ML19325D436
| ML19325D436 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Issue date: | 07/21/1989 |
| From: | Carr K NRC COMMISSION (OCM) |
| To: | Markey E HOUSE OF REP. |
| Shared Package | |
| ML19325C171 | List: |
| References | |
| MARKEY-890721, NUDOCS 8910240105 | |
| Download: ML19325D436 (2) | |
Text
.
t
[
g/3 7
/4-3-
.j j y:
i 1
M r
i w
i fQUESTIONl':
When and how did the'NRC: learn offthe tritium shipper..
f l'
receiver differences referred Lt'o 1n-the;JulyI10h1989 staff '
~
n I'
memorandum? What responsibilities will the' NRC have in 1
3 investigating v discrepancies?:
j
+
c ANSWER:
L r
a Tha Department of Energy (DOE) advised the LNuclear Regulatory Comission (NRC) l of(the referenced Jiscrepancies in a May.31,-1989 telephone' conversation-9 between a' member of-DOE's' legal staff and. a staff member of NRC's Office of t Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards.
Information obtained during that conversation and.a subsequent discussion on June 1, 1989, was communicated l
< v c
l
- orally and'in writing to NRC management in the Offices of Nuclear Material
- 1 Safety and Safeguards and Governmental and Public Affairs-during'the period May1 I
- 31+ June'2,1989... This information was also communicated to the.0ffice of:the.
Executive Director for Operations. The first formal Comission notification fi h
L was.on June:16, 1989.
- t
/
L p-During: discussions between DOE and NRC, it was agreed that NRC would provide fr p
H technical support in conducting a preliminary investigation of the tritium 1
i shipper-receiver differences between Oak Ridge and two fims in the United o
Kingdom. NRC agreed to participate in a support role on the DOE investigative
' team because NRC is responsible under the Atomic Energy Act of 1954, as L
4 L
amended,'to assure that its licensees do not engage in unauthorized activities
}
l' which would be inimical to the common defense and security of the U.S.
NRC t
participation is specifically justified because:
- 1) the transactions involved 4
i
.n
' O ; :.. -
i N
A 2
o -
' NRC export' licenses, 2) the reported differences could have been the result of-1 leakage;or diversion, and 3) similar differences might have been occurring at NRC or Agreement State licensees. The initial Investigation did not result in indications of unauthorized activities, nor did it identify the' reasons for all
~
of the differences with one of the t'rms, Surelite, Ltd. Therefore, the Office
. of the Assistant Secretary for Nuclear Energy, DOE formed a _special
' investigative team with more extensive experience with tritium to further
- review this matter and to determine whether the alleged discrepancies were real f
and if ~so.. where any missing tritium may _have gone.
NRC is following this further investigation closely to determine if additional NRC actions are-
- required.
1:
L t =
l I
n
)
l' l'
.