[Federal Register Volume 74, Number 234 (Tuesday, December 8, 2009)]
[Notices]
[Page 64762]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E9-29198]
[[Page 64762]]
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NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION
[NRC-2009-0537; Docket Nos. 50-269, 50-270, and 50-287]
Duke Energy Carolinas, LLC; Oconee Nuclear Station Units 1, 2,
and 3; Environmental Assessment and Finding of No Significant Impact
The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is considering
issuance of amendments to Facility Operating License Nos. DPR-38, DPR-
47, and DPR-55, issued to Duke Energy Carolinas, LLC (the licensee),
for operation of the Oconee Nuclear Station Units 1, 2, and 3, located
in Oconee County, South Carolina, in accordance with Title 10 of the
Code of Federal Regulations (10 CFR), Section 50.90. Therefore, as
required by 10 CFR 51.21, the NRC performed an environmental
assessment. Based on the results of the environmental assessment, the
NRC is issuing a finding of no significant impact.
Environmental Assessment
Identification of the Proposed Action
The proposed action would approve changes to the Technical
Specifications (TSs) and approve changes to the licensee's updated
Final Safety Analysis Report (UFSAR) associated with the acceptance of
the new reactor protective system and engineered safeguard protective
system (RPS/ESPS) digital upgrade.
The proposed action is in accordance with the licensee's
application dated January 31, 2008, as supplemented by letters dated,
April 3, 2008, April 29, 2008, May 15, 2008, May 28, 2008, September
30, 2008, October 7, 2008, October 16, 2008, October 23, 2008, October
28, 2008, November 6, 2008, November 19, 2008, November 25, 2008,
December 22, 2008, February 27, 2009, March 6, 2009, April 3, 2009 (2
separate letters), April 30, 2009, June 19, 2009, and August 10, 2009.
The Need for the Proposed Action
The proposed action is needed to allow the licensee to replace the
existing RPS/ESPS with a new digital RPS/ESPS. The licensee is
replacing the existing RPS/ESPS because acquiring replacement parts has
become very difficult.
Environmental Impacts of the Proposed Action
The NRC has completed its evaluation of the proposed action and
concludes that the licensee may make changes to the TSs and update the
UFSAR to allow the removal to the existing RPS/ESPS and replace it with
a new digital RPS/ESPS.
The details of the staff's safety evaluation will be provided in
the license amendments that will be issued as part of the letter to the
licensee approving the license amendments.
The proposed action will not significantly increase the probability
or consequences of accidents. No changes are being made in the types of
effluents that may be released offsite. There is no significant
increase in the amount of any effluent released offsite. 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 non-radiological impacts, the proposed
action does not have any foreseeable impacts to land, air, or water
resources, including impacts to biota. In addition, there are also no
known socioeconomic, cultural, or environmental justice impacts
associated with such proposed action. Therefore, there are no
significant non-radiological environmental impacts associated with the
proposed action.
Accordingly, the NRC concludes that there are no significant
environmental impacts associated with the proposed action.
Environmental Impacts of the Alternatives to the Proposed Action
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
The action does not involve the use of any different resources than
those previously considered in the Final Environmental Statement for
the Oconee Nuclear Station, Units 1, 2, and 3, and the Final
Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (NUREG-1437 Supplement 2)
dated December 1999.
Agencies and Persons Consulted
In accordance with its stated policy, on November 6, 2009, the
staff consulted with the South Carolina State official, Mr. Robert M.
Gandy, of the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental
Control, 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 January 31, 2008, as supplemented by letters dated
April 3, 2008, April 29, 2008, May 15, 2008, May 28, 2008, September
30, 2008, October 7, 2008, October 16, 2008, October 23, 2008, October
28, 2008, November 6, 2008, November 19, 2008, November 25, 2008,
December 22, 2008, February 27, 2009, March 6, 2009, April 3, 2009 (2
separate letters), April 30, 2009, June 19, 2009, and August 10, 2009.
Documents may be examined, and/or copied for a fee, at the NRC's
Public Document Room (PDR), located at One White Flint North, Public
File Area O1 F21, 11555 Rockville Pike (first floor), Rockville,
Maryland. Publicly available records will be accessible electronically
from the Agencywide Documents Access and Management System (ADAMS)
Public Electronic Reading Room on the Internet at the NRC Web site,
http://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/adams.html. Persons who do not have
access to ADAMS or who encounter problems in accessing the documents
located in ADAMS should contact the NRC PDR Reference staff by
telephone at 1-800-397-4209 or 301-415-4737, or send an e-mail to
[email protected].
Dated at Rockville, Maryland, this 1st day of December 2009.
For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
V. Sreenivas,
Project Manager, Plant Licensing Branch II-1, Division of Operating
Reactor Licensing, Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation.
[FR Doc. E9-29198 Filed 12-7-09; 8:45 am]
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