ML20132D691
| ML20132D691 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Paducah Gaseous Diffusion Plant |
| Issue date: | 12/20/1996 |
| From: | Pederson C NRC OFFICE OF INSPECTION & ENFORCEMENT (IE REGION III) |
| To: | John Miller UNITED STATES ENRICHMENT CORP. (USEC) |
| Shared Package | |
| ML20132D683 | List: |
| References | |
| NUDOCS 9612200070 | |
| Download: ML20132D691 (2) | |
Text
.
-m UNITED STATES k
NUCLEAR REHULATORY COMMISSION 3g f
4 o-REGION 111 I
E E
801 WARRENVILLE ROAD USLE. ILUNOIS 60532-4351 December 20, 1996 i
Mr. J. H. Miller Vice President - Production i
United States Enrichment Corporation j
Two Democracy Center 6903 Rockledge Drive Bethesda, MD 20817 2
SUBJECT:
PADUCAH OBSERVATION REPORT 70-7001/96006 (DNMS)
Dear Mr. Miller:
j l'
This refers to routine safety and safeguard observations conducted during the period October 1 through November 18,'1996, of United States Enrichment Corporation (USEC) activities at the Paducah Gaseous Diffusion Plant. Our observations were discussed with Mr. Steven Polston, General Manager, members t
4 L
of his staff, and the Department of Energy Site Safety Representatives i
i throughout and at the conclusion of the observation period.
l Areas' reviewed during the observation period are identified in the report.
j Within these areas, the activities consisted of selective examinations of procedures and representative records, interviews with personnel, and j
observations.
Based upon the areas observed, weaknesses were noted in your conduct of j
operations. These weaknesses contributed to apparent Operational Safety Requirement (OSR) and Technical Safety Requirement (TSR) violations.
Specifically, some staff did not fully underst ed and were not proactive in responding to plant conditions which: '(1) had the potential for and led to an exceedance of process assay limitations; (2) resulted in safety system j
actuations following cascade uranium hexafluoride outgassings; and (3) led to -
the improper reinitiation of an aborted cylinder heating cycle.
i j
In accordance with 10 CFR 2.790 of the Commission's regulations and the Department of Energy - Nuclear Regulatory Commission Memorandum of i
Understanding for the gaseous diffusion plants, a copy of this letter and the
- enclosed observation report will be placed in the appropriate NRC Public Document Rooms. We have also provided the Department of Energy (DOE) a copy of this report for their review.
We will gladly discuss any questions you have concerning these observations.
9612200070 961216 PDR ADOCK 07007001 ynthia D. Pederson, Director C
/ Division of Nuclear Materials Safety Docket No. 70-7001
Enclosure:
Observation Report No. 70-7001/96006(DNMS)
See Attached Distribution
.-r u-...,--
+-+-
+ -.
J. Miller.
i e
a Distribution cc w/ encl:
S. A. Polston, Paducah General Manager W. E. Sykes, Paducah Regulatory Affairs Manager D.1. Allen, Portsmouth General Manager i
M. L. Horn, Project Manager, NMSS i
Paducah Resident Inspector Office Portsmouth Resident Inspector Office 1
cc w/o enc 1:
J. D. Jackson, DOE i
i
)
i 1
l i
4 i
i i
1 i
i i