Wisconsin Public Service Corporation, Wisconsin Power and Light Company, Madison Gas and Electric Company, Kewaunee Nuclear Power Plant; Environmental Assessment and Finding of No Significant Impact

[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 227 (Wednesday, November 25, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 65265-65266]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-31499]


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NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION

[Docket No. 50-305]


Wisconsin Public Service Corporation, Wisconsin Power and Light 
Company, Madison Gas and Electric Company, Kewaunee Nuclear Power 
Plant; 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 
50.60 to Wisconsin Public Service Corporation, Wisconsin Power and 
Light Company, and Madison Gas and Electric Company (the licensee), for 
the Kewaunee Nuclear Power Plant located in Kewaunee County, Wisconsin.

Environmental Assessment

Identification of the Proposed Action

    By application dated August 6, 1998, the licensee requested an 
exemption from certain requirements of 10 CFR 50.60, ``Acceptance 
criteria for fracture prevention measures for lightwater nuclear power 
reactors for normal operation,'' and 10 CFR Part 50, Appendix G, 
``Fracture Toughness Requirements.'' The proposed action would permit 
the licensee to use American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) 
Code Case N-588 for analyses used to develop reactor pressure vessel 
(RPV) pressure-temperature (PT) limits, and the low temperature 
overpressure protection (LTOP) system pressure setpoint .

    Note: The application also encompassed the proposed use of Code 
Case N-514; however, this assessment applies only to N-588.

The Need for the Proposed Action

    Pursuant to 10 CFR 50.60(a), all lightwater nuclear power reactors 
must meet the fracture toughness requirements for the reactor coolant 
pressure boundary as set forth in 10 CFR Part 50, Appendix G. Appendix 
G of 10 CFR Part 50 defines PT limits during any condition of normal 
operation, including anticipated operational occurrences and system 
hydrostatic tests to which the pressure boundary may be subjected over 
its service lifetime, and Appendix G.IV.2. specifies that these PT 
limits must be at least as conservative as the limits obtained by the 
following methods of analysis and the margins of safety of the ASME 
Code, Section XI, Appendix G.
    By application dated August 6, 1998, the licensee submitted an 
exemption request to enable use of ASME Code Case N-588. Code Case N-
588 provides benefits in terms of calculating PT limits by revising the 
Section XI, Appendix G, to assume that a circumferential flaw, rather 
than an axial flaw, exists in each circumferential weld in a reactor 
vessel. This reference flaw is a postulated flaw that accounts for the 
possibility of a prior existing defect that may have gone undetected 
during the fabrication process. Any significant, undetected flaw in a 
circumferential weld in the beltline region of an RPV would be 
circumferentially oriented thereby having a lesser effect than an 
assumed axial flaw.
    The effect of the change in reference flaw orientation for 
circumferential welds, in the calculation of PT limits, is to expand 
the resulting PT ``operating window.'' For Kewaunee, this larger 
operating window will eliminate the current requirement to disable one 
reactor coolant pump during conditions of low reactor coolant system 
temperature.

Environmental Impacts of the Proposed Action

    The staff has completed its evaluation of the proposed action and 
concludes that it is acceptable because, with the application of Code 
Case N-588, the RPV will continue to be adequately protected against 
the possibility of brittle fracture. The proposed action will not 
increase the probability or consequences of accidents, no significant 
changes are being made in the types of any effluents that may be 
released offsite, and there is no significant increase in the allowable 
occupational or public radiation exposure. The staff has concluded that 
there is no significant radiological

[[Page 65266]]

environmental impact associated with the proposed action.
    The proposed action does not affect nonradiological plant effluents 
and has no other environmental impact. Accordingly, the Commission 
concludes that there are no significant environmental impacts 
associated with the proposed action.

Alternatives to the Proposed Action

    Since the staff has concluded that there is no significant 
environmental impact associated with the proposed action, any 
alternatives with equal or greater environmental impact need not be 
evaluated. As an alternative to the proposed action, the staff 
considered denial of the action (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 which was 
issued December 20, 1972.

Agencies and Persons Consulted

    In accordance with its stated policy, on November 19, 1998, the 
staff consulted with Ms. Sarah Denkins, of the Public Service 
Commission of the State of Wisconsin, regarding the environmental 
impact of the proposed action. The State official had no comments.

Finding of No Significant Impact

    Based upon the environmental assessment, the staff concludes that 
the proposed action will not have a significant effect on the quality 
of the human environment. Accordingly, the staff 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 August 6, 1998, which is available for public 
inspection at the Commission's Public Document Room, The Gelman 
Building, 2120 L Street, NW, Washington, D.C., and at the local public 
document room located at the University of Wisconsin, Cofrin Library, 
2420 Nicolet Drive, Green Bay, Wisconsin 54311-7001.

    Dated at Rockville, Maryland, this 19th day of November 1998.

    For The Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
William O. Long,
Senior Project Manager, Project Directorate III-1, Division of Reactor 
Projects--III/IV, Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation.
[FR Doc. 98-31499 Filed 11-24-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7590-01-P