[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 103 (Tuesday, May 29, 2001)]
[Notices]
[Page 29187]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-13399]


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NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION

[Docket No. 30-595]


South Carolina Electric & Gas; V.C. Summer Nuclear Station, 
Environmental Assessment and Finding of No Significant Impact

    The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is considering 
issuance of an exemption from 10 CFR 55.59 for Facility Operating 
License No. NPF-12, issued to South Carolina Electric & Gas Company 
(SCE&G, the licensee), for operation of the V.C. Summer Nuclear 
Station, located in Jenkinsville, South Carolina.

Environmental Assessment

Identification of the Proposed Action

    The proposed action would allow the licensed operator 
requalification examinations for the V.C. Summer Nuclear Station to be 
rescheduled. The requested exemption would extend the completion date 
for the examinations from May 31, 2001, to August 31, 2001.
    The proposed action is in accordance with the licensee's 
application for exemption dated January 12, 2001.

The Need for the Proposed Action

    The proposed action would extend the current V.C. Summer Nuclear 
Station requalification program from May 31, 2001, to August 31, 2001. 
On October 13, 2000, during routine shutdown inspections, SCE&G 
discovered a leak in a weld in the reactor coolant system. Activities 
to determine the root cause and extent of condition and to repair the 
leak extended through the end of February 2001, months beyond the 
original scheduled plant restart. To provide the necessary level of 
licensed operator support to ensure safety throughout the extended 
plant outage, SCE&G postponed the training and other requalification 
program activities originally planned during that time.

Environmental Impacts of the Proposed Action

    The NRC has completed its evaluation of the proposed action and 
concludes, as set forth below, that there are no environmental impacts 
associated with the extension of the operator requalification 
examinations from May 31, 2001, to August 31, 2001. The proposed action 
will not significantly increase the probability or consequences of 
accidents, no changes are being made in the types or amounts 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 the V.C. 
Summer Nuclear Station.

Agencies and Persons Consulted

    In accordance with its stated policy, on May 18, 2001, the staff 
consulted with the South Carolina State official, Henry Porter of the 
Division of Waste Management, 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 January 12, 2001. Documents may be examined, 
and/or copied for a fee, at the NRC's Public Document Room, located at 
One White Flint North, 11555 Rockville Pike (first floor), Rockville, 
Maryland. Publicly available records will be accessible electronically 
from the ADAMS Public Library component on the NRC Web site, 
http:www.nrc.gov (the Public Electronic Reading Room).

    Dated at Rockville, Maryland, this 22nd day of May 2001.

    For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
Karen R. Cotton,
Project Manager, Section 1, Project Directorate II, Division of 
Licensing Project Management, Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation.
[FR Doc. 01-13399 Filed 5-25-01; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7590-01-P