Wolf Creek Nuclear Operating Corp.; Notice of Issuance of Environmental Assessment and Finding of No Significant Impact

NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION

[Docket No. 50-482]

Wolf Creek Nuclear Operating Corp.; Notice of Issuance of

Environmental Assessment and Finding of No Significant Impact

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (the Commission) is

considering issuance of an exemption from the requirements of 10 CFR

part 50, Appendix J, Section III.D.1(a) to Wolf Creek Nuclear Operating

Corporation, (the licensee), for operation of the Wolf Creek Generating

Station, Unit 1, located in Coffey County, Kansas.

Environmental Assessment

Identification of Proposed Action

Section III.D.1(a) of Appendix J to 10 CFR Part 50 requires the

performance of three Type A tests, overall integrated leakage rate

tests (ILRTs), at approximately equal intervals during each 10-year

service period with the third test of each set being conducted when the

plant is shutdown for the 10-year plant inservice inspections. Wolf

Creek Nuclear Operating Corporation performed the first two ILRTs for

the first 10-year service period in October 1988 and September 1991.

The licensee proposes to perform the third test during the eighth

refueling outage which coincides with the 10-year plant inservice

inspections. However, the current schedule for the eighth refueling

outage would result in the test being performed approximately six

months beyond the 10-year service period.

Section 50.12(a)(2)(ii) of Title 10 of the Code of Federal

Regulations provides an example of a special circumstance for which the

NRC will consider granting exemptions that involve cases for which

application of the regulation is not necessary to achieve the

underlying purpose of the rule. The licensee completed ILRTs in October

1988 and September 1991. Strict application of Appendix J would require

performance of another ILRT during the seventh refueling outage in

order to achieve three tests within the 10-year service period and a

subsequent test during the eighth refueling outage in order to perform

an ILRT during the 10-year plant inservice inspections. In order to

avoid performance of the fourth ILRT, the licensee has proposed a one-

time exemption to allow performance of the third ILRT during the eighth

refueling outage. Performance of the third test during the eighth

refueling outage would result in the test being performed approximately

54 months after the second test.

The Need for the Proposed Action

The proposed exemption would extend the performance of the third

ILRT several months beyond the end of the first 10-year service period

in order to preclude the need to perform ILRTs during consecutive

refueling outages. The need for the exemption results from the

requirement to perform the ILRT during refueling outages and the

schedules associated with the seventh and eighth refueling outages.

ILRTs need to be performed during both the seventh and eighth refueling

outages to satisfy both aspects of the Appendix J periodic retest

schedules; three tests during 10-year service intervals with the third

test during 10-year plant inservice inspections.

Environmental Impacts of the Proposed Action

The Commission has completed its evaluation of the proposed

exemption and concludes that granting of the one-time relief does not

affect the configuration of plant systems or plant operating practices.

The proposed exemption is limited to the scheduling for the third ILRT

during the first 10-year service interval. Previous testing has

demonstrated the integrity of the containment structure. Leakage

through containment penetrations and valves would continue to be

identified by performance of local leak rate testing (LLRT). Therefore,

no increase in the release of radioactive materials following an

accident would result from the extension of the ILRT testing interval.

The extension of the ILRT interval does not affect the radioactive

effluent releases during normal operation. Accordingly, the Commission

concludes that this proposed action would result in no significant

radiological environmental impact.

With regard to potential nonradiological impacts, the proposed

exemption only involves the scheduling of ILRT testing. It does not

affect nonradiological plant effluents and there are no other

nonradiological environmental impacts associated with the proposed

exemption.

Alternatives to the Proposed Action

Since the Commission concluded that there are no significant

environmental impacts that would result from the proposed action, any

alternatives with equal or greater environmental impacts need not be

evaluated. The principal alternative would be to deny the requested

exemption and require the licensee to conduct ILRT during both the

seventh and eighth refueling outages. Denial would not significantly

reduce the environmental impact of plant operation and would result in

lost electrical generation and expense of significant licensee

resources.

Alternate Use of Resources

This action does not involve the use of any resources not

previously considered in the Final Environmental Statement for the Wolf

Creek Generating Station dated June 1982.

Agencies and Persons Consulted

The NRC staff reviewed the licensee's request and consulted with

the Kansas State official. The State official had no comments regarding

the NRC's proposed action.

Finding of No Significant Impact

The NRC staff has determined not to prepare an environmental impact

statement for the proposed exemption.

Based upon the foregoing environmental assessment, the Commission

concludes that the proposed action will not have a significant effect

on the quality of the human environment.

For further details with respect to this action, see the request

for exemption dated October 27, 1993, which is available for public

inspection at the Commission's Public Document Room, The Gelman

Building, 2120 L Street, NW., Washington, DC 20555, and at the Local

Public Document Rooms, Emporia State University, William Allen White

Library, 1200 Commercial Street, Emporia, Kansas 66801 and the Washburn

University School of Law Library, Topeka, Kansas 66621.

Dated at Rockville, Maryland, this 19th day of May 1994.

For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.

James E. Lyons,

Acting Director, Project Directorate IV-2, Division of Reactor Projects

III/IV, Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation.

[FR Doc. 94-12729 Filed 5-24-94; 8:45 am]

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