[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 38 (Tuesday, February 26, 2008)]
[Notices]
[Pages 10308-10309]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-3598]
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NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION
[Docket No. 50-188]
Kansas State University Triga Mark II Nuclear Reactor; Notice of
Issuance of Environmental Assessment and Finding of No Significant
Impact
The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is considering
issuance of a renewed Facility License No. R-88, to be held by Kansas
State University (the licensee), which would authorize continued
operation of the Kansas State University TRIGA Mark II nuclear reactor
(KSU TRIGA), located in Manhattan, Riley County, Kansas. Therefore,
pursuant to 10 CFR 51.21, the NRC is issuing this Environmental
Assessment and Finding of No Significant Impact.
Description of Proposed Action
The proposed action would renew Facility License No. R-88 for a
period of twenty years from the date of issuance of the renewed
license, and would increase the licensed maximum steady-state power
level to 1.25 megawatts thermal power (MW(t)) and the maximum pulse
reactivity insertion. The proposed action is in accordance with the
licensee's application dated September 12, 2002, as supplemented on
November 11, and November 13, 2002; December 21, 2004; July 6, and
September 27, 2005; March 20, March 30, June 28, and September 28,
2006; May 17, June 4, September 12, and October 11, 2007; and February
6, 2008. In accordance with 10 CFR 2.109, the license remains in effect
until the NRC takes final action on the renewal application.
The KSU TRIGA is located in the north wing of Ward Hall in the
northwest sector of the University campus near the center of the city
of Manhattan, Kansas. The reactor is housed in the reactor bay, a
reinforced concrete and structural steel building which serves as a
confinement. The KSU TRIGA site comprises the entire building and the
fenced areas immediately surrounding the building. There are no nearby
industrial, transportation, or military facilities that could pose a
threat to the KSU TRIGA.
The KSU TRIGA is a pool-type, light water moderated and cooled
research reactor currently licensed to operate at a steady-state power
level of 250 kilowatts thermal power (kW(t)). The reactor is licensed
to operate in a pulse mode, with a maximum pulse thermal power of 250
MW(t). A detailed description of the reactor can be found in the KSU
TRIGA Safety Analysis Report (SAR).
As part of the proposed action the licensee has requested an
increase in the licensed maximum steady-state power level, an increase
in the maximum reactivity insertion and authorization to install an
additional control rod to support operation at the increased power
level. The proposed action will not significantly increase the
probability of accidents. The proposed action may increase the
consequences of accidents, but will not result in doses in excess of
the limits specified by 10 CFR Part 20. No changes are being made in
the types of effluents that may be released off site. There should be
no significant increase in routine occupational or public radiation
exposure. Therefore, the proposed action should not significantly
change the environmental impact of facility operation.
Summary of the Environmental Assessment
The NRC staff reviewed the licensee's application which included an
[[Page 10309]]
Environmental Report. To document its review, the NRC staff has
prepared an environmental assessment (EA) which discusses the KSU TRIGA
site and facility; radiological impacts of gaseous, liquid, and solid
effluents; environmental and personnel radiation monitoring; radiation
dose estimates for the maximum hypothetical accident (MHA); impacts of
the ``no action'' alternative to the proposed action; alternative use
of resources; considerations related to the National Environmental
Policy Act (NEPA); and presents the radiological and non-radiological
environmental impacts of the proposed action.
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 September 12, 2002 (ML022620007, ML022620011,
ML022620643, ML022630012, ML022630054, ML022630077), as supplemented on
November 11, 2002 (ML023190241); November 13, 2002 (ML023190219);
December 21, 2004 (ML052580517); July 6, 2005 (ML051960517,
ML051960520, ML051960521, ML051960522, ML052580519, ML052590053);
September 27, 2005 (ML052760292); March 20, 2006 (ML061640472); March
30, 2006 (ML061010264); June 28, 2006 (ML070660601); September 28, 2006
(ML063070520); May 17, 2007 (ML071430200); June 4, 2007 (ML071630328);
September 12, 2007 (ML072680471); October 11, 2007 (ML072970624) and
February 6, 2008 (ML080500366). Documents may be examined, and/or
copied for a fee, at the NRC's Public Document Room (PDR), located at
One White Flint North, 11555 Rockville Pike (first floor), Rockville,
Maryland. Publicly available records will be accessible electronically
from the Agencywide Documents Access and Management System (ADAMS)
Public Electronic Reading Room on the NRC Web site, http://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/adams.html. The EA can be found in ADAMS under Accession
Number ML063190172. 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 at 1-800-397-4209, or 301-415-4737,
or send an e-mail to [email protected].
Dated at Rockville, Maryland, this 20th day of February, 2008.
For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
Daniel S. Collins,
Chief, Research and Test Reactors Branch A, Division of Policy and
Rulemaking, Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation.
[FR Doc. E8-3598 Filed 2-25-08; 8:45 am]
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