[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 216 (Tuesday, November 7, 2000)]
[Notices]
[Pages 66779-66781]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-28494]


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NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION

[Docket No. 50-255]


Consumers Energy Co.; Palisades Plant; Environmental Assessment 
and Finding of No Significant Impact

    The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is considering 
issuance of an amendment to Facility Operating License No. DPR-20, 
issued to Consumers Energy Company (the licensee), for operation of the 
Palisades Plant, located in Van Buren County, Michigan.

Environmental Assessment

Identification of the Proposed Action

    The proposed action would change the expiration date of the 
Operating License from ``midnight on March 14, 2007'' to ``midnight on 
March 24, 2011.'' Palisades is currently licensed to operate 40 years 
commencing with the issuance of the construction permit on March 14, 
1967. At present, the Facility Operating License expires at midnight on 
March 14, 2007. The licensee seeks an extension of the license term to 
allow Palisades to operate until 40 years from the issuance of its 
Provisional Operating License. The Provisional Operating License for 
Palisades was issued on March 24, 1971. This action would extend the 
period of operation to the full 40 years provided by the Atomic Energy 
Act and the Code of Federal Regulations.
    The proposed action is in accordance with the licensee's 
application for license amendment dated April 27, 2000.

The Need for the Proposed Action

    The proposed action is needed to allow the licensee to continue to 
operate Palisades for 40 years from the date of issuance of the 
Provisional Operating License. This extension of 4 years and 10 days 
would permit Palisades to operate for the full 40-year design-basis 
lifetime, consistent with the Commission's policy stated in a 
memorandum dated August 16, 1982, from William Dircks, Executive 
Director for Operations, to the Commissioners, and as evidenced by the 
issuance of more than 50 such extensions to other licensees.

Environmental Impacts of the Proposed Action

    The NRC has completed its evaluation of the proposed action and 
concludes that extending Facility Operating License No. DPR-20 for 4 
years and 10 days would not create any new or unreviewed environmental 
impacts. This change does not involve any physical modifications to 
Palisades and there are no new or unreviewed environmental impacts that 
were not considered as part of the Final Environmental Statement (FES) 
related to operation of Palisades, dated June 1972, as supplemented by 
a final addendum (NUREG-0343), dated February 1978, related to an 
increase in core power level, and as supplemented by an environmental 
assessment (EA) dated October 22, 1990, related to conversion of the 
Provisional Operating License to a 40-year full-term Facility Operating 
License, which concluded that an FES supplement was not necessary. 
Evaluations for the FES, as supplemented by the final addendum and by 
the EA, considered a 40-year operating life. The considerations 
involved in the NRC staff's determination are discussed below.

Radiological Impacts of the Hypothetical Design-Basis Accidents

    The offsite exposure from releases during postulated accidents was 
evaluated and found acceptable during the operating license stage and 
subsequent license amendments. This type of evaluation involves four 
issues: (1) Type and probability of postulated accidents, (2) the 
radioactive material releases calculated for each accident, (3) the 
assumed meteorological conditions, and (4) population size and 
distribution in the vicinity of Palisades. The NRC staff has concluded 
that neither the type and probability of postulated accidents nor the 
radioactive material releases calculated for each accident would change 
through the proposed extended operation. As discussed in Sections 2.5.5 
and 2.5.6 of Palisades' Updated Final Safety Analysis Report (UFSAR), 
more recent meteorological data collected onsite (1983 to 1997 for 
short-term and 1988 to 1993 for long-term atmospheric dispersion 
potentials) since issuance of the Operating License have resulted in 
generally more favorable atmospheric dispersion estimates such that the 
earlier analyses of the offsite consequences of postulated radiological 
releases to the atmosphere remain bounding. A comparison of the 1980 
population in the UFSAR with the actual 1990 census data shows a 3.5-
percent decline in the permanent resident population within 10 miles of 
Palisades. Using 1990 census data and recent surveys to establish the 
possible transient population, the licensee found that the maximum 
probable population within the 10-mile Emergency Planning Zone has 
declined from that shown in the UFSAR for 1980. The 1998 estimated 
population for the 13 cities and townships within 10 miles of Palisades 
declined by 1 percent from the 1990 census. These declining trends are 
expected to continue such that the population for the period 2007 
through 2011 should be well within the previous FES and UFSAR 
projections. There are no changes to the current exclusion area, low 
population zone, and nearest population center distance, and the 
licensee will continue to meet the requirements of 10 CFR 100.11(a) for 
the proposed license term extension. Also, there is no expected change 
in land usage during the license terms that would affect offsite dose 
calculations. Therefore, cumulative exposure to the general public due 
to a design-basis accident would be within the bounds of the original 
projections because of the lower than projected population and improved 
meteorological conditions for the site and surrounding area.
    Accordingly, the NRC staff concludes that the proposed action will 
not significantly change previous conclusions regarding the potential 
environmental effects of offsite releases from postulated accident 
conditions.

Radiological Impacts of Annual Releases and Occupational Exposures

    On an annual basis, the licensee submits an Occupational Radiation 
Exposure Report to the NRC. The data in these reports show that the 
collective occupational exposure at Palisades is in a declining trend. 
The 3-year annual average collective occupational

[[Page 66780]]

exposure at Palisades has dropped from about 270 person-rem/year in 
1996 to about 161 person-rem/year in 1999. Through continued 
implementation of As Low As Is Reasonably Achievable (ALARA) and other 
programs, and by continuing to apply new techniques as they are 
developed by the industry, the licensee expects to minimize 
occupational exposure for Palisades during the period of the license 
extension. The licensee projects that the collective occupational 
exposure at Palisades for the period of 2007 to 2011 will average 125 
person-rem/year. Based on its review of historical radiation exposure 
data at Palisades, the licensee's continued implementation of ALARA, 
and the licensee's continued compliance with the requirements of 10 CFR 
Part 20, the NRC staff concludes that the occupational exposures will 
continue to decline, and therefore, exposures during the proposed 
extended period will remain below the exposures experienced during 
Palisades' previous years of operation.
    In accordance with Palisades' Technical Specifications (TSs), the 
licensee has established several radiation monitoring programs, 
including a program that follows 10 CFR Part 50, Appendix I, guidelines 
to maintain radiation doses ALARA to members of the public. The 
Appendix I guidelines establish radioactive design/dose objectives for 
liquid and gaseous offsite releases, including iodine particulate 
radionuclides. In addition, routine releases to the environment are 
governed by 10 CFR Part 20, which states that such releases should be 
ALARA. Each year, the licensee submits an Annual Radioactive Effluent 
Release and Waste Disposal Report that provides an annual assessment of 
the radiation dose as a result of radioactive liquid and gaseous 
effluents released from Palisades. These reports show that release of 
radioactive liquids and gases have historically been only a small 
percentage of the Appendix I guidelines. As a result of the continued 
implementation of the ALARA program, offsite exposures can be expected 
to remain lower than the Appendix I guidelines and FES estimates. These 
reports also discuss the types and quantity of solid radioactive waste 
(radwaste) processed during the year and shipped to a licensed offsite 
low-level waste disposal facility in another state. Solid radwaste 
typically includes dry active waste, evaporator bottom contents, spent 
resins and filters, and irradiated hardware. The volume of solid 
radwaste shipped from Palisades has historically been consistent with 
that projected in the FES (2100 to 10,000 cubic feet per year). The 
volume of radwaste generated at Palisades due to the processing of 
radioactive liquids (filters and resins), and due to routine 
maintenance on equipment, has decreased significantly since the late 
1980's due, in part, to the processing of dry active waste by 
incineration. The licensee continues to pursue waste volume reduction 
technology to minimize impacts associated with radwaste management. 
Therefore, the NRC staff concludes that the additional solid radwaste 
generated and processed during the extended period of operation will 
continue to be consistent with the types and quantities previously 
projected in the FES.
    In accordance with Palisades' TSs, the licensee has an established 
Radiological Environmental Monitoring Program by which it monitors the 
effect of operation of its facility upon the environment. This is 
accomplished by continuously measuring radiation levels and airborne 
radioactive material levels and periodically measuring amounts of 
radioactive materials in samples at various locations surrounding 
Palisades. Continued environmental monitoring and surveillance under 
the program ensure early detection of any increase in exposures over 
the proposed extended operation.
    Accordingly, the NRC staff concludes that the radiological impact 
upon the public due to the proposed extended operation would not 
increase over that previously evaluated in the FES and the occupational 
exposures will be consistent with the industry average and in 
accordance with 10 CFR Part 20.
    The NRC staff has reviewed the environmental impacts attributable 
to the transportation of spent fuel and waste from the Palisades site. 
With respect to the normal conditions of transport and possible 
accidents in transport, the NRC staff finds that the environmental 
impacts are bounded by those identified in Table S-4, ``Environmental 
Impact of Transportation of Fuel and Waste to and from One Light Water-
Cooled Nuclear Power Reactor,'' of 10 CFR Part 51.52 for burnup levels 
up to 60,000 megawatt-days per metric ton of uranium (MWd/MTU) and 5 
weight percent U-235 enrichment (53 FR 6040 and 53 FR 30355). The NRC 
staff concludes that the environmental impact related to the 
transportation of fuel and waste remains low and is not significantly 
increased by the change in the expiration date of the Operating 
License.
    Based upon the conservative population estimate in the FES dated 
November 1973 and EAs dated February 26 and June 7, 1990, low 
radiological exposure from plant releases during normal operation and 
postulated accidents, and the environmental monitoring program, the NRC 
staff concludes that the radiological impact on the public due to the 
proposed action would not be significant and the conclusions of the FES 
would remain valid.

Environmental Impact of the Uranium Fuel Cycle

    Palisades is currently operating in its 15th fuel cycle. Fuel 
enrichments (batch average) have ranged from a minimum of 1.65 weight 
percent U-235 up to 4.02 weight percent U-235. Palisades is presently 
licensed to store fuel with enrichments up to 4.4 weight percent U-235. 
To date, the maximum burn-up of any single fuel assembly has been 
51,500 MWd/MTU. In its generic EA dated February 29, 1988 (53 FR 6040), 
the NRC staff concluded that the environmental impact of extended fuel 
irradiation up to 60,000 MWd/MTU and increased enrichment up to 5 
weight percent are bounded by the impacts reported in Table S-4 of 10 
CFR 51.52. Thus, this generic assessment is bounding for the Palisades 
Plant.
    The total projected number of fuel cycles remaining before the 
current Facility Operating License expiration date (March 14, 2007) is 
five. The proposed extended operation will increase the number of 
complete fuel cycles by about 3 to a total of 22 based on projected 
cycle lengths. The total number of discharged fuel assemblies, 
including a full core discharge at the end of the current Operating 
License expiration date, is projected to be 1453. The licensee projects 
that the total number of spent fuel assemblies, including a full core 
discharge at the end of the 40-year operating life, would be between 
1577 and 1625. Thus, the proposed extended operation involves the 
generation, interim storage, and ultimate disposal of up to an 
additional 172 spent fuel assemblies.
    To provide for the storage of additional spent fuel assemblies 
beyond the licensed capacity of the Palisades spent fuel pool, the 
licensee began using dry storage in 1993 under a general license in 
accordance with 10 CFR part 72 (Docket No. 72-7). The licensee projects 
that the proposed extended operation will result in an additional 126 
fuel assemblies in dry fuel storage. Licensed dry fuel storage has 
provided, and will continue to provide, sufficient extra spent fuel 
storage capacity to accommodate the spent fuel storage needed for 40 
years of operation.

[[Page 66781]]

    Based on the above, the NRC staff concludes that there are no 
significant changes in the environmental impact related to the uranium 
fuel cycle due to the proposed extended operation of Palisades.

Nonradiological Impacts

    The NRC relies upon the State of Michigan, Department of 
Environmental Quality (MDEQ), for regulation of nonradiological matters 
involving water quality and aquatic biota. The State of Michigan has 
reviewed and considered the environmental impacts of Palisades' water 
discharge in its issuance of the National Pollutant Discharge 
Elimination System (NPDES) permit and renewals. The NPDES permit 
contains requirements necessary to comply with State and Federal water 
pollution control laws, and is audited by MDEQ and the U.S. 
Environmental Protection Agency. On October 1, 1999, MDEQ renewed the 
NPDES permit for Palisades (NPDES Permit No. MI0001457) with an 
effective date of November 1, 1999, and an expiration date of October 
1, 2003. The licensee expects the MDEQ to renew and issue NPDES permits 
about every 4 years until expiration of the Operating License. Because 
the licensee will continue to abide by the NPDES permits, there will be 
no significant nonradiological impact on the environment with regard to 
liquid discharges from Palisades as a result of extending the 
expiration date of the Operating License. Also, the proposed action 
does not involve any historic sites. Therefore, the NRC concludes that 
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 NRC staff considered 
denial of the proposed action (i.e., the ``no action'' alternative). 
Denial of the application would result in no significant improvement in 
environmental impacts, but could result in nonradiological 
environmental effects due to airborne effluents from nonnuclear plants 
that would be required to operate in order to replace the power 
supplied by Palisades. The environmental impacts of the proposed action 
and the alternative action are otherwise similar.

Alternative Use of Resources

    This action does not involve the use of any resources not 
previously considered in the FES, as supplemented, for Palisades.

Agencies and Persons Consulted

    In accordance with its stated policy, the NRC staff consulted with 
the Michigan State official 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 April 27, 2000. 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 Electronic Reading Room).

    Dated at Rockville, Maryland, this 31st day of October 2000.

    For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
Darl S. Hood,
Senior Project Manager, Section 1, Project Directorate III, Division of 
Licensing Project Management, Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation.
[FR Doc. 00-28494 Filed 11-6-00; 8:45 am]
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