[Federal Register: February 5, 2002 (Volume 67, Number 24)]
[Notices]
[Page 5322-5323]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr05fe02-91]
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NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION
[Docket Nos. 50-387 and 50-388]
PPL Susquehanna, LLC, Allegheny Electric Cooperative, Inc.,
Susquehanna Steam Electric Station, Units 1 and 2; Environmental
Assessment and Finding of No Significant Impact
The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is considering
issuance of an exemption from Title 10 of the Code of Federal
Regulations (10 CFR), part 50, section 50.60(a), and Appendix G, for
Facility Operating License Nos. NPF-14 and NPF-22 issued to PPL
Susquehanna, LLC (PPL, the licensee), for operation of the Susquehanna
Steam Electric Station (SSES), Units 1 and 2 (SSES-1 and 2), located in
Luzerne County, Pennsylvania. Therefore, as required by 10 CFR 51.21,
the NRC is issuing this environmental assessment and finding of no
significant impact.
Environmental Assessment
Identification of the Proposed Action
The proposed action would allow PPL to use American Society of
Mechanical Engineers (ASME) Code Case N-640 as the basis for
establishing the fracture toughness values used in pressure-temperature
(P-T) limit calculations. Section 50.60(a) of 10 CFR part 50 requires
nuclear power reactors to meet the fracture toughness requirements set
forth in 10 CFR part 50, Appendix G. Appendix G of 10 CFR part 50
requires that P-T limits be established for reactor pressure vessels
(RPVs) during normal operating and hydrostatic or leak rate testing
conditions. Specifically, 10 CFR part 50, Appendix G, states, ``The
appropriate requirements on both the pressure-temperature limits and
the minimum permissible temperature must be met for all conditions.''
Appendix G of 10 CFR part 50 specifies that the requirements for these
limits are the ASME Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code (ASME Code),
Section XI, Appendix G, limits. Code Case N-640 permits application of
the lower bound static initiation fracture toughness value equation
(KIc equation) as the basis for establishing the P-T curves
in lieu of using the lower bound crack arrest fracture toughness value
equation (i.e., the KIa equation, the method invoked by
Appendix G to Section XI of the ASME Code) as the basis for the curves.
The proposed action is in accordance with the licensee's
application for exemption dated July 17, 2001, as supplemented by
letters dated July 26, and October 15, 2001.
The Need for the Proposed Action
ASME Code Case N-640 is needed to revise the method used to
determine the P-T limits, since continued use of the present curves
unnecessarily restricts the reactor coolant system (RCS) P-T operating
window. The RCS P-T operating window is defined by the RPV P-T
operating and test limit curves developed in accordance with the ASME
Code, Section XI, Appendix G. Continued operation of SSES-1 and 2, with
these P-T curves without the relief provided by ASME Code Case N-640
would unnecessarily require the licensee to maintain the RCS
temperature in a limited, high-temperature (over 200 deg.F) operating
band during the pressure test. This results in challenges to plant
operators in maintaining the RCS within the narrow allowable
temperature band and challenges to personnel safety due to the high
ambient drywell temperatures. Implementation of the proposed P-T
curves, as allowed by ASME Code Case N-640, does not significantly
reduce the margin of safety and would eliminate the challenges to plant
operators and personnel safety by allowing the pressure test to be
conducted at a lower coolant temperature.
Environmental Impacts of the Proposed Action
The NRC has completed its evaluation of the proposed action and
concludes that the exemption described above would provide an adequate
margin of safety against brittle failure of the SSES-1 and 2 RPVs.
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 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 have a potential to affect 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.
Environmental Impacts of the 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
The action does not involve the use of any different resource than
those previously considered in the Final Environmental Statement for
the Susquehanna Steam Electric Station, dated June 1981.
Agencies and Persons Consulted
On December 17, 2001, the staff consulted with the Pennsylvania
State official, Mr. Michael Murphy of the Pennsylvania Department of
Environmental Protection, 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 July 17, 2001, as supplemented by letters dated
July 26, and October 15, 2001. Documents may be examined, and/or copied
for a fee, at the NRC's Public Document Room (PDR), located at One
White Flint North, 11555 Rockville Pike (first floor), Rockville,
Maryland. Publicly available records will be accessible electronically
from the Agencywide Documents Access and Management Systems Public
Library (ADAMS) component on the NRC Web site, http://www.nrc.gov (the
Public Electronic Reading Room). 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 by e-mail at pdr@nrc.gov.
Dated at Rockville, Maryland, this 30th day of January 2002.
[[Page 5323]]
For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
Joel T. Munday,
Acting Chief, Section 1, Project Directorate I, Division of Licensing
Project Management, Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation.
[FR Doc. 02-2738 Filed 2-4-02; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7590-01-P