[Federal Register: May 30, 2001 (Volume 66, Number 104)]
[Notices]
[Page 29347-29348]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr30my01-91]
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NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION
[Docket Nos. 50-269, 50-270, 50-287]
Duke Energy Corporation; 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 an exemption from 10 CFR 55.59 for Facility Operating
License Nos. DPR-38, DPR-47, and DPR-55, issued to the Duke Energy
Corporation (DEC, the licensee), for operation of the Oconee Nuclear
Station, Units 1, 2, and 3, located in Seneca, South Carolina.
Environmental Assessment
Identification of the Proposed Action
The proposed action would allow the licensed operator
requalification examinations for the Oconee Nuclear Station, Units 1,
2, and 3 to be rescheduled. The requested exemption would extend the
completion date for
[[Page 29348]]
the examinations from June 4, 2001, to July 13, 2001. The proposed
action is in accordance with the licensee's application for exemption
dated March 6, 2001.
The Need for the Proposed Action
The proposed action would extend the current Oconee Nuclear
Station, Units 1, 2, and 3 requalification program from June 4, 2001,
to July 13, 2001. To require the licensee's operators and staff to
support the comprehensive examination and operating tests scheduled
during the 24-month requalification cycle could have a detrimental
effect on the public interest because it would remove qualified
operators from refueling operations and place them into the training
program, which could interfere with the current Oconee Unit 2 refueling
outage schedule. Further, this one-time exemption will provide
additional operator support during plant shutdown conditions, which
would provide a safety enhancement during plant shutdown operations and
post-maintenance testing. The affected licensed operators will continue
to demonstrate and possess the required levels of knowledge, skills,
and abilities needed to safely operate the plant throughout the
transitional period via continuation of the current satisfactory
licensed operator requalification program. Upon completion of the
examinations on July 13, 2001, the follow-on cycle will end on March 8,
2003. Future annual requalification cycles will run from March to
March.
Environmental Impacts of the Proposed Action
The NRC has completed its evaluation of the proposed action and
concludes, as set forth below, that there are no environmental impacts
associated with the extension of the operator requalification
examinations from June 4, 2001, to July 13, 2001. The proposed action
will not significantly increase the probability or consequences of
accidents, no changes are being made in the types or amounts of any
effluents that may be released off site, and 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 nonradiological impacts, the proposed
action does not involve any historic sites. It does not affect
nonradiological plant effluents and has no other environmental impact.
Therefore, there are no significant nonradiological environmental
impacts associated with the proposed action.
Accordingly, the NRC concludes that there are no significant
environmental impacts associated with the proposed action.
Alternatives to the Proposed Action
As an alternative to the proposed action, the staff considered
denial of the proposed action (i.e., the ``no-action'' alternative).
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
Oconee Nuclear Station, Units 1, 2, and 3.
Agencies and Persons Consulted
In accordance with its stated policy, on May 18, 2001, the staff
consulted with the South Carolina State official, Mr. Henry Porter of
the Division of Waste Management, 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 6, 2001. Documents may be examined, and/
or copied for a fee, at the NRC's Public Document Room, located at One
White Flint North, 11555 Rockville Pike (first floor), Rockville,
Maryland. Publicly available records will be accessible electronically
from the ADAMS Public Library component on the NRC Web site, http://
www.nrc.gov (the Public Electronic Reading Room).
Dated at Rockville, Maryland, this 24th day of May 2001.
For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
David E. LaBarge,
Senior Project Manager, Section 1, Project Directorate II, Division of
Licensing Project Management, Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation.
[FR Doc. 01-13606 Filed 5-29-01; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7590-01-P