ML20076D848
| ML20076D848 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Issue date: | 07/31/1983 |
| From: | NRC OFFICE OF INSPECTION & ENFORCEMENT (IE) |
| To: | |
| References | |
| NUREG-0430, NUREG-0430-V03-N02, NUREG-430, NUREG-430-V3-N2, NUDOCS 8308230757 | |
| Download: ML20076D848 (14) | |
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NUREG-0430 Vol. 3, No. 2 l
LICENSED FUEL FACILITY STATUS REPORT i
l INVENTORY DIFFERENCE DATA JULY 1982 - DECEMBER 1982 UNITED STATES NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION p
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Available from N RC/GPO Sales Program Superintendent of Documents Government Printing Office Washington, D. C. 20402 A year's subscription consists of 2 issues for this publication.
Single copies of this publication are available from National Technical.
Information Service, Springfield, VA 22161 Microfiche of single copies are available from NRC/GPO Sales Program Washington, D. C. 20555
NUREG-0430 Vol. 3, No. 2 LICENSED FUEL FACILITY STATUS REPORT INVENTORY DIFFERENCE DATA JULY 1982 - DECEMBER 1982 Date Pu ish d July 1983 0FFICE OF INSPECTION AND ENFORCEMENT U.S. NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION WASHINGTON, D.C. 20555 i
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ABSTRACT NRC is committed to the periodic publication of licensed fuel facilities inventory difference data, following agency review of the information and completion of any related investigations.
Information in this report includes inventory difference data for active fuel fabrication facilities possessing more than one effective kilogram of high enriched uranium, low enriched uranium, plutonium, or uranium-233.
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CONTENTS Page Abstract.............................................................
iii Abbreviations........................................................
vii Inventory Difference Data...........................................
1 Definitions of Terms................................................
3 Tabulation of Inventory Differences..................................
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i ABBREVIATIONS CFR Code of Federal Regulations HEU High Enriched Uranium ID Inventory Difference LEID Limit of Error of the Inventory Difference LEMUF Limit of Error of Material Unaccounted For LEU Low Enriched Uranium MUF Material Unaccounted For NRC U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission SNM Special Nuclear Material S-R Shipper-Receiver I
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LICENSED FUEL FACILITY STATUS REPORT I
INVENTORY DIFFERENCE DATA Inventory Difference Data 1'
An inventory difference (ID), also referred to as material unaccounted for (MUF), is the difference between the quantity of special nuclear material that a licensee's accounting records show should be on hand and that which a licensee's physical inventory shows is actually on hand.
r The inventory difference data presented are for active, licensed facilities that are auth+ rized to possess, in an unsealed form, at least one effective kilogram of special nuclear material (that is, high enriched uranium, plutonium, and uranium-233) or at least one effective kilogram of low enriched uranium (for example, material used in commercial nuclear power reactors).
The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Comission (NRC) requires licensees possessing significant quantities of high enriched uranium, ~ plutonium, or uranium-233 to conduct an inventory every 2 months. Licensees possessing one effective kilogram of low enriched uranium are required to inventory every 6 months, except for General Electric Co., Wilmington, N.C., which is required to inventory every 12 months.
It is important to understand the distinction between the low strategic value of low enriched uranium and the higher strategic value of high enriched uranium and plutonium. Most low enriched uranium (the nuclear fuel for commercial light-water power reactors) is enriched to a level of 1 to 4 percent in the isotope uranium-235. At this level of enrichment, the uranium is not capable of sustaining the kind of nuclear reaction that takes place in a nuclear explosion.
NRC safeguards requirements covering low enriched uranium are graded to reflect its low strategic value.
They include a fonnal structured. system for material control and accounting and minimal physical security measures. On the other hand, because of the higher strategic importance of significant quantities of high enriched uranium and plutonium, NRC requires licensees to provide substantial physical protection of this material in addition to controlling and accounting for it. Physical protection of this material includes safeguards measures such i
as barriers, intrusion alanns, armed guards, and offsite police response capa-bilities. Internal systems to control the movement of this nuclear material are also required by NRC.
Inventory differences arise when nuclear materials are processed (particularly when chemical operations are involved). These differences can result from variations in measuring and processing, measurement inaccuracy or imprecision, unmeasured flows from the process, unmeasured inventory, bookkeeping errors, or loss or theft. Although an inventory difference larger than its overall measurement uncertainty (limit of error) may signal an abnormal situation r
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requiring determination.of cause, the fact that an inventory difference falls within its associated limit of error--even an inventory difference of zero--provides no automatic or conclusive proof that loss or theft of material has not occurred. Therefore, NRC relies on information provided not only by the material accounting system but also by the internal control system, the physical security system, NRC inspections and evaluations, and NRC and licen-see investigations.
A method that licensees and NRC currently use to determine the significance of the inventory difference is a concept called LEID, or limit of error of the inventory difference.
LEID is a calculated estimate of the measurement uncertainties that are associated with a plant's processing activity.
The inventory difference theoretically should be less than LEID 19 out of 20 times, if the inventory difference results only from measurement uncertainty.
Because an inventory difference that exceeds its associated LEID may be an indication of processing problems, biased or otherwise inaccurate measurements, bookkeeping errors, or loss or theft of material, NRC accordingly requires licensees to take increasingly stronger investigative actions depending on how much the inventory difference exceeds LEID.
Four inventory differences exceeded their LEID during the period of this report (July 1,1982 through December 31,1982). In these cases where the inventory difference exceeded the criteria of 10 CFR 70.53(b)(1), the licensee forwarded to NRC a statement of the probable reasons for the ID and the actions taken or planned with respect to the ID. Each such statement has been reviewed by NRC. In certain instances in the past, NRC has independently conducted investigations of an excessive ID.
These investigations have not established that significant quantities of special nuclear material have been stolen. For each inventory difference noted in this report, there is an evaluation of the data and, where appropriate, the cause or causes of the inventory difference have been identified. The inventory difference for Rockwell, ESG, Canoga Park, CA, dated June 29, 1982, was inad-vertently omitted from the last issue of this report, but has been included in this issue, t
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Definitions of Terms
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1.
Effective kilogram of s)ecial nuclear material: (1) For plutonium and uranium-233, their weigit in kilograms; (2) for uranium with an enrichment in the isotope uranium-235 of 0.01 (1%) and above, its element weight in kilograms multiplied by the square of its enrichment expressed as a decimal weight fraction; and (3) for uranium with an enrichment in the isotope uranium-235 below 0.01 (1%), its element weight in kilograms multiplied by 0.0001.
2.
High enriched uranium (HEU): Uranium whose isotope content is 20 percent or more uranium-235.by weight.
3.
Inventory difference (10):
The arithmetic difference between a-book inventory and the corresponding physical inventory, calculated by subtract-ing)ending inventory (A).(EI) plus removals (R) from beginning inlentory (BI plus additions Mathematically, this becomes ID = (BI + A) - (EI + R).
4.
Isotope:
One of two or more atoms with the same number of protons, but different numbers of neutrons in their nuclei.
5.
Limit of error:
The uncertainty component used in constructing a 95 percent confidence interval associated with a quantity after any recognized bias has been eliminated or its effect accounted for.
6.
Limit of error of the inventory difference (LEID):
That limit of error associated with the inventory difference after the material balance data has been adjusted for any recognized bias (same as limit of error of material unaccounted for [LEMUF]).
7.
"The inventory difference falls within the applicable regulatory limit":
The ID does not exceed both a minimum quantity specified by the Commission and either the associated limit of error of the inventory difference (LEID) or some other limit granted by the Commission.
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Low enriched uranium (LEU): Uranium whose isotope content is less than 20-percent uranium-235 by weight.
9.
Negative inventory difference: A situation that occurs when the amount of material on hand, as determined by physical inventory, exceeds the amount of material being carried on the books (that is, there appears to be a gain of material).
Mathematically, a negative ID is written as -ID or is shown in parentheses.
A negative ID is also referred to as an "ID l
gain."
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10.
Positive inventory difference: A situation that occurs when the amount of material on hand, as determined by physical inventory, is less than the amount of material being carried on the books (that is, there appears to be a loss of material). Mathematically, a positive ID is written as
+ID or ID (without designation of sign). A positive ID is also referred to as an "ID loss."
11.
Shipper-receiver difference (S-R difference):
The arithmetic difference between the quantity of special nuclear material measured by the shipper and the quantity measured by the receiver.
12.
Source material:
(1) Uranium or thorium, or any combinatior thereof, in any physical or chemical form or (2) ores which contain by(weight one-ii) tho twentieth of one percent (0.05%) or more of: (1) Uranium, (iii) any combination thereof.
Source material does not include special nuclear material.
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Special nuclear material (SNM):
(1) Plutonium, uranium-233, uranium enriched in the isotope 235, and any other material that the Commission, pursuant to the provisions of Section 51 of the Atomic Energy Act of 1954, as amended, determined to be special nuclear material, but does not include source material; or (2) any material artificially enriched in any of the foregoing, but does not include source material.
- 14. Strategic special nuclear material:
Uranium-235 (contained in uranium enriched to 20 percent or more in the U-235 isotope), uranium-233, or plutonium.
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Tabulation of Inventory Differences inventory Difference Licensee Material Inventory (Grassof Licensee No. SNM-Type Date U-235)
Explanation Babcock & Wilcox 42 IIEU 8/31/82 1,560 The inventory difference is the Navy, Lynchburg, VA result of a shipper-receiver dif-ference and of a change in the iso-topic value of recovered scrap.
IIEU 10/31/82
-154 The inventory difference falls within the applicable regulatory limit.
IlEU 12/31/82 1,212 The inventory difference is the result of a shipper-receiver difference.
Babcock & Wilcox 145 LEU 11/23/82 12,508 After the licensee identified a meas-Apollo, PA urementbias,thebias-adjustedinven-tory difference fell within the regu-latory limit.
Babcock & Wilcox 778 LEU 10/31/82 182 The inventory difference falls within Lynchburg Research the applicable regulatory limit.
Center, VA Babcock & Wilcox 1168 LEU No inventory was conducted during the l
CNFP, Lynchburg, VA reporting period.
Combustion Engineer-33 LEU 12/1/82
-2,548 The inventory difference falls within ing,llematite, M0 the applicable regulatory limit.
Combustion Engineer-1067 LEU 10/26/82 4,571 The inventory difference falls within ing, Windsor, CT the applicable regulatory limit.
Exxon, Richland, WA 1227 LEU 10/29/82 4,600 The inventory difference falls within the applicable regulatory limit.
Inventory Difference Licensee Material Inventory (Grass of Licensee No. SNM-Type Date U-235)
Explanation General Atomic 696 HEU 7/19/82
-1,171' The inventory difference falls within la Jolla, CA the applicable regulatory limit.
4 HEU 8/30/82
-610 The inventory difference falls within the applicable regulatory limit.
HEU 11/1/82 169 The inventory difference falls within the applicable regulatory limit.
LEU 8/30/82
-39 The inventory difference falls within the applicable regulatory limit.
General Electric 1097 LEU 8/9/82 45,422 The inventory difference falls withih Wilmington, NC the applicable regulatory limit.
Nuclear fuel 124 LEU 9/20/82
-394 The inventory difference falls within o,
Services, Erwin, TN the applicable regulatory limit.
HEU 8/11/82
-398 The inventory difference falls within the applicable regulatory limit.
1 HEU 10/13/82 4,189 The inventory difference falls within the applicable regulatory limit.
HEU 12/15/82 3,106 The inventory difference falls within the applicable regulatory limit.
Rockwell, ESG 21 HEU 6/29/82
-9 The inventory difference falls within Canoga Park, CA the applicable regulatory limit.
HEU 8/30/82 220 The inventory difference falls within the applicable regulatory limit.
HEU 11/1/82 173 The inventory difference falls within the applicable regulatory limit.
5 inventory i
Difference l
Licensee Material Inventory (Grams of Licensee No. SNM-Type Date U-235)
Explanation difference falls within Theinventorkeregulatorylimit.
Union Carbide 639 HEU 8/30/82
-47 the applicab j
Tuxedo, NY 10/28/82
-70 The inventory difference falls within the applicable regulatory limit.
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United Nuclear Corp.
368 HEU 7/9/82 284 The inventory difference falls within
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Montville, CT the applicable regulatory limit.
h HEU 9/10/82 215 The inventory difference falls within the applicable regulatory limit.
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HEU 11/12/82
-214 The inventory difference falls within the applicable regulatory limit.
Westinghouse 1107 LEU 10/31/82 16,233 The licensee's initial irvestigation Columbia, SC did not identify the cause of the y
inventory difference exceeding the the limit of error. However, the investigation is continuing with additional resources.
NRC Pom 335 U.S. NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION m.,,
BIBLIOGRAPHIC DATA SHEET NUREG-0430. Vol
- 1. Mn. ?
4 TITLE AND SU8 TITLE (Add volume Na of apptconan)
- 2. (Leave bimkl Licensed Fuel Facility Status Report Inventory Difference Data
- 3. RECIPIENT'S ACCESSION NO.
July 1982 - December 1982
- 7. AUTHORiSI
- 5. DATE REPORT COMPLETED M ON TH l YEAR June 1983
- 9. PERFORMING ORGANIZATION NAME AND MAILING ADDRESS (Include lip Codel DATE REPORT ISSUED U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission uCNTH lvEAR Office of Inspection and Enforcement July 1983 Washington, D.C. 20555
- s. (te-amil
- 8. (Leave omkl
- 12. SPONSORING ORGANIZATION NAME AND MAILING ADORESS (include 2,4 Codel p
- 11. CONTRACT NO.
- 13. TYPE OF REPORT PE RICO COVE RED (Inclusive dans)
Status Summary Report July 1,1982 - December 31, 1982
- 15. SUPPLEMENTARY NOTES
- 14. (Leave oImkl
- 16. ABSTR ACT 000 words or lessi NRC is committed to the periodic publication of licensed fuel facilities inventory difference data, following agency review of the information and completion of any related investigations.
Information in this report includes inventory difference data for active fuel fabrication facilities possessing more than one effective kilogram of high enriched uranium, low enriched uranium, plutonium or uranium-233.
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- 17. KEY WORDS AND DOCUMENT AN ALYSIS 17a DESCRIPTORS 17b IDENTIFIERS.OPEN.ENDE D TERMS 18 AV AILABILITY STATEMENT 19 SECURITY CLASS (Tn,s reoorr) 21 NO. OF PAGES Unciassified Unlimited 20 SeCualTY CLASS f This papf
- 22. PRICE line l a e e 4 f 4 mA 5
N aC 8 0R\\9 335 + 7 7 75
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