[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 197 (Tuesday, October 13, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Page 54738]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-27348]



[[Page 54738]]

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NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION

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


Pennsylvania Power & Light Company and Alleghany Electric 
Cooperative, Inc, Susquehana 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 amendment 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 
(SSES), Units 1 and 2, located in Luzerne County, Pennsylvania.

Environmental Assessment

Identification of the Proposed Action

    The proposed action would authorize changes to the Final Safety 
Analysis Report (FSAR) for the facility. Specifically, the proposed 
action would authorize changes to the FSAR to reflect the change in the 
design basis of the offgas system to a detonation resistant design.
    The proposed action is in accordance with the licensee's 
application for amendment dated March 16, 1998, as supplemented May 22, 
August 10, and September 17, 1998. Technical details were provided by 
the licensee in an earlier letter dated February 9, 1998.

The Need for the Proposed Action

    With the planned implementation of hydrogen water chemistry at SSES 
Units 1 and 2 to enhance protection of the reactor vessel internals 
from intergranular stress corrosion cracking, transients resulting in 
high hydrogen concentration and potential explosions in the offgas 
system could occur. Therefore, it is necessary to evaluate the offgas 
system piping design to verify that it is designed to withstand such 
hydrogen explosions, and incorporate detonation resistance in the 
design basis.

Environmental Impacts of the Proposed Action

    The Commission has completed its evaluation of the proposed action. 
No impact on the status of the Operating Licenses (OLs) or the 
continued operation of the SSES is foreseen. The NRC staff has reviewed 
the licensee's calculations and responses to request for additional 
information submitted by letters dated February 9, May 22, August 10, 
and September 17, 1998, that support the licensee's conclusion that the 
offgas system is designed to withstand the effects of hydrogen 
explosions.
    The assumptions, methodology, peak pressure model, and the piping 
model used for piping stress analyses are acceptable. The staff 
concurred with the results of the submitted analyses and concluded that 
the licensee's evaluation of the SSES offgas components provides 
reasonable assurance that the components can withstand a hydrogen 
detonation without piping pressure boundary failure. The licensee has 
stated that failure of the offgas system instrumentation poses no 
personnel hazard, and backup radiation monitoring and alarm 
instrumentation is available and prompt operator action under existing 
procedures to prevent exceeding occupational and offsite dose 
requirements would be taken in the event of a hydrogen detonation. The 
radiological consequences due to a gaseous waste system leak or failure 
described in the existing accident analysis sections of the FSAR 
include the release of offgas system radioactivity without processing 
by the offgas treatment system, thus, bounding the failure of the 
offgas system piping event.
    The proposed 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 occupational or public 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 involves physical features of the plant. However, it does not 
significantly 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 significant 
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 (no-action alternative). 
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 SSES, 
Units 1 and 2.

Agencies and Persons Consulted

    In accordance with its stated policy, on September 23, 1998, the 
staff consulted with the Pennsylvania State official, Mr. M. Maingi of 
the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection Bureau, 
Division of Nuclear Safety, 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 March 16, 1998, as supplemented by letters 
dated May 22, August 10, and September 17, 1998, and also by letter 
dated February 9, 1998, 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, PA 18701.

    Dated at Rockville, Maryland, this 5th day of October 1998.

    For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
Victor Nerses,
Senior Project Manager, Project Directorate I-2, Division of Reactor 
Projects--I/II, Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation.
[FR Doc. 98-27348 Filed 10-9-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7590-01-P