[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 54 (Thursday, March 20, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Pages 13403-13404]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-7060]


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NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION
[Docket Nos. STN 50-454, STN 50-455, STN 50-456 and 50-457]


Commonwealth Edison Company; Byron Station, Units 1 and 2; 
Braidwood Station, Units 1 and 2; Environmental Assessment and Finding 
of No Significant Impact

    The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (the Commission) is 
considering issuance of an amendment to Facility Operating License Nos. 
NPF-37, NPF-66, NPF-72 and NPF-77, issued to Commonwealth Edison 
Company (ComEd, the licensee), for operation of Byron Station, Units 1 
and 2, located in Ogle County, Illinois and Braidwood Station, Units 1 
and 2, located in Will County, Illinois.

Environmental Assessment

Identification of the Proposed Action

    The proposed action would revise the technical specifications (TS) 
to take credit for soluble boron in the spent fuel pool in maintaining 
an acceptable margin of subcriticality. The proposed change would 
remain in effect until December 31, 1997, at which time the licensee is 
expected to implement long-term corrective actions.

The Need for the Proposed Action

    The proposed action is required in order for the licensee to be in 
compliance with its TS. Heretofore, the compliance with the requirement 
to maintain criticality (k<INF>eff) in the spent fuel pool to less than 
0.95 with

[[Page 13404]]

unborated water was accomplished through the use of Boraflex, a neutron 
absorber. However, recent tests have indicated that the Boraflex is 
showing degradation induced by gamma radiation. Maintaining boron 
concentration of 2000 parts per million in the spent fuel pool is more 
than sufficient to ensure that the k<INF>eff is maintained below 0.95.

Environmental Impacts of the Proposed Action

    The Commission has completed its evaluation of the proposed action 
and concludes that the licensee's proposal to take credit for soluble 
boron in the spent fuel pool water to maintain k<INF>eff less than or 
equal to 0.95 is acceptable.
    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 involves 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 
Byron Station, Units 1 and 2, and Braidwood Station, Units 1 and 2.

Agencies and Persons Consulted

    In accordance with its stated policy, on February 11, 1997, the 
staff consulted with Frank Niziolek of the Illinois Department of 
Nuclear Safety, 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 November 5, 1996, 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 rooms located at: for Byron, the Byron Public Library 
District, 109 N. Franklin, P.O. Box 434, Byron, Illinois 61010; for 
Braidwood, the Wilmington Public Library, 201 S. Kankakee Street, 
Wilmington, Illinois 60481.

    Dated at Rockville, Maryland, this 13th day of March 1997.

    For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
Robert A. Capra,
Director, Project Directorate III-2, Division of Reactor Projects--III/
IV, Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation.
[FR Doc. 97-7060 Filed 3-19-97; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7590-01-P