[Federal Register Volume 74, Number 234 (Tuesday, December 8, 2009)]
[Notices]
[Page 64762]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E9-29198]



[[Page 64762]]

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NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION

[NRC-2009-0537; Docket Nos. 50-269, 50-270, and 50-287]


Duke Energy Carolinas, LLC; Oconee Nuclear Station Units 1, 2, 
and 3; Environmental Assessment and Finding of No Significant Impact

    The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is considering 
issuance of amendments to Facility Operating License Nos. DPR-38, DPR-
47, and DPR-55, issued to Duke Energy Carolinas, LLC (the licensee), 
for operation of the Oconee Nuclear Station Units 1, 2, and 3, located 
in Oconee County, South Carolina, in accordance with Title 10 of the 
Code of Federal Regulations (10 CFR), Section 50.90. Therefore, as 
required by 10 CFR 51.21, the NRC performed an environmental 
assessment. Based on the results of the environmental assessment, the 
NRC is issuing a finding of no significant impact.

Environmental Assessment

Identification of the Proposed Action

    The proposed action would approve changes to the Technical 
Specifications (TSs) and approve changes to the licensee's updated 
Final Safety Analysis Report (UFSAR) associated with the acceptance of 
the new reactor protective system and engineered safeguard protective 
system (RPS/ESPS) digital upgrade.
    The proposed action is in accordance with the licensee's 
application dated January 31, 2008, as supplemented by letters dated, 
April 3, 2008, April 29, 2008, May 15, 2008, May 28, 2008, September 
30, 2008, October 7, 2008, October 16, 2008, October 23, 2008, October 
28, 2008, November 6, 2008, November 19, 2008, November 25, 2008, 
December 22, 2008, February 27, 2009, March 6, 2009, April 3, 2009 (2 
separate letters), April 30, 2009, June 19, 2009, and August 10, 2009.

The Need for the Proposed Action

    The proposed action is needed to allow the licensee to replace the 
existing RPS/ESPS with a new digital RPS/ESPS. The licensee is 
replacing the existing RPS/ESPS because acquiring replacement parts has 
become very difficult.

Environmental Impacts of the Proposed Action

    The NRC has completed its evaluation of the proposed action and 
concludes that the licensee may make changes to the TSs and update the 
UFSAR to allow the removal to the existing RPS/ESPS and replace it with 
a new digital RPS/ESPS.
    The details of the staff's safety evaluation will be provided in 
the license amendments that will be issued as part of the letter to the 
licensee approving the license amendments.
    The proposed action will not significantly increase the probability 
or consequences of accidents. No changes are being made in the types of 
effluents that may be released offsite. There is no significant 
increase in the amount of any effluent released offsite. 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 non-radiological impacts, the proposed 
action does not have any foreseeable impacts to land, air, or water 
resources, including impacts to biota. In addition, there are also no 
known socioeconomic, cultural, or environmental justice impacts 
associated with such proposed action. Therefore, there are no 
significant non-radiological environmental impacts associated with the 
proposed action.
    Accordingly, the NRC concludes that there are no significant 
environmental impacts associated with the proposed action.

Environmental Impacts of the Alternatives to the Proposed Action

    As an alternative to the proposed action, the staff considered 
denial of the proposed action. 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

    The action does not involve the use of any different resources than 
those previously considered in the Final Environmental Statement for 
the Oconee Nuclear Station, Units 1, 2, and 3, and the Final 
Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (NUREG-1437 Supplement 2) 
dated December 1999.

Agencies and Persons Consulted

    In accordance with its stated policy, on November 6, 2009, the 
staff consulted with the South Carolina State official, Mr. Robert M. 
Gandy, of the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental 
Control, 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 January 31, 2008, as supplemented by letters dated 
April 3, 2008, April 29, 2008, May 15, 2008, May 28, 2008, September 
30, 2008, October 7, 2008, October 16, 2008, October 23, 2008, October 
28, 2008, November 6, 2008, November 19, 2008, November 25, 2008, 
December 22, 2008, February 27, 2009, March 6, 2009, April 3, 2009 (2 
separate letters), April 30, 2009, June 19, 2009, and August 10, 2009.
    Documents may be examined, and/or copied for a fee, at the NRC's 
Public Document Room (PDR), located at One White Flint North, Public 
File Area O1 F21, 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 Internet at the NRC Web site, 
http://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/adams.html. 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 send an e-mail to 
[email protected].

    Dated at Rockville, Maryland, this 1st day of December 2009.

    For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
V. Sreenivas,
Project Manager, Plant Licensing Branch II-1, Division of Operating 
Reactor Licensing, Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation.
[FR Doc. E9-29198 Filed 12-7-09; 8:45 am]
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