ML101190100

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Annual Statement of Non-Availability of Federal Government Funding for Conversion from HEU to Leu
ML101190100
Person / Time
Site: Vallecitos Nuclear Center
Issue date: 04/27/2010
From: Don Krause
GE-Hitachi Nuclear Energy Americas
To:
Document Control Desk, Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation
References
Download: ML101190100 (2)


Text

GE Hitachi HITACHI Nuclear Energy Donald R. Krause Mgr., Regulatory Compliance & EHS Vallecitos Nuclear Center 6705 Vallecitos Rd 27 April, 2010 Sunol, CA 94586 USA Director of the Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation T 925 862 4360 F 925-304-7435 U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission donald.krause@ge.com One White Flint North 11555 Rockville Pike Rockville, MD 20852-2738 Attn: Document Control Desk

Subject:

Annual Statement Of Non-Availability Of Federal Government Funding For Conversion From HEU To LEU For NTR, License R-33, Docket 50-73

Reference:

1) 10 CFR 50.64 Limitations on the use of highly enriched uranium (HEU) in domestic non-power reactors
2) License- R-33, Docket 50-73

Enclosure:

Letter from James R.Wade of DOE to Donald Krause, March 18th, 2010 (IS 12 Vallecitos Notification Letter)

GE Hitachi Nuclear Energy Americas, LLC., (GEH) operates the Nuclear Test Reactor (NTR) at the Vallecitos Nuclear Center in Sunol, California under the provisions of License No. R-33 issued by the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission. The NTR operates utilizing fully enriched U-Al alloy fuel at a maximum power of 100 kW.

In accordance with 10 CFR 50.64 (Ref 1), GE Vallecitos Nuclear Center is submitting the enclosed letter to demonstrate that funding is not currently available for conversion of the fuel for the Nuclear Test Reactor, License R-33, Docket 50-73.

If you have any questions, please contact me at 925-862-4360.

Sincerely Yours, Donald R. Krause Manager, Regulatory Compliance & EHS, Radiation Safety Officer Encl ec: William Kennedy, NRC y1DfJ GEHitachi Nuclear Energy Americas, LLC DRK-2010-11 NRCHEUConv.doc

Department of Energy Idaho Operations Office 1955 Fremont Avenue Idaho Falls, ID 83401 March 18, 2010 Mr. Donald R. Krause Manager, Regulatory Compliance & EHS GE Hitachi Nuclear Energy Vallecitos Nuclear Center 6705 Vallecitos Road Sunol, CA 94586

SUBJECT:

Notification that No Federal Funding is Available to Support the Nuclear Test Reactor at the Vallecitos Nuclear Center in Converting from Highly-Enriched Uranium Fuel to Low-Enriched Uranium (IS- 10-0 12)

Dear Mr. Krause:

The Nuclear Test Reactor (NTR) at the Vallecitos Nuclear Center applied for a unique purpose exemption as defined in 10 CFR Part 50.2. This application is still under review by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC). In accordance with 10 CFR Part 50.64, Limitations on the Use of Highly Enriched Uranium in Domestic Non-Power Reactors, NTR is required to send a letter annually to the NRC documenting if Federal funds are available to convert to low-enriched uranium (LEU) fuel.

In accordance with 10 CFR Part 50.64, you are hereby notified that Federal funding under the U.S. Department of Energy's Research Reactor Infrastructure Program for your conversion to LEU fuel will not be available during fiscal year 2010. In addition, NTR's current compact core cannot be converted to LEU fuel with any of the currently approved fuel loading densities.

You will be notified in the event these circumstances change. If you have any questions, please contact me at (208) 526-6876.

Sincerely,

.es R. Wade, Manager Research Reactor Infrastructure Program Office of Nuclear Energy cc: Parrish A. Staples, NA-212 Tracey Bishop, DOE-HQ, NE-32