[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 147 (Monday, July 31, 2000)]
[Notices]
[Pages 46750-46751]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-19245]


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NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION

[Docket Nos. 50-277 and 50-278]


Peco Energy Company; Peach Bottom Atomic Power Station, Units 2 
and 3 Environmental Assessment and Finding of No Significant Impact

    The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is considering the 
issuance of an exemption from Section III.F of Appendix R to 10 CFR 
Part 50 for Facility Operating Licenses Nos. DPR-44 and DPR-56, issued 
to PECO Energy Company (the licensee), along with other co-licensees, 
for operation of the Peach Bottom Atomic Power Station, Units 2 and 3, 
located in York County, Pennsylvania.

Environmental Assessment

Identification of the Proposed Action

    The proposed action would grant an exemption from the requirements 
of 10

[[Page 46751]]

CFR Part 50, Appendix R, Section III.F, ``Automatic Fire Detection,'' 
to the extent that they require the installation of automatic fire 
detection systems in certain fire areas that contain or present an 
exposure fire hazard to safety-related or safe shutdown systems or 
components. The licensee is seeking an exemption from the requirements 
for an automatic fire detection system for 8 fire zones in fire area 50 
(the common area between both turbine buildings), 2 fire zones within 
fire area 6S (a portion of the Unit 2 reactor building), and 2 fire 
zones within fire area 13N (a portion of the Unit 3 reactor building). 
Specifically, these fire zones are (1) the Condenser Bays Fire Zones 
50-78W and 50-78V; (2) Equipment hatchway and adjoining equipment 
rooms, Fire Zone 50-78B; (3) Main Turbine Lube Oil Storage Tank Rooms, 
Fire Zones 50-88 and 50-89; (4) Reactor Feedwater Turbine Area 
Corridors, Fire Zone 50-78A; (5) Steam Jet Ejector Room, Fire Zone 50-
78EE; (6) Feedwater Heater Room, Fire Zone 50-99; and (7) Reactor Water 
Cleanup System Equipment, Fire Zones 6S-42, 6S-5M, 13N-36, and 13N-13M.
    The proposed action is in accordance with the licensee's 
application for exemption dated December 31, 1998, as supplemented by 
letters dated January 14 and April 14, 2000.

The Need for the Proposed Action

    The proposed exemption from Section III.F to effectively allow the 
fire areas and zones, as discussed above, to not meet the provisions 
otherwise requiring the installation of automatic fire detection 
systems is needed in order to preclude a substantial hardship should 
plant modifications be required to be made that would not significantly 
increase the level of fire protection currently at Peach Bottom Units 2 
and 3.

Environmental Impacts of the Proposed Action

    The NRC has completed its evaluation of the proposed action and 
concludes that with the proposed exemption there will be an adequate 
level of fire protection and the underlying purpose of Section III.F, 
of Appendix R, for the affected areas of the plants will be met, such 
that there would be no significant increase in the risk of fires at 
these facilities, except for Fire Zone 50-78B (Room 429) and Fire Zone 
50-99 (Room 222). The fire hazard associated with Fire Zones 50-78B and 
50-99 warrant some fire protection system to provide reasonable 
assurance of safety. The staff concludes that an automatic detection 
system should be provided for these Fire Zones to provide prompt 
notification to the control room of a fire in these Fire Zones during 
its incipient stage to allow a rapid response from the plant fire 
brigade.
    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 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 NRC 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 not involve the use of any resources not 
previously considered in the Final Environmental Statement for Peach 
Bottom Units 2 and 3.

Agencies and Persons Consulted

    In accordance with its stated policy, on June 2, 2000, the staff 
consulted with the Pennsylvania State official, Mr. Dennis Dyckman of 
the Department of Environmental Protection, 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 
action.
    For further details with respect to the proposed action, see the 
licensee's letter dated December 31, 1998, as supplemented by letters 
dated January 14 and April 14, 2000, which are available for public 
inspection at the Commission's Public Document Room, The Gelman 
Building, 2120 L Street, NW., Washington, DC. Publicly 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 24th day of July 2000.

    For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
Bartholomew C. Buckley, Sr.,
Project Manager, Section 2, Project Directorate I, Division of 
Licensing Project Management, Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation.
[FR Doc. 00-19245 Filed 7-28-00; 8:45 am]
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