[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 23 (Wednesday, February 4, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 5821-5822]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-2684]


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NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION

[Docket No. 50-285]


Omaha Public Power District (Fort Calhoun Station, Unit No. 1); 
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. DPR-40 issued to Omaha 
Public Power District, for operation of the Fort Calhoun Station, Unit 
No. 1 located in Washington County, Nebraska.

Environmental Assessment

Identification of Proposed Action

    The proposed action would exempt Omaha Public Power District from 
the requirements of 10 CFR 70.24, which requires in each area in which 
special nuclear material is handled, used, or stored, a monitoring 
system that will energize clear audible alarms if accidental 
criticality occurs. 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, 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 August 29, 1997, as supplemented by 
letter dated October 23, 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 onsite in any given location 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 it is unlikely that an 
inadvertent criticality could 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 Fort Calhoun Station, Unit No. 1 
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 Fort Calhoun Station Unit No. 1, as identified in the 
Technical Specifications and the Updated Safety Analysis Report (USAR). 
The basis for the exemption is that inadvertent or

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accidental criticality will be precluded through compliance with the 
Fort Calhoun Station, Unit No. 1 Technical Specifications Sections 2.8, 
2.10.1, 2.10.2, 4.4, and 4.4.1; the geometric spacing of fuel 
assemblies in the new fuel storage racks and spent fuel storage pool; 
and administrative controls, USAR Sections 9.5, 11.2.3, and Appendix G, 
which are imposed on fuel handling procedures.
    The proposed exemption would not result in any significant 
radiological impacts. The proposed exemption would not affect 
radiological plant effluents 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 non-radiological plant effluents and 
has no other environmental impact. Accordingly, the Commission 
concludes that there are no significant non-radiological 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. 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 (FES) for 
the Fort Calhoun Station, Unit No. 1, dated August 1972.

Agencies and Persons Consulted

    In accordance with its stated policy, on January 29, 1998, the 
staff consulted with the Nebraska State official, Ms. Cheryl Rodgers of 
the Department of Health, 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 29, 1997, and supplemental letter dated 
October 23, 1997, which is available for public inspection at the 
Commission's Public Document Room, which is located at The Gelman 5 
Building, 2120 L Street, NW., Washington, D. C., and at the local 
public document room located at the W. Dale Clark Library, 215 South 
15th Street, Omaha, Nebraska 68102.

    Dated at Rockville, Maryland, this 29th day of January 1998.

    For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
L. Raynard Wharton,
Project Manager, Project Directorate IV-2, Division of Reactor Projects 
III/IV, Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation.
[FR Doc. 98-2684 Filed 2-3-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7590-01-P