Federal Register / Vol. 61, No. 101 / Thursday, May 23, 1996 / Notices 25921

technical information; financial data, such as

salaries; and personal information

concerning individuals associated with the

proposals. These matters are exempt under 5

U.S.C. 552b(c), (4) and (6) of the Government

in the Sunshine Act.

Dated: May 20, 1996.

M. Rebecca Winkler,

Committee Management Officer.

[FR Doc. 96–13007 Filed 5–22–96; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 7555–01–M

Special Emphasis Panel in Materials

Sciences; Notice of Meetings

In accordance with the Federal

Advisory Committee Act (Pub. L. 92–

463, as amended), the National Science

Foundation announces that the Special

Emphasis Panel in Materials Research

will be holding panel meetings for the

purpose of reviewing proposals

submitted to the Office of

Multidisciplinary Activities in the area

of Optical Science and Engineering. In

order to review the large volume of

proposals, panel meetings will be held

on June 12–14, 1996 (2). All meetings

will be closed to the public and will be

held at the National Science

Foundation, 4201 Wilson Boulevard,

Arlington, Virginia, from 8:00 a.m. to

5:00 p.m. each day.

Contact Person: Dr. John Weiner,

Head, Office of Multidisciplinary

Activities, Office of the Assistant

Director for Mathematical and Physical

Sciences, National Science Foundation,

Room 1005, 4201 Wilson Boulevard,

Arlington, VA 22230, (703) 306–1800.

Reason for Closing: The proposals

being reviewed include information of a

proprietary or confidential nature,

including technical information,

financial data such as salaries, and

personal information concerning

individuals associated with the

proposals. These matters are exempt

under 5 U.S.C. 552b(c) (4) and (6) of the

Government in the Sunshine Act.

Dated: May 20, 1996.

M. Rebecca Winkler,

Committee Management Officer.

[FR Doc. 96–13006 Filed 5–22–96; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 7555–01–M

Special Emphasis Panel in Science

and Technology Infrastructure; Notice

of Meeting

In accordance with the Federal

Advisory Committee Act (Pub. L. 92–

463, as amended), the National Science

Foundation announces the following

meeting:

Name: Special Emphasis Panel in Science

and Technology Infrastructure (#1373).

Date and Time: June 9, 1996; 7:30 p.m.–

10:00 p.m.. June 10–12, 1996, 8:30 a.m.–5:00

p.m.

Place: Rooms 375 & 380, National Science

Foundation, 4201 Wilson Blvd., Arlington,

VA 22230; Gallery 1, Renaissance Hotel, 950

North Stafford Street, Arlington, VA 22203.

Type of Meeting: Closed.

Contact Person: Dr. Nathaniel G. Pitts,

Director, Office of Science and Technology

Infrastructure, Room 1270, 4201 Wilson

Blvd., Arlington, VA 22230; Telephone (703)

306–1040.

Purpose of Meeting: To provide advice and

recommendations concerning proposals

submitted to NSF for financial support.

Agenda: To review and evaluate proposals

submitted to the Facilities component of the

Academic Research Infrastructure Program.

Reason for Closing: The meeting is closed

to the public because the Panel is reviewing

proposal actions that will include privileged

intellectual property and personal

information that could harm individuals if

they were disclosed. These matters are

exempt under 5 U.S.C. 552B(c) (4) and (6) of

the Government in the Sunshine Act.

Dated: May 20, 1996.

M. Rebecca Winkler,

Committee Management Officer.

[FR Doc. 96–13002 Filed 5–22–96; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 7555–01–M

Advisory Committee for Social,

Behavioral & Economic Sciences;

Notice of Meeting

In accordance with the Federal

Advisory Committee Act (Pub. L. 92–

463, as amended), the National Science

Foundation announces the following

meeting.

Name and Committee Code: Advisory

Committe for Social, Behavioral & Economic

Sciences (#1171).

Date and Time: June 6–7, 1996; 900 a.m.

to 5:00 p.m.

Place: Room 920 & 310, National Science

Foundation, 4201 Wilson Boulevard,

Arlington, VA 22230.

Type of Meeting: Closed.

Contact Person: Dr. Steven J. Breckler,

National Science Foundation, 4201 Wilson

Boulevard, Arlington, VA 22230, Telephone:

(703) 306–1731.

Purpose of Meeting: To carry out

Committee of Visitors (COV) review,

including examination of decisions on

proposals, reviewer comments, and other

privileged materials.

Agenda: To provide oversight review of the

Social Psychology Program.

Reason for Closing: The meeting is closed

to the public because the Committee is

reviewing proposal actions that will include

privileged intellectual property and personal

information that could harm individuals if

they are disclosed. If discussions were open

to the public, these matters that are exempt

under 5 U.S.C. 552b(c), (4) and (6) of the

Government in the Sunshine Act would be

improperly disclosed.

Reason for Late Notice: Difficulty in

arranging for a suitable meeting time for the

full committee.

Dated: May 20, 1996.

M. Rebecca Winkler,

Committee Management Officer.

[FR Doc. 96–13001 Filed 5–22–96; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 7555–01–M

NUCLEAR REGULATORY

COMMISSION

[Docket Nos. 50–295 and 50–304]

Commonwealth Edison Company; Zion

Nuclear Power 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 exemption

from certain requirements of its

regulations to Facility Operating License

Nos. DPR–39 and DPR–48, issued to

Commonwealth Edison Company

(ComEd, the licensee), for operation of

Zion Nuclear Power Station, Units 1 and

2, located in Lake County, Illinois.

Environmental Assessment

Identification of the Proposed Action

The proposed action would allow the

licensee to utilize American Society of

Mechanical Engineers (ASME) Boiler

and Pressure Vessel Code (Code) Case

N–514, ‘‘Low Temperature Overpressure

Protection’’ to determine its low

temperature overpressure protection

(LTOP) setpoints and is in accordance

with the licensee’s application for

exemption dated March 19, 1996. The

proposed action requests an exemption

from certain requirements of 10 CFR

50.60, ‘‘Acceptance Criteria for Fracture

Prevention Measures for Lightwater

Nuclear Power Reactors for Normal

Operation,’’ to allow application of an

alternate methodology to determine the

LTOP setpoints for Zion Nuclear Power

Station, Units 1 and 2. The proposed

alternate methodology is consistent with

guidelines developed by the ASME

Working Group on Operating Plant

Criteria (WGOPC) to define pressure

limits during LTOP events that avoid

certain unnecessary operational

restrictions, provide adequate margins

against failure of the reactor pressure

vessel, and reduce the potential for

unnecessary activation of pressure

relieving devices used for LTOP. These

guidelines have been incorporated into

Code Case N–514, ‘‘Low Temperature

Overpressure Protection,’’ which has

been approved by the ASME Code

Committee. The content of this Code

Case has been incorporated into
25922 Federal Register / Vol. 61, No. 101 / Thursday, May 23, 1996 / Notices

Appendix G of Section XI of the ASME

Code and published in the 1993

Addenda to Section XI. However, 10

CFR 50.55a, ‘‘Codes and Standards,’’

and Regulatory Guide 1.147, ‘‘Inservice

Inspection Code Case Acceptability’’

have not been updated to reflect the

acceptability of Code Case N–514.

The philosophy used to develop Code

Case N–514 guidelines is to ensure that

the LTOP limits are still below the

pressure/temperature (P/T) limits for

normal operation, but allow the

pressure that may occur with activation

of pressure relieving devices to exceed

the P/T limits, provided acceptable

margins are maintained during these

events. This philosophy protects the

pressure vessel from LTOP events, and

still maintains the Technical

Specifications P/T limits applicable for

normal heatup and cooldown in

accordance with 10 CFR Part 50,

Appendix G and Sections III and XI of

the ASME Code.

The Need for the Proposed Action

Pursuant to 10 CFR 50.60, all

lightwater nuclear power reactors must

meet the fracture toughness

requirements for the reactor coolant

pressure boundary as set forth in 10 CFR

Part 50, Appendix G. 10 CFR Part 50,

Appendix G, defines P/T limits during

any condition of normal operation

including anticipated operational

occurrences and system hydrostatic

tests, to which the pressure boundary

may be subjected over its service

lifetime. It is specified in 10 CFR

50.60(b) that alternatives to the

described requirements in 10 CFR Part

50, Appendix G, may be used when an

exemption is granted by the

Commission under 10 CFR 50.12.

To prevent transients that would

produce excursions exceeding the 10

CFR Part 50, Appendix G, P/T limits

while the reactor is operating at low

temperatures, the licensee installed an

LTOP system. The LTOP system

includes pressure relieving devices in

the form of Power Operated Relief

Valves (PORVs) that are set at a pressure

below the LTOP enabling temperature

that would prevent the pressure in the

reactor vessel from exceeding the P/T

limits of 10 CFR Part 50, Appendix G.

To prevent these valves from lifting as

a result of normal operating pressure

surges (e.g., reactor coolant pump

starting and shifting operating charging

pumps) with the reactor coolant system

in a solid water condition, the operating

pressure must be maintained below the

PORV setpoint.

In addition, to prevent damage to

reactor coolant pump seals, the operator

must maintain a minimum differential

pressure across the reactor coolant

pump seals. Hence, the licensee must

operate the plant in a pressure window

that is defined as the difference between

the minimum required pressure to start

a reactor coolant pump and the

operating margin to prevent lifting of

the PORVs due to normal operating

pressure surges. The 10 CFR Part 50,

Appendix G, safety margin adds

instrument uncertainty into the LTOP

setpoint. The licensee’s current LTOP

analysis indicates that using this 10 CFR

Part 50, Appendix G, safety margin to

determine the PORV setpoint would

result in an operating window between

the LTOP setpoint and the minimum

pressure required for reactor coolant

pump seals which is too small to permit

continued operation. Operating with

these limits could result in the lifting of

the PORVs or damage to the reactor

coolant pump seals during normal

operation. Using Code Case N–514

would allow the licensee to recapture

most of the operating margin that is lost

by factoring in the instrument

uncertainties in the determination of the

LTOP setpoint. The net effect of using

Code Case N–514 is that the setpoint

will not change significantly with the

next setpoint analysis. Therefore, the

licensee proposed that in determining

the PORV setpoint for LTOP events for

Zion, the allowable pressure be

determined using the safety margins

developed in an alternate methodology

in lieu of the safety margins required by

10 CFR Part 50, Appendix G. The

alternate methodology is consistent with

ASME Code Case N–514. The content of

this Code Case has been incorporated

into Appendix G of Section XI of the

ASME Code and published in the 1993

Addenda to Section XI.

An exemption from 10 CFR 50.60 is

required to use the alternate

methodology for calculating the

maximum allowable pressure for LTOP

considerations. By application dated

March 19, 1996, the licensee requested

an exemption from 10 CFR 50.60 to

allow it to utilize the alternate

methodology of Code Case N–514 to

compute its LTOP setpoints.

Environmental Impacts of the Proposed

Action

Appendix G of the ASME Code

requires that the P/T limits be

calculated: (a) using a safety factor of

two on the principal membrane

(pressure) stresses, (b) assuming a flaw

at the surface with a depth of one

quarter (1⁄4) of the vessel wall thickness

and a length of six (6) times its depth,

and (c) using a conservative fracture

toughness curve that is based on the

lower bound of static, dynamic, and

crack arrest fracture toughness tests on

material similar to the Zion reactor

vessel material.

In determining the PORV setpoint for

LTOP events, the licensee proposed the

use of safety margins based on an

alternate methodology consistent with

the proposed ASME Code Case N–514

guidelines. ASME Code Case N–514

allows determination of the setpoint for

LTOP events such that the maximum

pressure in the vessel will not exceed

110% of the P/T limits of the existing

ASME Appendix G. This results in a

safety factor of 1.8 on the principal

membrane stresses. All other factors,

including assumed flaw size and

fracture toughness, remain the same.

Although this methodology would

reduce the safety factor on the principal

membrane stresses, use of the proposed

criteria will provide adequate margins

of safety to the reactor vessel during

LTOP transients.

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 Zion Nuclear Power

Station, Units 1 and 2.
Federal Register / Vol. 61, No. 101 / Thursday, May 23, 1996 / Notices 25923

Agencies and Persons Consulted

In accordance with its stated policy,

on April 22, 1996, the staff consulted

with the Illinois State official, Mr. Frank

Niziolek; Head, Reactor Safety Section;

Division of Engineering; 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 March 19, 1996, which is

available for public inspection at the

Commission’s Public Document Room,

2120 L Street NW., Washington, DC, and

at the local public document room

located at the Waukegan Public Library,

128 N. County Street, Waukegan,

Illinois 60085.

Dated at Rockville, Maryland, this 16th day

of May 1996.

For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.

Clyde Y. Shiraki,

Project Manager, Project Directorate III–2,

Division of Reactor Projects—III/IV, Office of

Nuclear Reactor Regulation.

[FR Doc. 96–12947 Filed 5–22–96; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 7590–01–P

[Docket Nos. 50–206, 50–361 and 50–362]

Southern California Edison Company

and San Diego Gas and Electric

Company, San Onofre Nuclear Station;

Notice of Temporary Closing of Local

Public Document Room

Notice is hereby given that the Main

Library, University of California, Irvine,

California, which serves as the Nuclear

Regulatory Commission (NRC) local

public document room (LPDR) for the

Southern California Edison Company’s

and San Diego Gas and Electric

Company’s San Onofre Nuclear Station,

will close on June 15, 1996, for seismic

upgrades to the library building. The

library is scheduled to reopen in

January 1997.

During this period, every effort will be

made to meet the informational needs of

LPDR patrons. NRC records from mid1996 forward will be available on

microfiche in the Science Library,

University of California, Irvine,

California. The locations of other LPDRs

that maintain records on San Onofre can

be obtained by contacting the NRC

LPDR staff. Their toll-free telephone

number is (800) 638–8081. Requests for

records may also be addressed to the

NRC’s Public Document Room (PDR),

2120 L Street NW., Lower Level,

Washington, DC 20555–0001. The PDR’s

toll-free telephone number is (800) 397–

4209.

Persons interested in using the San

Onofre LPDR collection while the Main

Library is closed are asked to contact the

NRC LPDR staff at their toll-free

telephone number listed above.

Questions concerning the NRC’s

LPDR program or the availability of

agency documents in the Irvine area

should be addressed to Ms. Jona L.

Souder, LPDR Program Manager,

Freedom of Information/Local Public

Document Room Branch, U.S. Nuclear

Regulatory Commission, Washington,

DC 20555–0001, telephone number

(800) 638–8081.

Dated at Rockville, Maryland, this 17th day

of May, 1995.

For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.

Carlton C. Kammerer,

Director, Division of Freedom of Information

and Publications Services, Office of

Administration.

[FR Doc. 96–12948 Filed 5–22–96; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 7590–01–P

Advisory Committee on Reactor

Safeguards Joint Meeting of the ACRS

Subcommittees on Individual Plant

Examinations and on Probabilistic

Risk Assessment

The ACRS Subcommittees on

Individual Plant Examinations and on

Probabilistic Risk Assessment will hold

a joint meeting on June 11–12, 1996,

Room T–2B3, 11545 Rockville Pike,

Rockville, Maryland.

The entire meeting will be open to

public attendance.

The agenda for the subject meeting

shall be as follows:

Tuesday, June 11, 1996—8:30 a.m. until

the conclusion of business

Wednesday, June 12, 1996—8:30 a.m.

until 12:00 Noon

The Subcommittees will discuss the

Individual Plant Examination (IPE)

Insights Report (June 11, 1996), and the

staff’s research program related to

probabilistic risk assessment (June 12,

1996).

The purpose of this meeting is to

gather information, analyze relevant

issues and facts, and to formulate

proposed positions and actions, as

appropriate, for deliberation by the full

Committee.

Oral statements may be presented by

members of the public with the

concurrence of the Subcommittee

Chairman; written statements will be

accepted and made available to the

Committee. Electronic recordings will

be permitted only during those portions

of the meeting that are open to the

public, and questions may be asked only

by members of the Subcommittees, their

consultants, and staff. Persons desiring

to make oral statements should notify

the cognizant ACRS staff engineer

named below five days prior to the

meeting, if possible, so that appropriate

arrangements can be made.

During the initial portion of the

meeting, the Subcommittees, along with

any of their consultants who may be

present, may exchange preliminary

views regarding matters to be

considered during the balance of the

meeting.

The Subcommittees will then hear

presentations by and hold discussions

with representatives of the NRC staff, its

consultants, and other interested

persons regarding this review.

Further information regarding topics

to be discussed, whether the meeting

has been cancelled or rescheduled, the

Chairman’s ruling on requests for the

opportunity to present oral statements,

and the time allotted therefor can be

obtained by contacting the cognizant

ACRS staff engineers, Mr. Michael T.

Markley (telephone 301/415–6885) or

Mr. Brian Hughes (telephone 301/415–

5767) between 7:30 a.m. and 4:15 p.m.

(EDT). Persons planning to attend this

meeting are urged to contact one of the

above named individuals one or two

working days prior to the meeting to be

advised of any potential changes to the

agenda, etc., that may have occurred.

Dated: May 16, 1996.

Sam Duraiswamy,

Chief, Nuclear Reactors Branch.

[FR Doc. 96–12949 Filed 5–22–96; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 7590–01–P

Advisory Committee on Reactor

Safeguards; Joint Meeting of the ACRS

Subcommittees on Probabilistic Risk

Assessment and on Westinghouse

Standard Plant Designs

The ACRS Subcommittees on

Probabilistic Risk Assessment and on

Westinghouse Standard Plant Designs

will hold a joint meeting on June 5,

1996, Room T–2B3, 11545 Rockville

Pike, Rockville, Maryland.

The entire meeting will be open to

public attendance with the exception of

a portion that may be closed to discuss

Westinghouse proprietary information

pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 552b(c)(4).

The agenda for the subject meeting

shall be as follows: