[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 118 (Tuesday, June 19, 2001)]
[Notices]
[Pages 32964-32966]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-15370]


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NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION

[Docket Nos. 50-361 and 50-362]


Southern California Edison; San Onofre Nuclear Generating 
Station, Unit Nos. 2 and 3; Environmental Assessment and Finding of No 
Significant Impact

    The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is considering 
issuance of an amendment to Facility Operating Licenses Nos. NPF-10 and 
NPF-15, issued to Southern California Edison Company (SCE or the 
licensee), for operation of the San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station 
(SONGS), Units Nos. 2 and 3, located in San Diego County, California.

Environmental Assessment

Identification of Proposed Action

    The proposed action would amend the facility license and the 
technical specifications for SONGS Units 2 and 3, to allow SCE to 
increase the maximum reactor core power level for each unit from 3390 
megawatts thermal (MWt) to 3448 MWt, which is an increase of 1.42 
percent of rated core thermal power for SONGS Units 2 and 3.
    The proposed action is in accordance with the licensee's 
application for amendment dated April 3, 2001, and supplemented April 
23, May 11, May 25, and May 31, 2001.

The Need for the Proposed Action

    The proposed action would permit an increase in the licensed core 
thermal power from 3390 MWt to 3448 MWt and is needed to allow an 
increase in the net electrical output of SONGS Units 2 and 3 and, thus, 
provide additional electrical power to service domestic and commercial 
areas of the licensee's grid.

Environmental Impacts of the Proposed Action

    In support of its request for the proposed power uprate, SCE 
evaluated the radiological effects of the proposed action, and 
specifically evaluated its radioactive waste management systems 
including system/component activity inventories and activity releases 
associated with the liquid, gaseous, and solid waste management 
systems, as well as the process and effluent radiological monitoring 
and sampling systems. In addition, SCE evaluated the non-radiological 
effects of the proposed action. Based on its review of the licensee's 
evaluation of the environmental impacts, the NRC staff concludes that 
the proposed increase in power would not result in a significant

[[Page 32965]]

environmental impact as discussed below.

Radiological Environmental Assessment

Radioactive Waste (Radwaste) Management
    SCE has evaluated the system/component activity inventories and 
activity releases associated with the liquid, gaseous, and solid waste 
management systems, as well as the process and effluent radiological 
monitoring and sampling systems. SONGS radwaste management and 
radiation protection analyses are based on the Units 2 and 3 Cycle 1 
core activity inventory profile with one percent fuel cladding defects. 
The licensee has determined that the activity inventories of Cycle 1 
core isotopes (primarily some iodine and noble gas isotopes) are 
greater than the core activity inventories associated with 102 percent 
of current licensed power, i.e., 3458 MWt. The licensee has also 
evaluated the dose contributions of iodine, noble gas, and particulate 
core isotopes for the power uprate conditions. Based on its evaluation, 
the licensee determined that the core and system activity profiles of 
record bound (i.e., are equal to, or more severe than) the core and 
system activity source terms at the proposed uprated power level. 
Therefore, the licensee has concluded that its operation of the 
radwaste systems at SONGS Units 2 and 3 will not be impacted by 
operation at uprated power conditions and the effluents discharged 
would continue to meet the requirements of 10 CFR part 20 and 10 CFR 
part 50, Appendix I. Based on the above, the staff has determined that 
the proposed power uprate will not appreciably affect the ability to 
process liquid or gaseous radioactive effluents and there are no 
significant environmental effects from radiological releases.
Dose Consideration
    SCE evaluated the effects of power uprate on the radiation sources 
within the plant and radiation levels during normal and post-accident 
conditions. Based on its evaluation, the licensee determined that SONGS 
Units 2 and 3 dose contributions and the activity inventories of Cycle 
1 core isotopes (primarily some iodine and noble gas isotopes) are 
greater than the dose consequences and core activity inventories 
associated with the 102 percent of the current licensed power, i.e., 
3458 MWt, and therefore bound the proposed uprated power level. Further 
occupational doses for normal operations will be maintained within 
acceptable limits by the site's as-low-as-reasonably-achievable 
program, which is required by 10 CFR 20.1101(b).
    Therefore, the NRC staff concludes that the radiological doses 
would remain below the 10 CFR part 100 guidelines and all radiological 
safety margins are maintained.
Summary
    The proposed power uprate will not significantly increase the 
probability or consequences of accidents, will not involve any new 
radiological release pathways, will not result in a significant 
increase in occupational or public radiation exposure, and will not 
result in significant additional fuel cycle environmental impacts. 
Accordingly, the NRC staff concludes that there are no significant 
radiological environmental impacts associated with the proposed action.

Non-Radiological Environmental Assessment

    The licensee reviewed the non-radiological environmental impacts of 
the requested power uprate based on information submitted in the 
Environmental Report, Operating License Stage, the NRC Final 
Environmental Statement (FES) related to the operation of San Onofre 
Nuclear Station, Units 2 and 3, (NUREG-0490, dated April 1981), and the 
requirements of the Environmental Protection Plan. Based on this 
review, the licensee concluded that the proposed power uprate would 
have no significant effect on the non-radiological elements of concern 
and the plant will be operated in an environmentally acceptable manner 
as established by the FES. In addition, the licensee states that 
existing Federal, State, and local regulatory permits presently in 
effect accommodate the power uprate without modification.
    The SONGS units are cooled by once-through cooling water systems, 
withdrawing cooling water from the Pacific Ocean and discharging it to 
the ocean through separate underwater diffusers on the ocean bottom. 
The licensee determined that the differential temperature developed by 
the cooling system will increase by approximately 0.3 deg.F, increasing 
the calculated differential to approximately 19.2  deg.F. The limit on 
differential temperature allowed by the California Regional Water 
Quality Control Board, San Diego Region, is 25  deg.F and includes an 
allowance of 0.4  deg.F for increases in thermal power level. The 
licensee also evaluated other environmental discharges and determined 
that the small increase in reactor power will not have significant 
impact on the environment.
    SONGS operates in compliance with a National Pollution Discharge 
Elimination System (NPDES) Permit, which requires all effluents to be 
closely monitored to assure compliance with the permit levels. Effluent 
increases due to the power uprate of SONGS Units 2 and 3 are not 
expected. With regard to potential non-radiological impacts, the 
proposed action would not change the method of operation at SONGS or 
the methods of handling effluents. No changes to land use would result 
and the proposed action does not involve any historic sites. Therefore, 
no new or different types of non-radiological environmental impacts are 
expected. Accordingly, the NRC staff concludes that there are no 
significant non-radiological environmental impacts associated with the 
proposed action.

Alternatives to the Proposed Action

    As an alternative to the proposed action, the NRC 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 FES for SONGS Units 2 and 3 dated March 
1973.

Agencies and Persons Consulted

    In accordance with its stated policy, on June 7, 2001, the NRC 
staff consulted with the California State official, Mr. Steve Hsu, of 
the Radiologic Health Branch of the State Department of Health 
Services, 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 staff 
concludes that the proposed action 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 letter dated April 3, 2001, and the supplements dated April 
23, May 11, May 25, and May 31, 2001, which may be examined, and/or 
copied for a fee, at the NRC's Public Document Room, located at One 
White Flint North, 11555

[[Page 32966]]

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 Electronic 
Reading Room). If you do not have access to ADAMS or if there are 
problems in accessing the documents located in ADAMS, contact the NRC 
Public Document Room (PDR) Reference staff at 1-800-397-4209, or 301-
415-4737, or by e-mail to [email protected].

    Dated at Rockville, Maryland this 13th day of June 2001.

    For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
Joseph E. Donoghue,
Senior Project Manager, Project Directorate IV, Section 2, Division of 
Licensing Project Management, Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation.
[FR Doc. 01-15370 Filed 6-18-01; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7590-01-P