[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 249 (Tuesday, December 29, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 71659-71660]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-34437]


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NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION

[Docket Nos. 50-413 and 50-414]


Duke Energy Corporation; Catawba Nuclear 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 exemptions from Facility Operating Licenses 
Nos. NPF-35 and NPF-52, issued to Duke Energy Corporation, et al. (the 
licensee), for operation of the Catawba Nuclear Station, Units 1 and 2 
located in York County, South Carolina.

Environmental Assessment

Identification of Proposed Action

    The proposed action would exempt Catawba Nuclear Station, Units 1 
and 2, from certain requirements of Title 10 of the Code of Federal 
Regulations (10 CFR) Section 50, Appendix A, General Design Criterion 
(GDC) 57, regarding isolation of main steam branch lines penetrating 
the containment. The proposed action is in response to the licensee's 
application dated September 2, 1997.

The Need for the Proposed Action

    The licensee requested an exemption from GDC 57 for Containment 
Penetrations M261 and M393 (erroneously stated as M363 in the 
submittal). GDC 57 imposes isolation requirements on lines that 
penetrate primary reactor containment and are neither part of the 
reactor coolant pressure boundary nor connected directly to the 
containment atmosphere. These are penetrations on main steam branch 
lines. These lines penetrate the containment and are not part of the 
reactor coolant pressure boundary or connected directly to the 
containment atmosphere. Outside of containment, these lines branch into 
various separate, individual lines before reaching the respective main 
steam isolation valves. From each of these main steam lines, one branch 
supplies main steam to the turbine-driven auxiliary feedwater pump 
(CAPT, using the licensee's abbreviation).
    Valves SA-1 and SA-4 are manual gate valves located in the Interior 
Doghouse immediately downstream of the respective main steam piping. 
These valves are locked open (with break away locks) and capable of 
local manual operation only. These valves are required to be open by 
Technical Specifications to supply steam to the CAPT, which is part of 
the engineered safety features. To comply literally with GDC 57, the 
licensee would have to add motor operators to SA-1 and SA-4 such that 
they become automatic or capable of remote operation.

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 
exemptions are granted. No changes will be made to the as-built design, 
and existing applicable procedures at the two units at Catawba Nuclear 
Station will remain the same.
    The proposed action 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 individual or public radiation exposure. 
Therefore, there are no significant radiological environmental impacts 
associated with the proposed action.
    With regard to potential nonradiological impacts, the proposed 
action does not involve any historic sites. It does not affect 
nonradiological plant effluents and has no other environmental impact. 
Therefore, there are no significant nonradiological environmental 
impacts associated with the proposed action.
    Accordingly, the Commission concludes that there are no significant 
environmental impacts associated with the proposed action.

Alternatives to the Proposed Action

    As an alternative to the proposed action, the staff considered 
denial of the proposed action (i.e., the ``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 did not involve the use of any resources not 
previously considered in the Final Environmental Impact Statement 
related to the Catawba Nuclear Station.

Agencies and Persons Contacted

    In accordance with its stated policy, on April 1, 1998, the staff 
consulted with the South Carolina State official, Virgil Autrey, of the 
Bureau of Land and Waste Management Department of Health and 
Environmental Control, regarding the environmental impact of the 
proposed action. The State official had no comments.

Finding of No Significant Impact

    On the basis of the environmental assessment, the Commission 
concludes that the proposed exemptions 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 request for the exemptions dated September 2, 1997, 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 York County Library, 138 
East Black Street, Rock Hill, South Carolina.

    Dated at Rockville, Maryland, this 22nd day of December 1998.

[[Page 71660]]

    For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
Peter S. Tam,
Senior Project Manager, Project Directorate II-2, Division of Reactor 
Projects--I/II, Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation.
[FR Doc. 98-34437 Filed 12-28-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7590-01-P