[Federal Register: February 27, 2002 (Volume 67, Number 39)]
[Notices]
[Page 9008-9009]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr27fe02-119]
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NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION
[Docket No. 50-285]
Omaha Public Power District Fort Calhoun Station, Unit 1,
Environmental Assessment and Finding of No Significant Impact
The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is considering
issuance of an exemption from certain requirements of Appendix G to
part 50 of Title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations (10 CFR part 50)
for Facility Operating License No. DPR-40, issued to the Omaha Public
Power District (the licensee), for operation of the Fort Calhoun
Station, Unit 1 (FCS), located in Washington County, Nebraska.
Environmental Assessment
Identification of the Proposed Action
The proposed action would exempt the licensee from certain
requirements of Appendix G to 10 CFR part 50 to allow the application
of the methodology approved for determining the pressure-temperature
(P-T) limit curves in the American Society of Mechanical Engineers
Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code (ASME Code), Section XI, Code Case N-
640 entitled, ``Alternate Reference Fracture Toughness for Development
of P-T Curves for ASME Section XI, Division I.''
The proposed action is in accordance with the licensee's
application for an exemption dated December 14, 2001.
The Need for the Proposed Action
The licensee wants to revise the currently approved methodology for
P-T limit calculations to incorporate the methodology approved for use
in Code Case N-640. Code Case N-640 allows the use of the
KIC fracture toughness curve instead of the KIA
fracture toughness curve, as required by Appendix G to Section XI, for
determining P-T limits for reactor pressure vessel (RPV) materials. The
exemption is needed because the methodology in Code Case N-640 is less
conservative in determining P-T limits than the approved methodology in
Appendix G of Section XI. The proposed action also supports the
licensee's application for a license amendment dated December 14, 2001,
to revise the P-T limits in the technical specifications to reflect an
operating period of 40 effective full power years (EFPY).
In the associated exemption, the staff has determined that,
pursuant to 10 CFR 50.12(a)(2)(ii), the underlying purpose of the
regulation will continue to be served by the implementation of the code
case.
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 significant
environmental impacts associated with the use of the alternative
analysis methods to support the revision of the RPV P-T limit curves.
The proposed action will not significantly increase the probability
or consequences of accidents, no changes are being made in the types 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.
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
This action does not involve the use of any resources not
previously considered in the Final Environmental Statement for the FCS
dated August 1972.
Agencies and Persons Consulted
In accordance with its stated policy, on February 12, 2002, the
staff consulted with the Nebraska State official, Julia Schmitt of the
Nebraska Consumer Health Services Agency, 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 December 14, 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 Agencywide Documents Access and Management System (ADAMS)
Public Electronic Reading Room on the internet at the NRC Web
[[Page 9009]]
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 by e-mail to
pdr@nrc.gov.
Dated at Rockville, Maryland, this 21st day of February 2002.
For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
Stephen Dembek,
Project Directorate IV, Chief, Section 2, Division of Licensing Project
Management, Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation.
[FR Doc. 02-4590 Filed 2-26-02; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7590-01-P