ML20033A383
| ML20033A383 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | 07000754 |
| Issue date: | 10/21/1981 |
| From: | Page R NRC OFFICE OF NUCLEAR MATERIAL SAFETY & SAFEGUARDS (NMSS) |
| To: | Rouse L NRC OFFICE OF NUCLEAR MATERIAL SAFETY & SAFEGUARDS (NMSS) |
| Shared Package | |
| ML20033A378 | List: |
| References | |
| NUDOCS 8111250284 | |
| Download: ML20033A383 (2) | |
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NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION '
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WASHINGTON, D. C. 20565 Q-
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OCT 211981 MEMORANDUM FOR:
L. C. Rouse, Chief Advanced Fuel and Spent-Fuel Licensing Branch Division of Fuel Cycle and Material Safety FROM:
R. G. Page, Chief Uranium Fuel Licensing Branch Division of Fuel Cycle and Material Safety SUCJECT:
REVIEW 0F LICENSE APPLICATION DATED SEPTEMBER 2, 1981 AND ITS SUPPLEMENT DATED SEPTEMBER 25, 1981, DOCKET N0.70-754 I.
Background
The General Electric Company (GE), by application dated September 2,1981, and its supplement dated September 25, 1981, requested authorization for the following at its Vallecitos Nuclear Center:
1.
Add a definition for a "subcritical area" to the definitions in its license conditions section, Appendix A.
2.
Exemption from the criticality alarm requirements of 10 CFR 70.24(a) in "subcritical area;."
At your request, we have made a nuclear criticality safety. review of the license amendment application.
II.
Discussion GE has defined a "subcritical area" as a physically identified area or gation invgU, 300 g Pu, or a prorated combination of such materialsing special nu U, 300 g under the direction of a~ single area manager and which is unrelated to any other area where special nuclear materials are handled. A subcritical area is considered unrnlated when it meets the isolation requirements of Section 6.11(c) of the Appendix and is not in the same room.
Since a subcritical area is under the direction of a sinole area manager, the manager can administratively control the maximum quantity of fissile material in the area.
At the _ request of the NRC, GE has further defined an 8111250284 8 PDR ADOCK 05 C
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unrela_ted'sub'critiial ~ area as one that meets the isolation requirements
~r-of Sgction 6.Vf(c);of the Appendix and-is not'in the same room.
This addedrestriction~ precludes,themanagerfromsubdividingalargeroom into,more than one subcritical area.
I Pit 10'CFR 70.24(a) exempts the licensee from)the criticalty alarm re-i cuirements when the possession' limit is no more than' 700 g 235U, 520 g 233, 450fg'Pu, or 450 g of any combination thereof. Although the licensee's e'
0 possescion limit for single fissile isotopes in a subcritical area is-less than.that specified in Part 70.24(a), the combination of fissile isotopes may be more than allowed (500 g vs. 450 g).
However, the prorated combination of fissile isotopes requested in a su5 critical area is farther-
' from critical than the allowable 450 g of-any combination of fissile i sotop'es.
The isolation criteria between subcritical areas are adequate to prevent the accumulation of potentially critical quantities of fissile s-material in a single subcritical area. Therefore, the nuclear criticality i[
safety controls provide an adequate margin of-safety for the protection of f
the health and safety of the operating perscnnel, the public, and the environment.
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R. S. Pa Chief Uranium Fuel Licensing Branch Division of Fuel Cycle and x
Material Safety
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