ML19330A417
| ML19330A417 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Issue date: | 06/30/1980 |
| From: | James Shea NRC OFFICE OF INTERNATIONAL PROGRAMS (OIP) |
| To: | |
| References | |
| TASK-IR, TASK-SE SECY-80-313, NUDOCS 8007280086 | |
| Download: ML19330A417 (1) | |
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UNITED STATES NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION June 30, 1980 WASHINGTON, D. C. 20555 SECY-80-313 INFORMATION REPORT w
For:
The Commissioners From:
James R. Shea, Director Office of International Programs Thru:
Executive Director for Operations
Subject:
EXECUTIVE BRANCH RESPONSE ON PENDING EXPORT APPLICATION XSNM01293, PU & U TO UNITED KINGDOM Puroose:
To inform the Commission of the above subject.
Discussion:
Enclosed for the information of the Comission are copies of the Executive Branch response en a pending export license appli-cation.
(See SECY-79-155).
Copies of the Executive Branch coments have been placed in the Public Document Room. A Commission Action Paper will be foraarded soon.
Commissioners are requested to advise the staff of any particular issues or information which they can identif.y at this stage and which they wish included in the staff's analysis.
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i's JamesR.Shea,ldirector M 2 71980 Office of International Programs
Enclosure:
As stated
Contact:
DISTRIBUTION:
M.R. Peterson (492-8155)
Commissioner J.D. Lee (492-7984)
Commission Staff Offices i
Executive Director for Operation:
Secretariat I
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DEPARTM ENT OF STATE EURATOM wumacon. o.c. res2 XSNM01293 v
BUREAU OF OCEANS AND INTERNATIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL AND SCIENTIFIC AFFAIRS lYb M[
June 18, 1980 MEMORANDUM FOR JAMES R.
SHEA Ldl g
- NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION Enclosed is an Executive Branch analysis covering a Department of Energy license application for the export of mixed oxide fuel pins to the United Kingdom, a member of the European Atomic Energy Community (EURATOM), under the aegis of a USDOE/UK Atomic Energy Authority Joint Safety Test Program.
In accordance with the requirements of Section 126 a.
(1) of the Atomic Energy Act, as amended, the analysis addresses the extent to which the specific criteria in Sections 127 and 128 are met, as well as cer-tain additional factors envisaged by Section 126 a.(1).
A detailed analysis for the European Community was submitted December 8, 1978 for NRC applications Nos.
XSNM01212, 1232, 1238 and 1241.
In view of Executive Order 12193, extending the duration of the period speci-fled in the first proviso to Section 126 a.
(2) of the Atomic Energy Act of 1954, as amended, to March 10, 1981, that detailed analysis remains valid.
The Executive Branch, on the basis of its review of this case, has concluded that the requirements of the Atomic Energy Act and P.L.95-242 have been met and that the proposed export would not be inimical to the common defense and security of the United States.
Moreover, the members of EURATOM have adhered to the provisions of the Additional Agreement for Cooperation, as amended.
There-fore, the Executive Branch recommends issuance of the re-quested export license.
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EXPORT LICENSE APPLICATION XSNM-1293 Country:
United Kingdom Transaction:
The export of 610 stainless steel clad mixed oxide fuel pins con-
'taining up to approximately 37 kilograms of plutonium and 3.5 kilograms of U-235 contained in 35 kilograms of uranium enriched to 10 percent, 7.5 kilograms of natural uranium and 5.0 kilograms of depleted uranium Applicant:
U.S.
Department of Energy Date of Application:
March 23, 1978 Purpose of Export The export of the 610 mixed oxide fuel pins will take place under the aegis of a US DOE /UK Atomic Energy Authority Joint Safety Program as provided for in the ERDA/UKAEA LMFBR Agreement of September 20, 1976, as amended.
The Joint Safety Program has been developed to exchange UKAEA irradia-tion services in the Prototype Fast Reactor (PFR) located at Dounreay, Scotland, for the DOE capability to conduct safety test services under accident conditions at facilities such as the TREAT /SLSF in Idaho.
Sixty of the fuel pins will be subjected to steady state performance tests in the PFR to evaluate the relative merits of advanced alloy fuel cladding.
Special Non-Proliferation and Other Foreign Policy Considerations The proposed export was approved by the President in late May 1979 after review by the NSC Ad Hoc Group deter-mined that the proposal was within the scope of the President's plutonium export policy, would not be inimical to U.S. common defense and security and met the require-ments of the Atomic Energy Act, as amended by the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Act of 1978.
The Executive Branch reviewed the proposed export for more than a year prior to submission to the NSC Ad Hoc Group with a favorable recommendation for Presidential re-view.
During the review period, the Department of Energy concluded an amendment to the US-UK LMFBR Agreement to provide for non-proliferation concerns by adding safeguards and alternative fuel cycles to the scope of cooperation.
This combined with the strong non-proliferation credentials of the United Kingdom were important factors in the favor-able Executive Branch recommendation to the NSC.
On the basis of a detailed review of the nature and purpose of the research and development programs to be con-ducted in connection with the plutonium fuel pin export, the concerned agencies concluded that the advanced fuel irradia-tions to be conducted in the UK would materially contribute to the Department of Energy's ongoing programs in the areas of 1) breeder reactor safety and 2) behavior of advanced uranium-plutonium fuels under irradiation.
The fuel is to be returned to the United States minus only a small percent-age of the contained plutonium (less than 500 grams) and en-riched uranium which will be consumed during the U.K.
tests.
Bilateral cooperative programs are underway between the Department of Energy (DOE) and the British, French, West Germans and Japanese in the area of liquid metal fast breeder reactor (LMBFR) safety, design, operation and maintenance.
The proposed export is part of this program under which DOE and the UK Atomic Energy Authority (UKAEA) would exchange UKAEA irradiation services in the Prototype Fast Reactor (PFR) at Dounreay, Scotland, for DOE safety test services in the Transient Reactor Test Facility (TREAT) and the Sodium Loop Safety Facility (SLSF) in Idaho.
Two sets of irradia-tions would be conducted comparing the steady-state perfor-mance of DOE and UKAEA develoomental fuel pins.
The first set of irradiations would take place in PFR and the second set in the Fast Flux Text Facility (FFTF).
All information regarding experimental results and test conditions would be exchanged between DOE and the UKAEA.
i
Previous DOE safety tests of current LMFBR fuel de-sign and operation have been limited owing to lack of appropriate facilities.
Such tests in the U.S. will not be possible until 1981 when fuel from the FFTF in Richland Washington will be available.
On the other hand, PFR ir-radiated fuel can be available in 1980, ther.eby providing a gain of one to two years in test schedules.
Under the proposed exchange, both DOE and UKAEA fuel pins would be irradiated in the PFR, then shipped to the U.S.
for safety testing in TREAT and SLSF.
The steady-state performance tests will evaluate the relative merits of advanced alloy cladding on fuel pins.
U.S.
fuel pins clad with five different alloys will be ir-radiated in the PFR together with UK fuel pins clad with five different alloys.
After irradiation, the U.S.
fuel pins would be returned to the United States for examina-tion.
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DELEGATION OF THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES EURATOM SUPPLY AGENCY February 15, 1979
- e:::
M-Mr Vance H. Hudgins AsListant Director for Politico-Military Security Affairs Division of International Security Affairs Department of Energy Washington, D.C.
20545
Dear Mr. Hudgins:
Subject:
Amendment to application XSNM-1293 for the export of mixed oxide fuel pins to England
Reference:
Our certification letter of June 20, 1978 This is.to inform you that the quantity of plutonium indicated in our letter of June 20, 1978 is to be increased from 30.000 grams up to 37.000 grams.
The quantity of uranium 235 and all other data of our letter of June 20, 1978 remain unchanged.
Sincerely, d
$# F. Spaak Head of Delegation JM/ajs cc:
R.
DeLal>arre, State Ms.
B. Wrighc, NRC Mr. M. McDcnough, DOE l
I 2100 M Street NW Suste 707 Westungton CC 20037 / toeschone: (202) 662 9500 / teiex: Wasnington WU 89539 (EURCOM WSH)
DELEGATION OF THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES June 20, 1978 JM/aks Mr. Vance H. Hudgins Assistant Director for Politico-Military Security Affairs Division of International Security Affairs Department of Energy Washington, D. C.20545
Subject:
License application XSNM-1293 (S-972) for the export of mixed oxides fuel pins to England.
Dear kr. Hudgins:
We certify that the material mentioned in this application, namely up to 140 Kg of mixed PuO -UO2 fuel, containing up to 2
30,000 g of Pu and 3,500 g of U-235, and the transfer of this material will be subject to all terms and conditions of the Additional Agreement for Cooperation, dated July 25, 1960, as amended.
We further certify that BNFL, Ltd, Windscale, England, as intermediate consignee, and Dounrec;* Nuclear Power Development Establishment, Dounreay, Scotland, as ultimate consignee, are duthorized by EURATOM to receive and possess this material pursuant to the aforementioned Agreement for Cooperation.
After irradiation in the Prototype Fast Reactor at Dounreay, the fuel pins will be returned to the US for testing.
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Sincerely yours,
/%c4Q F.
SPAAK Head of Delegation cc: Mr.
R. Delabarre,- State Departme t 4
Ms. J.
Dunn, Nuclear Regulatory Commission j
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