[Federal Register Volume 75, Number 53 (Friday, March 19, 2010)]
[Notices]
[Pages 13318-13319]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2010-6057]
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NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION
[Docket No. 50-331; NRC-2010-0107]
Nextera Energy Duane Arnold, LLC; Duane Arnold Energy Center;
Environmental Assessment and Finding of No Significant Impact
The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is considering
issuance of an exemption, pursuant to 10 CFR 50.12, from 10 CFR Part
50, Appendix J, Option B and associated changes to the Technical
Specifications (TSs) for main steamline isolation valve local leakage
rate testing for Facility Operating License No. DPR-49, issued to
NextEra Energy Duane Arnold, LLC (the licensee), for operation of the
Duane Arnold Energy Center, located in Palo, Iowa. In accordance with
10 CFR 51.21, the NRC prepared an environmental assessment documenting
its finding. The NRC concluded that the proposed actions will have no
significant environmental impact.
Environmental Assessment
Identification of the Proposed Action
The proposed action would exempt the licensee from certain portions
of 10 CFR part 50, Appendix J, Option B. Specifically, the licensee
requests to be exempted from the measured leakage rate for the main
steamline isolation valves (MSIV), and associated inboard drainline,
from inclusion in both the overall measured leakage rate for Type A
integrated tests and from the sum of the local leakage rates for Type B
and Type C tests as required by Appendix J, Option B, Paragraphs III.A
and Ill.B, respectively.
In conjunction with the exemption request, the licensee also
requests approval, pursuant to the requirements of 10 CFR 50.90, of
associated changes to the Duane Arnold Energy Center TS, Section 5.5.12
(Primary Containment Leakage Rate Testing Program) that reflects the
exemption to Appendix J requested above. Also, there is an additional
proposed TS change to TS Section 3.6.1.3 (Primary Containment Isolation
Valves) associated with MSIV leakage testing requirements, which does
not require a corresponding exemption from 10 CFR part 50, Appendix J.
The change to TS Section 3.6.1.3, is included in the amendment request
to remove the repair criterion for MSIVs that fail their as-found
leakage rate acceptance criterion found in the licensee's Surveillance
Requirement 3.6.1.3.9.
The Need for the Proposed Action
The proposed action is needed to reconcile the requirements of 10
CFR part 50, Appendix J, Option B and their
[[Page 13319]]
TS with the plant-specific testing methodology used to determine the
MSIV local leakage rate.
Environmental Impacts of the Proposed Action
The NRC has completed its environmental assessment of the proposed
exemption and TS changes. The staff has concluded that the changes
would not significantly affect plant safety and would not have a
significant adverse effect on the probability of an accident occurring.
The proposed action would not result in an increased radiological
hazard beyond those previously analyzed. There will be no change to
radioactive effluents that affect radiation exposures to plant workers
and members of the public. The proposed action will be performed inside
existing plant buildings. No changes will be made to plant buildings or
the site property. Therefore, no changes or different types of
radiological impacts are expected as a result of the proposed
exemption.
The proposed action does not result in changes to land use or water
use, or result in changes to the quality or quantity of non-
radiological effluents. No changes to the National Pollution Discharge
Elimination System permit are needed. No effects on the aquatic or
terrestrial habitat in the vicinity or the plant, or to threatened,
endangered, or protected species under the Endangered Species Act, or
impacts to essential fish habitat covered by the Magnuson-Steven's Act
are expected. There are no impacts to the air or ambient air quality.
There are no impacts to historical and cultural resources. There would
be no impact to socioeconomic resources. Therefore, no changes or
different types of non-radiological environmental impacts are expected
as a result of the proposed exemption. Accordingly, the NRC concludes
that there are no significant environmental impacts associated with the
proposed action.
The details of the NRC staff's reasoning will be provided in the
safety evaluation supporting the amendment.
Environmental Impacts of the Alternatives to the Proposed Action
As an alternative to the proposed actions, the staff considered
denial of the proposed actions (i.e., the ``no-action'' alternative).
Denial of the exemption and TS change request would result in no change
in current environmental impacts. The environmental impacts of the
proposed exemption and TS change and the ``no action'' alternative are
similar.
Alternative Use of Resources
The action does not involve the use of any different resources than
those considered in the Final Environmental Statement for the Duane
Arnold Energy Center, Docket No. 50-331, issued in March 1973.
Agencies and Persons Consulted
In accordance with its stated policy, on January 29, 2010, the
staff consulted with the Iowa State official, Melanie Rasmusson, Chief
of the Bureau of Radiological Health in the Iowa Department of Public
Health, who is the State Liaison Officer, 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 March 4, 2009 (ML090680040). Documents may be
examined, and/or copied for a fee, at the NRC's Public Document Room
(PDR), located at One White Flint North, 1555 Rockville Pike,
Rockville, Maryland 20852. Publicly available records will be
accessible electronically from the Agencywide Document 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 8th day of March, 2010.
For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
Karl D. Feintuch,
Project Manager, Plant Licensing Branch III-1, Division of Operating
Reactor Licensing, Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation.
[FR Doc. 2010-6057 Filed 3-18-10; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7590-01-P