[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 229 (Monday, November 30, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 65816-65817]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-31813]


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NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION

[Docket No. 50-390]


Tennessee Valley Authority (Watts Bar Nuclear Plant, Unit 1); 
Environmental Assessment and Finding of No Significant Impact

    The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (the Commission or NRC) is 
considering issuance of an amendment to Facility Operating License No. 
NPF-90, issued to Tennessee Valley Authority (the licensee), for 
operation of the Watts Bar Nuclear Plant (WBN), Unit 1, located in Rhea 
County, Tennessee.

Environmental Assessment

Identification of the Proposed Action

    The proposed amendment would include provisions in Technical 
Specification (TS) 4.3 which allows for the storage of fuel assemblies 
having a maximum nominal enrichment of 5.0 weight percent (w/o) Uranium 
235 (U-235) in the new fuel storage racks and would revise requirements 
governing the placement of fuel assemblies in the new fuel storage pit. 
The proposed action is in accordance with the licensee's application 
for amendment dated May 6, 1998, as supplemented on June 5, 1998.

The Need for the Proposed Action

    The proposed changes are needed so that the licensee can use higher 
fuel enrichment to provide the flexibility of extending the fuel 
irradiation and to permit operation for longer fuel cycles.

Environmental Impacts of the Proposed Action

    The Commission has completed its evaluation of the proposed 
revisions to the TS. The proposed revisions would permit use of fuel 
assemblies enriched to a maximum nominal of 5.0 w/o U-235. The safety 
considerations associated with reactor operation with higher enrichment 
and extended irradiation have been evaluated by the NRC staff. The 
staff has concluded that such changes would not adversely affect plant 
safety. The proposed changes have no adverse effect on the probability 
of any accident. The higher enrichment, with increased fuel burnup, may 
slightly change the mix of fission products that might be released in 
the event of a serious accident, but such small changes would not 
significantly affect the consequences of serious accidents. No changes 
are being made in the types or amounts of any radiological effluents 
that may be released offsite. There is no significant increase in the 
allowable individual or cumulative occupational radiation exposure.
    The environmental impacts on the uranium fuel cycle and 
transportation resulting from the use of higher enrichment fuel and 
extended irradiation were discussed in the NRC staff Environmental 
Assessment and Finding of No Significant Impact published in the 
Federal Register on February 29, 1988 (53 FR 6040). These impacts were 
also discussed in the staff

[[Page 65817]]

assessment entitled, ``NRC Assessment of the Environmental Effects of 
Transportation Resulting from Extended Fuel Enrichment and 
Irradiation,'' dated July 7, 1988. This assessment was published in 
connection with an Environmental Assessment related to the Shearon 
Harris Nuclear Plant, Unit 1, which was published in the Federal 
Register (53 FR 30355) on August 11, 1988, as corrected on August 24, 
1988 (53 FR 32322). As indicated therein, the environmental cost 
contribution of an increase in the fuel enrichment of up to 5.0 w/o 
percent U-235 and irradiation limits of up to 60,000 gigawatt days per 
metric ton (GWD/MT) are either unchanged or may, in fact, be reduced 
from those summarized in 10 CFR 50.51(b), Table S-3, and in Table S-4 
as set forth in 10 CFR 51.52(c). These findings are applicable to the 
proposed increase at Watts Bar given that the proposal involves fuel 
enrichment of up to 5.0 w/o U-235 and burnup of less than 60,000 GWD/
MT. Accordingly, the Commission concludes that there are no significant 
radiological environmental impacts associated with the proposed 
amendment.
    With regard to potential non-radiological impacts of reactor 
operation with higher enrichment and extended irradiation, the proposed 
action 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 concluded that there are no significant 
environmental effects that would result from the proposed action, any 
other alternative would have equal or greater environmental impacts and 
need not be evaluated.
    The principal alternative would be to deny the requested amendment 
(no-action alternative). This would not reduce the environmental impact 
of plant operations and would result in reduced operational 
flexibility.

Alternative Use of Resources

    This action does not involve the use of any resources not 
previously considered in the Final Environmental Statement for WBN, 
Units 1 and 2, dated April 1995.

Agencies and Persons Consulted

    In accordance with its stated policy, on October 22, 1998, the 
staff consulted with the Tennessee State official, Mr. E. Nanney of the 
Division of Radiological Health, regarding the environmental impact of 
the proposed action. The State official had no comments.

Finding of No Significant Impact

    The staff has reviewed the proposed modification to WBN, Unit 1, TS 
relative to the requirements set forth in 10 CFR Part 51. Based upon 
the environmental assessment, the staff has concluded that there are no 
significant radiological or non-radiological impacts associated with 
the proposed action and that the proposed license amendment will not 
have a significant effect on the quality of the human environment. 
Therefore, the Commission has determined, pursuant to 10 CFR 51.31, not 
to prepare an environmental impact statement for the proposed 
amendment.
    For further details with respect to the proposed action, see the 
licensee's letter dated May 6, 1998, as supplemented by letter dated 
June 5, 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 Chattanooga-Hamilton County Library, 1001 Broad Street, 
Chattanooga, Tennessee.

    Dated at Rockville, Maryland, this 18th day of November 1998.

    For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
Frederick J. Hebdon,
Director, Project Directorate II-3, Division of Reactor Projects--I/II, 
Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation.
[FR Doc. 98-31813 Filed 11-27-98; 8:45 am]
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