ML20031G607
| ML20031G607 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | 07106698 |
| Issue date: | 10/09/1981 |
| From: | Jennifer Davis NRC OFFICE OF NUCLEAR MATERIAL SAFETY & SAFEGUARDS (NMSS) |
| To: | BABCOCK & WILCOX CO. |
| Shared Package | |
| ML20031G605 | List: |
| References | |
| NUDOCS 8110230350 | |
| Download: ML20031G607 (3) | |
Text
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UNITED STATES OF AMERICA NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION In the Matter of
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NRC CERTIFICATE OF COMPLIANCE Docket No. 71-6698 NO. 6698 FOR RADI0 ACTIVE
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MATERIALS PACKAGES
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i PARTIAL RESCISSION OF ORDER I.
On November 14, 1972, a Certificate of Compliance under 10 CFR Part 71 was issued to Nuclear Fuel Services, Inc., for ",odel No. NFS-4 cask design.
The latest license expired on December 31, 1980, and is currently under timely renewal.
The packaging (" cask") identified as Serial No. NAC-10 is one of seven casks manufactured to the Model No. NFS-4 design.
All seven wera suspended
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from service by the Commission's April 6,1979 Order concerning structural l
integri ty.
On December 12, 1979, after further evaluation of the structural j
integrity, the Commission permitted three casks, including Cask Serial No. NAC-lD, to return to service with certain restrictions on their use.
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s II J
i On at least seven occasions between August 1980 and July 1981, following offsite transportation, the cask displayed impermissibly high levels of surface contamination in excess of the Department of Transportation's regulations, 49 CFR 5173.397.
Following the discovery of the excessive contaminations, the cask, before reshipment, was required to be decontaminated to the levels pennitted by 49 CFR 5173.397.
Af ter transportation following the decontaminations, the cask repeatedly arrived witg surface contamination exceedingthepermispiblelimitsof22,000dpm/100cm by as much as i
2,000,000 dpm/100 cm.
The increase in surface contamination exhibited following transport suggested that contamination which originally was fixed, was released in transit.
The reason for this excessive contamination, which may be related to the surfece finish of the cask, was not fully understood.
Consequently, an Order to Show Cause (Imediately Effective) was issued on July 22, 1981, which suspended use of the cask, except for one shipment to a testing and rehabilitation site, and which ordered the owner / user to show cause why the suspension should not continue pending a finding that there is reasonable assurance that surface contamination levels will not exceed the requiremer:ts of 49 CFR 5173.397 during future 0230350 833099 ADOCK 07106698 C
. shipments of the cask.
Nuclear Assurance Corporation (NAC or the owner),
in a submittal dated September 17, 1981, provided a report of its test and in pections of the cask.
On the basis of its evaluations, NAC requested that the suspension of the use of the cask be rescinded.
The owner has performed a series of tests and inspections on the cask designated Model No. NFS-4, Serial No. NAC-lD, and has determined that there are reasonable methods by which the cask can be routinely decGrtaminated.
The owner has defined a potential cause of the excessive surface contamination and has shown that by following a prascribed decontamination procedure a reduction in surface contamination to acceptable levels can be achieved.
The Order to Show Cause regaires reasonable assurance that the cask will not experience excessive contamination levels in transpert. The cask. has been decontaminated resulting in surface contamination levels significantly below the levels permitted by 49 CFR 5173.397.
The cask was allowed to weather on the decontamination pad at the Turkey Point Nuclear Station during which time there was no appreciable change in the surface contamination levels.
In view of the testing, inspection and decontamination program j
carried out to date, there is reasonable assurance that the cask can ba safely permitted limited usage, i.e., shipment over relatively short distances and for a limited number of shipments, to demonstrate that preparation of the cask for shipment will not result in excessive contamination levels in transport.
Part III of this document prescribes the conditions under which this limited rescission of the suspension may take place.
l Furthermore, in view of the available information and evaluations concerning the current condition of the cask referenced above and on the basis of the conditions of transport for the initial shipment of the cask, I have determined that the presence of a health physics technician is not necessary during the initial transport permitted in Section IV(A) of the Order to Show Cause. This first shipment may be for any purpose and need not be solely for. transfer to a testinp/ rehabilitation site.
At the conclusion of the shipments authorized under this limited recission, I will consider the results of those shipments and other relevant information in order to determine whether further recission of the suspension is warranted.
III In view of the foregoing, the suspension imposed by the Order to Show Cause dated July 22, 1981, is r,artially rescinded,on the following terms:
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A.
The shipment of the cask permitted in Section IV(A) of the i
Order to Show Cause may be conducted without satisfying condition IV(A)(3) in the Order to Show Cause.
The cask may be transported i
for any purpose including resumption of normal service.
T B.
The cask may be used for up to ten (10) additional shipments, j
either empty or loaded, for distances up to 200 miles if:
(1) prior to each shipment, surface contamination of the cask i
does not exceed the levels permitted by 49 CFR 5173.397; I
(2) upon receipt af ter each shipment, surface contamination j
of the cask does not exceed the levels permitted by 49 CFR 6173.397; and f
(3) each shipment complies with the terms of: Certificate of 1
Compliance No. 6698 and applicable requirements of 10 CFR Part 71.
C.
To assist in determining whether any further rescission of the suspension is appropriate, a report will be provided to the Director, Office of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards, which indicates for each shipment of the cask:
(1) surface contamination levels prior to delivery to a carrier for transport and such levels upon receipt after i
i transport; j
(2) whether the cask was empty or loaded; and (3) the decontamination procedures that were followed prior to delivery of the cask to a carrier for transport.
The.information requested by this document is not subject to the clearance procedures of the Office of Management and Budget as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1980, PL 96-511.
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. THE U.. NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION l
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$3f Jo6n G. Davis, Director Office of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards DatedapBethesda, Maryland i
this J
day of Se iember, 19BT vQck5 Y
/
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