[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 124 (Monday, June 29, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 35294-35295]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-17219]
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NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION
[Docket Nos. 50-295 and 50-304]
Commonwealth Edison Company; Zion Nuclear Power Station, Units 1
and 2; Environmental Assessment and Finding of No Significant Impact
The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (the Commission) is
considering issuance of an exemption from certain requirements of its
regulations for Facility Operating License Nos. DRP-39 and DRP-48,
issued to Commonwealth Edison Company (ComEd, the licensee), for
operation of the Zion Nuclear Power Station, Units 1 and 2, located in
Lake County, Illinois.
Environmental Assessment
Identification of the Proposed Action
By letter dated March 12, 1998, ComEd requested an exemption from
certain requirements of 10 CFR 50.71, ``Maintenance of records, making
of reports,'' for Zion Nuclear Power Station, Units 1 and 2. The
proposed action would permit ComEd to extend the time interval for the
submittal of Zion Station's Updated Final Safety Analysis Report
(UFSAR). The next Zion Nuclear Power Station Final Safety Analysis
Report (FSAR) update is due in July 1998. The proposed exemption would
allow this date to be extended to December 1998.
The Need for the Proposed Action
Pursuant to 10 CFR 50.34(b) each application for a license to
operate a facility shall include an FSAR. This report shall include
information that describes the facility, presents the design bases and
the limits on its operation and presents a safety analysis of the
structure, systems and components of the facility. This information and
description is needed to permit understanding of the system designs and
their relationships to safety evaluations.
Pursuant to 10 CFR 50.71(e) all light water nuclear power reactors
shall
[[Page 35295]]
update their FSARs periodically. According to 10 CFR 50.71(e)(4), the
time interval for the subsequent FSAR updates must not exceed 24
months. The last full update of the Zion UFSAR was submitted to the NRC
on July 5, 1996. Consequently, the next update would be required to be
submitted no later than July 1998. However, ComEd is requesting an
exemption from this requirement to allow them to update the FSAR to
reflect the present condition of the units.
By letters dated February 13, 1998, and March 9, 1998, ComEd
informed the NRC that Zion Nuclear Power Station, Units 1 and 2, have
permanently ceased operations and both units are completely defueled
and all fuel has been placed in the spent fuel pool for long-term
storage. By letter dated May 4, 1998, the NRC acknowledged Zion's
permanent cessation of power operation and permanent removal of fuel
from the reactor vessels.
Many of the systems and components previously required for safety
are no longer needed because the Zion units are permanently shut down.
Therefore, updating the current FSAR will provide a description of
components and systems that are no longer relevant to safety. Instead
ComEd has proposed and committed to prepare and submit an update to the
FSAR reflecting the permanently defueled condition of Zion Nuclear
Power Station, Units 1 and 2, by December 31, 1998. This update will
become Zion's Defueled Safety Analysis Report (DSAR).
Because ComEd's board decision on January 14, 1998, to shut down
Zion was unexpected, ComEd staff did not have adequate time to develop
the DSAR. Therefore, ComEd is requesting an extension of the update
interval to allow sufficient time to develop and submit the DSAR. In
their letter dated March 12, 1998, ComEd stated that many of the
technical, administrative, and management resources needed to develop a
DSAR are the same as those that would be involved in updating the FSAR.
Consequently, updating the current FSAR by July 1998 would result
either in a delay in developing a DSAR or in the expenditure of
significant additional resources to develop a DSAR while preparing an
UFSAR submittal in parallel.
Based on the information provided above, the extension of time
interval from July 1998 to December 1998 for the submittal of the UFSAR
would have no impact on the ability of systems, structures and
components to perform the safety functions required with the plant
permanently shut down, nor would it affect the safety of activities
conducted with the facility in this condition. The proposed time
exemption will not affect the potential for undesirable impacts to the
environment.
Environmental Impacts of the Proposed Action
The proposed action involves administrative activities unrelated to
plant operation.
The proposed action will not result in an increase in the
probability or consequences of accidents or result in a change in
occupational or offsite dose. Therefore, there are no significant
radiological impacts associated with the proposed action.
The proposed action will not result in a change in nonradiological
plant effluents and will have no other nonradiological environmental
impact.
Accordingly, the Commission concludes that there are no
environmental impacts associated with this action.
Alternatives to the Proposed Action
Since the Commission has concluded there are no significant
environmental impacts associated with the proposed action, any
alternatives with equal or greater environmental impact need not be
evaluated. 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
This action does not involve the use of any resources not
previously considered in the Final Environmental Statement for the Zion
Nuclear Power Station.
Agencies and Persons Consulted
In accordance with its stated policy, on June 18, 1998, the staff
consulted with the Illinois State official, Frank Niziolek of the
Illinois Department of Nuclear Safety, regarding the environmental
impact of the proposed action. The State official had no comments.
Finding of No Significant Impact
Based upon the environmental assessment, the Commission concludes
that the proposed action will not have a significant effect on the
quality of the human environment. Accordingly, the Commission 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 12, 1998, which is available for public
inspection at the Commission's Public Document Room, The Gelman
Building, 2120 L Street, NW., Washington, DC, and at the local public
document room located at the Waukegan Public Library, 126 N. County
Street, Waukegan, Illinois 60085.
Dated at Rockville, Maryland, this 24th day of June, 1998.
For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
Ramin R. Assa,
Project Manager, Project Directorate III-2, Division of Reactor
Projects III/IV, Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation.
[FR Doc. 98-17219 Filed 6-26-98; 8:45 am]
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