ML20006B638
| ML20006B638 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Issue date: | 01/16/1990 |
| From: | Rathbun D NRC OFFICE OF GOVERNMENTAL & PUBLIC AFFAIRS (GPA) |
| To: | Cranston A SENATE |
| Shared Package | |
| ML20006B639 | List: |
| References | |
| CCS, NUDOCS 9002050159 | |
| Download: ML20006B638 (3) | |
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UNITED STATES i:$
I NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION i
WASHINGTON, D. C. 20666 L
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January 16, 1990 The Honorable Alan Cranston United States Senate Washington, DC 20510.
Dear Senator Cranston:
I am writing in: response to your letter _of December 8,1989 forwarding a'-
question from a constituent, Mrsi Millard.A. Ferguson,~regarding the NRC's licensing the export of uranium to Romania, a copy of which you enclosed.
In August M88, the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission-issued a license:
authorizing the' export-to Romania of 16.478 kilograms (kgs) of:high enriched uranium (HEU), in the form of fabricated fuel elements for refueling a U.S.--
supplied research reactor near Bucharest. Shipment has not been made, pending
-completion of transportation arrangements.
The research reactor export was authorized in 1973 for teaching, basic-research, and radioactive isotope-production. The model exported was a General Atomics-TRIGA reactor,:and a number of these have been exported by the
. United States to various countries.
In.1978,: an: export _of 38 kgs _ of HEU was licensed to fuel-this reactor,-pursuantito arrangements' concluded under the.-
U.S./IAEA Agreement for Cooperation.~. At that1 time (1978), an-additional 16.5 kgs of.HEU was authorized under thetIAEA arrangements and-purchased by the Romanians, but-it was held -in the'.U.S ' until the reactorineeded'its first reload.
It is this material that-is in questiontin the 1988 license.
Romania has been-deemed an acceptable recipient of this materiil because~ it meets the criteria. established by statute for'such exports.
Briefly, these are:
Romania is a' party to the-Treaty'for the'Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) and has: accepted International Atomic Energy Agency _
Safeguards on all-its nuclear facilities-and has pledged no nuclear, explosive use for its entire' nuclear ' program, including' its.
U.S.-supplied research reactor..
The exports of the reactor'and: fuel meet all' the requirements of the'-
U.S. Atomic Energy Act as amended -by the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Act of 1978 (the latter for the;1978 and:1988. exports).
q Appropriate physical-security measures.are'being applied to the 'HEU in 1
Romania-and will be applied to any' additional nuclear material shipped to'that country.
The Executive Branch Agencies concurring in the export license agreed.
J that the proposed export was not' inimical to the common defense and 1
security of the United States..
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The Honorable Alan Cranston 2
In addition, and for your information, the pending HEU export is owned by Romania and was-the _last.high-enriched uranium-fuel produced by General Atomics for TRIGA research reactors.- No more HEU fuel is being produced or is otherwise available_ for shipment to any TRIGA reactor _in the United _ States or elsewhere_ in the world.
Low enriched uranium (LEU) fuel for this modelEof reactor is still undergoing final testing before certification by the NRC for.
full: core reactor use. All future exports of uranium to fuel this reactor are expected to be LEU. The HEU fuel to be exported under the 1988 license would-permit sufficient operation of the-reactor to test prototype LEU fuel elements to allow full core conversion of the reactor to LEU fuel.
Finally, we would note that, in light of the'recent events in Romania there are no near-term plans for the release of_ the HEU fuel from the U.S., where it remains in the custody of the U.S. Department of Energy.
If-the new government of Romania raises the issue with the U.S., there will be a careful reassessment of the situation to ensure that the' material will be' subject to-strict nonproliferation commitments and adequately protected'before.
' authorizing its. release.
Sincerely, y Dennis K h un Director.
Congressional Affairs R
Office of Governmental ands Public Affairs-
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1 The Honorable Alan Cranston 2
j In addition, and for your information, the HEU pending export is owned by Romania and was the last high enriched urar.ium fuel produced by General H
Atomics for TRIGA research reactors. No more HEU fuel is being produced or is otherwise available for shipment to any TRIGA reactor in the United States or elsewhere in the world.
Low enriched uranium (LEU) fuel for this model'of-reactor is still undergoing final testing before certification by the NRC for.
full core reactor use. All future exports of uranium to fuel this reactor are expected to be LEU. The HEU fuel to be exported under the 1988 license would permit sufficient operation of the reactor to test prototype LEU fuel elements a
to allow full core conversion of the reactor to LEU fuel.
Finally, we would note that, in light of the recent events in Romania there are no near-term plans for the release of the HEU fuel from the U.S.,-where it remains in the custody of the U.S. Department of Energy.
If the new government of Romania raises the issue with the U.S., there will be a careful reassessment of the situation to ensure that the material will be subject to strict nonproliferation commitments and adequately. protected before authorizing its release.
I Sincerely, Original signed by/E. Fay, Acting Director Dennis K. RatFbun, Director Congressional Affairs Office of Governmental. and Public Affairs l
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