[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 248 (Tuesday, December 28, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Pages 72701-72702]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-33679]


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NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION

[Docket Nos. 50-237 and 50-249]


Commonwealth Edison Company; Dresden Station, Unit Nos. 2 and 3, 
Environmental Assessment and Finding of No Significant Impact

    The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (the NRC) is considering 
issuance of an exemption from certain requirements of its regulations 
regarding Facility Operating Licenses Nos. DPR-19 and DPR-25 issued to 
the

[[Page 72702]]

Commonwealth Edison Company (ComEd, the licensee), for operation of the 
Dresden Nuclear Power Station, Units 2 and 3, located in Grundy County, 
Illinois.

Environmental Assessment

Identification of Proposed Action

    The proposed action would exempt the licensee from certain 
emergency lighting requirements of 10 CFR part 50, Appendix R, Section 
III.J, applicable to Dresden, Units 2 and 3. The exemption will allow 
the use of hand-held portable lights to provide lighting for outdoor 
access and egress routes between the main power block, the isolation 
condenser pumphouse, the cribhouse, the clean demineralized water 
storage tank, and for reading the clean demineralized water storage 
tank level instrument.
    The proposed action is in accordance with the licensee's 
application dated November 19, 1998.

The Need for the Proposed Action

    Equipment needed for safe shutdown at Dresden, Units 2 and 3, is 
maintained inside the main power block and several buildings onsite. 
However, access and egress between these buildings, the clean 
demineralized water storage tank (CDST), and the main power block 
requires walking outdoors. These outdoor areas are normally lit by 
outdoor lighting powered by offsite power or emergency power from the 
security diesel. This installed outdoor and security lighting does not 
meet the Appendix R requirements for an 8-hour battery power supply.
    Implementation of outdoor battery powered lighting units to meet 
Appendix R requirements would result in expenditure of engineering, 
construction, and plant resources for their installation, maintenance, 
and operation. The requested exemption from the requirements of 
Appendix R, Section III.J, would allow the use of hand-held portable 
lights, in the event that sufficient daylight or security lighting is 
not available, when transiting access and egress routes between the 
main power block, the isolation condenser pumphouse, the cribhouse, and 
the CDST, including reading the CDST level instrument. The exemption is 
needed to avoid the unnecessary expenditure of resources.

Environmental Impacts of the Proposed Action

    The NRC has completed its evaluation of the proposed action and 
concludes that with the availability of hand-held battery-powered 
portable lights for use during transit between these site structures 
and for reading the CDST level instrument, the installation of 
emergency lighting units with at least an 8-hour battery supply for 
these transit routes and the CDST level instrument is not necessary to 
achieve the underlying purpose of Section III.J of Appendix R to 10 CFR 
part 50.
    The proposed action will not significantly increase the probability 
or consequences of accidents, no changes are being made in the types of 
any effluents that may be released off site, and there is no 
significant increase in occupational or public radiation exposure. 
Therefore, there are no significant radiological environmental impacts 
associated with the proposed action.
    With regard to potential non-radiological impacts, the proposed 
action does not involve any historic sites. It does not affect non-
radiological plant effluents and has no other environmental impact. 
Therefore, there are no significant non-radiological environmental 
impacts associated with the proposed action.
    Accordingly, the NRC concludes that there are no significant 
environmental impacts associated with this action.

Alternative 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 exemption 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 Statements for 
Dresden, Units 2 and 3.

Agencies and Persons Consulted

    In accordance with its stated policy, on December 8, 1999, the 
staff consulted with the Illinois official, Mr. Frank Niziolek of the 
Illinois Department of Nuclear Safety, 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 NRC concludes 
that the proposed action will not have a significant effect on the 
quality of the human environment. Accordingly, the NRC has determined 
not to prepare an environmental impact statement for the proposed 
exemption.
    For further details with respect to this action, see the licensee's 
letter dated November 19, 1998, which is available for public 
inspection at the Commission's Public Document Room, The Gelman 
Building, 2120 L Street, NW., Washington DC. Publically available 
records will be accessible electronically from the ADAMS Public Library 
component on the NRC Web site, http://www.nrc.gov (the Electronic 
Reading Room).

    Dated at Rockville, Maryland, this 21st day of December 1999.

    For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
Anthony J. Mendiola,
Chief, Section 2, Project Directorate III, Division of Licensing 
Project Management, Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation.
[FR Doc. 99-33679 Filed 12-27-99; 8:45 am]
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