[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 85 (Monday, May 4, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Page 24576]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-11728]


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NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION

[Docket No. 50-423]


Central Maine Power Co; Millstone Nuclear Power Station, Unit 3; 
Environmental Assessment and Finding of No Significant Impact

    The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (the Commission) is 
considering approval under Title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations 
(10 CFR) Sec. 50.80, by issuance of an Order, of the transfer of 
control of Facility Operating License No. NPF-49, to the extent held by 
Central Maine Power Company (CMP), which holds a partial ownership 
interest in the Millstone Nuclear Power Station, Unit 3, located in New 
London County, Connecticut.

Environmental Assessment

Identification of the Proposed Action

    The proposed action would consent to the transfer of control of the 
license, to the extent effected by a proposed restructuring of CMP. 
Under the restructuring, CMP would become a wholly owned subsidiary of 
a newly created holding company but would continue to hold a partial 
ownership interest in Millstone Unit 3. No direct transfer of the 
license would occur. Northeast Nuclear Energy Company would continue to 
be the licensed operator for Millstone Unit 3, and is not involved in 
the proposed transaction. The proposed action is in accordance with the 
submittal, dated March 4, 1998, from Central Maine Power Company, by 
and through its counsel, Morgan, Lewis, and Bockius.
    The proposed action is needed, to the extent the proposed 
restructuring of CMP will effect a transfer of control of the license 
as held by CMP, to permit the restructuring to occur. CMP has stated 
that the proposed restructuring will provide long-term advantages 
through increased management and financial flexibility that will better 
position CMP and its existing nonutility subsidiaries to compete 
effectively in a changing commercial and regulatory environment. CMP 
has also stated that this structure will also serve to insulate CMP's 
utility business from business risks associated with the activities of 
the nonutility subsidiaries and be consistent with the corporate 
structure used by many other utilities in the United States.

Environmental Impacts of the Proposed Action

    The Commission has completed its evaluation of the proposed 
corporate restructuring and concludes that there will be no physical or 
operational changes to Millstone Unit 3. The corporate restructuring 
will not affect the qualifications or organizational affiliation of the 
personnel who operate or maintain the facility, as Northeast Nuclear 
Energy Company, which is not involved in the proposed restructuring of 
CMP, will continue to be exclusively responsible for the operation and 
maintenance of Millstone Unit 3.
    The Commission has evaluated the environmental impact of the 
proposed action and has determined that the probability or consequences 
of accidents will not be increased by the proposed action, and that 
post-accident radiological releases will not be greater than previously 
determined. Further, the Commission has determined that the proposed 
action will not affect routine 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 proposed 
action 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 action.

Alternatives to the Proposed Action

    Since the Commission has concluded that there is no measurable 
environmental impact associated with the proposed action, any 
alternative with equal or greater environmental impact need not be 
evaluated.
    As an alternative to the proposed requested 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 
Millstone Unit 3, dated December 1984.

Agencies and Persons Contacted

    In accordance with its stated policy, on April 20, 1998, the staff 
consulted with the Connecticut State Official, Kevin T. A. McCarthy, of 
the Monitoring and Radiation Division, 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 
application dated March 4, 1998, 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 Learning Resources Center, Three Rivers 
Community-Technical College, 574 New London Turnpike, Norwich, 
Connecticut, and at the Waterford Library, ATTN: Vince Juliano, 49 Rope 
Ferry Road, Waterford, Connecticut.

    Dated at Rockville, Maryland, this 24th day of April 1998.

    For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
Phillip F. McKee,
Deputy Director for Licensing, Special Projects Office, Office of 
Nuclear Reactor Regulation.
[FR Doc. 98-11728 Filed 5-1-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7590-01-P