Wolf Creek Nuclear Operating Corporation; Wolf Creek Generating Station Environmental Assessment and Finding of No Significant Impact

NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION

[Docket No. 50-482]

Wolf Creek Nuclear Operating Corporation; Wolf Creek Generating

Station Environmental Assessment and Finding of No Significant Impact

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

considering issuance of an exemption to Facility Operating License No.

NPF-42, issued to Wolf Creek Nuclear Operating Corporation (WCNOC), for

operation of the Wolf Creek Generating Station, located in Coffey

County, Kansas.

Environmental Assessment

Identification of the Proposed Action

The proposed action would exempt WCNOC from certain requirements of

10 CFR 50.60 and 10 CFR Part 50, Appendix G. The proposed exemption

would allow WCNOC to apply American Society for Mechanical Engineers

(ASME) Code Case N-514 for determining Wolf Creek Generating Station's

cold overpressurization mitigation system (COMS) pressure setpoint.

The proposed action is in accordance with the licensee's

application for exemption dated December 29, 1998.

The Need for the Proposed Action

The proposed exemption is needed to support an amendment to the

Wolf Creek Technical Specifications which will revise the heatup,

cooldown and COMS curves. The use of ASME Code Case N-514 would allow

an increased operating band for system makeup and pressure control to

allow operational flexibility.

Environmental Impacts of the Proposed Action

The Commission has completed its evaluation of the proposed action

and concludes that application of Code Case N-514 represents a special

circumstance in accordance with 10 CFR 50.12(a)(2)(ii) on specific

exemptions, such that the specific requirements of 10 CFR 50.60 and

Appendix G are ``* * * not necessary to achieve the underlying purpose

of the rule,'' which in this case is to protect the reactor vessel from

brittle fracture.

The proposed action will not 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 non-radiological impacts, the proposed

action does not involve any historic sites. It does not affect non-

radiological plant effluents and has no other environmental impact.

Therefore, there are no significant non-radiological environmental

impacts associated with the proposed action.

Accordingly, the Commission 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 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 Wolf

Creek Generating Station dated June 1982.

Agencies and Persons Consulted

In accordance with its stated policy, on March 5, 1999, the staff

consulted with the Kansas State official, Mr. Vick Cooper, of the

Kansas Department of Health and Environment, 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 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 December 29, 1998, which is available for

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

Building, 2120 L Street, NW., Washington, DC, and at the local public

document room located at the Emporia State University, William Allen

White Library, 1200 Commercial Street, Emporia, Kansas 66801 and

Washburn University School of Law Library, Topeka, Kansas 66621.

Dated at Rockville, Maryland, this 22nd day of April 1999.

For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.

Kristine M. Thomas,

Project Manager, Section 2, Project Directorate IV & Decommissioning,

Division of Licensing Project Management, Office of Nuclear Reactor

Regulation.

[FR Doc. 99-10686 Filed 4-28-99; 8:45 am]

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