65FR36476 Commonwealth Edison Company, Dresden Nuclear Power Station, Unit 1; Issuance of Environmental Assessment and Finding of No Significant Impact Regarding the Proposed Exemption From Certain Requirements of 10 CFR Part 72
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Posting-number: Volume 65, Issue 111, Page 36476
[Federal Register: June 8, 2000 (Volume 65, Number 111)]
[Notices]
[Page 36476-36477]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr08jn00-126]
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NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION
[Docket 72-37]
Commonwealth Edison Company, Dresden Nuclear Power Station, Unit
1; Issuance of Environmental Assessment and Finding of No Significant
Impact Regarding the Proposed Exemption From Certain Requirements of 10
CFR Part 72
The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC or Commission) is
considering issuance of an exemption, pursuant to 10 CFR 72.7, from the
provisions of 10 CFR 72.212(a)(2), 72.212(b)(2)(i), and 72.214 to
Commonwealth Edison Company (ComEd). The requested exemption would
allow ComEd to deviate from the requirements of Certificate of
Compliance 1008 (the Certificate), Appendix B, Items 1.4.6.b and
1.4.6.c and place HI-STAR 100 Cask Systems, loaded with spent nuclear
fuel, on a concrete storage pad with a concrete compressive strength of
less than or equal to 4,200 psi at 28 days and concrete reinforcement
of 60 ksi yield strength ASTM material at the Dresden Nuclear Power
Station (Dresden) Independent Spent Fuel Storage Installation (ISFSI).
Environmental Assessment (EA)
Identification of Proposed Action: By letter dated April 24, 2000,
ComEd requested an exemption from the requirements of 10 CFR
72.212(a)(2), 72.212(b)(2)(i), and 72.214 to deviate from the
requirements of Certificate of Compliance 1008, Appendix B, Items
1.4.6.b and 1.4.6.c. ComEd is a general licensee, authorized by NRC to
use spent fuel storage casks approved under 10 CFR Part 72, Subpart K.
ComEd plans to use the HI-STAR 100 Cask System to store spent
nuclear fuel, generated at Dresden Unit 1, at an ISFSI located in
Morris, Illinois, on the Dresden Nuclear Power Station site. The
Dresden ISFSI has been constructed for interim dry storage of spent
nuclear fuel.
By exempting ComEd from 10 CFR 72.212(a)(2), 72.212(b)(2)(i), and
72.214, ComEd will be authorized to place loaded HI-STAR 100 Casks
Systems on cask storage pads that include the following
characteristics:
(1) Compressive Strength: <ls-thn-eq> 4,200 psi at 28 days.
(2) Reinforcement top and bottom (both directions): Reinforcement
area and spacing determined by analysis Reinforcement shall be 60 ksi
yield strength ASTM material.
The storage pad characteristics specified above would be in lieu of
those specified in Certificate of Compliance 1008, Appendix B, Items
1.4.6.b and 1.4.6.c, respectively. The proposed action before the
Commission is whether to grant this exemption under 10 CFR 72.7.
On November 24, 1999, as supplemented February 4, 18 and 28, and
March 2, 16 and 31, 2000, the cask designer, Holtec International
(Holtec), submitted to NRC an application to amend Certificate of
Compliance 1008. The requested amendment includes revisions to the
storage pad specifications in Items 1.4.6.b and 1.4.6.c in Appendix B
to the Certificate. Item 1.4.6.b requires a concrete compressive
strength of less than or equal to 4,200 psi; Holtec is requesting that
this requirement be revised to specify a concrete compressive strength
of less than or equal to 4,200 psi at 28 days. Item 1.4.6.c includes
the requirement that the reinforcement yield strength be less than or
equal to 60,000 psi; Holtec is requesting that this requirement be
revised to specify that reinforcement shall be 60 ksi yield strength
ASTM material. The NRC staff has reviewed the application and
determined that placement of HI-STAR 100 Cask Systems on storage pads
with the revised characteristics would have minimal impact on the
design basis and would not be inimical to public health and safety.
Need for the Proposed Action: There are a number of Dresden Unit 1
spent fuel assemblies in the Dresden Unit 2 spent fuel pool. To
maintain full core offload capability in the Dresden Unit 2 spent fuel
pool once new fuel arrives for the Fall 2001 refueling outage, ComEd
needs to begin loading Dresden Unit 1 spent fuel into storage casks in
June 2000. Unless the exemption is granted or the Certificate is
amended, the storage pads at the Dresden ISFSI will not be in full
conformance with the Certificate. Because the 10 CFR Part 72 rulemaking
to amend the Certificate will not be completed prior to the date that
ComEd plans to begin loading HI-STAR 100 Cask Systems, the NRC is
granting this exemption based on the staff's technical review of
information submitted by ComEd and Holtec.
Environmental Impacts of the Proposed Action: The potential
environmental impact of using the HI-STAR 100 Cask System was initially
presented in the Environmental Assessment (EA) for the Final Rule to
add the HI-STAR 100 Cask System to the list of approved spent fuel
storage casks in 10 CFR 72.214 (64 FR 171, 09/03/99). Furthermore, each
general licensee must assess the environmental impacts of the specific
ISFSI in accordance with the requirements of 10 CFR 72.212(b)(2). This
section also requires the general licensee to perform written
evaluations to demonstrate compliance with the environmental
requirements of 10 CFR 72.104, ``Criteria for radioactive materials in
effluents and direct radiation from an ISFSI or MRS [Monitored
Retrievable Storage Installation].''
The HI-STAR 100 Cask System is designed to mitigate the effects of
design basis accidents that could occur during storage. Design basis
accidents account for human-induced events and the most severe natural
phenomena reported for the site and surrounding area. Postulated
accidents analyzed for an ISFSI include tornado winds and tornado
generated missiles, design basis earthquake, design basis flood,
accidental cask drop, lightning effects, fire, explosions, and other
incidents.
The HI-STAR 100 Cask System consists of a stainless steel multi-
purpose canister and a steel overpack. The welded MPC provides
confinement and criticality control for the storage
[[Page 36477]]
and transfer of spent nuclear fuel. The overpack provides radiation
shielding and structural protection of the MPC during storage and
handling operations. Special design feature requirements for the cask
and for the site are specified in Certificate of Compliance 1008,
Appendix B. These include the storage pad design characteristics.
Considering the specific cask and site design requirements for each
accident condition, the design of the cask would prevent loss of
containment, shielding, and criticality control. Without the loss of
either containment, shielding, or criticality control, the risk to
public health and safety is not compromised.
The staff performed a safety evaluation of the proposed exemption
and the Certificate amendment. The proposed exemption and Certificate
amendment request authorization to use storage pads with a concrete
compressive strength of less than or equal to 4,200 psi at 28 days.
This is a deviation from the pad requirement currently given in
Certificate of Compliance 1008, Appendix B, Item 1.4.6.b, which does
not specify a time frame for when the concrete compressive strength is
to be measured. A time frame is necessary because concrete typically
gets stronger as it ages. Measuring the concrete compressive strength
at 28 days is standard practice. Thus, specifying a time frame of 28
days provides clarification and ensures that full compliance with the
Certificate can be achieved.
The proposed exemption and Certificate amendment also request
authorization to use storage pads with concrete reinforcement made of
60 ksi yield strength ASTM material. This is a deviation from the
storage pad requirements currently given in Certificate of Compliance
1008, Appendix B, Item 1.4.6.c, which specifies a reinforcement yield
strength of less than or equal to 60,000 psi. The standard practice for
reinforcing bar specification and procurement is by the grade of the
material. Reinforcing bar specified as Grade 60 has a nominal yield
strength of 60 ksi and may in fact exceed 60 ksi. Thus, specifying the
concrete reinforcement as ``60 ksi yield strength ASTM material'' takes
into account that the yield strength is a nominal value and ensures
that full compliance with the certificate can be achieved.
The staff found that the proposed exemption and Certificate
amendment are consistent with the cask drop and tipover analyses
presented in the Safety Analyses Report for the HI-STAR 100 Cask System
and do not reduce the safety margin. In addition, the staff has
determined that placement of loaded HI-STAR 100 Cask Systems on storage
pads with a concrete compressive strength of less than or equal to
4,200 psi at 28 days and concrete reinforcement of 60 ksi yield
strength ASTM material does not pose any increased risk to public
health and safety. Furthermore, the proposed action now under
consideration would not change the potential environmental effects
assessed in the initial rulemaking (64 FR 171, 09/03/99).
Therefore, the staff has determined that there is no reduction in
the safety margin nor significant environmental impacts as a result of
placing loaded HI-STAR 100 Cask Systems on storage pads with a concrete
compressive strength of less than or equal to 4,200 psi at 28 days and
concrete reinforcement of 60 ksi yield strength ASTM material.
Alternative to the Proposed Action: Since there is no significant
environmental impact associated with the proposed action, any
alternatives with equal or greater environmental impact are not
evaluated. The alternative to the proposed action would be to deny
approval of the exemption. Denial of the exemption request will have
the same environmental impact.
Agencies and Persons Consulted: On May 19, 2000, Mr. F. Niziolek,
Reactor Safety Section Head, Illinois Department of Nuclear Safety, was
contacted about the Environmental Assessment for the proposed action
and had no comments.
Finding of No Significant Impact
The environmental impacts of the proposed action have been reviewed
in accordance with the requirements set forth in 10 CFR Part 51. Based
upon the foregoing EA, the Commission finds that the proposed action of
granting an exemption from 10 CFR 72.212(a)(2), 72.212(b)(2)(i), and
72.214 so that ComEd may place loaded HI-STAR 100 Cask Systems on
concrete storage pads with a concrete compressive strength of less than
or equal to 4,200 psi at 28 days and concrete reinforcement of 60 ksi
yield strength ASTM material at the Dresden ISFSI will not
significantly impact the quality of the human environment. Accordingly,
the Commission has determined not to prepare an environmental impact
statement for the proposed exemption.
For further details with respect to this exemption request, see the
ComEd exemption request dated April 24, 2000, which is docketed under
10 CFR Part 72, Docket No. 72-37.
The exemption request is available for public inspection at the
Commission's Public Document Room, 2120 L Street, NW, Washington, DC,
20555.
Dated at Rockville, Maryland, this 1st day of June, 2000.
For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
E. William Brach,
Director, Spent Fuel Project Office, Office of Nuclear Material Safety
and Safeguards.
[FR Doc. 00-14494 Filed 6-7-00; 8:45 am]
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