[Federal Register Volume 60, Number 69 (Tuesday, April 11, 1995)]
[Notices]
[Pages 18428-18429]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 95-8844]



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NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION
[Docket No. 50-306]


Northern States Power Company; Prairie Island Nuclear Generating 
Plant, Unit 2; Environmental Assessment and Finding of No Significant 
Impact

    The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (the Commission) is 
[[Page 18429]] considering issuance of an exemption from Facility 
Operating License No. DPR-60, issued to Northern States Power Company, 
(the licensee), for operation of the Prairie Island Nuclear Generating 
Plant, Unit 2, located in Goodhue County, Minnesota.

Environmental Assessment

Identification of the Proposed Action

    This Environmental Assessment has been prepared to address 
potential environmental issues related to the licensee's application of 
February 23 and March 3, 1995. The proposed action would exempt the 
licensee from the requirements of 10 CFR Part 50, Appendix J, Paragraph 
III.D.1.(a), to the extent that a one-time interval extension for the 
Type A test (containment integrated leak rate test) by approximately 24 
months from the May 1995 refueling outage to the May 1997 refueling 
outage would be granted.

The Need for the Proposed Action

    The proposed action is needed to permit the licensee to defer the 
Type A test from the May 1995 refueling outage to the May 1997 
refueling outage, thereby saving the cost of performing the test and 
eliminating the test period from the critical path time of the outage.

Environmental Impact of the Proposed Action

    The Commission has completed its evaluation of the proposed action 
and concludes that the proposed one-time exemption would not increase 
the probability or consequences of accidents previously analyzed and 
the proposed one-time exemption would not affect facility radiation 
levels or facility radiological effluents. The licensee has analyzed 
the results of previous Type A tests performed at Prairie Island 
Nuclear Generating Plant, Unit No. 2, to show good containment 
performance and will continue to be required to conduct the Type B and 
C local leak rate tests which historically have been shown to be the 
principal means of detecting containment leakage paths with the Type A 
tests confirming the Type B and C test results. It is also noted that 
the licensee, as a condition of the proposed exemption, would perform 
the visual containment inspection although it is only required by 
Appendix J to be conducted in conjunction with Type A tests. The NRC 
staff considers that these inspections, though limited in scope, 
provide an important added level of confidence in the continued 
integrity of the containment boundary. The NRC staff also notes that 
the Prairie Island Nuclear Generating Plant, Unit No. 2, containment 
penetration and weld channel pressurization system provides a means for 
continuously monitoring potential containment leakage paths during 
power operation. The change will not increase the probability or 
consequences of accidents, no changes are being made in the types or 
amounts 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 NRC staff 
considered denial of the proposed action. Denial of the application 
would result in no change in current environmental impacts.

Alternative Use of Resources

    This action does not involve the use of any resources not 
previously considered in the Final Environmental Statement for the 
Prairie Island Nuclear Generating Plant dated May 1973.

Agencies and Persons Consulted

    In accordance with its stated policy, the NRC staff consulted with 
the Minnesota State official 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 letters dated February 23 and March 3, 1995, which are 
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 Minneapolis Public 
Library, Technology and Science Department, 300 Nicollet Mall, 
Minneapolis, Minnesota 55401.

    Dated at Rockville, Maryland, this 5th day of April 1995.

    For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
Cynthia Carpenter,
Acting Director, Project Directorate III-1, Division of Reactor 
Projects-III/IV Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation.
[FR Doc. 95-8844 Filed 4-10-95; 8:45 am]
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