[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 69 (Tuesday, April 11, 2006)]
[Notices]
[Pages 18367-18369]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 06-3416]


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NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION

[Docket No. 72-28]


PPL Susquehanna, LLC; Independent Spent Fuel Storage 
Installation; Environmental Assessment and Finding of No Significant 
Impact

AGENCY: Nuclear Regulatory Commission.

ACTION: Issuance of an environmental assessment and Finding of No 
Significant Impact.

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FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Joseph M. Sebrosky, Senior Project 
Manager, Spent Fuel Project Office, Office of Nuclear Material Safety 
and Safeguards, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Washington, DC 
20555. Telephone: (301) 415-1132; Fax number: (301) 415-8555; e-mail: 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC 
or Commission) is considering issuance of an exemption to PPL 
Susquehanna, LLC (PPL) pursuant to 10 CFR 72.7, from specific 
provisions of 10 CFR 72.212(a)(2), 72.212(b)(2)(i)(A), 72.212(b)(7), 
and 72.214. The licensee wants to use the Transnuclear, Inc. (TN) 
NUHOMS[supreg] Storage System, Certificate of Compliance No. 1004 (CoC 
or Certificate) Amendment No. 8 (61BT dry shielded canister), to store 
spent nuclear fuel under a general license in an Independent Spent Fuel 
Storage Installation (ISFSI) associated with the operation of the 
Susquehanna Steam Electric Station (SSES), Units 1 and 2, located in 
Luzerne County, Pennsylvania. PPL is requesting an exemption from CoC 
No. 1004 to allow loading of Framatome ANP 9x9-2 fuel assemblies in the 
NUHOMS[supreg]-61BT dry shielded canister (DSC).

Environmental Assessment (EA)

    Identification of Proposed Action: The proposed action would exempt 
PPL from the requirements of 10 CFR 72.212(a)(2), 72.212(b)(2)(i)(A), 
72.212(b)(7), and 72.214 and enable PPL to use the TN NUHOMS[supreg]-
61BT DSC with modifications at SSES. These regulations specifically 
require storage in casks approved under the provisions of 10 CFR part 
72 and compliance with the conditions set forth in the CoC for each dry 
spent fuel storage cask used by an ISFSI general licensee. The TN 
NUHOMS[supreg] CoC provides requirements, conditions, and operating 
limits in Attachment A, Technical Specifications. The proposed action 
would exempt PPL from the requirements of 10 CFR 72.212(a)(2), 10 CFR 
72.212(b)(7) and 10 CFR 72.214 from a condition in Amendment 8 to CoC 
No. 1004 so that Framatome ANP 9x9-2 fuel assemblies can be loaded in a 
NUHOMS[supreg]-61BT DSC. Specifically, the exemption would be from CoC 
No. 1004 Attachment A, Technical Specification, Table 1-1d, ``BWR Fuel 
Assembly Design Characteristics for the NUHOMS[supreg]-61BT DSC,'' 
which allows for the storage of General Electric (or equivalent) 9x9-2 
fuel assemblies that contain 66 full and 8 partial fuel rods. The 
exemption would allow PPL to store Framatome ANP 9x9--2 fuel assemblies 
that contain 79 full fuel rods and no partial fuel rods in the 
NUHOMS[supreg]-61BT DSC.
    PPL committed in its January 31, 2006, submittal to a maximum decay 
heat load per fuel assembly of 210 watts. This is less than the CoC No. 
1004 Attachment A, Technical Specification, Table 1-1c maximum decay 
heat limit of 300 watts per assembly. In addition, in its March 6, 
2006, supplement PPL provided the parameters found in Table 1 below 
associated with the Framatome ANP 9x9-2 fuel assembly.

       Table 1.--Parameters for Framatome ANP 9x9-2 Fuel Assembly
------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Manufacturer..............................  Framatome ANP.
Version...................................  FANP9.
Number of Fuel Rods per Assembly..........  79 full.
Fuel Pellet Outside Diameter (inches).....  0.3565.
Clad Outside Diameter (inches)............  0.424.
Water Rod Inside Diameter (inches)........  0.364.
Array.....................................  9x9.
Active Fuel Length (inches)...............  150.
Pitch (inches)............................  0.572.
Clad Thickness (inches)...................  0.030.
Water Rod Outside Diameter (inches).......  0.425.
------------------------------------------------------------------------

    The NRC has determined that the exemption, if granted, will contain 
the following 3 conditions:
    (1) PPL will be limited to loading a total of five 61BT DSCs under 
this exemption if granted,
    (2) PPL shall limit the decay heat level per fuel assembly to 210 
watts to ensure cask loadings are bounded by the analyses supporting TN 
CoC No. 1004, Amendment No. 8., and (3) the exemption will pertain only 
to Framatome ANP 9x9 -2 fuel assemblies that meet the nominal un-
irradiated design parameters contained in Table 1 above.
    The proposed action is in accordance with the licensee's request 
for exemption dated January 31, 2006, as supplemented March 6, 2006.
    Need for the Proposed Action: The proposed action is needed because 
SSES will lose full core offload capability in December 2006 following 
the receipt and staging of new fuel for the scheduled 2007 Unit 2 
refueling outage. PPL has determined that it is necessary to start the 
dry fuel storage (DFS) campaign in May 2006 to ensure full core offload 
capability. PPL had originally scheduled a DFS campaign to begin in 
October of 2006. However, because of recent SSES Unit 1 fuel channel 
performance problems, 54 fuel channels were replaced and stored in

[[Page 18368]]

the spent fuel pool. As a result of this fuel channel problem, a 
possible Unit 2 mid-cycle maintenance outage may be necessary to 
inspect and replace, if necessary, any affected fuel channels. This 
mid-cycle outage is tentatively scheduled for the Fall of 2006 and 
access to the spent fuel pool is needed to store fuel channels that are 
replaced. This activity would conflict with loading dry fuel storage 
casks. There is also a conflict with performing the DFS campaign in the 
Summer of 2006. Specifically, PPL has contracted to perform a spent 
fuel pool cleanout beginning in June 2006 so adequate pool space is 
restored to support the Unit 2 2007 refueling outage. The DFS campaign 
and the spent fuel pool cleanout campaign cannot occur simultaneously. 
Rescheduling the spent fuel cleanout campaign for later in the year is 
difficult. In summary, space available in the spent fuel pool has 
become limited much sooner than anticipated, and PPL is requesting the 
exemption to support a DFS campaign in May 2006. A DFS campaign in May 
2006 will also allow PPL flexibility for fuel storage options related 
to managing decay heat loads within the spent fuel pool.
    The proposed action is necessary because the NRC has not yet 
received an amendment to CoC No. 1004 to allow loading of a Framatome 
ANP 9x9-2 in a NUHOMS[supreg] 61BT DSC. The staff would have to review 
such an amendment request and only after making the appropriate 
findings would the staff initiate 10 CFR 72.214 rulemaking to implement 
the change. This process typically takes at least 10 months from the 
receipt of the amendment request for simple license amendments. Complex 
license amendments can take over 30 months. Therefore, an amendment to 
allow loading of Framatome ANP 9x9-2 fuel assemblies in the 
NUHOMS[supreg] -61BT DSC can not be completed in time to support PPL's 
stated needs.
    Environmental Impacts of the Proposed Action: The NRC has completed 
its evaluation of the proposed action and concludes that there will be 
no significant environmental impact if the exemption is granted. The 
staff has determined that the proposed action would not endanger life 
or property. The potential environmental impact of using the 
NUHOMS[supreg] system was initially presented in the Environmental 
Assessment (EA) for the Final Rule to add the TN Standardized 
NUHOMS[supreg] Horizontal Modular Storage System for Irradiated Nuclear 
Fuel to the list of approved spent fuel storage casks in 10 CFR 72.214 
(59 FR 65898, dated December 22, 1994). The potential environmental 
impact of using the NUHOMS[supreg] -61BT DSC was initially presented in 
the Environmental Assessment (EA) for the Final Rule to add the 61BT 
DSC to the Standardized NUHOMS[supreg] system, Amendment No. 3 (66 FR 
34523, dated June 29, 2001).
    The staff performed a safety evaluation of the proposed exemption. 
The staff has determined that the Framatome ANP 9x9-2 assemblies, which 
PPL plans to load into the 61BT DSC are bounded by the design basis 
fuel assemblies for the 61BT DSC previously evaluated by the staff. The 
staff's thermal safety evaluation review notes that PPL committed to 
only loading Framatome ANP 9x9-2 fuel assemblies with a maximum decay 
heat load per assembly of 210 watts. This is less than the CoC No. 1004 
Attachment A, Technical Specification, Table 1-1c maximum decay heat 
limit of 300 watts per assembly and is therefore bounding. In the 
criticality area, the staff evaluated the criticality code and the 
selected cross sectional data that were used by PPL and determined that 
they were sufficiently documented and validated, and that they are 
appropriate for the Framatome 9x9-2 fuel assembly. The staff also 
performed independent confirmatory criticality calculations for normal 
conditions of storage and transfer based on the parameters for the 
Framatome ANP 9x9-2 fuel assembly identified in Table 1 above. Based on 
its review of the representations and information supplied by the 
applicant, and the confirmatory analyses performed by staff, the staff 
concludes that the nuclear criticality safety design has been 
adequately described and evaluated by the applicant, and finds 
reasonable assurance that the Framatome ANP 9x9-2 fuel meets the 
criticality safety requirements of 10 CFR part 72.
    The loading of Framatome ANP 9x9-2 fuel assemblies in the 
NUHOMS[supreg] 61BT DSC does not increase the probability or 
consequences of accidents, no changes are being made in the types of 
any effluents that may be released offsite, 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.
    The exemption only affects the requirements associated with the 
fuel assemblies that can be loaded in the casks and does not affect 
non-radiological plant effluents or any other aspects of the 
environment. Therefore, there are no significant non-radiological 
impacts associated with the proposed action.
    Accordingly, the Commission concludes that there are no significant 
environmental impacts associated with the proposed action.
    Alternative to the Proposed Action: Because there is no significant 
environmental impact associated with the proposed action, alternatives 
with equal or greater environmental impact were not evaluated. As an 
alternative to the proposed action, the staff considered denial of the 
proposed action. Denial of the exemption would result in no change in 
the current environmental impact.
    Agencies and Persons Consulted: This exemption request was 
discussed with Mr. Brad Fuller of the Pennsylvania Department of 
Environmental Protection Bureau of Radiation Protection on March 6, 
2006. He stated that the State had no comments on the technical aspects 
of the exemption. The NRC staff has determined that a consultation 
under Section 7 of the Endangered Species Act is not required because 
the proposed action will not affect listed species or critical habitat. 
The NRC staff has also determined that the proposed action is not a 
type of activity having the potential to cause effects on historic 
properties. Therefore, no further consultation is required under 
Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act.
    Conclusion: The staff has reviewed the exemption request submitted 
by PPL. Allowing loading of Framatome 9x9-2 fuel assemblies in the 
NUHOMS[supreg] 61BT DSC would have no significant impact on the 
environment.

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 Environmental Assessment, the Commission finds that 
the proposed action of granting the exemption from specific provisions 
of 10 CFR 72.212(a)(2), 72.212(b)(2)(i)(A), 72.212(b)(7), and 10 CFR 
72.214, to allow PPL to load of Framatome ANP 9x9-2 fuel assemblies in 
the NUHOMS[supreg] 61BT DSC, subject to conditions, will not 
significantly impact the quality of the human environment. Accordingly, 
the Commission has determined that an environmental impact statement 
for the proposed exemption is not warranted.
    In accordance with 10 CFR 2.390 of NRC's ``Rules of Practice,'' 
final NRC records and documents regarding this proposed action are 
publically available in the records component of NRC's Agencywide 
Documents Access and

[[Page 18369]]

Management System (ADAMS). The request for exemption dated January 31, 
2006, and March 6, 2006, was docketed under 10 CFR part 72, Docket No. 
72-28. These documents may be inspected at NRC's Public Electronic 
Reading Room at http://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/adams.html. These 
documents may also be viewed electronically on the public computers 
located at the NRC's Public Document Room (PDR), O1F21, One White Flint 
North, 11555 Rockville Pike, Rockville, MD 20852. The PDR reproduction 
contractor will copy documents for a fee. Persons who do not have 
access to ADAMS or who encounter problems in accessing the documents 
located in ADAMS, should contact the NRC PDR Reference staff by 
telephone at 1-800-397-4209 or (301) 415-4737, or by e-mail to 
[email protected].

    Dated at Rockville, Maryland, this 31st day of March, 2006.

    For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
Joseph M. Sebrosky,
Senior Project Manager, Spent Fuel Project Office, Office of Nuclear 
Material Safety and Safeguards.
[FR Doc. 06-3416 Filed 4-10-06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7590-01-P