ML20039B010
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UNITED STATES OF AMERICA NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION In the Matter of
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NRC CERTIFICATE OF COMPLIANCE
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Docket No. 71-6698 NO. 6693 FOR RADI0 ACTIVE MATERIALS PACKAGES 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 Model No. NFS-4 cack 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 were suspended from service by the Commission's April 6,1979 Order concerning structural integrity. On December 12, 1979, after further evaluation of the structural integrity, the Commission permitted three casks, including Cask Serial No. NAC-lD, to return to service with certain restrictions on their use.
l II On at least seven occasions between August 1980 and July 1981, following offsite transportation, the cask displayed impermissibly high levels of
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surface contamination in excess of the Department of Transportation's i
regulations, 49 CFR 5173.397.
Following the discovery of the excessive contaminations, the cask, before reshipment, was required to be decontaminated to the levels permitted by 49 CFR 5173.397.
After transportation following the decontaminations, the cask repeatedly arrived witg surface contamination exceedingthepermisgiblelimitsof22,000dpm/100cm by as much as 2,000,000 dpm/100 cm.
The increase in surface contamination exhibited i
following transport suggested that contamination which originally was g
fixed, was released in transit. The reason for this excessive contamination, which may be related to the surface finish of the cask, was not fully l
understood. Consequently, an Order to Show Cause (Inmediately Effective) f was issued on July 22, 1981, which suspended use of the cask, except for one shipment to a testing and renabilitation site, and which ordered the i
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 requirements at 49 CFR 5173.397 during future e112220173 811202 PDR ADOCK 07106698 C
A e 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 inspections 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 decontaminated.
The owner has defined a potential cause of the excessive surface contamination and has shown that by following a prescribed decontamination procedure a reduction in surface contamination to acceptable levels can be achieved.
The Order to Show Cause requires reasonable assurance that the cask will not experience excessive contamination levels in transport. 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 carried out to date, there is reasonable assurance that the cask can be safely permitted limited usage. A partial rescission of the order was issued on October 9,1981, which permitted a limited number of shipments over relatively short distances.
Based on the NAC submittal of November 6, 1981, the October 9th rescission is being modified to permit limited cask usage over a total of 2500 miles for a minimum number of shipments. This flexibility, with the condition for shipments greater than 200 miles that interim monitoring for surface contamination would be required, does not detract from the purpose of the program 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.
Furthennore, 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 testing / 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.
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III In view of the foregoing, this partial rescission, on the following terms, replaces the partial rescission of October 9,1981 of the Order to Show Cause dated July 22,1981. 'The terms are as follows:
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The shipment of the cask permitted in Section IV(A) of the Order to Show Cause may be conducted without satisfying condition IV(A)(3) in the Order to Show Cause.
The cask may be transported for any
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purpose including resumption of normal service.
B.
The cask may be used for additional shipments, either empty or loaded, for at least two shipments for a total distance not to l.
exceed 2,500 miles subject to the following conditions:
(1) Prior to each shipment, surface contamination of the cask does not exceed the levels pennitted by 49 CFR 5173.397.
(2) ' Surface contamination of the cask shall be measured upon receipt after each shipment and, for shipments greater than 200 miles, measurements shall be taken at intervals of nominally 200 miles. If upon receipt of a shipment of 200 miles or less, the surface contamination levels exceed the levels permitted by 49 CFR 5173.397, the cask shall be removed from service.
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during a single shipment greater than 200 miles the surface contamination levels exceed the levels permitted by 49 CFR 5173.397, the entire external surface of the cask must be covered with plastic bagging secured with tape and banding.
The integrity of the bagging shall be verified at transport intervals of not more than 80 miles. On completion of the shipment, the cask shall be removed from service.
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Each shipmen't n.ust comply with the terms of Certificate of Compliance No. 6698 and applicable requirements of 10 CFR Part 71 with the additional requirement that the maximum decay heat load must not exceed 0.5 kilowatts.
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, such levels during transport for those shipments greater than 200 miles and such levels upon receipt after j
transport; 4
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h (2) Whether the cask was empty or loaded; (3) The decontamination procedures that were followed prior to delivery of the cask to a carrier for transport; and (4) The number of times the cask was immersed in a spent fuel pool and the time immersed for each immersion.
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.
F R THE U.S. NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION m
do n G. Davis, Director Office of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards Dated at Bethesda, Maryland this ~JL day of Novca,bar, 1981 JEefh&
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