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[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 38 (Monday, February 26, 2001)]
[Notices]
[Pages 11608-11609]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-4628]

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NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION

[Docket No. 50-318]

Calvert Cliffs Nuclear power Plant, Inc.; Calvert Cliffs Nuclear 
Power Plant, Unit No. 2, Environmental Assessment and Finding of No 
Significant Impact

    The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is considering 
issuance of a temporary exemption from the provisions of 10 CFR 50.44, 
10 CFR 50.46, and Appendix K to 10 CFR part 50 for Renewed Facility 
Operating License No. DPR-69 issued to Calvert Cliffs Nuclear Power 
Plant, Inc. (CCNPPI or the licensee) for operation of the Calvert 
Cliffs Nuclear Power Plant, Unit 2 (CCNPP2) located in Calvert County, 
Maryland.

Environmental Assessment

Identification of the Proposed Action

    The proposed action would allow the licensee to use a lead fuel 
assembly with a limited number of fuel rods with advanced cladding 
material, a zirconium-based alloy, that does not meet the definition of 
Zircaloy or ZIRLO, which are referred to in Title 10 of the Code of 
Federal Regulations. The lead fuel assembly is scheduled to be loaded 
into the CCNPP2 reactor core during the upcoming refueling outage and 
would remain in the core for Cycle 14. The proposed action is in 
accordance with the licensee's application for exemption dated 
September 14, 2000, as supplemented on December 21, 2000.

The Need for the Proposed Action

    The proposed temporary exemption from 10 CFR 50.44, 10 CFR 50.46, 
and Appendix K to 10 CFR part 50 is needed because these regulations 
specifically refer to light-water reactors containing fuel consisting 
of uranium oxide pellets enclosed in zircaloy or ZIRLO tubes. A new 
zirconium-based alloy cladding has been developed, which is not the 
same chemical composition as zircaloy or ZIRLO. Therefore, the licensee 
needs an exemption to insert an assembly containing fuel rods with the 
new cladding material into the CCNPP2 reactor core and test it during 
power operation.

Environmental Impacts of the Proposed Action

    The NRC has completed its evaluation of the proposed action and 
concludes that, with regard to potential radiological impacts to the 
general public, the proposed temporary exemption involves features 
located entirely within the restricted area as defined in 10 CFR Part 
20. The lead fuel assembly, with the zirconium-based alloy cladding, 
meets the same design basis as the Zircaloy-4 fuel that is currently in 
the CCNPP2 reactor core. No safety limits will be changed or setpoints 
altered as a result of using the lead fuel assembly. The Updated Final 
Safety Analysis Report analyses are bounding for the lead fuel assembly 
as well as the remainder of the core. The mechanical properties and 
behavior of the lead fuel assembly during postulated loss-of-coolant-
accidents (LOCAs) and non-LOCA transients and operational transients 
will be essentially the same as those for the current fuel. In 
addition, the lead fuel assembly represents a small portion of the 
total core and will be placed in a non-limiting location.
    The proposed action will not significantly increase the probability 
or consequences of accidents, no changes are being made in the types of 
any effluents that may be released off site, and there is no 
significant increase in occupational or public radiation exposure. 
Therefore, 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 non-radiological plant 
effluents and has no other environmental impact. The proposed action 
does not involve any historic sites. Therefore, 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 staff considered 
denial of the proposed action (i.e., the ``no-action'' alternative). 
Denial of the exemption would result in no change in current 
environmental impacts. The environmental impacts of the proposed action 
and the alternative action are similar.

[[Page 11609]]

Alternative Use of Resources

    This action does not involve the use of any resources not 
previously considered in the Final Environmental Statement for CCNPP2.

Agencies and Persons Contacted

    In accordance with its stated policy, on January 18, 2001, the 
staff consulted with the Maryland State official, Mr. Richard McLean of 
the Department of Natural Resources, 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 
exemption.
    For further details with respect to this action, see the licensee's 
letters dated September 14, 2000, and December 21, 2000, which are 
available for public inspection at the Commission'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 20th day of February 2001.

    For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
Donna M. Skay,
Project Manager, Section 1, Project Directorate I, Division of 
Licensing Project Management, Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation.
[FR Doc. 01-4628 Filed 2-23-01; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7590-01-P
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