ML20134C101

Responds to 960405 & 0517 Ltrs Concerning Possession of U Enriched to Greater than 5% Weight in Isotope U-235 & Analytical Bases for Control of Such Matl

ML20134C101
Person / Time
Site:	Framatome ANP Richland
Issue date:	09/16/1996
From:	Pierson R NRC OFFICE OF NUCLEAR MATERIAL SAFETY & SAFEGUARDS (NMSS)
To:	Maas L SIEMENS POWER CORP. (FORMERLY SIEMENS NUCLEAR POWER
References
NUDOCS 9609250233
Download: ML20134C101 (3)

Text

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< E UNITED STATES NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION WASHINGTON, D.C. 20666 4 001

%,,, September 16, 1996  !

Mr. L. J. Maas Manager, Regulatory Compliance Siemens Power Corporation 2101 Horn Rapids Road Richland, Washington 99352-0130

SUBJECT:

POSSESSION 0-235 (TAC NO. L21656) OF URANIUM ENRICHED TO GREATER THA

Dear Mr. Maas:

This letter is in response to your letters dated April 5, and May 17, 1996, concerning possession of uranium enriched to greater than 5 weight percent in the isotope U-235 and the analytical bases for control of such material The issues in your letters were further discussed in a conference call on May 17 1996. ,

NRC staff have determined that the information in your letters and the i

demonstrate that material at the higher enrichment can be processed safely at SPC's Richland Engineering and Manufacturing Facility. To i

make analysessuch basedaupon determination, it woulddata.

adequate benchmarked be necessary to perform criticality safety The staff is concerned that such as those with dry oxide powders, with U-235 enrichm below 20%.

.for systems using uranium enriched to greater than 5 weight p questionable.

acceptable for overmoderated solutions, where there is no likeliho neutrons with uncertainty. . energies in the epithermal region contributing to criticality As a result of this determination, NRC plans to proceed with the renewal of SNM-1227 to authorize the possession and use of 350 grams of uranium of any enrichment or form for analytical purposes and in sources, 25,000 kilograms of uranium compounds in any form enriched to a maximum of 5 weight percent in the waste, isotope, and plutonium in sealed sources and standards and as stored U-235 bC 30040 ggf.N 9609250233 960916

• PDR ADOCK 07001257 C PDR

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L. Maas 2 If you have further questions regarding this matter, please call Mary Adams at (301) 415-8111. -

l Sincerely, Original signed by:

Robert C. Pierson, Chief Licensing Branch Division of Fuel Cycle Safety and Safeguards, NMSS Docket 70-1257 License SNM-1227

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DISTRIBUTION

- (Control No. 1805)

, Docket 70-1257 PUBLIC NRC File Center Region IV NMSS r/f l FCSS r/f FCLB r/f CHooker, RIV KHardin CHrabal l

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*SEE PREVIOUS CONCURRENCE

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0FC FCLB* C FCLB .

O FCLB* C FCLB C l NAME Madams KHardin k PShea MTo [ # [

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NAME RPi r s'on  ;

DATE 9/QV)6 '

C = COVER E = COVER & ENCLOSURE N = NO COPY

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t. 'Maits 2 L

If you have further questions regarding this matter, please call Mary Adams at {

(301) 415-8111. ,

. Sincerely, I

.),k ( [e

l. Robert C. Pierson, Chief Licensing' Branch Division of Fuel Cycle Safety and Safeguards, NMSS Docket 70-1257 License SNM-1227 l

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