The following information was provided by the licensee via email:
The American Centrifuge Plant (ACP) criticality accident and alarm system (CAAS) is designed to detect a nuclear criticality accident and provide audible and visual alarms that alert personnel to evacuate the immediate area, as required by 10 CFR 70.24, criticality accident requirements.
The CAAS will be temporarily disabled (declared inoperable in accordance with approved plant procedures) to perform periodic CAAS testing activities. The planned CAAS outage is expected to last for approximately 48 hours5.555556e-4 days <br />0.0133 hours <br />7.936508e-5 weeks <br />1.8264e-5 months <br />, commencing at approximately 0800 EDT, on Wednesday, August 2, 2023. The planned maintenance activities will affect the CAAS in X-3001 North.
Essential personnel will be present inside the controlled access area during the maintenance activities. Compensatory measures will be implemented in accordance with section 5.4.4 of the license application for the ACP. These measures include the following: evacuation of non-essential personnel from the area of concern and the immediate evacuation zone (IEZ) before removing CAAS equipment from service; limiting access into the area; restricting fissile material movement; and the use of personal alarming dosimeters for personnel that must access the area during the CAAS outage. These measures will be implemented until CAAS coverage is verified to be operational, and the CAAS is declared operable in accordance with approved plant procedures.
American Centrifuge Operating, LLC will notify the NRC when CAAS coverage is returned to normal operation.
The licensee has notified the NRC Project Manager.