[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 111 (Thursday, June 8, 2000)]
[Notices]
[Pages 36477-36479]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-14495]


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NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION

[Docket 72-36]


Southern Nuclear Operating Company, Inc., Edwin I. Hatch Nuclear 
Plant; Issuance of Environmental Assessment and Finding of No 
Significant Impact Regarding the Proposed Exemption from Certain 
Requirements of 10 CFR Part 72

    The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC or Commission) is 
considering issuance of an exemption, pursuant to 10 CFR 72.7, from the 
provisions of 10 CFR 72.212(a)(2), 72.212(b)(2)(i), and 72.214 to 
Southern Nuclear Operating Company, Inc. (SNC). The requested exemption 
would allow SNC to deviate from the requirements of Certificate of 
Compliance 1008 (the Certificate), Appendix B, Items 1.4.6.b and 
1.4.6.c and place HI-STAR 100 Cask Systems, loaded with spent nuclear 
fuel, on a concrete storage pad with a concrete compressive strength of 
less than or equal to 4,200 psi at 28 days and concrete reinforcement 
of 60 ksi yield strength ASTM material at the Edwin I. Hatch Nuclear 
Plant (Hatch) Independent Spent Fuel Storage Installation (ISFSI).

Environmental Assessment (EA)

    Identification of Proposed Action: By letter dated May 1, 2000, SNC 
requested an exemption from the requirements of 10 CFR 72.212(b)(2)(i) 
and 72.214 to deviate from the requirements of Certificate of 
Compliance 1008, Appendix B, Items 1.4.6.b and 1.4.6.c. The NRC staff 
determined that, to deviate from those conditions of the Certificate, 
an exemption from the requirement of 10 CFR 72.212(a)(2) is also 
necessary. SNC is a general licensee, authorized by NRC to use spent 
fuel storage casks approved under 10 CFR Part 72, Subpart K.
    SNC plans to use the HI-STAR 100 Cask System to store spent nuclear 
fuel, generated at Hatch, at an ISFSI located in Baxley, Georgia, on 
the Edwin I. Hatch Nuclear Plant site. The Hatch

[[Page 36478]]

ISFSI has been constructed for interim dry storage of spent nuclear 
fuel.
    By exempting SNC from 10 CFR 72.212(a)(2), 72.212(b)(2)(i), and 
72.214, SNC will be authorized to place loaded HI-STAR 100 Casks 
Systems on cask storage pads that include the following 
characteristics:
    (1) Compressive Strength:  4,200 psi at 28 days.
    (2) Reinforcement top and bottom (both directions): Reinforcement 
area and spacing determined by analysis Reinforcement shall be 60 ksi 
yield strength ASTM material.
    The storage pad characteristics specified above would be in lieu of 
those specified in Certificate of Compliance 1008, Appendix B, Items 
1.4.6.b and 1.4.6.c, respectively. The proposed action before the 
Commission is whether to grant this exemption under 10 CFR 72.7.
    On November 24, 1999, as supplemented February 4, 18 and 28, and 
March 2, 16 and 31, 2000, the cask designer, Holtec International 
(Holtec), submitted to NRC an application to amend Certificate of 
Compliance 1008. The requested amendment includes revisions to the 
storage pad specifications in Items 1.4.6.b and 1.4.6.c in Appendix B 
to the Certificate. Item 1.4.6.b requires a concrete compressive 
strength of less than or equal to 4,200 psi; Holtec is requesting that 
this requirement be revised to specify a concrete compressive strength 
of less than or equal to 4,200 psi at 28 days. Item 1.4.6.c includes 
the requirement that the reinforcement yield strength be less than or 
equal to 60,000 psi; Holtec is requesting that this requirement be 
revised to specify that reinforcement shall be 60 ksi yield strength 
ASTM material. The NRC staff has reviewed the application and 
determined that placement of HI-STAR 100 Cask Systems on storage pads 
with the revised characteristics would have minimal impact on the 
design basis and would not be inimical to public health and safety.
    Need for the Proposed Action: SNC needs to reduce the inventory of 
spent nuclear fuel assemblies at the Hatch Units 1 and 2 spent fuel 
pools to maintain sufficient spent fuel storage capacity to provide 
full-core offload capability for Hatch Units 1 and 2. With the 
discharge of spent fuel from Unit 2 during the 1998 refueling outage, 
the combined capacity of the two spent fuel pools no longer provides 
adequate reserve to allow full-core offload for both Units 1 and 2. 
Following the Unit 1 Fall 2000 outage, the combined storage capacity of 
the Unit 1 and 2 spent fuel pools will be less than required to allow 
full-core discharge from either Unit 1 or 2. To allow preparation for 
the Unit 1 Fall 2000 refueling outage, SNC must begin cask loading 
activities in June 2000 and complete them by July 2000. Unless the 
exemption is granted or the Certificate is amended, the storage pads at 
the Hatch ISFSI will not be in full conformance with the Certificate. 
Because the 10 CFR Part 72 rulemaking to amend the Certificate will not 
be completed prior to the date that SNC plans to begin loading HI-STAR 
100 Cask Systems, the NRC is granting this exemption based on the 
staff's technical review of information submitted by SNC and Holtec.
    Environmental Impacts of the Proposed Action: The potential 
environmental impact of using the HI-STAR 100 Cask System was initially 
presented in the Environmental Assessment (EA) for the Final Rule to 
add the HI-STAR 100 Cask System to the list of approved spent fuel 
storage casks in 10 CFR 72.214 (64 FR 171, 09/03/99). Furthermore, each 
general licensee must assess the environmental impacts of the specific 
ISFSI in accordance with the requirements of 10 CFR 72.212(b)(2). This 
section also requires the general licensee to perform written 
evaluations to demonstrate compliance with the environmental 
requirements of 10 CFR 72.104, ``Criteria for radioactive materials in 
effluents and direct radiation from an ISFSI or MRS [Monitored 
Retrievable Storage Installation].''
    The HI-STAR 100 Cask System is designed to mitigate the effects of 
design basis accidents that could occur during storage. Design basis 
accidents account for human-induced events and the most severe natural 
phenomena reported for the site and surrounding area. Postulated 
accidents analyzed for an ISFSI include tornado winds and tornado 
generated missiles, design basis earthquake, design basis flood, 
accidental cask drop, lightning effects, fire, explosions, and other 
incidents.
    The HI-STAR 100 Cask System consists of a stainless steel multi-
purpose canister and a steel overpack. The welded MPC provides 
confinement and criticality control for the storage and transfer of 
spent nuclear fuel. The overpack provides radiation shielding and 
structural protection of the MPC during storage and handling 
operations. Special design feature requirements for the cask and for 
the site are specified in Certificate of Compliance 1008, Appendix B. 
These include the storage pad design characteristics.
    Considering the specific cask and site design requirements for each 
accident condition, the design of the cask would prevent loss of 
containment, shielding, and criticality control. Without the loss of 
either containment, shielding, or criticality control, the risk to 
public health and safety is not compromised.
    The staff performed a safety evaluation of the proposed exemption 
and the Certificate amendment. The proposed exemption and Certificate 
amendment request authorization to use storage pads with a concrete 
compressive strength of less than or equal to 4,200 psi at 28 days. 
This is a deviation from the pad requirement currently given in 
Certificate of Compliance 1008, Appendix B, Item 1.4.6.b, which does 
not specify a time frame for when the concrete compressive strength is 
to be measured. A time frame is necessary because concrete typically 
gets stronger as it ages. Measuring the concrete compressive strength 
at 28 days is standard practice. Thus, specifying a time frame of 28 
days provides clarification and ensures that full compliance with the 
Certificate can be achieved.
    The proposed exemption and Certificate amendment also request 
authorization to use storage pads with concrete reinforcement made of 
60 ksi yield strength ASTM material. This is a deviation from the 
storage pad requirements currently given in Certificate of Compliance 
1008, Appendix B, Item 1.4.6.c, which specifies a reinforcement yield 
strength of less than or equal to 60,000 psi. The standard practice for 
reinforcing bar specification and procurement is by the grade of the 
material. Reinforcing bar specified as Grade 60 has a nominal yield 
strength of 60 ksi and may in fact exceed 60 ksi. Thus, specifying the 
concrete reinforcement as ``60 ksi yield strength ASTM material'' takes 
into account that the yield strength is a nominal value and ensures 
that full compliance with the certificate can be achieved.
    The staff found that the proposed exemption and Certificate 
amendment are consistent with the cask drop and tipover analyses 
presented in the Safety Analyses Report for the HI-STAR 100 Cask System 
and do not reduce the safety margin. In addition, the staff has 
determined that placement of loaded HI-STAR 100 Cask Systems on storage 
pads with a concrete compressive strength of less than or equal to 
4,200 psi at 28 days and concrete reinforcement of 60 ksi yield 
strength ASTM material does not pose any increased risk to public 
health and safety. Furthermore, the proposed action now under 
consideration would not change the potential environmental

[[Page 36479]]

effects assessed in the initial rulemaking (64 FR 171, 09/03/99).
    Therefore, the staff has determined that there is no reduction in 
the safety margin nor significant environmental impacts as a result of 
placing loaded HI-STAR 100 Cask Systems on storage pads with a concrete 
compressive strength of less than or equal to 4,200 psi at 28 days and 
concrete reinforcement of 60 ksi yield strength ASTM material.
    Alternative to the Proposed Action: Since there is no significant 
environmental impact associated with the proposed action, any 
alternatives with equal or greater environmental impact are not 
evaluated. The alternative to the proposed action would be to deny 
approval of the exemption. Denial of the exemption request will have 
the same environmental impact.
    Agencies and Persons Consulted: On May 19, 2000, Mr. J. Setzer, 
State Liaison Officer, Environmental Protection Division, State of 
Georgia, was contacted about the Environmental Assessment for the 
proposed action and had no comments.

Finding of No Significant Impact

    The environmental impacts of the proposed action have been reviewed 
in accordance with the requirements set forth in 10 CFR Part 51. Based 
upon the foregoing EA, the Commission finds that the proposed action of 
granting an exemption from 10 CFR 72.212(a)(2), 72.212(b)(2)(i), and 
72.214 so that SNC may place loaded HI-STAR 100 Cask Systems on 
concrete storage pads with a concrete compressive strength of less than 
or equal to 4,200 psi at 28 days and concrete reinforcement of 60 ksi 
yield strength ASTM material at the Hatch ISFSI will not significantly 
impact the quality of the human environment. Accordingly, the 
Commission has determined not to prepare an environmental impact 
statement for the proposed exemption.
    For further details with respect to this exemption request, see the 
SNC exemption request dated May 1, 2000, which is docketed under 10 CFR 
Part 72, Docket No. 72-36.
    The exemption request is available for public inspection at the 
Commission's Public Document Room, 2120 L Street, NW, Washington, DC, 
20555.

    Dated at Rockville, Maryland, this 1st day of June, 2000.

    For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
E. William Brach,
Director, Spent Fuel Project Office, Office of Nuclear Material Safety 
and Safeguards.
[FR Doc. 00-14495 Filed 6-7-00; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7590-01-P