ML20052A820

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Forwards Addl Info Re NRC Review of Safeguards & Transportation as Related to Vallecitos Nuclear Ctr
ML20052A820
Person / Time
Site: Vallecitos, 07000754  File:GEH Hitachi icon.png
Issue date: 05/11/1978
From: Swanson D
NRC OFFICE OF THE GENERAL COUNSEL (OGC)
To: Somit J
SOMIT, J.
Shared Package
ML20052A734 List:
References
FOIA-81-483 NUDOCS 8204290225
Download: ML20052A820 (12)
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May 11,1978 Jed Somit, Esq.

100 Bush Street - Suite 304 San Francisco 94104 In the Matter of General Electric Company (Vallecitos Nuclear Center - General Electric Test Reactor, Operating License No. TR-1, and Special Nuclear Material License pp. SNM-960)

Docket Nos. 50-70 and 51-754

Dear Mr. Somit:

At our February 14, 1978 meeting in San Francisco, you indicated a desire for additional information regarding the Staff's review of safeguards and transportation as they may relate to the Vallecitos Nuclear Center (VNC).

In response to this request, I am providing the following information:

With respect to transportation, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC),

under the Atomic Energy Act of 1954, as amended (42 U.S.C. 2011, et seq.),

and Section 201 of the Energy Reorganization Act of 1974, as amended (42 U.S.C. 5841) is authorized to license and regulate the receipt, possession, use, and transfer (including packaging and transportation under certain conditions) of byproduct material, source material, and special nuclear material. The regulatory program is designed to protect the health and safety of the public and to assure the common defense and security. In keeping with the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, the regulatory program includes assessment of environmental impacts and transportation as well as of other activities.

1 l

The NRC has adopted regulations, applicable to NRC licensees, pertaining to procedures and standards for packaging and shipment of certain quantities of radioactive ynaterial (10 CFR Parts 20, 71 and 73). These regulations must be considered in conjunction with the regulations (49 CFR Parts 100-199) of the Department of Transportation (DOT) which pertain to certain types of pack-aging, labeling, and conditions of carriage of hazardous materials (including radioactive materials) in interstate commerce. The NRC exempts common and contract carriers, freight forwarders, and warehousemen from its regu-lations in view of the regulatory controls exercised over those persons by DOT and imposes the DOT regulations on its licensees.

8204290'Y65 1

o Under Section 274 of the Atomic Energy Act (42 U.S.C. 2021), the Atomic Energy Commission (AEC) relinquished certain regulatory authority to States entering into agreements with the AEC (now NRC). To date, 25 States have become Agreement States which regulate byproduct, source, and less-than-critical-quantities of special nuclear materials. Most States (at least 45), including all the Agreement States, have adopted the DOT regulations for intrastate shipments of radioactive materials. Mail shipments are restricted to small quantities of radioactive material, and are regulated by the U.S. Postal Service.

In view of this regulation, the NRC exempts the U.S. Postal Service from the NRC regulations. A 35 page summary of the regulations on transportation of radioactive materials appears in NUREG-1070, which is described in the attached list of documents.

Primary reliance for safety in transportation of radioactive material is placed on the packaging. The DOT regulations prescribe general standards and requirements for all packages of radioactive material, and for handling and storage of those packages by carriers. For packages which contain no signif-icant fissile radioactive material and only small quantities of other radioactive materials, the DOT standards and requirements provide adequate assurance of containment and shielding of the radioactive material. While these small quan-tity packages, termed Type A packages, may fail in an accident situation, the radiological consequences would be limited because of the limited package contents.

When the radioactive content of a package exceeds the small Type A quantity, it may only be transported in a Type B package, one which will survive trans-portation accidents. A Type B package must be designed to withstand specified impact, puncture and fire environments which represent severe transportation accidents. A Type B package design must be independently reviewed by the NRC engineering staff to verify the accident resistance of the design, and a certificate must be issued by NRC before a Type B package can be used to transport radioactive material.

The Standards which have been established in the regulations of DOT and NRC provide that the packaging shall prevent the loss or dispersion of the radioactive contents, provide adequate shielding and heat dissipation, and prevent nuclear i

criticality undgr both normal and accident conditions of transport, including safety factors to account for potential human error. The normal conditions of transport which must be considered are specified in the regulations in terms l

of hot and cold environments, pressure differential, vibration, water spray, impact, puncture and compression tests. Accident conditions are specified i

in terms of impact, puncture and fire conditions.

i i

0 0 Procedures applicable to the shipment of packages of radioactive material require that the package be labeled with a unique radioactive materials lable. In transport, the carrier is required to exercise control over radio-active material packages, including loading and storage in areas separated from persons, and to limit the aggregation of packages to limit the exposure of persons. The procedures the carrier must follow in case of accident include segregation of damaged and leaking packages and the notification of the shipper and the Department of Transportation. Radiological assistance teams are available through an inter governmental program to provide equip-ment and trained personnel, if necessary, in such emergencies.

The NRC promulgates requirements for safeguarding nuclear plants against sabotage and special nuclear material against theft. The current require-ments for physical protection of plants and material are contained in 10 CFR Part 73. In addition, guidelines on certain aspects of these requirements and technical information on physical protection are contained in Regulatory Guides and NUREG reports respectively. Physical protection plans and procedures provide for a system of barriers, guards, detection aids, access controls, communications equipment and the like. The plans and procedures are withheld from public disclosure in accordance with the provisions of 10 CFR 2.790(d). The NRC regularly inspects the licensees programs of protection to ensure the continuing adherence to commitments contained in protection plans.

l The status of the NRC Staff's reviews of transportation and safeguards for l

VNC is stated below:

1)

The NRC transportation review as it relates to VNC is limited to a review of design for packaging used in transporting certain radio-active material to and from VNC. The Department of Transportation regulates the shipment of such material in interstate commerce.

The NRC review of packaging and transportation is performed under 10 CFR Part 71. A general license is issued to GE pur-l suant to 10 CFR S 71.12 and is indepedent of the renewal appli-cation. Accordingly, the NRC is not reviewing the existing Part 71 approvalg as part of its consideration of the TR-1 and SNM-960 license renewal applications. Therefore, GE's authority for packaging and transportation was not referenced l

in the Federal Register Notice for this proceeding (42 F.R.

46427, September 15, 1977).

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2)

The VNC has an approved physical protection plan on file with the NRC. VNC has been inspec;ted and found to have put this plan into effect. The NRC found the measures to protect the plant against sabotage or special nuclear material against l

theft to be adequate. Special nuclear material is transported in accordance with appropriate regulations governing con-tainers, etc. Significant quantities of strategic special nuclear material in transit to and from the site are protected by the Department of Energy in accordance with the require-ments of that agency. However, as indicated above, the specific physical protection plans for VNC are withheld from public disclosure.

Also with respect to transportation and safeguards, we are enclosing a list of published NRC documents related to these subjects, and the address of the National Technical Information Service where copies may be obtained. Also enclosed is a list of the Regulatory Guides applicable to the physical security, material control, and off-site transportation reviews associated with opera-tions of VNC. The Staff has made appropriate notations on the list to indicate which guides are relevant to each of these subject areas. All of the listed Regulatory Guides are available for inspection in the public reading room located at the NRC's regional office located at 1990 N. California Blvd.,

Suite 202, Walnut Creek, California.

In response to other inquiries, I am also enclosing the following material:

1) a copy of the NRC Staff's current safety, environmental and natural phenomena review schedules; 2) a copy of floor plans and cross sections of Building 102 l

(GE has recently withdrawn its request that this informa-tion be withheld from public disclosure); and 3) a list of NRC consultants involved in the natural phenomena review. Since the joint petitioners have now been admitted as partie's to the proceeding, I do request that any inquiries that you may have regarding the review being performed by the listed individuals, or any NRC Staff personnel or consul-tants regarding the VNC, be sent by you as counsel for the parties, and directed to me. I will ensure that the Staff I

response to such discovery requests will be made with the l

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. benefit of consultation with the appropriate Staff members or consultants. I trust that the enclosures are responsive to your requests.

Sincerely, Daniel 2. Swanson Counsel for NRC Staff

Enclosures:

As stated cc w/ enclosures:

Edward Luton, Esq.

Atomic Safety and Licensing Mr. Gustave A. Linenberger Board Panel Dr. Harry Foreman Atomic Safety and Licensing George Edgar, Esq.

Appeal Panel Mr. Ken Wade Docketing and Service Section O

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DOCUMENTS *0N THE TRANSPORTATION AND SAFEGUARDS ISSUES I

Transportation - SNM related

" Final Environmental Statement on the Transportation of Radioactive Material by Air and Other Modes" NUREG-0170 December 1977.

Vol. 1 Price-Printed Copy $12.00 Vol. 2 Price-Printed Copy $16.25 Transportation - Reactor related

" Environmental Survey of Transportation of Radioactive Materials to and from Nuclear Power Plants" WASH 1238 l

December 1972.

" Environmental Survey of Transportation of Radioactive Materials to and from Nuclear Power Plants Supplement I" NUREG-75/1038 Supplement I to WASH 1238 April 1975.

Price-Printed Copy $3.25

" Potential Releases of Cesium from Irradiated Fuel in a Transportation Accident" NUREG-0069 Supplement II to WASH 1238 July 1976 Price-Printed Copy $3.50 Safeguards

" Basic Considerations for Assembling a Closed-Circuit Television System" NUREG-0178 May 1977 Price-Printed Copy $4.00

  • Copies available from:

National Technical Infonnation Service Springfield, Virginia 22161 i

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5.2 Classification of Unittediated Plutonium and Uranium Scrap 12/2002

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2/2n3 trol Accountability t.

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2/2n3 ide (UF.) and Uranium Hamafluoride (UF.)

5.5 Standard Methods for Chemical, Mass Spectrometric, and Spectrochemical 2/903 Analysis of Nuclear. Grade Uranium Dioxide Powders and Pe!!ets f5.8 Stenderd Methods for Chemical, Mass Spectrometric, and Spectrochemical Sn3 Analysis of Nuclear. Grade Plutonium Dioxide Powders and Pettets and Nuclear Grade Mixed Ozidos (U, Pu,0 )

3 o 5.7 Control of Personnel Access to Protected Areas, Vital Areas, and Material 6n3 5.8 Design Considerations for Minimizing Residua! Hofdup of Special Nuclear Sn4 1

Materialin Drying and Fluidized Bed Operations 5.9 Specifications of Ge(U) Spectroscopy Systems for Material Protection Sn4 1

Measurements-Part 1: Data Acquisition O $ 5.10

' selection and Use of Pressure Sensitive Seals on Containers for Onsite703 Storege of Special Nuclear Materials 4 5.11 Nondestr' ctive Assay of Special Nuclear Material Contained in Scrap and 1093 u

Waste O 5.12 Genere! Use of Locks in the Protection and Control of Facilities and 1103 Special Nuclear Materials f 5.13 Conduct of Nuclear Material Physical Inventories 11R"J O 5.14 Visus! Surveillance of Individuals in Material Access Area:

11n3 7 5.15 Security Seats for the Protection and Control of Special Nuclear Material.

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Nuclear, and Radiochemical Analysis of Nuclear. Grade Plutonium Nitrate Solutions and Plutonium Metal

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l 0 5.20 Training. Equipping, and Oualifying of Guards and Watchmen In4 5.21 Nondestructive Uranium 235 Enrichment Assay by Gamma Ray Spectrom-An4 stry Y

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/ 5.28 Evaluation of Shipper. Receiver Differences in the Transfer of Special En4 Nuclear Material 5.29 Nuclear Material Control Systems for Nuclear Power Planu 6#5 1

5.30 Materials Protection Contingency Measures for Uranium and Plutonium 604 Fuel Manufacturir.g Plants O 5.31 Specially Designed Vehicle with Armed Guards for Road Shipments of 4R5 Special Nuclear Material O 5.32 Communication with Transport Vehicles 505 4 5.33 Statistical Evaluation of Material Unaccounted For 6n4 g

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l 5.39 General Methods for the Analysis of Uranyl Nitrate Solutions for Assay.

12n4 Isotopic Distribution. and impurity Determinations l

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I 5.42 Design Considerations for Minimiting Residual Holdup of Special Nuclear 105 Material in Eituipment for Dry Process Operations O 5.43 Plant Security Force Duties In5 0 5.44 Perimeter intrusion Afarm Systems 606 1

M 5.45 Standard Format and Content for the Special Nuclear Material Control 12n4 and Accounting Section of a Special Nuclear Material License Appliu.

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Date Revision J 5.47 Control and Accountability of Plutonium in Waste Material 2#5 5.48 Design Considerations-Syrtems for Measuring the Mass of Liquids 2#5

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/ 5.51 Management Review of Nuclear Material Control and Accounting 605 Systems O 5.52 Standard Format and Content f,or the Physical Protection Section of a 606 1

License Application (For Facilities Other Than Nuclear Power Plants) 5.53 Qualification, Calibration, and Error Estimation Methods for Nonde.

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5.57 Shipping and Receiving Control of Special Nuclear Material 6n6 1

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Administrative Guide for Packaging and Transporting Radioacti Material ve.' '

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