[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 205 (Monday, October 23, 2000)]
[Notices]
[Pages 63265-63266]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-27178]
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NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION
[Docket Nos. 50-250 and 50-251]
Florida Power and Light Company, Turkey Point Plant, Units 3 and
4; Environmental Assessment and Finding of No Significant Impact
The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is considering
issuance of an exemption from Title 10 of the Code of Federal
Regulations (10 CFR) Part 50, Appendix G, for Facility Operating
License Nos. DPR-31 and DPR-41, issued to Florida Power and Light
Company (FPL, the licensee), for operation of the Turkey Point Plant,
Units 3 and 4, located in Dade County, Florida.
Environmental Assessment
Identification of the Proposed Action
The proposed exemption would allow FPL to apply the methodologies
of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) Code Cases N-588
and N-641 for the Turkey Point Plant reactor vessel circumferential
welds.
The proposed action is in accordance with the licensee's
application for exemption dated July 7, 2000, as supplemented October
4, 2000.
The Need for the Proposed Action
10 CFR part 50, Appendix G, requires that pressure-temperature (P/
T) limits be established for reactor pressure vessels (RPVs) during
normal operating and hydrostatic pressure or leak-testing conditions.
Specifically, 10 CFR part 50, Appendix G states that ``The appropriate
requirements on both the pressure-temperature limits and the minimum
permissible temperature must be met for all conditions.'' Appendix G
further specifies that the requirements for these limits are the ASME
Code, Section XI, Appendix G Limits.
To address provisions of amendments to the technical specification
(TS) P/T limits, low temperature overpressure protection (LTOP) system
setpoints and LTOP system effective temperature (Tenable),
the licensee requested in its submittals that the staff exempt Turkey
Point Units 3 and 4 from application of specific requirements of 10 CFR
part 50, Section 50.60(a) and Appendix G, and substitute use of ASME
Code Cases N-588 and N-641. Code Case N-588 permits the use of
circumferentially-oriented flaws in circumferential welds for
development of P/T limits. Code Case N-641 permits the use of an
alternate reference fracture toughness (KIC fracture
toughness curve instead of KIa fracture toughness curve) for
reactor vessel materials in determining the P/T limits, LTOP setpoints
and Tenable. Since the KIC fracture toughness
curve shown in ASME Section XI, Appendix A, Figure A-2200-1, provides
greater allowable fracture toughness than the corresponding
KIa fracture toughness curve of ASME Section XI, Appendix G,
Figure G-2210-1 (the KIa fracture toughness curve), using
Code Case N-641 for establishing the P/T limits, LTOP setpoints and
Tenable would be less conservative than the methodology
currently endorsed by 10 CFR part 50, Appendix G and, therefore, an
exemption to apply the Code Case would be required by 10 CFR 50.60. It
should be noted that although the use of the KIC fracture
toughness curve in Code Case N-641 was recently incorporated into the
Appendix G to Section XI of the ASME Code, an exemption is still needed
because the proposed P/T limits, LTOP setpoints and Tenable
(excluding Code Case N-641) are based on the 1996 edition (and 1997
addenda) of the ASME Code.
Environmental Impacts of the Proposed Action
The NRC has completed its evaluation of the proposed action and
concludes that exemption from the requirements of 10 CFR part 50,
Appendix G, to allow
[[Page 63266]]
utilization of Code Cases N-588 and N-641 would provide an adequate
margin of safety against brittle failure of the Turkey Point reactor
vessels.
The proposed action will not significantly 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 nonradiological impacts, the proposed
action does not involve any historic sites. It does not affect
nonradiological plant effluents and has no other environmental impact.
Therefore, there are no significant nonradiological environmental
impacts associated with the proposed action.
Accordingly, the NRC 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 (that is, 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
Turkey Point Plant, Units 3 and 4.
Agencies and Persons Consulted
In accordance with its stated policy, on October 10, 2000, the
staff consulted with the Florida State official, William A. Passetti of
the Bureau of Radiation 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 dated July 7, 2000, as supplemented October 4, 2000.
Documents may be examined, and/or copied for a fee, at the NRC's Public
Document Room, located at One White Flint North, 11555 Rockville Pike
(first floor), Rockville, Maryland. Publicly available records will be
accessible electronically from the Adams Public Library component on
the NRC Web site, http://www.nrc.gov (the Electronic Reading Room).
Dated at Rockville, Maryland, this 17th day of October 2000.
For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
Richard P. Correia,
Chief, Section 2, Project Directorate II, Division of Licensing Project
Management, Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation.
[FR Doc. 00-27178 Filed 10-20-00; 8:45 am]
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