[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 231 (Tuesday, December 2, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Pages 63736-63737]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-31519]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION

[Docket No. 50-245]


Northeast Nuclear Energy Company; Millstone Nuclear Power 
Station, Unit No. 1, Environmental Assessment and Finding of No 
Significant Impact

    The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (the Commission) is 
considering issuance of an exemption from Facility Operating License 
No. DPR-21, issued to Northeast Nuclear Energy Company (NNECO or the 
licensee), for operation of the Millstone Nuclear Power Station, Unit 1 
(Millstone Unit 1), located in New London County, Connecticut.

[[Page 63737]]

Environmental Assessment

Identification of the Proposed Action

    The proposed action would allow for a one-time scheduler exemption 
from the containment local leak rate testing requirements of Title 10 
of the Code of Federal Regulation (10 CFR) part 50, Appendix J, Option 
A, Sections III.D.2.(a) and III.D.3. Appendix J requires these tests to 
be performed at every refueling outage with the interval not to exceed 
2 years. The temporary scheduler exemption would extend the interval 
for Type B and Type C local leak rate testing (LLRT) of containment 
penetrations beyond the 2-year limit of 10 CFR Part 50, Appendix J. 
Instead of performing the tests within the 2-year interval, NNECO would 
perform the tests prior to containment integrity being required for 
startup from the current refueling outage.
    The proposed action is in accordance with the licensee's 
application for exemption dated October 16, 1997.

The Need for the Proposed Action

    The proposed action is needed to postpone testing to maximize the 
use of limited resources during the current outage to allow for 
improving the Millstone Unit 1 Appendix J program. The postponement 
would also allow NNECO to avoid any additional radiation exposure and 
expense in testing a number of penetrations and valves more than once 
during the current refueling outage.

Environmental Impacts of the Proposed Action

    The proposed exemption would postpone the next Type B and Type C 
tests until prior to restart from the current refueling outage 
(Refueling Outage Cycle 15). The NRC staff has reviewed the proposed 
exemption and concluded that the Type B and Type C tests are not 
required to ensure that offsite doses will be acceptable. This 
conclusion is based on the licensee's facility remaining shut down 
until after the Type B and Type C tests are performed. As long as 
Millstone Unit 1 remains shut down, containment integrity is not 
required and, therefore, testing for containment integrity is not 
required.
    The change will not increase the probability or consequences of 
accidents, no changes are being made in the types of any effluents that 
may be released offsite, and there is no significant increase in the 
allowable individual or cumulative occupational radiation exposure. 
Accordingly, the Commission concludes that there are no significant 
radiological environmental impacts associated with the proposed action.
    With regard to potential nonradiological impacts, the proposed 
action does involve features located entirely within the restricted 
area as defined in 10 CFR Part 20. It does not affect nonradiological 
plant effluents and has no other environmental impact. Accordingly, the 
Commission concludes that there are no significant nonradiological 
environmental impacts associated with the proposed action.

Alternatives to the Proposed Action

    Since the Commission has concluded there is no measurable 
environmental impact 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 
Millstone Nuclear Power Station, Unit 1.

Agencies and Persons Consulted

    In accordance with its stated policy, on October 30, 1997, the 
staff consulted with the Connecticut State official, Kevin Scott of the 
Department of Environmental Protection, Radiation Control Section, 
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 October 16, 1997, 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 Learning Resources Center, Three Rivers 
Community-Technical College, 574 New London Turnpike, Norwich, 
Connecticut, and at the Waterford Library, ATTN: Vince Juliano, 49 Rope 
Ferry Road, Waterford, Connecticut.

    Dated at Rockville, Maryland, this 25th day of November 1997.

    For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
Phillip F. McKee,
Deputy Director for Licensing, Special Projects Office, Office of 
Nuclear Reactor Regulation.
[FR Doc. 97-31519 Filed 12-1-97; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7590-01-P