[Federal Register: December 15, 1999 (Volume 64, Number 240)]
[Notices]               
[Page 70076-70077]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr15de99-101]                         

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NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION

[Docket No. 50-423]

 
Northeast Nuclear Energy Company (NNECO), et al., Millstone 
Nuclear Power Station, Unit No. 3, Environmental assessment and finding 
of no significant impact (correction)

    The following is a correction to the Environmental Assessment and 
Finding of No Significant Impact that was published in the Federal 
Register on September 7, 1999 (64 FR 48675). Changes are indicated by 
double bracketed text. The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is 
considering issuance of an amendment to Facility Operating License No. 
NPF-49, issued to Northeast Nuclear Energy Company, et al. (the 
licensee), for operation of the Millstone Nuclear Power Station, Unit 
No. 3 (MP3) located in New London County, Connecticut. The changes 
correct an error made

[[Page 70077]]

regarding when the spent fuel storage pool at MP3 will no longer be 
capable of supporting a full core off-load. MP3 will continue to have 
full core off-load capability until after refueling outage 7, currently 
scheduled for early calendar year 2001.
    The first paragraph under ``The Need for the Proposed Action'' is 
changed to read:

The Need for the Proposed Action

    An increase in spent fuel storage capacity is needed to maintain 
the capability for a full core off-load. [[Loss of full core off-load 
capability will occur as a result of refueling outage 7 (RFO 7), that 
is scheduled to start early in calendar year 2001.]] The licensee plans 
to install an additional 15 high density storage racks (with the 
capacity to store 1,104 fuel assemblies) following RFO 6 (14 will be 
installed between RFO 6 and RFO 7, with the last one to be installed 
later if it is necessary), while keeping the existing racks in place. 
The additional capacity will increase the capability for a full core 
off-load as the unit approaches the end of its operating license 
(November 25, 2025).
    Similarly, the first paragraph under ``Reduction of Spent Fuel 
Generation'' is changed to read:

Reduction of Spent Fuel Generation

    Generally, improved usage of the fuel and/or operation at a reduced 
power level would be an alternative that would decrease the amount of 
fuel being stored in the pool and thus increase the amount of time 
before full core off-load capacity is lost. With extended burnup of 
fuel assemblies, the fuel cycle would be extended and fewer off-loads 
would be necessary. [[This is not an alternative for resolving the loss 
of full core off-load capability because the spent fuel pool currently 
has the capacity for only one more full core off-load and some of the 
fuel to be off-loaded following RFO 7, currently scheduled for early in 
calendar year 2001, will have completed its operating history in the 
core. With the additional fuel left in the spent fuel pool after RFO 7, 
MP3 will no longer have the capability to conduct a full core off-
load.]] Operating the plant at a reduced power level would not make 
effective use of available resources, and would cause unnecessary 
economic hardship on the licensee and its customers. Therefore, 
reducing the amount of spent fuel generated by increasing burnup 
further or reducing power is not considered a practical alternative.

Agencies and Persons Contacted

    In accordance with its stated policy, on October 8, 1999, the staff 
consulted with the Connecticut State official, Mr. Denny Galloway of 
the Department of Environmental Protection, regarding the correction of 
the environmental assessment for the proposed action. The State 
official had no comments.
    For further details with respect to the proposed action, see the 
licensee's letter dated March 19, 1999, which is available for public 
inspection at the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission's Public Document 
Room, The Gelman Building, 2120 L Street, NW., Washington, DC. 
Publically available records will be accessible electronically from the 
ADAMS Public Library component on the NRC Web site, http: www.nrc.gov 
(the Electronic Reading Room).

    Dated at Rockville, Maryland, this 9th day of December 1999.

    For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
James W. Clifford,
Chief, Section 2, Project Directorate I, Division of Licensing Project 
Management, Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation.
[FR Doc. 99-32489 Filed 12-14-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7590-01-P