[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 244 (Friday, December 19, 2014)]
[Notices]
[Pages 75843-75845]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-29750]


=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION

[Docket Nos. 50-313, 50-368, 72-13, and 72-1014; NRC-2014-0270]


Independent Spent Fuel Storage Installation, Entergy Operations, 
Inc.; Arkansas Nuclear One, Units 1 and 2

AGENCY: Nuclear Regulatory Commission.

ACTION: Environmental assessment and finding of no significant impact; 
issuance.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is considering 
issuance of an exemption to Entergy Operations, Inc. (Entergy or the 
licensee), for the operation of the Arkansas Nuclear One (ANO), Units 1 
and 2, Independent Spent Fuel Storage Installation (ISFSI). The request 
is for an exemption from the requirement to comply with the terms, 
conditions, and specifications in Section 2.1 of Appendix B of 
Certificate of Compliance (CoC) No. 1014, Amendment No. 5, for the 
Holtec International (Holtec) HI-STORM 100 dry cask storage system.

DATES: The environmental assessment and finding of no significant 
impact are available as of December 19, 2014.

ADDRESSES: Please refer to Docket ID NRC-2014-0270 when contacting the 
NRC about the availability of information regarding this document. You 
may obtain publicly-available information related to this document 
using any of the following methods:
     Federal Rulemaking Web site: Go to http://www.regulations.gov and search for Docket ID NRC-2014-0270. Address 
questions about NRC dockets to Carol Gallagher; telephone: 301-287-
3422; email: [email protected]. For technical questions, contact 
the individual listed in the FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT section of 
this document.
     NRC's Agencywide Documents Access and Management System 
(ADAMS): You may obtain publicly available documents online in the 
ADAMS Public Documents collection at http://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/adams.html. To begin the search, select ``ADAMS Public Documents'' and 
then select ``Begin Web-based ADAMS Search.'' For problems with ADAMS, 
please contact the NRC's Public Document Room (PDR) reference staff at 
1-800-397-4209, 301-415-4737, or by email to [email protected]. The 
ADAMS accession number for each document referenced in this document 
(if that document is available in ADAMS) is provided the first time 
that a document is referenced.
     NRC's PDR: You may examine and purchase copies of public 
documents at the NRC's PDR, Room O1-F21, One White Flint North, 11555 
Rockville Pike, Rockville, Maryland 20852.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Chris Allen, Office of Nuclear 
Material Safety and Safeguards, telephone: 301-287-9225, email: 
[email protected]; U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Washington, 
DC 20555.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Introduction

    The NRC is considering issuance of an exemption to Entergy, for 
operation of the ANO ISFSI, located in Russellville, Arkansas. Pursuant 
to Sec.  72.7 of Title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations (10 CFR), 
on October 2, 2014, as supplemented on October 14 and November 7, 2014 
(ADAMS Accession

[[Page 75844]]

Nos. ML14279A246, ML14289A239, and ML14311A121, respectively), Entergy 
submitted its request for exemption from the requirements of 10 CFR 
72.212(a)(2) and the portion of 10 CFR 72.212(b)(11) that requires 
compliance with the terms, conditions, and specifications of CoC No. 
1014, Amendment No. 5, for the HI-STORM 100 dry cask storage system. In 
evaluating the request, the NRC also considered exemption from the 
requirements of 10 CFR 72.212(b)(3), 10 CFR 72.212(b)(5)(i), and 10 CFR 
72.214 applicable to the request and has weighed these regulations in 
its review.
    Entergy loaded spent nuclear fuel into a Model 24 Multi-Purpose 
Canister (MPC-24) under CoC No. 1014, Amendment No. 5. While performing 
drying operations on MPC-24-060, a radiation alarm actuated. In 
evaluating the cause of the alarm, the licensee subsequently determined 
that a fuel assembly loaded into MPC-24-060 may contain a fuel rod with 
cladding damage greater than a pinhole leak or hairline crack. Section 
2.1 of Appendix B of the Technical Specifications (TS) for CoC No. 
1014, Amendment No. 5, only authorizes storage of intact fuel 
assemblies, which is defined as fuel assemblies without known or 
suspected cladding defects greater than pinhole leaks or hairline 
cracks and which can be handled by normal means. Entergy requests an 
exemption to the 10 CFR part 72 requirements to store the affected MPC 
in its current condition at the ISFSI associated with the operation of 
ANO, Units 1 and 2.

II. Environmental Assessment (EA)

    Identification of Proposed Action: The CoC is the NRC approved 
design for each dry cask storage system. The proposed action would 
grant Entergy an exemption from the requirements of 10 CFR 
72.212(a)(2), 10 CFR 72.212(b)(3), 10 CFR 72.212(b)(5)(i), and the 
portion of 10 CFR 72.212(b)(11) that states the licensee shall comply 
with the terms, conditions, and specifications of the CoC, and from 10 
CFR 72.214 to the extent necessary for Entergy to store MPC-24-060 in 
its current condition at the ISFSI associated with ANO, Units 1 and 2. 
These regulations specifically require storage of spent nuclear fuel 
under a general license in dry storage casks approved under the 
provisions of 10 CFR part 72, and compliance with the terms and 
conditions set forth in the CoC for each dry storage spent fuel cask 
used by an ISFSI general licensee.
    Section 2.1 of Appendix B of the TS for CoC No. 1014, Amendment No. 
5, only authorizes storage of intact fuel, which is defined as fuel 
assemblies without known or suspected cladding defects greater than 
pinhole leaks or hairline cracks and which can be handled by normal 
means. Entergy performed tests on the fuel assemblies loaded into MPC-
24-060 after their final operating cycle as well as visual examinations 
prior to loading. Nevertheless, a fuel assembly having defects greater 
than pinhole leaks and hairline cracks may have been inadvertently 
loaded into MPC-24-060.
    The proposed action would grant Entergy an exemption from the 
requirements of 10 CFR 72.212(a)(2), 10 CFR 72.212(b)(3), 10 CFR 
72.212(b)(5)(i), and the portion of 10 CFR 72.212(b)(11) that states 
the licensee shall comply with the terms, conditions, and 
specifications of the CoC, and from 10 CFR 72.214, in order to allow 
storage of MPC-24-060 in its current condition. This exemption approval 
would only be valid for MPC-24-060 at the ANO ISFSI.
    Need for the Proposed Action: The proposed action is necessary to 
avoid unloading the MPC. Entergy requested this exemption in order to 
store an MPC containing a fuel assembly which may have cladding damage 
greater than a pinhole leak or hairline crack. Entergy, with the 
assistance of Holtec, has provided an evaluation which shows that the 
affected MPC is bounded by the system's design basis limits and that 
storage of the fuel in the as-loaded configuration is safe.
    Entergy has evaluated the consequences of not obtaining an 
exemption, which would occur if the NRC did not take the proposed 
action. In the absence of an exemption, Entergy would be required to 
correct the condition by reloading the affected MPC to comply with CoC 
No. 1014, Amendment No. 5. This would involve unloading the spent fuel 
assemblies from the MPC, performing inspections of various MPC 
components, reloading the spent fuel assemblies into the used MPC or a 
new MPC (if there was damage noted on the used MPC) in accordance with 
CoC No. 1014, Amendment No. 5, and performing the MPC closing 
procedures.
    Based upon its previous experience with the loading process, 
Entergy estimates that unloading and reloading the MPC would result in 
additional personnel exposure of 600 mRem. In addition, Entergy states 
unloading and reloading the MPC would generate radioactive contaminated 
material and waste during loading and unloading operations. If the used 
MPC was damaged during the unloading process, it would also be disposed 
as radioactive waste. The licensee estimates that unloading and 
reloading operations would cost an estimated $300,000. If the used MPC 
was damaged during unloading, the licensee estimates an additional 
$750,000 for purchase of a new MPC and $200,000 for disposal of the 
used MPC. The licensee also states additional opportunities for design 
basis accidents such as a fuel handling accident would be introduced if 
the MPC were unloaded and reloaded.
    Environmental Impacts of the Proposed Action: The potential impact 
of using the HI-STORM 100 dry cask storage system was initially 
presented in the Environmental Assessment (EA) for the rulemaking to 
add the HI-STORM 100 dry cask storage system for irradiated nuclear 
fuel to the list of approved spent fuel storage casks in 10 CFR 72.214 
(64 FR 51271, September 22, 1999 (Proposed Rule); 65 FR 25241, May 1, 
2000 (Final Rule)).
    In support of their exemption request, the licensee submitted 
Holtec Report No. HI-2146265 which evaluated storage of fuel assemblies 
having greater than pinhole leaks and hairline cracks in the HI-STORM 
100 system (ADAMS Accession No. ML14279A246). The analysis concluded 
that the as-loaded condition has no impact on internal temperature or 
pressure, that the site boundary dose is unaffected (should relocation 
of material occur inside the MPC), and that potential reactivity 
effects remain well within acceptable margins. The analysis also 
concluded that the damaged fuel rods have no impact on the ability 
either of the MPC, the HI-TRAC transfer cask, or the HI-STORM storage 
cask to withstand pressure loads due to tornado winds, flood, or 
explosions.
    Based on its review of the licensee's application, the NRC staff 
concludes that there are no changes in either the types or the amounts 
of radiological effluents that may be released offsite, and there is no 
significant increase in occupational or public radiation exposure as a 
result of the proposed activities. Therefore, there are no significant 
radiological environmental impacts associated with the proposed action. 
The NRC staff concludes that the proposed action only affects the 
requirements associated with the fuel assemblies already loaded into 
the canister and does not affect non-radiological plant effluents, or 
any other aspects of the environment. Accordingly, the NRC staff 
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

[[Page 75845]]

the proposed action, alternatives with equal or greater environmental 
impact were not evaluated. As an alternative to the proposed action, 
the NRC staff considered denial of the requested exemption, which would 
require unloading and reloading the affected MPC as described above. 
Denying the exemption would result in an increase in radiological 
exposure to workers, a small increase in the potential for radioactive 
releases to the environment due to radioactive material handling 
accidents, and increased cost to the licensee. Therefore, the NRC staff 
has determined that approving the proposed action has a lesser 
environmental impact than the alternative.
    Agencies and Persons Consulted: The environmental assessment 
associated with this exemption request was sent to Mr. Bernard Bevill 
Chief of the Radiation Control Section in the Arkansas Department of 
Health, by letter dated November 10, 2014. A response, which was 
received by electronic mail dated November 21, 2014 (ADAMS Accession 
No. ML14328A287), states that the Arkansas Department of Health has no 
concerns. 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 a 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 consultation is required under Section 106 of 
the National Historic Preservation Act.

III. 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 an exemption from the requirements of 
10 CFR 72.212(a)(2), 10 CFR 72.212(b)(3), 10 CFR 72.212(b)(5)(i), and 
the portion of 10 CFR 72.212(b)(11) that states the licensee shall 
comply with the terms, conditions, and specifications of the CoC, and 
from 10 CFR 72.214 in order to allow Entergy to store spent fuel 
assemblies in MPC-24-060 in the as-loaded configuration at the ISFSI 
associated with ANO, Units 1 and 2, 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 and that a finding of no significant impact 
is appropriate.

    Dated at Rockville, Maryland, this 11th day of December, 2014.

    For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
Chris Allen,
Project Manager, Spent Fuel Licensing Branch, Division of Spent Fuel 
Management, Office of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards.
[FR Doc. 2014-29750 Filed 12-18-14; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7590-01-P