states that the spent fuel 
storage racks are designed with Keff  0.95 if 
fully flooded with unborated water: and new fuel racks are designed 
with Keff  0.95 if fully flooded with unborated 
water; and Keff  0.98 if moderated by aqueous 
foam. UFSAR Section 9.1.1, New Fuel Storage, states that the spacing of 
new fuel assemblies ensures a Keff less than 0.95 for the accidental 
full water density flooding scenario and less than 0.98 for the 
accidental low water density (optimum moderation) flooding scenario.
    The proposed exemption would not result in any significant 
radiological impacts. The proposed exemption would not affect 
radiological plant effluent nor cause any significant occupational 
exposures since the Technical Specifications, design controls 
(including geometric spacing of fuel assembly storage spaces) and 
administrative controls preclude inadvertent criticality. The amount of 
radioactive waste would not be changed by the proposed exemption.
    The proposed exemption does not result in any significant 
nonradiological environmental impacts. The proposed exemption 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 that there is no measurable 
environmental impact associated with the proposed action, any 
alternatives with equal or greater environmental

[[Page 38591]]

impact need not be evaluated. As an alternative to the proposed 
exemption, the staff considered denial of the requested exemption. 
Denial of the request 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 
R.E. Ginna Nuclear Power Plant dated December 1973.

Agencies and Persons Consulted

    In accordance with its stated policy, on June 10, 1997, the staff 
consulted with Mr. Jack Spath of the New York State Energy Research and 
Development Authority, 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 June 5, 1997, which is available for public 
inspection at the Commission's Public Document Room, which is located 
at The Gelman Building, 2120 L Street, NW., Washington, D.C., and at 
the local public document room located at the Rochester Public Library, 
115 South Avenue, Rochester, New York.

    Dated at Rockville, Maryland, this ninth day of July 1997.

    For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
Guy S. Vissing,
Senior Project Manager, Project Directorate I-1, Division of Reactor 
Projects I/II, Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation.
[FR Doc. 97-18993 Filed 7-17-97; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7590-01-M